This can't be right.
My property hired contractors to fix the bricks of my apartment unit. They dented the shit out of my $550 window AC. I told property manager and yhey hit me with an "Oh no so sorry! File a claim with your renters insurance."
?? Why should pay a deductible for damage they actively caused?
Landlord telling me to file a renters insurance claim for damage *they* caused?
byu/Zuzu_RU inInsurance
Posted by Zuzu_RU
10 Comments
I would mot file a claim.
I would tell the property management that this was their own fault and liability, and I’d tell them that they pay for the repairs or you will file for them in small claims court.
Name the contractor and the property management company as defendants in the claim. I’m assuming you are in the US, it is generally quite cheap and easy to file a small claims suit.
One thing I see repeatedly on this forum is to ‘let the insurance companies on both sides battle it out.’
Your deductible is probably at least $500 – do not contact your insurance.
Demand your landlord cover it and tell him your insurance will not cover anything because it does not even meet your deductible. Or you could look into small claims court…should be a slam dunk.
This isn’t covered by your renters insurance 99% of the time, accidental dents are just not a covered cause of loss. Let alone your “actual damages” are likely to be less than the full cost of the AC unit, but this really gets into the weeds of it all.
Do the same thing that your landlord is going to do if you dented the drywall when you moved out. You file a claim in small claims court. You’d want to confirm that they don’t sell a new shell for the ac unit. Did it dent the internal parts and cause perm damage or just cosmetic. Finally what would it cost to find a similar one on FB marketplace. You’d want to “sue” for the full damages against the LL AND the contractor. It will cost the contractor WAY more than $550 to show up so I suspect they will offer to settle well before the court date.
TBH I’m not a legal expert but can assure you the insurance route it a total waste of time, and it would open a claim under your name which is a bad idea.
Good luck.
Your deductible is probably $500+, so a renters claim for this makes no sense. It’s the landlord’s or the contractor’s responsibility. However, trying to get your landlord to cover this may be difficult, and could lead to repercussions from them that could be not worth it.
Honestly window ACs are disposable. Next year it might not work. It sucks but you aren’t going to have a good time chasing damages over this.
Fo sho. Bet your lease says it’s your problem too.
This is not covered by your policy. Renters policies are named peril only. You’d have to argue with the landlord to get it covered.
Keep copies of everything so they don’t try and deduct it from your security deposit when you move out
If you end up filing a claim, it will hurt you when you go to get homeowners insurance as they will look at what all you have claimed. Even if it’s not the same company that you use to get homeowners, it will still show up.