Renter left house a mess. Can I submit a claim?

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Asked July 18, 2016

1 Answer


Assuming you have an insurance policy for the business operation, then you have to defer to the policy. There is a significant amount of additional detail that you still need to go over, however, the most important document to reference is the actual business policy itself. That being said, in general the answer is yes. There are a lot of minor items to consider as well as how the specific claim will be handled, what deductibles will apply, and how much you are actually entitled to. However, when it comes to insurance it is there to protect you and your building from damages that occur without your intent.

Because the tenant is not you specifically, then you have a valid argument to submit a claim. It is not entirely the same as vandalism because the tenant is allowed to be on the premises according to your lease. However, it is very close to general vandalism and in that case your property would still be covered. In addition, even if your tenant does not carry liability insurance then your insurance company can pick up the cost of the damages and will be able to go after the tenant from a legal point of view without your involvement.

At the end of the day the important thing to remember is that you have an argument for coverage. Unless the policy specifically excludes coverage in this regard (which doesn't seem standard), then you should be able to submit a claim for damages and the insurance company should pick it up. Remember that you don't need to prove intent when it comes to property damage, so even if someone else accidentally trashed your unit, or if they did it on purpose, you will still be able to have your insurance company step in and respond.

Answered July 19, 2016 by OldTownInsurance

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