Insurance is important to both landlords and tenants in Cameroon. Landlords need to insure their rental property against any damage whilst tenants should have insurance for their belongings and protection from eventual liability.
Landlord Insurance
Landlord insurance is a type of insurance policy specifically designed to protect those who own investment properties. Landlord insurance covers any event that may affect investment such as theft, storm damage, or tenants not being able to pay their rent.
Coverage of Landlord Insurance
An insurance policy for a landlord may cover the following aspects;
- Building cover: This is insurance against damage to the building structure which includes pipes, cables, external awnings, fixtures, fittings, etc. in the event of;
- Flooding
- Fire
- Earthquakes
- Explosions
- Lightning strikes
- Impact damage
- Storm damage etc.
- Contents cover: This is insurance cover for furnished homes as it seeks to protect additional contents against theft or damage such as appliances, carpets, curtains, furniture, etc in the event of a fire, storm damage, explosions, earthquakes, impact damage (such as an accident), tree falls.
What aspects are not covered by landlord insurance in Cameroon?
Though insurance is aimed at protecting the properties of the landlord in Cameroon, there is only an extent to which such coverage can be exercised. The landlord insurance doesn’t cover the following aspects;
- Tenant Repairs: This entails handiwork carried out by tenants which may result in property damage.
- Building defects
- Tenant contents
- Extra services: This includes services such as lawn services, plumbing services, etc.
- Market conditions
- General wear and tear: This entails damages created by natural conditions of time such as mold damage, and peeling paint.