Best Renters Insurance Companies (2023)

Renters insurance protects you by covering the cost of replacing your damaged personal property and managing any liability claims made against you. With a variety of renters insurance companies available, it can be difficult to know which provider is best for you.

The This Old House reviews team looked at each providers financial strength, customer reviews, discounts and more to determine the best renters insurance companies nationwide.

Here are the highest-rated renters insurance companies:

• Lemonade: Easiest Sign-Up
• State Farm: Best Personal Property Coverage
• Liberty Mutual: Most Experience
• Allstate: Best Coverage Options
• Farmers: Most Customizable Coverage
• USAA: Best Membership Perks
• Nationwide: Best Endorsements
• American Family: Most Comprehensive Coverage

Lemonade: Easiest Sign-Up

• J.D. Power Rating: 853 out of 1,000
• AM Best Rating*: NR

With the company’s user-friendly mobile app, you can sign up for a Lemonade renters insurance policy in less than two minutes. The company also touts that its speedy service extends to the claims process, where policyholders can get paid in as little as three minutes when filing a claim through the app.

Even if a handy mobile app isn’t your priority, Lemonade is worth considering if you’re seeking a company that supports a good cause. The provider takes a flat fee, and once a year, it pools all money that was not used toward claims and donates it to charities. In 2020, Lemonade has donated over $1 million to various organizations chosen by its customers.

Lemonade also offers home, pet, life and car insurance.

Benefits of Lemonade Renters Insurance

✔ Signing up for a policy is easy with the Lemonade app
✔ Policies start at $5 per month
✔ Giveback program donates leftover money to charitable causes

Get My Quote: Visit Lemonade’s website

Learn More: Lemonade Renters Insurance Review

*AM Best ratings accurate as of August 2023

State Farm: Best Personal Property Coverage

• J.D. Power Rating: 836 out of 1,000
• AM Best Rating: A++

State Farm allows you to purchase as much personal property coverage as you want. Online, you can purchase up to $110,000, but if you have more to protect, you can talk to your local agent to extend that amount. If you want additional coverage for more valuable items, you can use the jewelry, computer, or business property add-ons to make sure every part of your home is protected. It also offers worthwhile bundle discount for customers who already have a State Farm auto insurance policy.

If you’re a policyholder thinking about buying a home in the future, you can seamlessly purchase a State Farm homeowners insurance policy after cancelling your renters insurance.

Benefits of State Farm Renters Insurance

✔ Customers can purchase up to $110,000 worth of personal property protection online
✔ Provides competitive premiums that are less than or equal to the national average
✔ Offers a unique add-on for a waterbed

Learn More: State Farm Renters Insurance Review

Liberty Mutual: Most Experience

• J.D. Power Rating: 834 out of 1,000
• AM Best Rating: A

Liberty Mutual has the most industry experience out of the insurance providers in this review, with more than 100 years in business. The company has mastered extensive and affordable renters insurance policies with premiums starting as low as $5 per month and liability coverage going up to $1 million, which is higher than the industry average of $500,000.

While the maximum amount of personal property coverage is low at $25,000, you can compensate for that by purchasing a jewelry endorsement for your more valuable belongings. They have renters insurance policies that start as low as $5 per month and they provide the option for replacement cost coverage.

Benefits of Liberty Mutual Renters Insurance

✔ Has over 100 years in the insurance industry
✔ Customers can purchase up to $1 million of liability coverage
✔ Monthly premiums are as low as $5

Learn More: Liberty Mutual Renters Insurance Review

Allstate: Best Coverage Options

• J.D. Power Rating: 837 out of 1,000
• AM Best Rating: A+

Allstate has the best renters insurance in the industry because of its customizability, discounts, and customer service. Not only can you choose personal property protection up to $150,000 (about $50,000 more than what other companies cap it at), you can choose between a replacement cash value (RCV) and actual cash value (ACV) policy that will either replace damaged items as if they were new or based on what they’re worth now.

