Proof of insurance is a document that shows your landlord, lender, or other individual that you actually have renters or home insurance.
What is proof of insurance?
Proof of insurance is exactly what it sounds like: proof that you have active insurance on your apartment or home. Usually, you can send over your declarations page (sometimes called your ‘dec’ page) as proof of insurance, which includes information about your coverage amounts, deductible, who your policy covers, and so on. You can also forward your entire policy document.
Do I need proof of insurance?
Whether you’re a renter or a homeowner, you’re probably going to need to show proof of insurance at some point.
If you’re renting an apartment, most landlords and property managers require you to provide proof of your renters insurance policy before you sign your lease. Sometimes, they’ll also ask for proof of coverage each time you renew your lease.
Why? Usually, landlords want to make sure you have enough personal liability coverage within your renters policy. They might also check to make sure you have enough personal property coverage for your stuff.
Your landlord might also require you to list them on your policy as an interested party, so they’ll be notified if you cancel your policy. That way, they can make sure you don’t cancel your policy right after you provide proof that you have one.
If you’re a homeowner, your lender will probably ask you to provide proof of insurance before they issue your mortgage. They’ll also usually require that you provide proof once a year, to make sure you have enough financial protection for your home.
If you apply for a homeowners insurance policy right before taking out a mortgage, it might take some time for you to receive your declarations page. In that case, your homeowners insurance company will probably send you a ‘homeowners insurance binder,’ which serves as temporary proof of your homeowners insurance that you can send to your lender.
If you don’t provide proof of insurance to your lender, they have the right to buy a homeowners policy in your name, and add the premium to your mortgage payments. This is called ‘force-placed insurance,’ and usually costs more than a typical homeowners insurance policy.
How do I get proof of insurance?
How you get proof of insurance depends on your insurance company. You might be able to download your renters insurance policy on your insurer’s website, or call your insurance company and ask a representative to email or fax a copy of your declarations page.
Here at Lemonade, getting proof of insurance is easy. When you get a renters or homeowners insurance policy, we send a copy to your email right away. All you need to do is forward this copy to your landlord, property manager, or lender, and you’re all set!
If you can’t find the initial email with your policy, you can always reach out to our customer experience team at [email protected], and we’ll be more than happy to resend a copy of your policy.
Can I use electronic proof of insurance?
As long as your insurance company offers you the option to download proof of insurance, and your landlord accepts this form of proof, there’s no issue with using electronic proof of insurance. But they might require that you fax over a hard copy of your proof of insurance instead.
Your best bet is to ask your landlord, property manager, or lender directly how they prefer to receive your proof of insurance, so you can save time and trouble.