For home renters without insurance, a fire or burst pipe can ruin everything they own. One Jacksonville lawmaker wants to require landlords to spell that out clearly in writing.
Sen. Audrey Gibson (D-Jacksonville) wants to make it mandatory for leases to say renters’ insurance is required to protect your belongings—and for renters to check a box saying they understand.
“You write in the pet deposit and if there’s damage, you know you have to pay for that. But we don’t write in that if—if something happens to the building and you lose you lose your things in the place where you live, you’re not protected,” Gibson says.
Gibson says renters make on average $20,000 less than homeowners do. So, if something destroys their home, they’re less likely to have disposable income to replace their possessions.
An identical bill is being filed in the Florida House by Rep. Bobby DuBose (D- Ft. Lauderdale).
Photo: "Country View Apartments" by Milestone Management used under Creative Commons license.