You can further customize your Allstate policy by adding one of five additional coverage options—two of which allow you to protect more valuable items, like jewelry and collectibles. Allstate policies are in line or lower than the national average, which is partially due to the five available discounts that make the premiums affordable, including savings for bundling with auto insurance.

We also found Allstate to be one of the best homeowners insurance providers, so it could be perfect for any renters looking to purchase in the future who will want to keep their provider. Additionally, when you need to file a claim for a covered event, you have access to a mobile app, customer portal, and customer representatives 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

Benefits of Allstate Renters Insurance

✔ Offers discounts up to 25%
✔ Provides an online tool to calculate how much personal property coverage to purchase
✔ Has resources to help guide you through buying insurance

Learn More: Allstate Renters Insurance Review

Farmers: Most Customizable Coverage

• J.D. Power Rating: 831 out of 1,000
• AM Best Rating: A

Farmers has some of the most deductible options in the industry with choices for $100, $250, $500, $1,000, and $2,500. You can even choose a split deductible that’s $100 for theft and $250 for everything else. While Farmers renters insurance is only available in 36 states, the residents in those states get to work closely with a company that has more than 90 years of experience and an A+ rating by the Better Business Bureau (BBB).

Benefits of Farmers Renters Insurance

✔ Provides six deductible options starting at $100
✔ Offers a unique non-smoking discount
✔ Established insurance company that has been around for more than 90 years

Learn More: Farmers Renters Insurance Review

USAA: Best Membership Perks

• J.D. Power Rating: 886 out of 1,000
• AM Best Rating: A++

USAA renters insurance is available only to past or current military members and their immediate family. If you fit that definition, you get to enjoy policies that start at $10 per month and membership perks like travel and car buying discounts. One of the most unique features of a USAA policy is that floods and earthquakes are included in the list of covered perils, while other companies require you to buy an add-on for that coverage.

Benefits of USAA Renters Insurance

✔ Includes flood and earthquake coverage in every policy
✔ Gives access to USAA membership perks, like travel deals and car rental discounts
✔ Customers can decide to exclude personal property or liability coverage from their policy

Learn More: USAA Renters Insurance Review

Nationwide: Best Endorsements

• J.D. Power Rating: 859 out of 1,000
• AM Best Rating: A+

Nationwide goes above and beyond the standard liability, loss of use, personal property, and medical payment coverage. With every policy, you get credit card, ordinance or law, and building additions and alterations protection on top of the four base areas of coverage. As if the policy wasn’t already unique enough, you can add one of nine endorsements to make it even more tailored to your home.

Benefits of Nationwide Renters Insurance

✔ Offers nine endorsements, including personal injury and refrigerated property
✔ Provides credit card, ordinance, and building additions and alterations coverage for all policies
✔ Customers can choose between an RCV and ACV policy

Learn More: Nationwide Renters Insurance Review

American Family: Most Comprehensive Coverage

• J.D. Power Rating: 838 out of 1,000
• AM Best Rating: A

American Family renters insurance looks similar to Allstate, with standard personal property, liability, additional living expenses, and medical payments to others coverage and seven endorsement options. All personal property coverage is RCV, but the policy still stays affordable because of the five discounts that help bring down the price, including:

• Multi-policy discount: This discount can save renters up to 15% on their policy and up to 29% on their auto insurance policy when they purchase the policies together from American Family.
• Generational discount: Renters who are between ages 18 and 30 and have parents with an American Family policy can save on their renters insurance with this discount.
• Smart home discount: This discount helps renters save if they have smoke alarms, fire alarms, water detection systems, or a home security system.
• Autopay discount: Setting up automatic billing can help you save with American Family and ensure that your bills are paid on time without any penalties.
• Loyalty discount: After 12 months of being with American Family, renters can take advantage of lowered premiums through a loyalty discount.

