Renter’s insurance advised for scatterbrained cooks
Must tenant without coverage pay for fire damage?
DEAR BOB: I rent an apartment in a large complex. About six months ago, I accidentally let my dinner cooking on the stove get overheated. It caused a fire that resulted in about $15,000 damage to my apartment. Fortunately, nobody was injured. The landlord’s insurance company paid to have my apartment restored. Now the insurer is suing me for the $15,000. I don’t have renter’s insurance. Do I have to pay? –Sarah T.
DEAR SARAH: It sounds like you were negligent in allowing your cooking to overheat, causing a fire, which resulted in the $15,000 damage.
The landlord could have sued you for negligence damages. Instead, the insurer paid the $15,000 repair costs. By doing so, the insurer became subrogated to the landlord’s right to sue you for damages due to your negligence.