Renters Insurance

96  |  A Legal guide for Lesbian and Gay Couples
landlord and allowed the landlord to screen Roger as a tenant, this is a
promise he might not necessarily be able to keep. And he should get the
landlord’s approval for the initial six-month period, as well—Roger will
be a subtenant during that time, and most leases require the landlord to
approve any sublease arrangement. (Note that the moving-in agreement
might not be valid for a married couple.)
Sometimes getting the landlord’s approval for a new lease isn’t as
easy as it sounds. In New York, for example, a gay couple went to court
when their landlord refused to add the second partner’s name to the
lease, despite the fact that the men had registered with New York City
as domestic partners. The State Division of Housing and Community
Renewal supported the landlord, and the Court of Appeal supported the
agency.
Renter’s Insurance
Renter’s insurance protects tenants against the loss of their property
due to theft or destruction. It’s important for you to have this coverage
because the landlord’s policy covers only the building structure and the
landlord’s personal property in it, such as appliances—not the tenants’
possessions.
Renter’s insurance also includes liability coverage, protecting you, for
example, if your carelessness causes a fire that damages the building.
Landlords are increasingly requiring tenants to carry renter’s insurance.
(In some states it’s unclear whether this requirement is legal, so if your
landlord is requiring it and you don’t want to pay for it, check with a
lawyer or tenants’ rights organization.)
You shouldn’t have a problem getting a joint renter’s insurance policy,
but you may not want one. If you are married or legally partnered a
joint policy probably makes sense. Under a joint policy, if your personal
property is stolen or damaged, the insurance company will write you
just one check for the value of the property. It will be up to you and your
partner to divide it in a way that’s consistent with who owned what, and
that can be difficult if you haven’t kept careful records.