
Sign up & start saving!
Get our weekly newsletter for the latest in money news, credit card offers + more ways to save
Finder is committed to editorial independence. While we receive compensation when you click links to partners, they do not influence our content.
Updated
Your home and renters policy will continue protecting your property even during the eviction process. But eviction bans, moving or getting served an eviction notice illegally can pose tricky scenarios for insurance.
To qualify for the eviction moratorium, tenants who fall behind on rent are required to sign and submit to their landlord a declaration form stating they’ve lost income due to the effects of the coronavirus pandemic, and have looked for financial assistance.
Many states are banning evictions for renters or homeowners who’ve defaulted on their payments, but not all states have ordered bans and some bans have expired.
For example, Texas doesn’t have an eviction ban in place for those affected by the coronavirus, while the New York court extended its statewide ban until October 1, 2020.
State | Eviction ban expiration date |
---|---|
Alabama | Evictions not banned |
Alaska | Evictions not banned |
Arizona | October 31, 2020 |
Arkansas | Evictions not banned |
California | February 1, 2021 |
Colorado | Evictions not banned |
Connecticut | December 31, 2020 |
Delaware | December 31, 2020 |
District of Columbia | For the duration of the coronavirus emergency |
Florida | Evictions not banned |
Georgia | Evictions not banned |
Hawaii | November 30, 2020 |
Idaho | Evictions not banned |
Illinois | November 14, 2020 |
Indiana | Evictions not banned |
Iowa | Evictions not banned |
Kansas | January 26, 2021 |
Kentucky | Evictions not banned |
Louisiana | Evictions not banned |
Maine | Evictions not banned |
Maryland | For the duration of the coronavirus emergency |
Massachusetts | Evictions not banned |
Michigan | Evictions not banned |
Minnesota | November 12, 2020 |
Mississippi | Evictions not banned |
Missouri | Evictions not banned |
Montana | For the duration of the coronavirus emergency |
Nebraska | Evictions not banned |
Nevada | Evictions not banned |
New Hampshire | Evictions not banned |
New Jersey | For the duration of the coronavirus emergency |
New Mexico | For the duration of the coronavirus emergency |
New York | For the duration of the coronavirus emergency |
North Carolina | Evictions not banned |
North Dakota | Evictions not banned |
Ohio | Evictions not banned |
Oklahoma | Evictions not banned |
Oregon | December 31, 2020 |
Pennsylvania | Evictions not banned |
Rhode Island | Evictions not banned |
South Carolina | Evictions not banned |
South Dakota | Evictions not banned |
Tennessee | Evictions not banned |
Texas | Evictions not banned |
Utah | Evictions not banned |
Vermont | November 15, 2020 |
Virginia | Evictions not banned |
Washington | December 31, 2020 |
West Virginia | Evictions not banned |
Wisconsin | Evictions not banned |
Wyoming | Evictions not banned |
Once bans have lifted, your landlord can move forward with an eviction notice, which may require you to move out within days depending on your state. For example, New York state requires landlords to give a 14-day eviction notice for tenants to pay or move out.
You can stay clear of eviction by working through your housing situation with your landlord, mortgage lender or an alternative housing solution. But if these steps aren’t possible, you might have extra padding under these laws:
Your policy offers some coverage for your belongings during an eviction, unless it specifically excludes property damage from evictions.
Specifically, your home or renters insurance will cover your belongings if they get damaged by a covered event, like theft or vandalism. Your policy also will cover liability cases brought against you by your landlord or neighbor.
However, home or renters insurance won’t cover additional living expenses like rent or food because of an eviction or shortened lease. These policies only cover living expenses when the home gets damaged beyond livable conditions.
Last, your policy may offer lower limits for belongings when they’re away from home — as low as a few thousand dollars.
Your home and renters insurance may help with damaged belongings if your landlord dumps your belongings on the curb or damages them while locking them up. Your insurer might deem these as acts of theft or vandalism. However, your insurer may try to recover the damage from your landlord’s liability insurance first.
If you’re not successful with a liability settlement, your home or renters policy probably won’t pay to sue your landlord for damaged property, an unreturned security deposit or illegal eviction.
Your policy likely won’t cover your damaged belongings if they break or get marked up because of moving, unless you have valuable personal property insurance.
If you’re using movers, check your state laws and the moving company’s policy on damaged items to make sure you’re protected. State laws vary, so you shouldn’t assume blanket coverage if things get damaged.
Your home or renters policy also doesn’t cover moving expenses or a lost security deposit.
Canceling your property insurance is a personal decision, but it’s a good idea to keep some property insurance in case of damage and liability insurance in case of lawsuits.
If you have home insurance, you might switch to renters insurance for renting or living with a family member. If you have renter’s insurance, you might keep your policy if it covers stored belongings and you plan to
buy a storage unit.
If you can’t keep renter’s insurance but own valuable belongings, you can buy a separate valuable personal belongings policy. This type of policy may not require your living address, only a billing address or payment information.
You can be eligible for future home or renters insurance after an eviction. However, the main problem is whether an eviction or foreclosure will affect your credit score. If you have a low credit score, you might pay higher premiums than someone with a high credit score.
First, an eviction shouldn’t directly affect your credit score, but it can appear on your public records. This public record could affect tenant screening if you rent in the future. However, if your rental payments get turned over to a collection agency, the collections will affect your credit score.
A foreclosure is a different story for credit, with direct and high impact on your credit score. A foreclosure can drop your score by 160 points or more depending on your credit history. A foreclosure will affect your score for seven years since it stays on your credit report for that long.
Most insurers look at your credit-based insurance score to determine your eligibility and rates, unless you live in California, Hawaii or Massachusetts where using this score is illegal.
The eviction process differs from state to state, but these are the general steps:
You can cut the process short by moving out or paying your bill on the first notice.
For homeowners, the process looks different based on your state laws and whether it’s a judicial or nonjudicial foreclosure. What your timeline might look like:
In some cases, you’ll be allowed to stay in the home for several months until the home is sold or the foreclosure is finalized.
You can find housing help and counseling to work through this tough financial time, even if you don’t know the right steps to take. Start by:
If you’re leaving your current living situation for a new one, your insurance needs may change. Consider several companies for renters policies, your new home insurance needs or coverage for valuables to make sure your essentials stay protected.
Reduce your debt by around 30% after fees — but only if you can stick with the program. Here’s how.
Here’s where to get financial help for yourself and your business if you’ve been affected by the storm in February 2021.
This fintech just branched out into low-cost life insurance — but its lineup is limited.
Use your death benefits to help pay for medical expenses while you’re still alive.
Transform your home without leaving insurance gaps while your home’s under construction.
Find out how to apply — plus explore alternatives to deferring your payments.
Preliminary data on fatal accidents and driving behavior could explain why drivers haven’t seen higher insurance refunds.
CDC to require travelers to have a COVID test prior to travel and what implications that has for travel insurance.
See average EV insurance rates for 2021 based on Finder’s car model research, plus new models on the horizon.
Smart strategies that homeowners can use to get rid of Private Mortgage Insurance (PMI).