Pet liability insurance & pet screening criteria

Pet liability insurance & pet screening criteria

Member since 2021 · 7 posts · 2 votes

Hi, 

We are planning to rent our rental property for a tenant with pets (small dogs). We're doing it for the first time and got the details about the restricted dog breeds from our home insurance agent. Can you pls help me understand what kind of pet liability insurance do we need to ask our prospective tenant. I heard that not many renters insurance provide pet liability insurance (property damage and physical injury). In such cases, may I pls know if there's a better way to make sure tenant carries liability insurance both for property damage (our property and neighbor's property if any) and bodily injury liability. Is there a way to make sure the tenants doesn't cancel the pet liability insurance after they move-in. 

Also please help me with the other required pet related prerequisties (like vaccinations history, behavioral aspects etc.) that landlord needs to be make sure while screening tenant with pets. I will observe the dog's behavior when the tenants come for the property tour but need some help in other formalities that I need to make sure w.r.t pets. Is there a way to cross check what tenants say about the pet matches the actual info of the pet?.

Please suggest 

Rgds

Kishore

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  • Nathan GesnerBusiness Member
    Moderator
    Real Estate Broker · Cody, WY · Member since 2010 · 28k+ posts · 41k+ votes
    4y

    You can use a FREE screening service like petscreening.com to verify the animals. Create a Landlord account and give tenant the link. They fill out the animal application and pay a fee. You see the picture of the animal, vet records, and more. You also get a PAW score of 1-5 that can help you determine risk and how much to charge for rent or deposit increase.

    Another option is to talk to their current Landlord and ask if there have been any inspections since the animal has lived there, pet damage, noise complaints, etc. Be careful relying on this: it's amazing how many Landlords never inspect their rentals.

    As for insurance, the only appropriate way to track it is to require the Tenant to list you as "additional insured" or "additional interest" on the policy. In both cases, you'll be notified any time the policy lapses or is canceled by the renter. As additional insured, you'll have some actual protect from their insurance provider. If their dog bites the mailman and he sues, he will likely sue the tenant and you. Being on the Tenant's policy ensures the Tenant's insurance protects you from that lawsuit. 

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  • Member since 2021 · 7 posts · 2 votes
    4y

    Thank you for the information @Nathan Gesner

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