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Texas renters insurance policies can protect you and your personal belongings if an unexpected event occurs. Keep reading our review to learn about the best renters insurance providers in Texas and how to buy a policy.
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Written by
Amanda Lutz
Written by Amanda Lutz Author
Amanda Lutz is a content marketing manager and writer with nearly a decade of experience contributing to prominent home services and wellness publications like AD, This Old House, and MarketWatch. She has written extensively on topics spanning insurance products, lawn care, pest control, and other home services. When she’s not providing readers with practical advice, Amanda enjoys remodeling her 1960s home, cruising Nashville on her Vespa, and songwriting on her grandmother’s piano.
Edited by
Quartz Advisor Reviews Team
Edited by Quartz Advisor Reviews Team QZ.com
08/22/2024 12:00 AM
A Texas renters insurance policy will include liability, loss of use, medical payments, and personal property coverage and could save you money if an accident causes damage to your rental or belongings.
To help you find the best renters insurance company in Texas, Quartz Advisor Review team picked out the state’s top providers and included tips on how to find the right policy for you and your home. In this article, we break down the four best renters insurance providers in Texas based on personal property and liability coverage, endorsem*nts, customer service, and more.
In This Review:
- 5 Best Providers
- Conclusion
- Comparison
- Coverage
- Policy Cost
- Factors to Consider
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Methodology
5 Best Renters Insurance Companies in Texas
Here are the top providers of renters insurance in Texas.
- Lemonade: Easiest Coverage
- Toggle: Best for Flexible Pricing
- Allstate: Best Coverage Options
- Farmers: Most Customizable Coverage
- USAA: Best Membership Perks
Lemonade
Best for Easy Coverage
4.4
J.D. Power854/1000A.M. BestN/A
Lemonadeis a newer insurance company that’s been in business since 2015. Policies start at$5 per monthand the company adds coverage for portable electronics to the standard personal property, loss of use, liability, and medical payments coverage.
Pros and Cons
Pros Provides up to $1 million of liability coverage Offers up to $250,000 worth of personal property coverage Giveback program donates unused premium money to the charity of your choice Cons Cons Only available in 28 states Doesn’t offer bundled insurance options
Additional Coverage Options
Here are the endorsem*nts you can add to a Lemonade plan
- Additional coverage for jewelry, fine art, and more
- Appliance equipment breakdown
- Coverage for your significant other
- Landlord property damage
- Water backup protection
- Earthquake protection
Available Discounts
Lemonade provides the following discounts.
- Annual premium discount: This discount is available if you choose an annual over a monthly premium.
- Bundling discount: You’re eligible if you pair your renters insurance with auto, pet, or life insurance.
- Protective devices discount: This discount is available if your home has installed fire or burglar alarms.
Toggle
Best for Flexible Pricing
4.3
J.D. PowerN/AA.M. BestA
Toggle makes it simple to choose the level of coverage you need for your rental at the perfect price to fit your budget. Our team was able to get quotes on a basic, standard, and premium policy after submitting a name, address, and birthday with the basic policy costing only $5 per month. We had the flexibility to completely customize coverage amounts, and adding endorsem*nts was as easy as toggling on the selections we wanted. We were able to purchase a plan in only 2 minutes that could start as early as today.
Pros and Cons of Toggle Renters
Pros Basic plan is only $5 a month Replacement cost coverage available for just $3 a month Members gain access to exclusive discount portal Cons Customer support is only available by email and live chat Auto insurance is only available in 9 states, so it may be difficult to bundle
Additional Coverage Options
Here are the endorsem*nts you can add to a Toggle plan:
- Pet Parent
- Replacement Cost
- Temporary Living Costs
- Side Hustle
- Identity Protector
- Significant Other
Available Discounts
Although not explicitly stated in the quote process, we identified several discounts that customers are eligible for by speaking with a customer service representative.
- Diminishing deductible: For every year you don’t file a claim, your deductible will decrease with no added cost to your policy.
- Multi-policy: Customers who bundle with auto insurance are eligible to save with this discount.
Allstate
Best for Unique Coverage
4.7
J.D. Power835/1000A.M. BestA+
Known for its customer service,Allstatehelps guide you through the insurance buying process and provides an online estimation tool to help you calculate the worth of your personal belongings. Not to mention, Allstate provides 24/7 customer service to help with general questions and claims.
