For people who own or manage rentals
Your landlord policy has fine print. We read it for you.
Plain-English answers about insurance, repairs and landlording from Gerald Burns, a licensed insurance agent who reads underwriting decisions every week. No sales pitch, and when a rule depends on the state, we name the state.
Houses & small rentals
One to four units. DP-1, DP-2 and DP-3 policies, vacancy, roofs and lost rent.
Apartment buildings
Limits, liability, umbrella cover, and keeping a big building insured to value.
Commercial property
Storefronts and mixed-use buildings. What to check before renewal. Articles coming.
The reading list
Start here
- 01 DP-1 vs DP-2 vs DP-3: Which Landlord Policy Do You Actually Need?The three dwelling fire policies for rental homes, explained in plain English: what each one covers, how claims are paid, and which one fits your rental.
- 02 Empty Rental? How Vacancy Quietly Shrinks Your Landlord InsuranceWhen a rental sits empty, cover for vandalism, theft, glass and water damage can end after 30 or 60 days. What changes, why, and how to stay protected between tenants.
- 03 Loss of Rent Coverage: What It Pays When Your Rental Can't Be Lived InIf a fire or burst pipe forces your tenant out, loss of rent (fair rental value) cover replaces the rent while you repair. How it works, what it won't pay, and how to set the right limit.
- 04 Underinsured Rental? How the 80% Rule and Roof Age Can Shrink Your ClaimInsure a rental for less than its rebuild cost and a claim can be cut, even a small one. How the 80% coinsurance rule works, why roofs switch to actual cash value, and how to set the right limit.
- 05 Landlord Liability Insurance: What It Covers, What It Doesn't, and When You Need an UmbrellaA guest slips on your icy steps or a tenant's dog bites a neighbour. How landlord liability works, the exclusions that surprise owners, and how an umbrella or excess policy fits on top.
From the underwriter's desk
A 1920s house got approved the next day. Here's why.
It had a 2025 roof, 2024 electrical, a 2015 furnace, and one past claim that was closed and fully repaired. Age alone rarely sinks a quote. Missing paperwork often does. Before you ask for a quote, have the update years for the roof, electrical, plumbing and heating ready.