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The 5 Best Renters Insurance Companies

Renters insurance costs less than a streaming subscription and protects everything you own. We compared 25+ providers to find the best deals.

JT
Jessica Torres
Licensed Insurance Analyst Updated

Bottom Line

1 Average cost: $15-20/month. That gets you personal property protection, liability coverage, and temporary housing costs if your rental becomes unlivable. It is the best-value insurance product available.
2 Your landlord's policy covers the building. Your belongings -- laptop, TV, furniture, clothes, everything -- are not covered unless YOU have renters insurance.
3 Every policy includes $100,000-300,000 in liability coverage. If your dog bites a guest, your kid breaks a neighbor's window, or someone trips on your rug and sues, you are covered.
4 Always choose replacement cost over actual cash value. The difference in premium is a few dollars a month, but it means getting $1,200 for a new laptop instead of $300 for your 4-year-old one.
5 More landlords require renters insurance than ever before. Even if yours does not, the cost-to-protection ratio makes it a no-brainer.

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Most renters do not have insurance, and most of them think their landlord's policy covers their stuff. It does not. Your landlord's insurance covers the building. If a fire destroys your furniture, electronics, clothes, and everything else you own, that is your problem -- unless you have renters insurance. The good news: it is absurdly cheap. We are talking $5-20/month for policies that cover $20,000-50,000 in personal property plus $100,000-300,000 in liability. We compared 25+ providers to find which ones give you the best coverage for the least money.

Quick Answer

Lemonade Renters Insurance

4.9/5 Best Overall

Our top-rated pick for reliability, customer service, and proven results.

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How to Choose Renters Insurance

Start by figuring out what you actually own. Walk through your apartment and add up the replacement cost of everything: furniture, electronics, clothes, kitchen items, decorations, shoes, books, sports equipment. Most renters guess $5,000-10,000 and the real number is $20,000-30,000. That total is your personal property coverage target. Then make sure your policy includes liability ($100K minimum, $300K recommended) and additional living expenses in case you have to move out temporarily.

Always select replacement cost over actual cash value. The premium difference is usually $2-5/month, but the payout difference is enormous. If your 3-year-old laptop gets stolen, replacement cost gives you $1,200 for a new one. Actual cash value gives you $400 for what your used laptop was "worth." That gap adds up fast across a full apartment of belongings.

Get quotes from at least 3 insurers, and check if bundling with your auto insurance saves more than buying separately. Sometimes it does, sometimes it does not -- it depends entirely on your profile. If you have high-value items like jewelry or cameras worth more than $1,000-2,500, you will need a scheduled personal property endorsement because standard coverage has surprisingly low sub-limits on those categories.

Important Tip

Run a quick mental exercise: if your apartment caught fire tonight and you lost everything, how much would it cost to replace your mattress, clothes, laptop, phone, kitchen supplies, furniture, and shoes? That number is almost certainly higher than you think -- and without renters insurance, every dollar comes out of your pocket. For $15-20/month, that risk disappears.

Our Top Picks for Renters Insurance

Best Overall
Lemonade logo

1. Lemonade Renters Insurance

4.9
Editor's Rating

Lemonade is the easiest renters insurance you can buy. Open the app, answer a few questions, and you can be covered in literally 2 minutes for as little as $5/month. Claims are just as fast -- the AI processes most in under 3 minutes, and simple claims (stolen bike, damaged laptop) often get paid the same day. Standard coverage includes personal property with replacement cost available, liability up to $300K, loss of use, and medical payments. Their Giveback model donates unclaimed premiums to a charity you choose, which is a nice touch. The app also has a Digital Inventory tool where you photograph your belongings -- hugely useful if you ever need to file a claim and prove what you owned. Add-ons let you schedule expensive items like engagement rings or cameras for coverage above standard limits. The only real downsides: Lemonade is not available in every state, and they are still a young company compared to legacy insurers.

Show Pros & Cons

Pros

  • Incredibly affordable starting at $5/month with 2-minute signup
  • AI-powered claims processing in minutes with excellent mobile app
  • Giveback program donates unclaimed premiums to your chosen charity

Cons

  • Not available in all 50 states yet
  • Newer company with less long-term claims history
Signup Time: 2 min signup Starting Price: From $5/mo A.M. Best Rating: A-
Best for Bundling
State Farm logo

2. State Farm Renters Insurance

4.8
Agent Network
18,000+ agents
Starting Price
From $12/mo
A.M. Best Rating
A++
Apply Now
Best for Low Cost
GEICO logo

3. GEICO Renters Insurance

4.7
Service Model
Online + phone
Starting Price
From $8/mo
A.M. Best Rating
A++
Apply Now
Best for Coverage Options
Allstate logo

4. Allstate Renters Insurance

4.6
Agent Network
10,000+ agents
Starting Price
From $14/mo
A.M. Best Rating
A+
Apply Now
Best for Nationwide Coverage
Progressive logo

