The dawn of renters insurance. What is it?

From cave dweller to apartment renter

The sun began to wane on the horizon. Howls echoed in the distance. A light drizzle began. They knew they needed to find refuge in the closest cave, fast. They were cave people. They liked to decorate their walls with nice cave paintings. Binge-watch shadow puppet shows. Invite some friends over for roast mastodon. Fast-forward roughly 100,000 years or so, and we find out our cave-dwelling ancestors weren’t much different than we are. We’re not fleeing cave bears and saber-toothed cats, but we still need our own kind of protection. 

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We humans have made some penthouse-apartment-sized achievements over the years, thanks to perseverance and a sprinkle of evolution. From more advanced shelters made of stones and stick to towering cities with renters on every building floor, we’ve come a long way. And finally, the pinnacle of modern living and security, the development of renters insurance. But you still may say, “Hold up, what even is renters insurance?” Well, get ready, because we’re going to break it down for you faster than the used sedan your uncle sold you with only 300,000 miles on it (check out Toggle® Auto for that too).

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Your cave things add up 

So you may not have a Banksy mural hiding in your closet — if you do, hold on to that — but for those who don’t own a masterpiece by arguably the most controversial and mysterious artist of the 21st century, your belongings are still worth a lot more than you think. The average renter actually has over $20k worth of belongings lying around their apartment. If that number is hard to believe, take a quick look around your place and it becomes clear you have tons of personal property to care about. The TV hanging on your wall that sometimes rudely asks if you’re still watching, the couch that made it through your front door by just inches, those expensive pots and pans that were gifted to you, and of course the smartphone or laptop you’re reading this on too. So, it’s true, one shirt hanging in your closet may not seem like a lot, but all together, they add up.

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That’s where renters insurance personal property protection swoops in, and it does pretty much what it says. It helps protect your things — computers, bikes, phone, furniture — almost anything of any value that you own. And now that you’re an expert apartment renter, a renters insurance policy can help cover anywhere from about $1,000 to $20,000 in personal property. Obviously, the more coverage, the higher the premium you pay each month. But still, even our top plan costs about as much as a Sunday brunch. Our best advice: Take an inventory of what you own. Go room by room and make a list of everything. Take pictures and videos of the whole place, anything to give you a permanent record of your things. That way, when you need to make a claim, you have receipts. Oh, and keep real receipts too. We love those. 

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Thing protection, inside and outside of your cave 

What happens when you take something that is in your cave, out of your cave? That is to say, what if your phone gets stolen or lost while you’re at the coffee shop or traveling with it? Most people don’t know it, but renters insurance can help to replace your stuff in those situations, depending on the coverage you purchase. 

That’s why Toggle® renters insurance can help cover you and your things, inside and outside of your apartment, protecting your stuff whether you’re going somewhere in town or on your next rendezvous in Paris. At Toggle, we think coverage should travel with you.

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Great floods 

So, your apartment flooded. Now what? It may seem like a catastrophic world ending moment, but it’s not. We’re going to fix it. Your electronics, furniture and half of your wardrobe may have been destroyed, but they’re replaceable. Technically, most leases only require the landlord to cover the bones (structural elements that are attached to the building) — things like walls, ceilings, floors and appliances included in it. They have to be in liveable condition. So does renters insurance cover the rest of the water damage to your property? Time for the good news: Toggle apt insurance helps cover water damage caused by you or someone else, up to the limits you’ve Toggled On.℠ Excellent. 

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The discovery of fire

The discovery of fire was an important one. As an insurance company, we’d also like to say it’s one to be careful with. In the event of a stove fire or an expensive candle malfunction, typically the owner is on the hook for building repairs and smoke damage. No need to worry there. Even better, if you’ve got a Toggle policy with “Temporary Living Costs” coverage, “TLC,” you’re in good shape. It’s paid like a per diem and can include things like hotel rooms, food and even laundry bills. If you lost some of your stuff to damage, and you did Toggle On coverage for it before it happened, we’ll also help you with reimbursement funds for the charred stuff.

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Cave crooks 

While security cams are a great way to relive that footage of you tripping and eating it on your front porch, they also may catch some things a bit more ominous. Un-fun fact: Almost a third of the claims we see are theft-related burglaries. And while security cameras are a good safety measure, they don’t chase after thieves. So, when criminals do get away, we’re here to help. 