Like Allstate, you’ll receive 24/7 customer service through the American Family portal, app, and phone number.

Benefits of American Family Renters Insurance

✔ Offers five renters insurance discounts
✔ Provides 24/7 customer service
✔ All policies are RCV

Learn More: American Family Renters Insurance Review

Though we recommend any of the eight providers in this review, Lemonade, State Farm, and Liberty Mutual stand out for their affordable premiums, customizable coverage, and long tenure in the business.

Scan the table below to see what unique features each of them offers.

*Quotes based on a married couple living in a one-bedroom apartment in Richmond Virginia with standard coverage options and no claims history.

**Standard Discounts include bundling with auto and having safety features such as a smoke detector or burglar alarm.

To help you find the best renters insurance company to assist you, compare the top providers in your state:

Alabama | Alaska | Arizona | Arkansas | California | Colorado | Connecticut | Delaware | Florida | Georgia | Hawaii | Idaho | Illinois | Indiana | Iowa | Kansas | Kentucky | Louisiana | Maine | Maryland | Massachusetts | Michigan | Minnesota | Mississippi | Missouri | Montana | Nebraska | Nevada | New Hampshire | New Jersey | New Mexico | New York | North Carolina | North Dakota | Ohio | Oklahoma | Oregon | Pennsylvania | Rhode Island | South Carolina | South Dakota | Tennessee | Texas | Utah | Vermont | Virginia | Washington | West Virginia | Wisconsin | Wyoming

Most renters insurance policies have four types of coverage—personal property, loss of use, liability, and medical payments to others. In addition to these four areas of coverage, renters insurance companies typically allow you to customize your policy with other endorsements.

• Personal Property: This protects the personal belongings that you own in your rental and in your car. You’ll want to take inventory of those items and estimate their value to make sure you get the right amount of coverage. Personal property coverage won’t protect valuable items, like jewelry and collectibles, so you’ll have to purchase an endorsement for those items.
• Loss of Use: If an event makes your home temporarily uninhabitable for repairs, your policy will cover additional living expenses during that time. This may include the cost of a hotel room or temporary rental, the cost of laundry, or the cost of meals. Loss of use coverage is usually expressed as a percentage of your personal property coverage, so the more personal property coverage you get, the more loss of use coverage you’ll receive.
• Liability: Landlords typically require this type of coverage so that they aren’t held liable for events that happen to your rental. This coverage protects you when you’re responsible for causing bodily injury to your neighbor or for damaging their personal property. It may even cover legal fees if that neighbor sues you.
• Medical Payments to Others: If a guest injures themselves in your home, your renters insurance policy will cover bills if that injury requires medical attention.
• Endorsements: While you’re not required to buy any sort of additional protection, you have the option to cover all of your belongings. Examples of popular endorsements include identity theft protection, earthquake coverage, schedule personal property, jewelry protection, and water backup.

Note: Whenever you file a claim with your insurance provider, you’ll be responsible for paying a deductible so that the coverage provided by the areas above can kick in.

Here’s an example of what a typical renters insurance policy could look like:

• Personal property: $25,000 of coverage
• Loss of use: $5,000 of coverage
• Liability: $100,000 of coverage
• Medical payments to others: $1,000 per person
• Deductible: $500

A standard policy will not cover all events and all items. Here are few areas that will typically not be included in your renters insurance policy:

• Pest damage
• Natural disasters
• Car theft
• Roommate property

The average cost of renters insurance in 2019 was around $14.50 per month, or $174 per year, according to the Insurance Information Institute. However, certain factors such as your age, claims history, location, and credit score can affect your premium.

Here are a few ways you can decrease your premium to make your policy more affordable:

• Adding DIY home security systems
• Adding fire alarms
• Bundling with auto insurance
• Keeping a policy for more than a year
• Purchasing your policy online
• Signing up for paperless billing
• Shopping for a policy before your current policy expires
• Selecting higher deductibles

To find the best and cheapest renters insurance policy, ask yourself these questions during your search:

1. Determine how much money you can afford to spend.

Decide how much room in your budget you have for renters insurance because that will affect what company you can buy from and how much renters insurance coverage you can get.

