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Renters insurance isn’t required in Washington state, but the Pacific Northwest is known for having strong storms. Whether you live in Bellevue or Spokane, getting renters insurance is a way to protect your personal belongings from theft and damage caused by fallen trees, lightning, hail and other harsh weather. It can also provide liability protection and coverage for medical expenses in case someone gets hurt on your property.
In this guide, we highlight the best renters insurance companies to help you shop around for coverage. To compile this list, we did a deep dive into dozens of renters insurance providers, reviewing data points such as coverage options, add-ons and discounts available. From there, we organized the list based on what we like most about each company.
After in-depth research, we at the Guides Home Team found the following are Washington’s best renters insurance providers:
Lemonade insurance premiums start at just $5 per month, and you can obtain coverage quickly, making it our top pick for busy college students on a budget. Customers can easily file claims in the Lemonade app, and the company says about 40% of its claims are handled instantly.
Below are the discounts and endorsements Lemonade provides for renters insurance:
Discounts: Bundle discounts, safety feature discounts, discounts for paying premiums once annually (in some states) and cheaper rates if you choose lower coverage and increase your deductible.
Endorsements: Extra Coverage for valuable items, landlord property damage coverage, appliance breakdown coverage, water backup coverage and you can add a significant other who’s not your spouse to the policy for an extra fee.
To learn more: Lemonade renters insurance review
Geico makes our list for having easy-to-use policy management tools to make payments, submit claims and make policy changes. Typically, renters insurance doesn’t cover earthquakes and floods, but Geico lets you add disaster coverage to get protection from these perils.
Western Washington is one of the most flood-prone areas in the U.S. Adding flood coverage could relieve you from shouldering the entire financial burden if your rental goes under an inch or two of water.
Below are the discounts and endorsements Geico offers for renters insurance:
Discounts: Bundle discounts and discounts for having alarm systems or sprinklers.
Endorsements: Replacement contents coverage, disaster coverage and identity theft protection.
American Family Insurance offers an online quote process, but you can also reach out to an agent to get quotes, and once you’re a customer, the company offers 24/7 claims support.
Policies have a unique diminishing deductible feature, which reduces your deductible annually up to a limit for years you don’t file a claim. If you file a claim, the deductible will reset. Policies also come in three tiers — Economy Protection, Traditional Protection and Premium Protection. Each policy type has different protections so you can customize your coverage.
Below are the discounts and endorsements American Family Insurance offers:
Discounts: Bundle discounts and discounts for auto-pay, full pay or paperless billing. Loyalty and generational discounts are available after you’ve been with the company for a year and if your parents use the company.
Endorsements: Identity theft protection, up to $1,000 in pet insurance coverage, travel protection and home-based business coverage.
To learn more: American Family insurance review
Allstate is our top renters insurance pick for seniors because it provides a discount of up to 25% for retired adults aged 55 and over. If you have high-value possessions in your rental or a high net worth, scheduled personal property coverage and umbrella policy endorsements are worth considering.
Extra property coverage may replace cherished items like jewelry, antiques and collectibles, possibly with no deductible. And umbrella coverage could further protect your assets by paying for large legal costs, medical bills and judgments if someone sues you for property damage or bodily injury.
Below are renters insurance discounts and endorsements offered by Allstate:
Discounts: Bundle discounts, discounts for renters 55 or older and discounts if you set up autopay.
Endorsements: Scheduled personal property coverage, personal umbrella coverage, identity theft restoration coverage and flood insurance.
To learn more: Allstate insurance review
If you’re a renter looking for a deal, State Farm has rates starting at $7 depending on where you live. Bundling policies and other savings opportunities could help lower your policy premiums by up to 17%. Keep in mind that policies with the lowest rates may offer a lower amount of coverage.
Below are the discounts and endorsements State Farm offers for renters insurance:
Discounts: Bundle discounts, home alert protection discounts and savings when you choose higher deductibles.
Endorsements: Personal liability umbrella coverage, pet medical insurance, identity restoration coverage and earthquake damage coverage.