Pros and Cons
Pros Has a tool to help you calculate the value of your personal belongings Provides additional coverage for valuable items like jewelry Customers can choose an RCV or ACV policy for personal property coverage Cons Not explicit about what events count as covered losses Coverage amounts for personal property, loss of use, liability, and medical payments vary by state
Additional Coverage Options
Allstate offers most of its endorsem*nts via an Allstate agent. The endorsem*nts are the following:
- Flood insurance endorsem*nt
- Personal umbrella policy
- Scheduled personal property endorsem*nt
Available Discounts
Allstate provides the following discounts:
- 55 and retired discount: This discount is for renters who are 55 and older.
- Easy Pay Plan: This discount is available when you enroll your bank account into an automatic payment plan.
- Multi-policy discount: You’re eligible for this discount when you purchase additional insurance policies with Allstate.
Farmers
Best for Loss of Use Coverage
4.4
J.D. Power842/1000A.M. BestA
Farmersoffers some unique coverage perks that aren’t available through other providers. For example, you can get a deductible as low as $100, while other companies, like Progressive and Nationwide, charge $250 deductibles. You can also purchase unlimited personal property coverage, allowing you to protect all the items in your home.
Pros and Cons
Pros Provides a non-smoking discount Over 90 years of industry experience Offers a deductible as low as $100 Cons Not available in all 50 states Provides only one add-on coverage option
Additional Coverage Options
Farmers provides most of its endorsem*nts via an agent. Here is a list of endorsem*nts it offers:
- Earthquake endorsem*nt
- Flood insurance endorsem*nt
- Identity Shield endorsem*nt
- Jewelry, fur, and firearms coverage
Available Discounts
Farmers offers the following discounts:
- Claim-free discount: You receive this discount for not filing a renters insurance claim within three years.
- Multiple policy discount: You’re eligible for this discount when you bundle life or auto insurance with your renters insurance policy.
- Security system discount: You can save on your policy if your home has installed fire alarms or security systems.
- Smoke-free discount: This discount is available to renters who have been smoke-free for two years.
- Welcome discount: This discount is for new Farmers customers.
USAA
Best Membership Perks
4.7
J.D. Power894/1000A.M. BestA++
While most companies require you to purchase an add-on for natural disaster coverage or don’t offer it at all,USAAoffers protection from floods and earthquakes in every policy.
USAA offers two endorsem*nts on top of its liability, personal property, and medical payments coverage: valuable personal property and computers and tablets protection.
Pros and Cons
Pros Flood and earthquake coverage included in the standard policy Customers have the choice to not include personal liability or personal property coverage in a policy USAA members can enjoy perks like car rental discounts and travel deals Cons Only available to current or former service members and their family members Can’t customize medical payments for others coverage
Additional Coverage Options
Flood and Earthquake Insurance as well as identity theft coverage are all included in USAA base policies, which are typically charged as add-ons by competitors. Since the base coverage offered is so comprehensive, there are only a few endorsem*nt options available:
- Extra electronics coverage: this add-on protects your electronics from every-day accidents that aren’t typically covered by renters insurance like spilling coffee on a laptop.
- Valuable personal property coverage: this coverage adds extra protection for your high value items such as jewelry or firearms.
Available Discounts
USAA offers the following discounts to eligible customers:
- Bundle with auto insurance: save up to 10%
- Claims-free for 3 years: save up to 20%
- Protective devices: save up to 5%
- Living on a military base: save up to 28%
- Service academy enrollment: save up to 45%
- Military college attendance: save up to 20%
Our Conclusion
Toggle, Allstate, Farmers, and USAA all have unique benefits, whether that be providing quality customer service, offering low deductibles, or including natural disaster protection. Before purchasing a renters insurance policy in Texas, we recommend getting renters insurance quotes from all four providers in this review to compare coverage and pricing.
Use the tool below to find and compare renters insurance providers near you:
Compare Renters Insurance Quotes
Fill out this quick form and get matched with providers near you!
