Best and Cheapest Renters Insurance in Alabama for 2024

Car insurance and homeowners insurance are typically considered mandatory. Lenders and the state require a certain amount of coverage to drive, get loans, etc. Renters insurance is less common because it's based on each person's choice. Renters sometimes assume they're covered under the homeowners policy (spoiler alert: you're not).

Even though policies are often very cheap, they don't see the point of getting a renters insurance quote. Even one claim can be financially devastating, especially if you have to find another place to live. Even if it's temporary, the cost can be extreme. A renters policy could be just a couple hundred per year depending on different factors.

The bottom line is without a renters insurance policy, your personal belongings aren't covered. Neither are potential liability issues such as dog bites.

So if you want to ensure you're properly covered with the best rates while renting in Alabama, it's important to find one of the best Alabama renters insurance companies. Where do you start?

In the table above, you can sort through all the renters insurance companies ranked on Clearsurance. The rating next to each company the insurer's Clearsurance score is based exclusively on the thousands of ratings provided by customers. Note: Only those companies with at least 25 renters insurance reviews are eligible to appear in the best Alabama renters insurance rankings.

Interested in learning more about one of the companies on the list of the best and cheapest renters insurance companies in Alabama? You can visit the company's profile page to find more information about the company and read reviews to learn from the experiences of other policyholders.

On this page:

• Alabama renters insurance rates
• Average cost of renting in Birmingham
• Renters insurance for Alabama college students
• Alabama property crime statistics

Who offers the best Alabama renters insurance rates?

Choosing the best and cheapest renters insurance involves shopping around for the most affordable rates by renters insurance providers that not only offer protective coverage but quality customer service. Moreover, the best renters insurance company should provide consistent customer service, a wide range of policy offerings, and needs to have affordable renters insurance costs.

Out of the most popular renters insurance companies in Alabama, Travelers offers the cheapest Alabama renters insurance rates. The company provides the best ways to maximize coverage with endorsements. Policyholders may choose additional coverage such as increased protection for valuables and personal liability. Travelers also offer several types of coverage that are not available everywhere such as: replacement cost coverage (the property will be replaced for its original value), equipment breakdown coverage (protects you from losses related to mechanical or electrical breakdown), identity theft coverage (you'll be enrolled in credit monitoring) and water backup protection (protects your property from water damage due to backed up or malfunctioning drain).

The question everybody asks upfront is simple. How much will it cost, and how do you get the best rates? Out of the most popular renters insurance companies in Alabama, Travelers offers the cheapest Alabama renters insurance rates. The company allows for upfront, yearly payments.

The cost of renters insurance varies based on many factors. So this is just an estimate based on common examples of a rental property.

While Alabama renters insurance rates depend on factors specific to you and your apartment, such as your age or where your apartment is located, rates are often more related to the renter.

Some companies may offer renters insurance in Alabama for a cheaper rate than others. In the table below, you can see average annual Alabama renters insurance rates from some of the largest companies in the state.

*USAA is only available to former and active military members and their families.

These average renters insurance rates are based on a policy with $30,000 in personal property coverage (with a $500 deductible), $100,000 in personal liability and $1,000 in medical payments to others. The rates displayed should only be used for comparative purposes as individual rates in Alabama will differ. Rate data is provided by Quadrant Information Services.

How much does rent cost in Birmingham?

irmingham has the benefit of being a relatively large city with many amenities. It also has relatively low rent. The average cost of rent in Birmingham, Alabama, is $917 per month renters insurance premium. Rent costs in Birmingham can vary based on the location and the size of your apartment.

Birmingham, the most populous city in Alabama, is located in the north-central region of Alabama in Jefferson County. While the average monthly cost of rent in Birmingham is, different areas of Birmingham have higher average rent rates such as the Southside Birmingham area, which costs an average of $1,420 a month. Areas including Echo Highlands and Penfield Park are more cost-effective with an average monthly rental rate of $617. When shopping for renters coverage, some neighborhoods may cost you more due to higher crime rates. It's hard to know until you start comparing options. While you may save on rent, you could pay more with affordable renters insurance.

