Flood damage liability

Glenn asks:
(updated on Wednesday, October 17th 2018)

The header tank in my rental property broke resulting in some damage to the property. During the flooding the tenant's radio and mobile were damaged along with quite a lot of food. The tenant was put up in a Holiday Park for the duration of the repairs (three nights), and also given a $120 gift card for a supermarket. But the tenant is claiming the ruined food came to much more than $120. They are also asking for their radio & mobile to be replaced. Who is responsible please for these items? The tenant has personal contents insurance.

 

Our Experts Answer:

You cannot make an insurance claim against your policy for a tenant’s loss. The tenant is responsible for insuring their own goods. It appears that they have insurance cover on their possessions and so there should not be a problem in them claiming for their loss against their own policy.

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