Can landlord force you to buy renter's insurance

[hassledRenter]

We live in an apartment complex in Northern California. Since the past 2 lease terms, our resident manager has refused to let us renew our lease, until we don't produce a copy of renter's insurance. They say its mandatory that we have it- that they've had problems in the past that they've had to cover that turned out too expensive. In order to guard against future occurences of renter's negligence, renters MUST have insurance. Does California law permit such a thing?

 

[Michael Wechsler]

Originally posted by hassledRenter
We live in an apartment complex in Northern California. Since the past 2 lease terms, our resident manager has refused to let us renew our lease, until we don't produce a copy of renter's insurance. They say its mandatory that we have it- that they've had problems in the past that they've had to cover that turned out too expensive. In order to guard against future occurences of renter's negligence, renters MUST have insurance. Does California law permit such a thing?

I don't know of any law that requires a landlord to rent to you on your terms. Think of it this way -- just as easily the landlord can require a higher rent, the different between what you have now and that amount would be the cost of the renter's insurance. What is your remedy? The ability not to sign the lease and look for another place to live. You may have an issue with regard to renewal if that is what the landlord is insisting upon.

 

[NYClex]

in many apartment complexes the landlord-owner himself is required to require the insurance by the CC&Rs of the homeowner association.

A short while ago I bought an apartment in a complex to rent it out and lo and behold among the thousands of little rules and harassments the homeowner association put up was that I have to require that insurance from every renter.

It doesn't necessarily make sense from the HOA's point of view, since renter's insurance only covers the renter's property, so I as a landlord am also required to have homeowner's insurance which covers for example the structure of the apartment itself, but it is not illegal to require this as a term of the lease contract or as a term of the CC&Rs.

 

[Cvillecpm]

Yes - your LL can require you to have renter's insurance....why wouldn't you?

It costs about $10 per month and you can usually get through your auto carrier.