Compare Renters Insurance Companies
| Factor | Allstate | Farmers | USAA |
| Monthly Price | About $16 | About $30 | As low as $10 |
| Types of Coverage | Personal property, loss of use, liability, medical payments to others | Personal property, loss of use, liability, medical payments to others | Personal property, liability, medical payments to others |
| Personal Property Coverage Limits | $25,000–$150,000 | No limit | $25,000–$750,000 |
| Liability Coverage Limits | $100,000, $200,000, $300,000, or $500,000 | $100,000, $200,000, $300,000, or $500,000 | $100,000, $300,000, $500,000, or $1,000,000 |
| ACV or RCV | ACV or RCV | ACV | RCV |
| Discounts Available | 5 discounts | 3 discounts | 3 discounts |
| Unique Add-Ons | Scheduled personal property, uninsured/underinsured motorist | N/A | Computer and tablet |
| Customer Service | 24/7 | 24/7 for claims; limited for customer service | 24/7 for claims; limited for sales and service |
| BBB Rating | A+ | A+ | B+ |
Texas Renters Insurance Coverage
Here’s an overview of each type of coverage found in a Texas renters insurance policy:
- Liability Coverage: If you’re responsible for an incident that damages your neighbor’s personal property or injures them, your insurance company will pay any costs associated with the event. This may include legal fees if they sue you, medical bills if they see a doctor, and replacement costs if their belongings are destroyed.
- Coverage for Medical Payments to Others: If a guest is injured in your home, your policy will pay up to a certain amount of their medical expenses.
- Personal Property Coverage: The coverage amount you purchase should match the total value of your personal belongings because if an event destroys them, your policy will pay to replace them. This type of coverage even covers your belongings when they’re not in your home and will protect them if they’re damaged or stolen from your car.
- Loss of Use Coverage: Your renters insurance company will pay for living expenses, like the cost of a hotel room or the cost of meals, if you have to vacate your apartment temporarily for repairs.
- Endorsem*nts: Most companies offer at least one endorsem*nt that you can add onto your policy for an additional cost every month. Common endorsem*nts include protection for earthquakes, jewelry, and identity theft.
How Much Does a Renters Insurance Policy Cost in Texas?
The cost of renters insurance in Texas in 2017 was $232 per year, or a little over $19 per month, according to the Insurance Information Institute. It was the fifth-most expensive state for renters insurance.
Factors to Consider Before Buying Renters Insurance
To make sure you purchase the best policy for you and your home, think about these factors before starting your search for renters insurance:
- Hurricanes: Texas is one of the most susceptible states to hurricanes, which can cause flooding and water damage to your belongings. A USAA policy includes flood protection and earthquake coverage in all of their policies.
- Budget: Determine how much room you have in your budget for renters insurance, and search for a policy that will fit within your price range. In addition to the providers in this review, look into State Farm, Toggle, and Lemonade for affordable renters insurance rates.
- Type of Premium: Renters insurance providers allow you to pay your premium in full at the beginning of the contract period or in monthly installments. Decide which you like better, but keep in mind that monthly installments may cost more than a single annual payment because companies add interest to monthly premiums.
- Roommates: Your roommates won’t be automatically included in your insurance policy, so you either have to add them onto your policy or have them purchase their own policy. Note: since most companies have personal property limits, and you and your roommates may have more belongings than can be covered under one policy, it may be a good idea to get two separate policies.
Frequently Asked Questions
What happens if you don’t have renters insurance in Texas?
If you don’t have renters insurance, you’ll pay for any accident that occurs to your rental or a neighbor’s rental. This includes damage to your belongings, liability claims, medical bills for guests, and temporary living expenses.
Does Texas renters insurance cover bed bugs?
No. Renters insurance will not cover damage from pests like bed bugs and termites. Check with your landlord and determine if they offer seasonal pest control services to prevent pests.
Is renters insurance for apartments, condos, and townhomes, and single-family homes in Texas different?
The overall policy should look the same with loss of use, medical payments, liability, and personal property coverage, but you will likely purchase different coverage amounts for each type of home. For example, if you live in a studio apartment, you’ll probably have fewer items to protect than if you lived in a single-family home.
Our Rating Methodology
Quartz Advisor rates providers using comprehensive review standards to score each company. Our review standards compare relevant factors such as cost, coverage, customer experience, technology, and reputation, which tally up to 100 points. In addition, we reviewed provider websites, customer access features, and tools; spoke with representatives; obtained sample quotes and policy terms; analyzed AM Best and JD Power ratings; and reviewed online customer feedback for each provider.
*All AM Best and JD Power ratings used in this review are accurate as of August 2024
Amanda Lutz Author
Amanda Lutz is a content marketing manager and writer with nearly a decade of experience contributing to prominent home services and wellness publications like AD, This Old House, and MarketWatch. She has written extensively on topics spanning insurance products, lawn care, pest control, and other home services. When she’s not providing readers with practical advice, Amanda enjoys remodeling her 1960s home, cruising Nashville on her Vespa, and songwriting on her grandmother’s piano.
Quartz Advisor Reviews Team QZ.com
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