A Toggle apartment insurance policy helps cover the replacement cost for your personal property. Big and small stuff. Gaming console? Gold watch? That priceless Troll Dolls collection? Just Toggle On the stuff you want to cover and add Replacement Cost when you want it covered. So what if your stuff is really, really valuable? Like, Elvis-stage-worn-jumpsuit valuable? That’s called a “High Value Item,” and you can just Toggle On coverage up to a limit that you choose for items over $3,000 (you set the limit when you purchase your policy). Great for folks with a bit more bling or a nice road bike in the apartment.

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To fix renters insurance, we had to break it with a giant club first 

A lot of man-made inventions in human history got it right the first time. The emergence of early Stone Age tools? Rock solid. The bow and arrow? On point. The hammer? Nailed it. The wheel? Seems to be doing fine. But early renters insurance? To fix it, we had to break it first. The problem is, old-school renters insurance companies deal in pretty standardized, inflexible “one-size-fits-all” policies, which is almost, well, prehistoric in our eyes. So we broke the whole thing down and started fresh. Branched off on our own evolutionary trail in renters insurance.  

The result? Toggle. It’s renters insurance you can actually — get this — customize. Because you’re not like other renters, and they’re not like you. Smash the refresh button on renters insurance and cover what you want, when you want. What is Toggle? We’re an insurance company, specializing in renters insurance that gives you the freedom to cover more. Or to cover less. Instantly. It’s that simple, and it’s 100% you-powered. Hey, if your BFF can add edible glitter to their latte, why can’t you add an authentic medieval knight’s sword to your policy? Yeah, we couldn’t think of a good reason either. Toggle On the coverage, sit back and enjoy some sweet peace of mind. 

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Subscription, you say? 

Heck yeah, we’re living in the future. Renters insurance 2.0 for humans 2.0. Evolved all the way. Need renters insurance by month? Pick a subscription and get coverage options with a side of coverage options and coverage options on top. That’s coverage your way, with three levels to start: 

• Basic: Anything but. Toggle On for liability coverage, which most landlords usually require, plus an extra dash of coverage for an extra dash of stuff. Can you afford it? Can you afford the price of another latte every month? You’ll be fine. No extra adulting required.
• Standard: The middle lane. If you’ve got more personal belongings to cover, this could be the subscription for you. More stuff? Just Toggle On more coverage. All for about as much as your favorite streaming service per month. If you ever need to dial down the coverage and save some coin, you can Toggle Off℠ what you don’t want at any time. Can you feel that? It’s power. Exercise it liberally.
• Premium: Livin’ large? Premium coverage can help. Keep your High Value Items on lock for about the price of one Sunday brunch per month. Toggle On some Premium and get back to the game, player. Coverage that’s extra (moving on…).

Ready to Toggle? It’s ridiculously customizable to your life, and we’re here to help you get A Blackbelt in Renters Insurance Customization. At Toggle our whole thing is making it smarter and easier to get renters insurance. Leveling up your customizing skills is no exception. And you ask, “Does renters insurance have any benefits?” A lot for these we already covered — theft protection and damage protection. Technology protection? Just Toggle On Technology coverage, adding it to your policy, and you’re good to go.

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At Toggle, we’re working every day to fill in the gaps in coverage and help cover benefits other renters insurance companies might overlook or exclude in their policies. Don’t-get-screwed-if-you-get-sued protection? This is something that most renters never consider: liability. We hear it too often. Someone else takes a tumble on your front porch — cue the security cam footage again — and they can sue you for their medical expenses. If they do, renters insurance can help handle it — both your legal expenses and any medical expenses you might be responsible for, up to the coverage limit.

What about those pets that have evolved into humans’ best friend right alongside us? Since you may be wondering, “Does renters insurance cover pet damage?”, we came up with pet renters insurance for that too. The Toggle Pet Parent® program — pet liability insurance for renters — provides up to $100,000 protection for you for any injury caused to someone else by your pet. Plus, $500 pet boarding costs if your place gets completely wrecked by a covered loss, needs repairs and you have to vacate. Plus, plus, you get $500 coverage for damages your pet causes to your rental that exceed your security deposit. Plus, plus, plus, Toggle offers $500 in veterinary care if your pet gets injured as a result of a covered disaster. 

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