--- title: 'Renters Insurance vs. Pet Insurance: What’s Covered and What’s Not' description: Pet insurance and renters insurance are very different products, and some people may need both forms of coverage. authors: - name: Kat Tretina role: Contributor url: https://money.com/author/kat-tretina/ education: B.A in English and Communications from Elizabethtown College, M.A. in Communications from West Chester University at_money_since: 2025 articles: 17 covers: - Insurance - Loans former_staff: true editors: - name: Andrea Agostini Ferrer role: Lead Staff Writer url: https://money.com/author/andrea-agostini/ bio: Andrea has been our in-house insurance expert since 2021. She's dedicated hundreds of hours to researching and evaluating a wide range of insurance products — from niche plans like pet insurance to everyday essentials like auto and homeowners coverage — and applies her knowledge to help readers understand the ins and outs of these policies. education: University of Puerto Rico at_money_since: 2020 articles: 62 covers: - Insurance - Banking - Business - Credit - Credit Cards - Debt - Economy and Politics - Education - Health and Wellness - Housing - Identity Theft - Lifestyle - Loans - Mortgages - Personal Finance - Pets - Professional Services - Retirement - Shopping - Taxes published: '2026-07-23T20:13:31.000Z' modified: '2026-07-23T20:13:31.000Z' section: Insurance tags: - pet insurance - Sponsored - sponsorship word_count: 863 canonical: https://money.com/does-renters-insurance-cover-pets/ type: Article source: structured-blocks --- > **Disclosure:** We research all brands listed and may earn a fee from our partners. Research and financial considerations may influence how brands are displayed. Not all brands are included. [Learn more](https://money.com/page/disclaimer/). ![Moving boxes with a dog inside](https://img.money.com/2026/01/Pet-Rental-Insurance.jpg) Sponsored by: ![](https://s3.consumersadvocate.org/prd/image/image/35944/a7c1bc1c-1ec6-49a0-956b-1ed27dbcb09d.webp) Keep your pets feeling healthy. With Healthy Paws pet insurance, there are no caps on annual or lifetime claims! [Go to HealthyPaws.com](https://money.com/pr/w7ed09dc0516?ap_referrer=%2Fdoes-renters-insurance-cover-pets%2F) ## Key Takeaways - Renters' insurance may cover pet-related liability damage and medical bills, but it won't cover your pet's health. - Pet insurance helps pay for your pet's treatments for injuries or illnesses, but not if it damages your neighbor's property or bites a guest in your home. - Both forms of insurance provide a safety net for your home and your furry friend — plus some extra peace of mind. If you rent your home and have a pet, you may need two types of insurance to protect your household: one for your belongings, and another for your pet. [Renters insurance](https://money.com/best-renters-insurance/) offers many of the same protections as homeowners insurance, without covering the building itself. It provides liability protection if your pet injures someone or damages a neighbor's property. Pet insurance, meanwhile, helps pay for unexpected veterinary care if your pet gets sick or injured. The two policies are often discussed together, but they protect against different risks. Here's what each covers and when you may need both. ## What does renters insurance cover? Renters insurance, also known as tenant coverage or apartment insurance, protects you and your personal belongings inside your rental unit. A standard renters insurance policy typically includes two forms of coverage: - **Personal property coverage:** You come home one night and notice that thieves broke into your apartment and stole your laptop and jewelry. Or, a fire damaged your clothing and furniture. Personal property insurance helps pay to replace the lost or damaged items. - **Personal liability coverage:** A guest falls in your home and breaks their arm. Or your pet is startled and bites a visitor. A personal liability policy pays for their medical expenses and your legal costs resulting from liability claims. It can also cover damages your pet causes to a neighbor's property. If your pet destroys your neighbor's lawn furniture, for example, renters insurance can help. ### Renters insurance and pets When it comes to your pets, renters insurance only provides liability coverage if your pet damages your neighbor's property or injures someone. However, renters insurance doesn't cover your pet's health or veterinary bills. Additionally, renters insurance providers typically exclude breeds they deem high risk, including pit bulls, Dobermans and Rottweilers and exotic pets like reptiles, birds and ferrets. Insurers may also exclude your pet if it has a known bite history, regardless of breed. ### **How much does renters insurance cost?** On average, renters insurance costs about $23 a month, though you may pay more if you live in an area with a higher likelihood of storms, fires or theft. According to the National Association of Insurance Commissioners, Mississippi, Louisiana and Alabama have the highest renters insurance premiums while the lowest are in North Dakota, South Dakota and Minnesota. ## What does pet insurance cover? Pet insurance is a specialized form of coverage that helps make the cost of emergency veterinary bills more affordable. If your dog is hit by a car or if your cat eats something they shouldn't, pet coverage will reimburse you for eligible veterinary expenses like hospitalization, lab tests, X-rays, surgery and medications. A policy also covers treatments for chronic or congenital health issues, as long as they weren't pre-existing conditions. Pet ownership isn’t cheap: Pet owners now spend an average of $4,272 a year on routine care alone, according to a [new study](https://www.healthypawspetinsurance.com/pet-insurance-research/soaring-pet-costs-are-pushing-household-budgets-to-the-limit.html) by Money.com and Healthy Paws Pet Insurance. A single emergency can push that number even higher. Let's say your veterinarian diagnoses your dog with hip osteoarthritis and recommends a total hip replacement. On average, this procedure costs about $7,000, according to a publication from the [American Veterinary Medical Association](https://avmajournals.avma.org/view/journals/javma/262/8/javma.24.01.0043.xml). If you have a pet insurance policy with a $500 deductible and an 80% reimbursement percentage, here's how your policy would help with the cost: You pay the bill upfront, then file a claim with your insurer. Pet insurance will reimburse you 80% of the $7,000 bill, or $5,600, minus the policy's $500 deductible (which you pay out of your own pocket). All told, your insurance policy would reimburse you $5,100 of the cost. ### **How much does pet insurance cost?