Canadian winters are almost synonymous with ice and snow. Each year, the sidewalks and walkways around your home or apartment can become extremely slippery and create dangerous territory for you, your visitors, and those passing by.

Keeping up with timely removal of snow and ice is the best way to eliminate weather-related hazards and lower the potential for injury on your property. Doing so lowers your chance of becoming liable in the event of a slip, trip, or fall. If you’re a renter, your best line of defence is having a tenant insurance policy in place. Here’s an overview of how to understand your liability as a renter when it comes to snow clearing.

Both the renter of a unit and the landlord can share liability for an injury that occurs on the property due to negligent maintenance. “The responsibility for snow and ice removal typically is a landlord’s responsibility but having said that, tenants should check their rental agreement in order to understand what their responsibility is,” says Anne Marie Thomas, director, consumer & industry relations with the Insurance Bureau of Canada.

The landlord may hold responsibility, but it’s up to you to be aware of the terms outlined in your lease agreement around property maintenance. If you sign a lease that deems you responsible for shoveling snow and salting ice, there is always a chance you could become at least partially liable for a potential injury on the premises.

According to the Insurance Bureau of Canada, it comes down to the conditions of the loss. If you foresaw dangerous conditions, did nothing to interfere with them for days, and could have easily prevented the incident, you’ll likely hold some legal liability. However, if it’s clear you diligently cleared the snow and ice from your portion of the property, or if you alerted your landlord to the hazard immediately and requested the proper supplies (e.g., shovel and salt) to address it, the chances of you being held liable decrease. In either case, your tenant insurance policy should cover the medical costs of the injured party up to the limit set out in your policy.

Because homeowners own the property they occupy, they don’t have the possibility of sharing liability with a landlord if a guest were to injure themselves on their property. You as a renter, however, do. You may have to monitor snow buildup on only the parts of the property that are linked to your unit, which should be outlined in your lease agreement. A homeowner, on the other hand, is responsible for the entire property.

Regardless, both home and renters insurance policies include third-party liability coverage, which provides financial protection if someone injures themselves on your property and decides to sue you. With most tenant policies, the standard limit of coverage is $1 million, though you may decide you want to increase that limit, as claim costs can quickly add up. If you do this, your premium will also increase. This would be a good time to compare rates online to make sure you’re still getting the best deal for the coverage you need.