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The Terminology Problem: “Personal Injury” Means Two Different Things
Before answering whether renters insurance covers personal injury, you need to know that this phrase means something completely different to a renter versus an insurance underwriter.
What most renters mean: A guest physically gets hurt at my apartment. Slip-and-fall, dog bite, object falling from a shelf, injury from my pet. This is bodily injury liability — and standard renters insurance covers it.
What insurance policies mean by “personal injury”: Non-physical harm to someone’s reputation, privacy, or emotional well-being. Libel (written false statements), slander (spoken false statements), defamation, invasion of privacy, wrongful eviction. This is a personal injury endorsement — a separate, optional add-on that most standard policies do not include by default.