Most surprises with rental fire insurance come on the day something happens that is not a fire: a pipe bursts and floods the apartment below, a window cracks or someone breaks in. That is when you hear the sentence nobody wants to hear: your policy does not cover that. It is not hidden fine print: fire insurance is designed for one specific risk, fire and what the law treats as fire, and everything else is a different cover. This article goes through what it really covers, what is left out, when your belongings are covered and what to check before presenting the policy to the agency.
What it covers: fire, lightning and explosion
Insurance Law 17,418 defines the core of this cover. The insurer pays for damage that fire causes to property directly or indirectly, and also for damage caused by the measures to put it out, demolish or evacuate; it also covers insured property lost during the fire (art. 85). The same law treats damage caused by lightning or an explosion as fire (art. 86). In practice this includes the walls, floors, ceilings and fixed installations of the property, which in a rental are insured with the building fire clause in favour of the owner. The policy you quote online with us also adds debris removal, for 5% of the building plus contents amount.
Your belongings: only if the policy includes contents
This is the most common misunderstanding. The clause in favour of the owner covers the building, not what you keep inside. Your furniture, appliances, clothes and devices are covered only if the policy includes contents, for an amount you choose when you buy it. And no, the owner's insurance does not cover them either: it protects their property. The building policy, which the manager must keep under art. 2067 of the Civil and Commercial Code, covers the building and common areas, not the inside of each unit. In our quote tool contents are included and you can raise them up to 35% of the building amount. To choose the amount, think about what it would cost to replace what you own, not what you paid.
The neighbours: liability towards adjoining properties
If a fire starts in your apartment and spreads next door, the affected neighbours can claim the damage from you. That is what liability towards neighbours is for: it responds for damage a fire starting in your unit causes to adjoining properties. Our quote tool includes it for ARS 30,000,000. Mind the scope: it is fire liability towards neighbours, not general liability. If someone gets hurt in your home, for example, this policy does not cover it.
What it does not cover: water damage
A burst pipe, a leak from the ceiling, a damp wall or flood water are not fire, and fire insurance does not cover them. It is one of the most frequent problems in an apartment, and that is precisely why it is a separate cover: water damage. The only water included in fire insurance is the water used to put out the fire itself, because the law treats damage from extinguishing measures as part of the fire. If you want water damage cover, you need home insurance (combined household policy): in our home quote tool it is an optional add-on.
It does not cover glass, windows or theft either
A window, mirror or shower screen broken by a knock or an accident is not fire either and falls outside this policy. The same goes for theft: if someone breaks in and takes your things, fire insurance does not respond even if you insured your contents, because those contents are covered against fire, not theft. Both covers, glass and theft of contents, are included in the home insurance (combined household policy) of our quote tool. If your lease only asks for fire insurance, that is enough to comply; if you want more protection, you can go straight for a combined policy, which already includes fire, as long as it has the clause and amounts the lease requires.
How to check the policy before signing
Before presenting the policy, check five things. First, the building amount: it must reflect the rebuilding value, because if you underinsure the insurer pays proportionally (art. 65 of Law 17,418); our quote tool uses a rebuilding value of ARS 2,000,000 per m². Second, contents: that they are included and enough to replace your things. Third, liability towards neighbours, if the lease asks for it. Fourth, the building fire clause in favour of the owner, with their details exactly as they appear in the lease. And fifth, the term and indexation: the policy is annual and, with inflation, the amount should adjust by itself; ours rises 3% every 30 days.
Conclusion
Rental fire insurance does one thing very well: it protects the property, your belongings if you include them, and your neighbours against fire. It is not designed for water, glass or theft, and knowing that in advance avoids the worst surprise, finding out once the damage is done. Check what your lease asks for, choose the amounts carefully and, if you want broader protection, consider home insurance. For what the lease requires, you can quote online and see the price instantly.
Related reading
Rental fire insurance, all in one guide
Whether it is mandatory, who pays, the owner clause, the sum insured and how to present it.
Go to the fire insurance guide for tenantsFrequently asked questions
Does fire insurance cover a water leak?
No. Water damage, such as a burst pipe, a leak or a flood, is a separate cover. The only water included is the water used to put out the fire itself, which the law treats as part of the fire damage.
Does fire insurance cover broken windows or glass?
No. Glass broken by a knock or an accident falls outside fire insurance. It is a cover that comes with home insurance (combined household policy).
Does rental fire insurance cover my furniture?
Only if the policy includes contents. The clause in favour of the owner covers the building; your furniture, appliances and clothes need their own contents amount.
Does it cover damage the fire causes to the neighbours?
Yes, if the policy includes liability towards neighbours: it responds for damage a fire starting in your unit causes to adjoining properties. Our quote tool includes it for ARS 30,000,000.
What happens if I insure the apartment for less than it is worth?
The insurer pays proportionally (art. 65 of Law 17,418): if the property is worth 100 and you insured it for 50, for damage of 20 it pays 10. That is why the building amount must reflect the rebuilding value.
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