Cheapest Renters Insurance in Seattle

Your neighbors pay as little as $11 a month for renters insurance.

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Amica offers the cheapest renters insurance in Seattle, at $137 a year, or $11 a month. The average cost of renters insurance in Seattle is $16 a month, lower than the national average of $18 a month. Premiums for renters insurance in Seattle range from as low as $11 a month to as much as $22 a month, depending on the renters insurance company.

We will cover:

Cheapest renters insurance companies in Seattle

Amica offers the cheapest renters insurance in Seattle, at $137 a year, based on our survey of insurers that serve the city. Although renters insurance is one of the cheapest types of insurance, you can still save money by comparing rates from multiple insurers.

Company Average annual premium Average monthly premium
Allstate $215 $18
Farmers $265 $22
Travelers $167 $14
Nationwide $167 $14
Amica $137 $11
Note: Average rates are based on non-binding estimates provided by Quadrant Information Services. Your rates may vary.

Although Amica offers the cheapest renters insurance in Seattle, not all renters insurance companies offer the same coverages and discounts.

Best renters insurance companies in Seattle

To help you get the best coverage at the right price, we researched the best renters insurance companies in Seattle.

Best rates: Amica

Amica offers the cheapest renters insurance rates of the companies we reviewed, at $137 a year. This puts Amica's rates 28% below Seattle's average renters insurance premium of $190. Amica offers all the standard coverages you would expect in a renters insurance policy. It also offers a number of optional coverages, such as broader protection for your valuables and complete repair or replacement of your personal items. However, Amica does not offer as many additional coverages as some of its competitors.

Best for retirees: Allstate

We recommend Allstate's renters insurance policy if you're retired. With Allstate, you can get up to 25% off your premium if you're not actively seeking full-time employment and you're 55 or older. Like many insurance companies, Allstate also offers a discount if you have multiple policies with them.

Allstate offers all the standard coverages you would expect in a renters insurance policy. However, their average annual premium of $215 is higher than the Seattle average.

Best for coverages: Nationwide

Nationwide's renters insurance includes all the standard coverages you would expect to find in a renters insurance policy at an affordable $167 a year. It also offers optional add-ons such as earthquake coverage and extended protection for theft.

In addition to its many coverage options, Nationwide covers damage to any building additions and alterations you make to your rental. It pays for unauthorized transactions on your credit card and debit card up to a certain limit, too.

Like most renters insurance companies, Nationwide offers discounts if you buy multiple insurance policies, have protective devices in your rental and file no claims on your policy.

Find cheap renters insurance in Seattle

Which companies offer renters insurance in Seattle?

Many companies offer renters insurance in Seattle. Options range from large, national providers such as Allstate to local institutions like Mutual of Enumclaw. People hunting for renters insurance should choose the company that best suits them. Which one you choose may depend on a variety of factors, including whether a company has specialized knowledge of the local area or if they have a solid customer service record.

Of special significance are overall customer satisfaction scores. Take a look at the chart below to get an idea of how some of the companies that offer renters insurance in Seattle fare in this area:

Company 2021 J.D. Power overall customer satisfaction (out of 1,000)
USAA 893
Lemonde 870
State Farm 866
American Family 838
Nationwide 834
Allstate 833
Farmers 831
Liberty Mutual 823
ASI Progressive 816
Travelers 815
Source: J.D. Power 2021 U.S. Home Insurance Study, Overall Customer Satisfaction Index Ranking, Renters Insurance.

For more information on some of Seattle's best renters insurance companies, check out our rankings of the best renters insurance companies in the U.S.

Understanding your renters insurance coverages

Deciding how much renters insurance you need to protect your belongings is crucial. To do so, it's best to understand the types of coverage found in a standard renters insurance plan. A renters insurance quote contains four types of coverage, each with its own limit: (1) personal property, (2) loss of use, (3) personal liability and (4) medical payments to others.

Renters insurance coverages

Personal property coverage is an essential part of a renters insurance policy because it protects the possessions and goods within and outside of your home. It is not an aspect of your policy that you should skimp on, as you want to be sure you have enough coverage to protect all of your belongings. Most personal property coverage guarantees protection from disasters such as windstorms and smoke damage, but be aware that typical plans do not cover flooding. For that, you'll need a separate flood insurance policy.

Don't underestimate the value of your belongings. When you total everything you have, you may be surprised to find how much it is worth - and how much you would hate to lose. We recommend doing a thorough evaluation of your possessions when buying renters insurance to be sure your policy fits you.

Loss of use coverage helps pay for additional living expenses if your home becomes unlivable due to a covered peril. That might sound unlikely, but many people are forced out of their homes every year due to disastrous events. Hotel room costs can pile up quickly, so renters insurance is wonderful to have in this scenario.

Personal liability coverage protects you if you are sued for accidentally injuring someone or damaging their property. Personal liability claims may include medical bills, legal fees and more, all of which can be very pricey. You should be aware that personal liability coverage does not cover things such as automobile accidents, injuries sustained by you or family members in your home and business activities or claims related to your profession. Many renters insurance policies can net you up to (and sometimes more) than $100,000 in coverage for personal liability.

Medical payments to others is specific to injuries that occur to guests in your home. Let's say you're having friends over for dinner. One of them stumbles and falls on a flight of stairs and breaks an ankle - things might get costly. That guest may need an ambulance, paramedics or even surgery. Renters insurance can step in to help pay those costs and ensure that both you and your guests have peace of mind when gathering at your rental unit.

These coverages and limits are perhaps the most important things to keep in mind when you are comparing renters insurance quotes. If a quote does not provide sufficient coverage for your needs, it does not matter how cheap it is.

Are there any special requirements for renters insurance in Seattle?

Renters insurance is not mandated by law in Seattle. However, landlords can require it as a component of your lease. Be aware that a landlord may have a separate insurance policy covering their property that will not help you should something happen to your belongings. You'll need your own renters insurance policy apart from your landlord's in order to have coverage.

In instances where your landlord requires renters insurance, they are considered an "interested party" and will be notified of your coverage. If you live with roommates, everyone in the house will likely need their own renters insurance policy, unless they are family members.

Methodology

We used the following coverages to collect quotes in Seattle:

  • $30,000 of personal property coverage
  • $500 deductible
  • $100,000 of personal liability coverage
  • $1,000 of medical payments to others
  • Loss of use: 30% of personal property coverage

We used quotes from the following insurance companies:

  • Allstate
  • Farmers
  • Travelers
  • Nationwide
  • Amica

Sources:

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