Landlord basics
Landlord vs renters insurance in Texas
AIV Insurance LLC · Updated · How we write these
Short answer. In Texas a landlord policy covers the building and the landlord's own property there; the tenant's renters policy covers the tenant's belongings, their extra living costs after a covered loss, and their personal liability. The Texas Department of Insurance tells renters their "landlord's insurance won't cover your personal items." Neither policy usually covers flood.
Who covers what, side by side
| What happened | Landlord's policy | Tenant's renters policy |
|---|---|---|
| Fire damages the walls, roof and kitchen | Typically yes, subject to the policy's terms. On the TDP-3 no deductible applies to fire or lightning; other forms may apply one | No (the building isn't the tenant's) |
| Fire destroys the tenant's sofa, laptop and clothes | No | Typically yes |
| Fire destroys the refrigerator and washer the landlord provided | Typically yes. Depending on the form, appliances the landlord provides are covered with the building (the TDP-3 puts refrigerators and stoves there) or as the landlord's personal property | No |
| The house is unlivable while it's repaired | Lost rent may be covered (loss of rent, also called fair rental value) | The tenant's extra living costs may be covered (additional living expenses) |
| A visitor is hurt and blames the building's condition | Landlord's liability, if liability is on the policy | Possibly the tenant's liability, depending on the facts |
| A burglar takes the tenant's TV | No | Typically yes |
| Flood water comes in from outside | Usually not; flood is a separate policy | Usually not; flood is a separate policy |
"Typically" matters here. The declarations page (the policy's summary page) and the forms attached to each policy decide the answer in a given case.
Does landlord insurance cover my tenant's belongings?
No. Landlords are often asked, after a fire or break-in, whether "the insurance" will replace a tenant's things. On a landlord policy the answer is usually no. The Texas Department of Insurance (TDI) has its own standard dwelling form, the Texas Dwelling Policy Form 3 (TDP-3, last revised in 2002). Insurers may still use it, but many now use their own approved forms, and surplus-lines insurers use theirs; we quote it because it is public. It covers personal property "owned or used by you or members of your family residing with you" at the property (TDP-3). Your tenant is not your family. Their furniture, clothes and electronics belong on their own renters policy.
The same form also excludes theft of property that is not "an integral part" of the building, so even your own appliances may not be covered for theft on a dwelling policy unless theft is added back. See Texas landlord insurance: what a DP-3 covers.
What renters insurance does for the tenant
TDI describes three parts of a renters policy (TDI, Renters insurance):
- Personal property: the tenant's belongings, "even items stolen out of your car or while you're traveling."
- Additional living expenses: "the extra cost of food, rental, and other things" while the tenant can't live in the home after a covered loss.
- Personal liability: protection "if someone is injured in your home."
If a tenant causes a fire, whose insurance pays?
Suppose a tenant leaves a pan on the stove and the kitchen burns. The damage to the building is typically handled under the landlord's policy, subject to its terms, and your insurance company may then try to recover what it paid from the tenant (TDP-3, Subrogation), so a tenant with liability coverage of their own may be in a better position.
Deliberate damage is different again. On a DP-3 the house is covered for vandalism unless an exclusion applies or the house has been empty longer than the policy allows (60 days on the TDP-3). On TDI's basic form, the TDP-1, vandalism is covered only when the declarations page shows a premium for it, and some landlord policies exclude or limit damage by the tenant. Wear and tear is maintenance, not insurance. More, with the Texas deposit rules: Does Texas landlord insurance cover tenant damage?
Can a Texas landlord require renters insurance?
Usually yes, as a term of the lease. TDI's answer: "Renters insurance isn't required by law. Some landlords might require you to have a renters policy" (TDI). A landlord who wants it usually makes it a term of the lease and asks for proof at move-in and at each renewal.
How that clause is worded is a legal question, not an insurance one. Use your lease form's own provision or ask an attorney. We don't draft lease language. Some landlords also set a minimum liability limit for the tenant's policy.
Flood: neither policy, usually
Most landlord and renters policies exclude flood, and Texas law makes landlords tell tenants that most tenant policies do: the required floodplain notice says "Most tenant insurance policies do not cover damages or loss incurred in a flood" (Tex. Prop. Code §92.0135). Flood insurance is available separately for the building (the landlord) and for belongings (the tenant). The notice rules and flood policies are explained in Water damage and flood on a Texas rental.
