Tenant (renters) insurance covers your contents, your personal liability as an occupant, and additional living expenses if your unit becomes uninhabitable after an insured loss. Your landlord's building policy does not cover any of these. I place tenant policies for renters across Ontario through The Insurance Lab.
Tenant insurance looks simple on the surface, but wording varies — especially on water damage, high-value items and liability limits when you rent inside a condo building. I compare tenant policies across The Insurance Lab's Canadian carriers and confirm the certificate satisfies your landlord's lease requirements before you sign.
There is no provincial law requiring tenant insurance, but most Ontario landlords now include it as a lease requirement. Your landlord's building policy does not cover your contents or your liability as an occupant — that's what a tenant policy is for.
Contents (furniture, electronics, clothing, bikes), personal liability if you accidentally injure someone or damage the building, and additional living expenses if the unit is uninhabitable after an insured loss such as a fire or major water escape.
$1M is the common starting point in Ontario; $2M is often only a small premium difference. If you rent in a condo building, a water escape from your unit can damage multiple floors below — a higher liability limit is worth considering.
Only if they are a named insured on the policy. Roommates who are not related and not on the lease usually need their own tenant policy — each of you insures your own contents and liability.
Yes — most Ontario tenant policies extend a percentage of your contents limit to items temporarily off-premises (a laptop stolen from a car, luggage on a trip). Sub-limits apply to jewellery, bicycles, cash and business property.
Bed bugs and mould are typically excluded. Some carriers offer very limited mould endorsements after an insured water loss, but general infestation and maintenance issues are the landlord's responsibility, not the tenant policy's.
Abhishek is a Registered Insurance Broker of Ontario (RIBO) working with clients across Durham Region, Ottawa, Niagara Falls, Brantford and Windsor. Coverage is placed through The Insurance Lab, a division of BrokerUnion Insurance Inc., giving clients access to 25+ Canadian insurers so the policy fits the risk — not the other way around.
Most Ontario tenant policies bind same-day. Send the unit address and lease start date and I'll set it up.
Coverage placed through The Insurance Lab · Division of BrokerUnion Insurance Inc.