Does this affect my rent?
Not directly. Rate filings set what insurers may charge for a policy, not what a landlord may charge for a unit. The filing that reaches rental property was allowed at 2 steps of 5.0%, the first effective October 1, 2026. Whether a landlord passes that through is a matter of the lease, not the rate.
The three figures on record
Rental — allowed
+5.0% ×2
What the Department allowed on landlord dwelling rates, each step on its own effective date.
Effect on rent
—
Not on record. No filing sets rent; that sits with the lease.
A renters policy covers belongings, not the building, and is filed under its own programme. A change to the dwelling rate does not move a renters premium.
What was allowed on landlord dwelling coverage
The Rate Bureau sought +29.8% statewide. The settlement allowed a phased change, each step on its own effective date.
| Step | Takes effect | Allowed change |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | October 1, 2026 | +5.0% |
| 2 | October 1, 2027 | +5.0% |
Settled at two identical 5.0% steps: +5.0% effective October 1, 2026 and +5.0% effective October 1, 2027.
The full rental filing record, with documents · Every rental filing since 1993
What each policy covers
A dwelling policy (the DP forms) covers a one-to-four-unit residence the owner does not live in — a rental house, a duplex, a seasonal property. It insures the structure and the owner’s liability. It does not insure a tenant’s furniture, electronics, clothing, or temporary housing after a fire.
A renters policy (HO-4) covers those tenant belongings and tenant liability. It is written and priced under its own programme, so a dwelling rate change does not move a renters premium.
Where a dwelling increase can reach a tenant is rent. An owner facing a higher insurance cost may raise rent at renewal, subject to the lease. The size of the allowed change is a useful reference point when a rent increase is explained by insurance: rental rates were allowed to move +5.0% per step, not the +29.8% that was sought.
The right to choose your own carrier and agent
North Carolina law prohibits requiring a tenant, borrower, or buyer to buy insurance through a particular company or a particular agent as a condition of a transaction. A lease term or a landlord instruction naming one agency does not override that.
So a lease requirement to carry renters insurance can be legitimate — an amount of liability coverage, proof of a policy — while the choice of who writes it stays with the tenant. Coverage limits may be specified; the seller of the policy may not be forced.
If your own housing cost went up, see the allowed change for your county →