A 2018 Pew Research Center study cited that nearly 1-in-3 U.S. adults live with at least one adult roommate. Now that inflation and everyday costs are spiking, you may be in the market for a roommate to defray some of your expenses. Who doesn’t want to pay half of the electric bill? Do you know how this action may affect your homeowners or renters insurance?

Many insurance companies will allow you to write a renters policy naming all your housemates. However, since 2000, the standard homeowners policy (HO 04 58–Other Members Of Your Household endorsement) has offered a way to insure unrelated household members—whether that member is a senior citizen, disabled person, roommate or partner.

For additional premium, you can add personal property coverage, additional living expense coverage and liability coverage to scheduled unrelated persons who are not guests, residence employees, tenants, roomers or boarders, persons under 21 in the legal custody of, and living with, a scheduled person, are covered automatically by the endorsement. However, it might be better to have your new roommate purchase his or her own renters insurance policy. This way your roommate will be able to control the coverages that best suit him or her.

Of course, the rented building is not covered, but there is limited coverage for building improvements or installations, made or acquired at your expense. Keep in mind that a renters policy is not going to cover floods and earthquakes without an endorsement or a separate policy. Also, you and the roommate will need to evaluate the need for other insurance, such as, a personal auto policy, a personal articles floater or a personal umbrella policy.

If you are making changes to your living situation, give our agency a call. We are more than happy to review your current policy with you to help you determine the best limits and coverages for your needs. Have your new roommate give us a call, too!