5. Progressive Renters Insurance

4.5
Service Model
Online + agents
Starting Price
From $10/mo
A.M. Best Rating
A+
Apply Now

How They Stack Up

How They Stack Up — Signup Time, Starting Price, A.M. Best Rating, and rating compared
Metric
Lemonade logo Lemonade Renters Insurance Top Pick
State Farm logo State Farm Renters Insurance
GEICO logo GEICO Renters Insurance
Allstate logo Allstate Renters Insurance
Progressive logo Progressive Renters Insurance
Signup Time 2 min signup 18,000+ agents Online + phone 10,000+ agents Online + agents
Starting Price From $5/mo From $12/mo From $8/mo From $14/mo From $10/mo
A.M. Best Rating A- A++ A++ A+ A+
Rating
4.9
4.8
4.7
4.6
4.5

Frequently Asked Questions

Four things. Personal property: your belongings are protected against theft, fire, vandalism, and certain water damage (not floods). Liability: if someone trips in your apartment and sues you, or your dog bites someone, you are covered up to your policy limit. Additional living expenses: if a fire or burst pipe makes your place unlivable, the policy pays for a hotel and meals while it is fixed. Medical payments: if a guest gets hurt in your home, their medical bills get paid regardless of fault. That is a lot of protection for $15-20/month.

Usually no. Each person on the lease generally needs their own policy. Some insurers let you add a roommate, but that means sharing your coverage limits and claims history -- if they file a claim, it affects your rates too. Spouses and domestic partners are typically covered under the same policy automatically. For unrelated roommates, separate policies are almost always the smarter move. At $10-20/month each, the independence is worth it.

No. Standard renters insurance explicitly excludes flood damage. You need a separate flood policy through NFIP or a private insurer. What IS covered: sudden water damage from internal sources like a burst pipe or overflowing washing machine. What is NOT covered: water that enters from outside (storm flooding, rising water, hurricane surge). Sewer backup may also be excluded unless you add a specific endorsement. If you live in a ground-floor apartment or a flood-prone area, a separate flood policy is worth the extra $20-30/month.

Open your closet, look at your electronics, check your kitchen, count your furniture. Add up what it would cost to replace all of it new. Most renters land between $20,000-30,000 when they actually do the math -- it adds up faster than you expect. Set your personal property coverage at that number. For liability, $100K is the minimum but $300K costs only a few dollars more per month and is worth it. If you have assets exceeding your liability limit (savings, investments), consider an umbrella policy for $1M of extra coverage at about $150-200/year.

Yes. In most states, landlords can make renters insurance a lease requirement, and it is becoming standard practice. Most property management companies now require it. Your landlord may ask to be listed as an "interested party" on the policy, which means they get notified if your coverage lapses -- but they have no claim to your benefits. Even if your landlord does not require it, the math speaks for itself: $15-20/month to protect $20,000+ in belongings and have $100-300K in liability coverage. There is no rational argument against it.

How We Tested

We signed up for or quoted 25+ renters insurance policies across multiple cities, tested each company's claims filing process, compared coverage limits and exclusions side by side, and reviewed customer satisfaction data to find the best options at every price point.

25+
Providers Evaluated
70+
Hours of Research
25+
Sources Cited

Coverage & Options

Personal property limits, liability coverage, whether replacement cost is standard or extra, and available add-ons. Insurers that include more in the base policy scored higher than those who nickel-and-dime with add-ons.

Pricing & Value

We compared monthly premiums for identical coverage across multiple cities and calculated the true all-in cost after bundling discounts. Since renters insurance is already cheap, small price differences matter less than what you actually get.

Ease of Purchase & Claims

How fast can you get covered, how easy is it to file a claim, and how quickly do you get paid? We timed signup processes and evaluated mobile app quality for each insurer.

Financial Strength & Service

AM Best ratings, customer satisfaction scores, and support quality. For renters insurance, we cared especially about whether the insurer or its underwriting partner has the stability to pay claims reliably.

Evaluation Weight Distribution

Coverage & Options30Pricing & Value30Ease of Purchase & Claims20Financial Strength & Service20

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About the Author

JT

Jessica Torres · Licensed Insurance Analyst

P&C Licensed, 8+ Years Experience, Risk Management Degree

Important Renters Insurance Disclaimers

  • Insurance quotes and premiums shown are estimates only and may vary based on your location, coverage level, deductible, claims history, and other factors. Contact the insurer directly for an accurate quote.
  • Coverage availability, terms, conditions, and exclusions vary by state, insurer, and policy. Not all coverage types or discounts are available in all states. Review the policy documents carefully before purchasing.
  • Insurance products are underwritten and issued by the respective insurance companies, not by Zogby. We are an independent comparison service and do not sell, bind, or issue insurance policies.
  • Renters insurance does not cover flood damage, earthquake damage, or your landlord's building structure. These require separate policies or are the landlord's responsibility.
  • Personal property coverage limits apply. High-value items such as jewelry, art, and collectibles may have sub-limits and require scheduled personal property coverage for full protection.

The information provided on this page is for general informational and educational purposes only. It is not intended as, and should not be construed as, financial, legal, tax, or investment advice. Always consult with a qualified professional before making any financial decisions.

Editorial Independence

We make money from some companies on this page. That doesn't change our rankings -- the editorial team scores every product independently, and the business side has no say in what we recommend.

Last Updated
Fact-Checked
March 5, 2026