Property Insurance in New York City
You’re a died-in-the-wool New Yorker, loving the city life. Green acres and white picket fences are not your cup of tea. We’re New Yorkers too, and we get it. Owning property in New York brings unique risks and challenges that others might not understand. At HCP, an entire arm of the company is devoted to New York co-op, condo and renters’ insurance, as well as coverage for single family homes.
About one in every 15 insured homes has a claim each year.
Who needs property insurance?
Any New Yorker who owns property, whether that’s a free-standing home, a condo, a co-op or an apartment. For owners, your mortgage holder will require it. For renters, your landlord’s policy won’t cover your personal property or possessions. Plus, your home is likely your biggest asset: property insurance helps you avoid financial disaster from unexpected events such as fire and theft.
In 2015 a fire department responded to a residential structure fire every 86 seconds, on average, in the United States, according to the National Fire Protection Association.
Apartment Insurance Quick Facts
Our sister company, Co-op Insurance, is hyper-focused on apartment coverage for co-ops, condos, and rentals, but here is a quick list to get you started.
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What Condo Insurance and Co-op Insurance policies cover:
- Protection for losses such as fire, wind, lightning, theft, and vandalism
- Your property from the “walls in,” but not common property
- Any renovations you’ve made to your unit
- Damage to property belonging to other residents, or unintentional injuries
- Limited water damage
- Off-premises coverage
- Living expenses if your place becomes unlivable
- Supplemental coverage available for special items such as jewelry
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What Renters’ Insurance policies cover:
- Nearly everything you own, from your home computer to furniture, appliances, and other personal belongings
- Liability coverage for unintentional injury to others or damage from pets
- Off-premises coverage
- Living expenses if your apartment becomes unlivable
- Supplemental coverage available for special items such as jewelry
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What Homeowners’ Insurance policies cover:
- Your entire home inside and out, yard and any outbuildings for protection for losses such as fire, wind, lightning, theft, and vandalism
- Liability coverage for unintentional injury to others or injury from pets
- Off-premises coverage for property or liability away from your home
- Living expenses if your home becomes unlivable
- Supplemental coverage available for special items such as jewelry
Poisoning caused the most (53.1%) unintentional injury deaths in 2015.
Dog bites accounted for more than one-third of all homeowners’ insurance liability claims paid out in 2012, costing over $489 million. FYI, dogs bite 4.5 million people each year, and over half of dog-bite injuries occur at home from familiar dogs.
From 2012-2016, wind and hail accounted for the largest share of homeowner claims, with 2.4 percent of insured homes having such a loss.
If you store possessions off-site in a storage facility, be sure to ask your agent if your coverage includes those possessions.
The top three renters’ insurance claims in New York City are: 1. sink, tub and toilet overflows, 2. dog bites, 3. leaky PTAC units and pipes.