[Narwal]

We are thinking of moving into a rental temporarily, and despite our plan to make sure our old and new pet insurance policies overlap, I’m not sure we’ll have an active policy during the rental period.

As we’re browsing properties I’m compiling a list of costs to anticipate. I’ve noticed how responsive you guys are to pet insurance questions, something I haven’t found elsewhere.

Do you know if a landlord (that allows pets) can require them to have pet insurance?

[Jeff Butler]

Every state has different landlord/tenant laws, so I’m hesitant to speak in broad terms. With that in mind, in most cases, the landlord sets the rules of the property, and the lease provided will reflect those rules. The requirement for pet insurance is going to be similar to renters insurance; some landlords require it, while others do not. The most important aspect is that landlords treat all applicants the same, so the rules need to be equal for every applicant.

If you are already in a property with a lease that does not mention a pet insurance requirement, a landlord cannot demand it mid-lease. But if you are looking at rentals and it is clear up front that pet insurance is a requirement, then that is going to be the rule for that property. For legal questions regarding leases, it is highly recommended to speak with an attorney.

[Narwal]

Great advice thanks Jeff! Very reassuring that the landlord can’t add the requirement mid-lease, since we don’t know exactly how long we’ll be renting.

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