When a covered loss makes the house unlivable
Two policies respond to two different losses. The tenant's additional living expenses pay for the tenant to live somewhere else. The landlord's loss of rent (fair rental value) replaces the rent the landlord stops receiving. Texas law can also let either side end the lease after serious damage (Tex. Prop. Code §92.054); more in Loss of rent coverage for Texas landlords.
A short checklist for landlords
- Does the lease say whether renters insurance is required, and at what liability limit?
- Do you collect proof at move-in and each renewal?
- Has the tenant signed the Texas floodplain notice?
- Does your own policy cover the appliances and furnishings you provide? For theft too?
- Is liability on your own policy? See Landlord liability insurance in Texas.
AIV Insurance is an independent insurance agency in Texas for landlords and rental owners. We are not an insurance company, and claims are filed with the insurance company named on the policy. If you would like to check what your landlord policy covers for your own property at a rental, reach us through the contact page.
Frequently asked questions
Does landlord insurance cover my tenant's belongings?
No. A landlord policy covers the building and property the landlord owns there. The Texas Department of Insurance (TDI) tells renters that their "landlord's insurance won't cover your personal items" (TDI). A tenant's furniture, clothes and electronics belong on the tenant's own renters policy.
Can a landlord require renters insurance in Texas?
Usually yes, as a term of the lease. The Texas Department of Insurance (TDI) says renters insurance "isn't required by law" and that "some landlords might require you to have a renters policy" (TDI). How to word that lease term is a question for your lease form or your attorney.
If my tenant causes a fire, whose insurance pays?
Typically the landlord's policy handles damage to the building, subject to its terms. The landlord's insurance company may then try to recover what it paid from the person responsible, which is one reason a tenant's own liability coverage matters. The tenant's belongings are a matter for the tenant's renters policy.
Who pays the deductible if the tenant caused the damage?
On the landlord's claim, the landlord's deductible, if one applies, comes first. Whether the landlord can then recover it from the tenant depends on the facts, the lease and Texas law, and the landlord's insurance company may pursue the tenant for what it paid. For the legal side, ask an attorney.
Does renters insurance cover flood?
Usually not. The Texas Department of Insurance says renters policies don't cover losses due to floods (TDI), and Texas's required floodplain notice to tenants says most tenant policies do not cover flood. Flood is a separate policy for landlords and tenants alike.
What does renters insurance cover?
The Texas Department of Insurance describes three parts: personal property (the tenant's belongings), additional living expenses if the tenant has to live elsewhere after a covered loss, and personal liability if someone is injured in the home (TDI).
Sources
- Texas Department of Insurance, Renters insurance: What does it cover and how much does it cost? (updated December 10, 2025)
- Texas Department of Insurance, Texas Dwelling Policy Form 3 (TDP-3, revised January 1, 2002), as mirrored by the Independent Insurance Agents of Texas
- Texas Department of Insurance, Texas Dwelling Policy Form 1 (TDP-1), as mirrored by the Independent Insurance Agents of Texas
- Texas Property Code §92.0135 (notice for a dwelling in a floodplain)
- Texas Property Code §92.054 (casualty loss)
- Texas Department of Insurance, Renting out your home? Check your insurance (updated December 10, 2025)
Last reviewed . Rules, figures and web pages change; the linked source is the authority.
Related guides
- Texas landlord insurance: what a DP-3 coversHow a DP-3 landlord policy works in Texas, what it usually leaves out (liability, theft, flood, foundation), and what to check before your renewal.
- Does Texas landlord insurance cover tenant damage?Wear and tear, accidents and deliberate damage are treated differently. What a Texas landlord policy may pay, the vacancy limit, and deposit rules.
- Landlord liability insurance in TexasThe standard Texas dwelling form has no liability section. How to tell if liability is on your landlord policy, what it covers, and how much to carry.
- Loss of rent coverage for Texas landlordsLoss of rent (fair rental value) coverage pays rent you lose while a covered loss is repaired, not unpaid rent. Limits, how long it lasts, Texas lease rules.