The cost of rent is also affected by the type of apartment. Studio apartments go for an average of $667 per month, and one-bedroom apartments are an average of $832 per month while three-bedroom apartments go for an average of $1,144 per month. As a renter in Birmingham, you should consider purchasing a renters insurance policy that offers you a blanket of protection for your personal belongings at a small cost. The size of your apartment only affects your rates inasmuch as you have more belongings in that space.

Do college students pay more for renters coverage options?

Alabama has quite a few colleges and universities scattered around the state. This means Alabama has hundreds of thousands of college students that live in dorms or rent apartments. There are a few things for college students renting housing in Alabama to consider in order to protect their personal belongings.

First, college students who live in dorms located on the college campus are covered by their parent's homeowners insurance policy. That's usually only the case for students who live on campus, though.

If you live off-campus, you should consider a renters insurance policy. Personal property coverage protects items that won't be covered under your parents' policy. Without a renters insurance policy, you won't have any protection.

College students will most likely have roommates in the apartment they rent. Each student should have their own renters insurance policy to protect their own belongings, rather than sharing a policy with a roommate. It may seem more practical, but it's harder for insurance companies to sort it out when a claim comes through. The individual limits might also not cover as much as you think. What does renters insurance cover?

How much do theft and vandalism affect your rental units?

Theft and vandalism or malicious mischief are among the 16 perils a standard renters insurance policy protects you from. So, how does crime in Alabama compare to other states around the country? The FBI published the following statistics on crime in Alabama for 2016:

• Property crime - 143,362
• Burglary - 34,065
• Larceny theft - 97,574

All three statistics for Alabama, when compared to the national average rate per 100,000 inhabitants, rank higher than the national average.

Thieves can cause property damage and damage or steal your personal belongings. They may also steal mail or other property that contain your personal information. Some people choose to invest in identity theft coverage as well.

Do you qualify for renters insurance discounts?

While renters insurance may be more affordable than other types of insurance, no one wants to pay more than they have to. The good news is renters typically qualify for apartment insurance discounts. Some are automated like bundling discounts if you use the same company for your auto and renters or other policies. Others require you to ask more questions. You have to volunteer more information to insurance carriers.

Many times, you don't have to make sacrifices to get better prices on the same coverage. Even if you don't think you qualify for extra discounts, there are a few things you can do.

Here are the top 5 ways to save on your renters insurance:

• Raise your deductible
• Ask about potential discounts
• Bundle your policies
• Determine the value of your personal property
• Pay in full by check

How does Clearsurance rate and rank the best renters insurance companies in Alabama?

Consistent with its mission towards greater transparency, Clearsurance does not keep its rating and ranking formulas in a black box. Our algorithm analyzes a range of inputs from our independent community of insurance customers, including:

• Price
• Customer Service
• Claim service
• Likelihood to renew

The algorithm also takes into account the percentage of what customers say the company does well vs. the percentage of what customers say the company could do better for a more comprehensive picture.

How important is it to be educated on insurance coverage Options?

As we mentioned above, there are common misconceptions regarding what is and isn't covered by a renters insurance policy. Before you purchase a policy from one of these best renters insurance companies in Alabama, it's important to understand what your policy covers. For example, did you know that many renters insurance policies include liability coverage in the event a non-resident is injured on the property?

Plus, if your apartment becomes uninhabitable from an incident, some policies may cover additional living expenses as you find temporary housing. Moreover, you can protect your personal property from theft and damage with a personal property coverage.

We want to make sure you’re equipped with a proper knowledge of renters insurance, so check out our renters insurance guide. Looking for more educational information about renters insurance? Check out our renters insurance blog for more information and topics related to renters insurance.