---
title: What Insurance Should You Require from Your Tenants? A Guide for Commercial Property Owners
---

# What Insurance Should You Require from Your Tenants? A Guide for Commercial Property Owners

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## What Insurance Should You Require from Your Tenants? A Guide for Commercial Property Owners

- Posted on Sunday, June 8, 2025

At Rathbun Insurance, we frequently work with commercial property owners who lease space to tenants. One common question we hear is, “What insurance should I require from my tenants?”

If you're a landlord or property manager, including specific insurance requirements in your lease can help limit your liability and ensure tenants are properly covered. Here are the coverage types we typically recommend:

**Tenant Insurance Requirements to Include in Your Lease**

1. **General Liability Insurance** – This should be required. We recommend at least:

2. **Property/Contents Insurance** – This covers the tenant’s own business personal property inside the space.

3. **Tenants Betterments and Improvements Coverage** – This provides coverage for permanent improvements or fixtures installed by the tenant.

**Additional Provisions to Require in Their Liability Policy**

- Your entity should be listed as an Additional Insured.

- A Waiver of Subrogation should be included.

- Require a 30-day notice of cancellation.

These provisions help ensure you’re protected and made aware if a policy is canceled or altered.

**Best Practices for Collecting Certificates of Insurance**

Always ask for a certificate of insurance, and request that it be sent directly from the tenant’s insurance agent. This avoids receiving outdated or incomplete documentation.

If you’d like us to review a certificate for compliance, we’re happy to do so at no cost.

**Need a Referral for Tenant Coverage?**

If your tenants aren’t sure where to go for insurance, feel free to refer them to us. We work with a variety of small businesses and can help them get the right coverage in place quickly.

If you’re a lessor’s risk client or property manager looking for more tailored guidance, give us a call. We’re here to help.

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**Request your insurance proposal online or contact our office to find out how we can help you find a policy that fits your needs.**

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