R 241710Z AUG 21
MARADMIN 446/21
MSGID/GENADMIN/CMC L WASHINGTON DC//
SUBJ/RENTERS INSURANCE GUIDANCE FOR RENTAL PROPERTY TENANTS//
POC/ S. W. ZIMMERMAN/COL/PHIT/TEL: (571)256-2804/EMAIL: SCOTT.ZIMMERMAN@USMC.MIL//
POC/K. D. STEVENSON/LTCOL/PHIT/TEL: (571)256-2803/EMAIL: KENRIC.D.STEVENSON@USMC.MIL//
POC/R. CALLOWAY II/MAJ/PHIT/TEL: (571)256-8196/EMAIL: RONALD.CALLOWAY@USMC.MIL//
GENTEXT/REMARKS/1.  Purpose.  Individual Marines, Sailors, and their families who are in rental housing, whether off installation or resident in Public-Private Venture (PPV) housing onboard an installation, are strongly encouraged to obtain personal property and liability renters insurance, which provides protection against the loss of valuable personal items and liability for property damage or injuries to other parties.  It is critical for service members and their families to understand their renter’s insurance policy coverages, including what components of loss, liability, and medical bills are covered, the exclusions from policy coverage, and the policy deductible limits, which set out the amount the policy holder must cover financially before the insurance coverage begins.
2.  Background.
2.a.  A renters insurance policy is a group of insurance coverages designed to help protect renters and their belongings against certain risks such as damage to or loss of personal property (personal property insurance) and/or costs incurred if someone is injured at the renters’ residence or costs for loss or damage to someone else’s property due to actions of the renter, and other situations of potential liability (liability renters insurance).
2.b.  Traditionally in most off installation housing rental arrangements, whether for a single family home or an apartment, the landlord has required the potential tenant to obtain renters insurance as a condition of occupancy of the unit.  For those military personnel residing onboard the installation in PPV housing, renters insurance was initially provided by the PPV partner as an element of the BAH they received as rent from the military member.
2.c.  In January 2015, OSD eliminated the renters insurance component from the BAH rate calculation to slow the growth in military compensation costs. Since that time, renters insurance has  not been provided by PPV partners as part of the rent that a tenant pays to the PPV partner.
2.d.  The cost of renters insurance will vary based on a number of factors including location and choice of deductible and coverage limits.  However, renters insurance can potentially save tenants thousands of dollars in charges related to unforeseen damages.
2.e.  For additional information on renters insurance, visit the Marine Corps Military Housing Office Website (https:(slash)(slash)bit.ly/3n2zyGe), and reference the Tenant Guide to Renters Insurance and the Plain Language Brief.
3.  Action.
3.a.   Military Housing Offices will:
3.a.1.  Inform service members and their families seeking housing referral counseling on the importance and benefits of renters insurance, to include liability insurance, and encourage residents to obtain renters insurance for their own protection.
3.a.2.  Distribute resources to the tenant such as the Tenant Guide for Renters Insurance and Plain Language Brief to inform and educate in these efforts.
3.a.3.  Serve as a resource to answer general questions regarding renters insurance.
3.b.  Legal Offices will:
3.b.1.  Answer any legal questions regarding renters insurance and assist the tenant in understanding their renter’s insurance coverage and policies.
3.c.  Commanders will:
3.c.1.  Emphasize the importance and benefits of obtaining renters insurance to their Marines and Sailors, and assist Service members by providing policy review and insurance related financial planning support.
4.  Release authorized by LtGen E. D. Banta, Deputy Commandant for Installations and Logistics.//