To learn more: State Farm renters insurance review
The law doesn’t require renters insurance in Washington, but landlords may require it in the lease. If not, buying coverage can still be worthwhile. Landlord insurance covers the building itself — not your belongings. So, if your clothes and valuables are damaged in a fire or stolen, you would have to replace those items fully out of pocket. When you buy renters insurance, the policy helps pay for loss caused by covered perils, such as fire or theft, up to the policy limit.
A standard renters insurance policy includes the following coverage:
Make sure to read the terms carefully to understand what your policy covers and any exclusions. You may be able to purchase additional coverage by adding an endorsement to cover flood damage, valuable belongings and more.
Many factors affect the cost of your coverage including the following:
In 2021, 166,496 thefts were reported in Washington, with 33.7% of offenses occurring at residences, according to the Washington Association of Sheriffs and Police Chiefs. The good news is renters insurance can cover personal property stolen inside or outside of your rental.
Washington’s Department of Natural Resources fights approximately 900 wildfires each year, and a majority of them are in the eastern part of the state, according to Washington’s Emergency Management Division.
The season for wildfires is between July and September, but a fire can happen at any time, and insurance can help you recover from loss if your belongings are caught in its path. Loss of use coverage may also pay for temporary living costs if you’re displaced during a fire.
Washington can experience strong storms because of its location near the Pacific. Storms can include lightning, high winds and hail, all of which are typically covered perils. If lightning causes a fire that destroys furniture in your bedroom, that loss may be covered. Similarly, if wind breaks your window and debris ruins your dining room set, that damage may be covered.
Washington’s Department of Ecology says there’s an 80% chance that the state will experience 10 or more floods in a year. Flood damage is usually not covered by a typical renters insurance policy. However, some providers offer flood insurance endorsements, or you could shop for coverage through the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) if you live in a community where policies are offered.
Whether you’re a Washingtonian living in Seattle or a smaller town across the Evergreen state, you have many affordable renters insurance options to choose from. Overall, we recommend Lemonade and State Farm as good budget-friendly options. However, Allstate may offer better discounts and expanded coverage to seniors with high-ticket items to protect. We recommend obtaining quotes from at least three different providers to make sure you’re getting the coverage you need at a rate that works for your budget.
Get instant renters insurance quotes by entering your ZIP code in the form.
The best renters insurance policy in Washington State depends on your budget and the coverage you need. For a fast application and fast claims, you could get a policy at Lemonade quickly. Premiums start at $5 per month and claims may be paid out instantly. State Farm is another low-cost option for renters shopping for insurance on a tight budget.
If getting comprehensive coverage is more important than cost, Allstate offers several add-ons that add greater protection to your policy, including flood insurance, scheduled personal property coverage and umbrella liability coverage.
Lemonade and State Farm may both offer cheap coverage. Lemonade policies start at just $5 per month, and State Farm consistently offers low rates. Allstate is another good choice for renters over age 55 because of the senior discounts.
Landlord insurance is a type of policy that covers the rental property dwelling itself and the landlord’s personal liability. Landlord insurance doesn’t cover tenant belongings — renters need to buy renters insurance for that protection.
No — like homeowners insurance, renters insurance doesn’t usually cover water damage from external flooding. Water damage caused by a broken appliance or pipe inside the rental may be covered, but damage from a rising creek, river or sea level isn’t usually paid for.
Some policies offer flood coverage as an add-on, or you may be able to buy insurance from companies that offer coverage through the National Flood Insurance Program.
Through in-depth research of the industry, we determined the following factors and weights to rate each company by:
We used these rating factors to determine the best renters insurance companies to help with your decision when looking at policies. We routinely monitor and update data on a regular basis to ensure the reviews reflect the most up-to-date information and advice.
Taylor Medine started blogging about her experiences stretching a dollar in 2013 as a recent college grad. Eventually, that passion grew into a career studying personal finance topics and demystifying them for people like her — the everyday consumer. When she’s not writing, you’ll find her hunting for travel deals or trying (and often failing) at a DIY project.
Sabrina Lopez is an editor with over six years of experience writing and editing digital content with a particular focus on home services, home products and personal finance. When she is not working on articles to help consumers make informed decisions, Sabrina enjoys creative writing and spending time with her family and their two parrots.
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