AUSTIN, Texas — Wildfires like the one in Cedar Park can cause major damage, both to homes and to the belongings inside them.
A big question when fires spark is whether renters insurance covers the damage those fires can cause.
According to the Texas Department of Insurance (TDI), if someone has renters insurance, fire damage is covered up to a certain amount. The insurance mainly covers the loss of personal belongings up to the amount the person has on their policy. If renters live in an apartment, they don't have to worry about covering physical damage.
The TDI recommends that renters make sure they know the value of what they own so their plan will cover it all.
"One good thing we tell people before something happens is to fill out a home inventory so that you know the value of your belongings. You know, take pictures of everything, open the closets and your drawers and things like that," said Ben Gonzales with the TDI.
Some things that renters insurance doesn't cover include jewelry, cash and business inventory. Gonzales said renters need separate policies to cover those items.
Gonzales also said renters insurance policies vary from company to company, so it's important for renters to stay up-to-date on what their policy covers.