There are a few factors that may affect your insurance premium. Most renters pay a monthly premium, which might cost more than an annual premium because the provider adds interest onto the monthly cost. If you can afford to pay $180 upfront, you’ll save money in the long run.

If you’re looking to get your cost down, you can choose a higher deductible. The average deductible is $500 per covered event, but if you choose $1,000 or $2,500, your premium will be lower.

You can also look for companies that offer discounts. The company that provides your auto insurance will likely give you a discount for buying rental insurance through them. Other common discounts include having safety features, like smoke detectors and fire extinguishers, in your home and being claims-free.

2. Decide how much personal property coverage you should get.

Personal property coverage should be tailored to the amount of belongings you have. Take an inventory of all the items in your home and estimate their value. One factor to keep in mind is whether you want an ACV or RCV policy.

If you want your insurance provider to cover the cost of buying a new item if that item is damaged, then estimate your items as if they were new and look for a company with an RCV option. The alternative is estimating your item’s value based on depreciation and purchasing an ACV policy.

Another way to estimate your property’s value is by using a tool that insurance providers like Allstate and Geico offer. This tool breaks down your belongings by room and makes it easier to determine what everything is worth.

Note: Loss of use is often automatically calculated as 20% of your personal property, and most landlords require $100,000 worth of liability, so most of your coverage levels are already determined going in.

3. Look for a company that offers 24/7 customer service.

A covered event could happen at any time, and when it does, you want to make sure you can file a claim right away. The best renters insurance company is one with 24/7 customer service. If another company has the policy you want at the price you can afford, ensure it at least has a claims center that’s open 24/7 or you have a customer portal and mobile app to file a claim yourself.

4. Think about whether or not you live in a state with natural disasters.

If you live in a state like California or Florida that’s vulnerable to natural disasters, you may want to consider a company that provides specific coverage for those events.

Most companies won’t include natural disaster coverage in your base policy, so you’ll likely have to pay extra for an endorsement. If you’re eligible for USAA and want natural disaster coverage, we recommend getting a quote from them since it’s the only company in our review that includes flood and earthquake coverage under all policies.

If you aren’t eligible for a USAA membership, almost all companies offer at least an earthquake add-on that adds $1 to $2 to your monthly premium.

More Renters Insurance Providers

• AAA Renters Insurance Review
• Amica Renters Insurance Review
• Assurant Renters Insurance Review
• ePremium Renters Insurance Review
• Esurance Renters Insurance Review
• GEICO Renters Insurance Review
• MetLife Renters Insurance Review
• Progressive Renters Insurance Review
• Toggle Renters Insurance Review
• Travelers Renters Insurance Review

The providers in this review offer some of the best renters insurance policies in the industry. While Lemonade, State Farm, and Liberty Mutual are our top picks, any of the eight will provide you with comprehensive coverage for $30 per month or less.

Before deciding which company you like best, we recommend that you get a quote from at least three renters insurance companies so that you can compare coverage and costs. Call 855-948-5219 or enter your zip code into the tool below to discover which provider best fits your unique needs:

The This Old House Reviews Team is committed to providing comprehensive and unbiased reviews to our readers. This means earning your trust through transparency and having the data to back up our ratings and recommendations.

With that in mind, we created an objective rating system to score each home insurance company. Our rating system is a weighted, 100-point scale based on the following factors:

• Coverage (30)
• State availability (7.5)
• Customer service (15)
• Technology (12.5)
• Reputation (20)
• Additional benefits (15)

To share feedback or ask a question about this article, send a note to our Reviews Team at reviews@thisoldhousereviews.com.

AM Best Disclaimer