Having renters insurance can help repair or replace your belongings if they’re damaged by incidents like burst pipes, fires or even theft. While it doesn’t cover the structure of your house or apartment — your landlord’s homeowners insurance policy covers this — renters insurance does protect all the things inside that make it your home.
Renters insurance can also offer protection from lawsuits or property damage you cause to others through liability coverage, and help pay for additional living expenses (known as ALE coverage) if your home is uninhabitable. Some landlords even require tenants to have renters insurance.
If the unexpected happens, take the following steps to file a claim with your renters insurance company and start the process of getting reimbursed for your losses.
How to file a renters insurance claim
Top renters insurance companies
If you’re shopping for a renters insurance policy, CNBC Select has compared many of the top companies in the industry and ranked the best renters insurance companies. Our top choices include Lemonade for its fast and simple claims and purchasing experience. Progressive is another top pick for its wide variety of discounts, from bundling to getting quotes in advance.
Lemonade Renters Insurance
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Cost
Starts at $5/month; premium depends on the coverage amount you choose
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Maximum coverage
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App available
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Policy highlights
Policy covers personal property damage caused by fire, vandalism, theft, and more; covers damage you accidentally cause others
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Does not cover
Natural disasters, flooding, power outages, your roommate’s belongings, pest damage
Progressive Renters Insurance
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Cost
Starts at under $1 a day; premium depends on the coverage amount you choose
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Maximum coverage
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App available
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Policy highlights
Policy covers personal property damage or loss, loss of use of your rental, accidental harm caused to another person or damage to their property, injury to another person that occurs in your rental space
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Does not cover
High-value items like jewelry; additional coverage would be needed for such items
1. Document the incident and file a police report if necessary
Once the problem is under control, document the loss with photos and/or videos. If your personal belongings were damaged or lost, make a detailed list of what’s missing.
If you’ve experienced theft, burglary or vandalism, you’ll also need to report the incident to the police. This can sometimes be done online, or by calling the police station where the loss or damage occurred. If possible, get the names of any law enforcement officers you work with. Then, get a copy of the police report.
2. Inform your landlord
If you’re filing a claim that involves your apartment or home, let your landlord know what happened. Your landlord might have to coordinate repairs or let a homeowners association know about the situation. Even if your landlord isn’t directly involved in your claim, you may be required to alert them about any damages or losses per your lease agreement.
3. Make sure filing a claim is the right move
Before you start the claims process, it’s worth calling your insurance agent or having a quick read of your policy to be sure that filing a claim even makes sense. You’ll want to be sure of two things:
- Your claim is covered under your policy. You’ll want to find out the specifics of your policy and what it does and doesn’t cover. Some things aren’t covered by your renter’s insurance policy, including flooding from a natural disaster and earthquakes. Your renter’s insurance policy also generally won’t cover your roommate’s belongings.
- Your loss is larger than your deductible. A deductible is the amount you’ll need to pay before your insurance covers the rest, or up to any applicable limits. For example, if your deductible is $1,000 and someone steals your $1,000 phone, it might not be worth filing a claim.
Additionally, you’ll want to see if there are any time frame requirements to meet in order to file a claim — you may need to file within 48 to 72 hours depending on your state.
4. Contact your renters insurance company
Once you’ve decided that filing a claim is the right move, you’ll want to get in touch with your insurance company sooner rather than later.
Depending on your insurance company, you may be able to submit claims online or through a mobile app. For instance, Lemonade handles claims almost entirely online and uses AI to instantly approve many claims.
When you contact your insurance company, you’ll likely need information including:
- Your policy number
- Details of the incident
- Any documentation you may have, including a police report or photos and videos
- A list of damaged or destroyed personal belonging
Once started, claim statuses can often be tracked online.
5. Keep receipts and follow up
If you have to move while your home is being repaired, you’ll want to save any receipts that may apply. After all, some of these expenses could be reimbursed through the ALE coverages on your policy.
From there, you’ll want to follow up on your claim if needed. While some claims can be settled quickly, others may require an investigation or a visit from an adjuster. Keep track of who you speak with and keep notes of any other interactions you may have.
You’ll need to be able to answer detailed questions about the incident, and you’ll generally need those photos and videos you captured at the start to upload
Does renters insurance go up after a claim?
Renters insurance rates can increase after making a claim. In general, the more claims you’ve filed, the more risk an insurance company considers you to insure. However, the amount your rates increase could depend on the reason for the claim.
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Bottom line
If you need to file a renters insurance claim, let your landlord and local authorities know about the damage, depending on the situation. Then, contact your insurance company, keep proper documentation and save receipts that may be involved in your claim.
To prepare yourself in case of a claim, it’s good practice to maintain an inventory of your belongings, take regular photos of your rooms and valuables and save receipts and other important documents.
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Why trust CNBC Select?
At CNBC Select, our mission is to provide our readers with high-quality service journalism and comprehensive consumer advice so they can make informed decisions with their money. Every renters insurance review is based on rigorous reporting by our team of expert writers and editors with extensive knowledge of insurance products. While CNBC Select earns a commission from affiliate partners on many offers and links, we create all our content without input from our commercial team or any outside third parties, and we pride ourselves on our journalistic standards and ethics. See our methodology for more information on how we choose the best renters insurance.
Editorial Note: Opinions, analyses, reviews or recommendations expressed in this article are those of the Select editorial staff’s alone, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any third party.
Alice J. Roden started working for Trending Insurance News at the end of 2021. Alice grew up in Salt Lake City, UT. A writer with a vast insurance industry background Alice has help with several of the biggest insurance companies. Before joining Trending Insurance News, Alice briefly worked as a freelance journalist for several radio stations. She covers home, renters and other property insurance stories.