** An accident and illness plan costs $36 a month for a cat and almost $70 for a dog, according to the North American Pet Insurance Association (NAPHIA). Accident-only plans are significantly cheaper, with monthly averages of $9 cats and $15 for dogs. ### What *doesn't* pet insurance cover? Pet health insurance only covers sudden illnesses or injuries your pet develops; it doesn't provide any coverage for pet-related incidents, damages, or injuries your pet causes to other people or their property. Some companies offer add-ons for pet liability coverage, but these are the exception, not the norm. ## Do I need renters insurance, pet insurance or both? Renters insurance and pet insurance can complement one another. If you rent a home and have a pet, you may benefit from having both forms of insurance. The table below shows examples of what events are covered under each type: | | Renters insurance | Pet insurance | | --- | --- | --- | | Your cat has an eye infection | ✗ | ✔ | | Your cat is bitten by a neighbor's dog | ✗ | ✔ | | Your dog has a broken bone | ✗ | ✔ | | Your dog destroys your neighbor's garden | ✔ | ✗ | | Your dog knocks over your neighbor, causing an injury | ✔ | ✗ | ### **Who should get renters insurance?** Renters insurance can be a worthwhile investment in the following scenarios: - Your landlord requires it for their rental properties - You own pricey electronics or collectibles that would be difficult to replace - You have a pet that could be a liability risk, such as a large dog - You want peace of mind in case of accidents involving guests ### **Who should get pet insurance?** Pet insurance makes sense if you meet any of the following criteria: - You'd have trouble paying for an unexpected emergency veterinary bill - Your pet is a breed prone to health issues - You want to reduce the financial stress of unexpected vet expenses ## FAQs ### Does renters insurance cover vet bills?  No, renters insurance doesn't cover your pet's veterinary bills; renters insurance only provides coverage for your personal property and personal liability. ### What happens if my pet damages my apartment?  Renters insurance covers damage your pet causes to another person's property, not damages your pet causes to your own unit. If your dog chewed the baseboards or your cat's nail scratched the floors, renters insurance doesn't kick in. Instead, your landlord may deduct the cost of repairs from your security deposit. ### Is renters insurance required if I have a pet? Renters insurance isn't a legal requirement in any state, but some landlords will require it, particularly if you own certain dog breeds. ### Does pet insurance cover dog bites?  No, pet insurance doesn't cover injuries or damages if your dog bites another person or dog. But if your pet is injured or bitten, and the bite isn't due to organized fighting or security work, pet insurance will cover their veterinary expenses. ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://money.com/#website", "url": "https://money.com", "name": "Money", "publisher": { "@id": "https://money.com/#organization" } }, { "@type": "WebPage", "@id": "https://money.com/does-renters-insurance-cover-pets/#webpage", "url": "https://money.com/does-renters-insurance-cover-pets/", "name": "Renters Insurance vs. Pet Insurance: What’s Covered and What’s Not", "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://money.com/#website" }, "datePublished": "2026-07-23T20:13:31.000Z", "mainEntity": { "@id": "https://money.com/does-renters-insurance-cover-pets/" }, "inLanguage": "en-US", "dateModified": "2026-07-23T20:13:31.000Z" }, { "@type": "Article", "headline": "Renters Insurance vs. Pet Insurance: What’s Covered and What’s Not", "articleSection": "Insurance", "image": [ { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://img.money.com/2026/01/Pet-Rental-Insurance.jpg", "width": 2880, "height": 1920, "caption": "Pet-Rental-Insurance" } ], "author": [ { "@type": "Person", "name": "Kat Tretina", "url": "https://money.com/author/kat-tretina/", "@id": "https://money.com/author/kat-tretina/#author", "image": "https://img.money.com/2022/01/a_kat-tretina.jpg?quality=85&w=400&h=440&crop=1", "alumniOf": "B.A in English and Communications from Elizabethtown College, M.A. in Communications from West Chester University" } ], "publisher": "https://money.com/#organization", "datePublished": "2026-07-23T20:13:31.000Z", "description": "Pet insurance and renters insurance are very different products, and some people may need both forms of coverage.", "abstract": "Pet insurance and renters insurance are very different products, and some people may need both forms of coverage.", "@id": "https://money.com/does-renters-insurance-cover-pets/", "inLanguage": "en-US", "dateModified": "2026-07-23T20:13:31.000Z", "editor": [ { "@type": "Person", "name": "Andrea Agostini Ferrer", "url": "https://money.com/author/andrea-agostini/", "@id": "https://money.com/author/andrea-agostini/#author", "description": "Andrea has been our in-house insurance expert since 2021. 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