No Renters Insurance and a Fire below

[Lynn Taylor]

What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? Michigan
My brother lives in a loft above a business. On Christmas day he awoke to
smoke and found the business below on fire. He has no renters insurance and his place is badly smoke damaged (smoke rises!). Does he have any recourse with the business insurance? If he does how does he go about getting help for cleaning his furniture and personal belongings?
Thanks for any help you can offer. He has a very limited income and is on Social Security.

 

[Banned_Princess]

What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? Michigan
My brother lives in a loft above a business. On Christmas day he awoke to
smoke and found the business below on fire. He has no renters insurance and his place is badly smoke damaged (smoke rises!). Does he have any recourse with the business insurance? If he does how does he go about getting help for cleaning his furniture and personal belongings?
Thanks for any help you can offer. He has a very limited income and is on Social Security.

Sorry, no renters insurance means no compensation for damage to his belongings.


Why did the business go on fire? unless it was an intentional fire by the business owner....

 

[Lynn Taylor]

No Renters Insurance

It has not been determined as of yet. Does that matter?

 

[Banned_Princess]

It has not been determined as of yet. Does that matter?

If the fire was intentional then the insurance will pay because the business owner is liable for the damages, and you brother can be compensated.

If it was on accident, (even a negligent accident) then BO is not liable to your brother.

 

[las365]

If the fire was intentional then the insurance will pay because the business owner is liable for the damages, and you brother can be compensated.

If it was on accident, (even a negligent accident) then BO is not liable to your brother.

Well, no, generally insurance provides coverage for negligent acts or accidents, NOT for intentional acts. An arsonist would be personally liable for the damage caused by his actions, but his insurance wouldn't cover it.

OP, from whom does your brother rent his apartment? Is the business owner his landlord or just another tenant? It may be possible that there is some insurance coverage that covers part of your brother's losses, but it is doubtful.

Your brother should look into availing himself of any public or private assistance that may be available. He or you can try calling the agencies that provide different kinds of assistance to low-income people and see what might be available. If it was arson, he may be eligible for some kind of crime victim's assistance.

 

[ecmst12]

It is possible that the cause could be found sufficiently negligent to make the owner liable to the tenant for his belongings, but it would be a high fence to scale.

I have ZERO sympathy for people who don't have renters insurance.