Best and Cheapest Renters Insurance in California for 2024

The need for renters insurance is not as clear as the need for car or homeowners insurance. It's important to understand that your landlord likely has insurance that covers the structure of the building you're living in, but it doesn't cover your personal belongings (i.e. anything you bring into the apartment, like furniture, electronics, and clothes). That's where renters insurance comes in it covers your items from perils in your apartment and also provides liability coverage in case an accident occurs in your apartment.

So if you want to ensure you're properly covered while renting, it's important to find one of the best California renters insurance companies. But where do you start? In the table above, you can sort through all the renter's 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 California renters insurance rankings.

It is important to know as much as you can about your renter's insurance company before taking out a policy with them. Talking to a local, experienced insurance agent can help answer any questions you may have. Some questions to consider asking include, "What is the average cost for your renters insurance coverage?" "Does my policy cover things such as water damage and bodily injury?" and "What are my coverage options and my coverage limit?"

Interested in learning more about one of the companies on the list of the best renters insurance companies in California? 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:

• California renters insurance rates
• Average cost of renting in San Diego
• Average cost of renting in San Francisco
• Average cost of renting in Los Angeles
• Renters insurance for California college students
• California property crime statistics

Who offers the best California renters insurance rates?

Choosing the best renters insurance provider means choosing a company with the most affordable rates, great policy features, and high-quality customer service.

Among the most popular renters insurance companies in California, AAA offers the cheapest rates for California renters.

In California, renters insurance rates vary based on a number of factors including the company you chose. Factors such as the personal history of making claims, the amount of coverage you choose and your ZIP code influence the cost of renters insurance. Some personal details may also impact the cost of renters insurance i.e your rates may be affected by your age.

Some companies may offer renters insurance in California for a cheaper rate than others. In the table below, you can see average California 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 California will differ. Rate data is provided by Quadrant Information Services.

How much does rent cost in San Diego?

In San Diego, California, the average cost of rent for an apartment is $2,044 per month. The cost of rent in San Diego can vary based on the location and size of your apartment.

San Diego may be known for its warm weather and beaches, but it's also one of the most populous cities in California. It's no surprise that a city known as America's Finest City is a desirable place to live for its laid-back atmosphere and metropolitan mix. While the average cost of rent in San Diego is $2,044 per month, depending on the area of the city your apartment is in, average rent costs range from $2,225 in areas like Gaslamp and Little Italy to $1,440 in the Corridor area.

The type and size of the apartment also affect the price of rent per month. Smaller San Diego studio apartments are the most affordable type with an average cost of $1,483 monthly and one-bedroom units cost an average of $1,789 monthly, whereas a three-bedroom apartment costs an average of $2,784. The average cost of rent in San Diego is lower than in some other California cities, but the city still carries a high value. Renters insurance can still be affordable to protect your belongings while you rent in San Diego.

See the best renters insurance companies and rates in San Diego.

How much does rent cost in San Francisco?

In San Francisco, California, the average cost of rent is $3,442 per month. The cost of rent in San Francisco can vary based on the location and size of your apartment.

San Francisco is a northern California city in the Silicon Valley region with a lot to offer, from iconic landmarks like the Golden Gate Bridge to dining trends. If you're thinking of renting an apartment in San Francisco, you're looking at a hefty price tag to rent at an average of $3,442 per month. Some areas of the city are more expensive than others; rent in Mission Bay costs an average of $4,060 per month while rent in Hayes Valley costs an average of $2,787 per month.

The Silicon Valley boom has driven rent up in the area with three-bedroom apartment rent increasing by 14 percent over the past year. Studio apartments in the city cost an average of $2,461 monthly, and one-bedroom apartments cost an average of $3,261 monthly whereas three-bedrooms cost an average of $5,143 monthly. Even though the rent is high for some apartments in San Francisco, you should still consider purchasing renters insurance to protect your personal belongings in the city.

See the best renters insurance companies and rates in San Francisco.

How much does rent cost in Los Angeles?

In Los Angeles, California, the average cost of rent is $2,265. The cost of rent in LA can vary greatly based on your location within the city and the size of your apartment.

Los Angeles is home to the entertainment industry of Hollywood. The City of Angels is bustling with opportunities for celebrities, ethnic diversity, and landmarks like the Hollywood walk of fame. While the average cost to rent an apartment in Los Angeles is $2,265, Los Angeles is complex with many different areas that make up the city, and rent in different areas greatly differs. The average cost to rent in the downtown Santa Monica area is $3,987 per month, but the average cost in the Glassell Park area is $1,390.

The cost also greatly differs depending on the size and type of apartment you rent. The average cost of a studio apartment in Los Angeles is $1,622 per month and a typical one-bedroom apartment costs an average of $2,068 per month, but the average cost of a three-bedroom apartment is $3,596. Los Angeles can be an exciting but costly place to live. Don't let that deter you from purchasing renters insurance to help protect your personal items in case of disasters like theft.

See the best renters insurance companies and rates in Los Angeles.

How much is renters insurance for California college students?

As the most populous state in the nation, California has hundreds of colleges and universities all across the state. Hundreds of thousands of college students live in dorms or rent apartments in California. There are a few things for college students renting housing in California to consider in order to protect their personal belongings.

Typically, 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. College students who rent apartments off-campus should consider a renters insurance policy because their items won't be covered under their parents' policy, and without a renters insurance policy, they won't have any protection.

College students will most likely have roommates in the apartment they rent. It's not advised that students share renters' insurance policies with roommates. Rather, each student should have their own renter's insurance policy to protect their own belongings.

Additionally, much of California is affected by frequent wildfires and earthquakes. Additional insurance coverage for these natural disasters should be considered if they aren't included in your policy.

What are California's property crime statistics?

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

• Property crime - 1,002,070
• Burglary - 188,304
• Larceny theft - 637,010

All three statistics for California, when compared to the national average rate per 100,000 inhabitants, rank near the national average. The property crime and burglary rates are slightly above the national average rate while larceny-theft is just below. It is important to make sure that you are always covered. Ask your local insurance agent if your renters policy covers additional protection like a burglar alarm. This will not only help keep you safe but also help with peace of mind, knowing that you are protected.

How can you save money on your renter's insurance in California?

While renter's insurance may be more affordable than other types of insurance, no one wants to pay more than they have to. So what are the different ways that you can lower your California renters insurance premium and have some extra spending money?

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 California?

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.

Finally, there is also a confidence factor based upon the number of reviews a company has by insurance product. If the total number of reviews is less than 100, then a confidence deduction is applied to the star rating. The maximum impact of this deduction occurs when there are less than 25 reviews. Companies with 100 or more reviews, aged two years or less, receive 100% weighting (no deduction), while companies with 50 to 99 customer reviews receive a weighting of .95%, 25 to 49 reviews receive a weighting of .90%, and companies with less than 25 reviews a weighting of .85%.

The Clearsurance customer ratings and rankings are derived entirely from customer reviews and ratings.

Do you have a renters insurance guide?

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 California, it's important to understand what your policy covers. For example, did you know that many renters insurance policies include liability protection in the event a non-resident is injured on the property? Plus, if your apartment becomes uninhabitable from an incident, some policies may cover your expenses as you find temporary housing.

It is important to know all that you can before taking out a renters insurance policy. Learn about the insurance company and the protection that their policies offer before making a final decision. Know and understand your policy limits and ask about what additional coverages you can add to your protection.

While we all want the most affordable renters insurance, it is important not to sacrifice the quality of your protection just to save some money. Talk to a local insurance agent about what insurance company is right for you, and what coverages they offer.

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.