What to know about renters insurance and what it does and doesn't cover

When natural or manmade disasters happen, renters insurance can mean the difference between catastrophe and stability. But new research shows the cost remains prohibitive for many, including in places most frequently and hardest hit by natural disasters. A new analysis from the nonprofit Financial Health Network finds the uneven distribution of insurance coverage tends to leave low-income households lacking policies, especially in states that have experienced the greatest losses due to climate disaster. Fire and many other “catastrophic events” are typically covered to a point, but most policies still exclude earthquakes and floods.