Finding the Best Renters Insurance in California
More than half of all Californians are renters. If you’re one of them, you might be considering renters insurance. It can be a struggle to find the best renters insurance in California with so many providers vying for your business. If you want cheap renters insurance in California, it’s important not to pick the first provider that appears to have the lowest rates. To get the best rates, you’ll want to shop around and compare prices, making sure that you’re factoring in the various supplier discounts that might be available to you. More than that, you may want to pay a little more to get coverage and customer service that fits your needs. Insurance providers look at many characteristics of your rented house or apartment and you as a tenant in order to calculate insurance quotes. Familiarizing yourself with what goes into determining a quote can help you take steps to reduce your insurance premiums. If you’re on the fence about getting renters insurance, consider the protection afforded to you, your home, and your belongings from common hazards like wildfires. California’s property crime rate is also higher than the national average; renters insurance will help you recover the costs of any stolen items.
| Renters Insurance Costs in California | Rates |
|---|---|
| Avg. Rate of Renters Insurance in California Annually | $197.90 |
| Avg. Rate of Renters Insurance in California Per Month | $16.49 |
A Summary of Renters Insurance in California
California places 12th on the list of most expensive states for renters insurance, which is above the national average. You may have heard of the rule, which states that you should spend no more than 30% of your gross income on rent. In California, 53.9% of renters spend more than this amount, falling into the cost-burdened category. It can be tough to think about paying for renters insurance when rent is already so high until you consider the extra costs associated with replacing your valuables or repairing damage to your rental unit. The average cost for renters insurance in California is $X.XX per month or $X.XX per year. The most expensive city for premiums is Chula Vista, with a monthly cost of $X.XX and an annual cost of $X.XX. Meanwhile, Oxnard residents pay the least for renters insurance at $X.XX per month and $X.XX per year. However, location isn’t the full picture for premiums, as we’ll see.
| City in California | Costs Per Month for Renters Insurance | Average Costs Per Year for Renters Insurance |
|---|---|---|
| Anaheim, CA | $21.55 | $258.56 |
| Antioch, CA | $20.49 | $245.92 |
| Bakersfield, CA | $21.51 | $258.08 |
| Berkeley, CA | $26.21 | $314.56 |
| Burbank, CA | $23.28 | $279.36 |
| Carlsbad, CA | $21.88 | $262.56 |
| Chula Vista, CA | $39.08 | $468.96 |
| Concord, CA | $19.49 | $233.92 |
| Corona, CA | $22.56 | $270.72 |
| Costa Mesa, CA | $23.47 | $281.60 |
| Daly City, CA | $19.48 | $233.76 |
| Downey, CA | $23.68 | $284.16 |
| El Monte, CA | $19.37 | $232.48 |
| Elk Grove, CA | $21.83 | $261.92 |
| Escondido, CA | $33.87 | $406.40 |
| Fairfield, CA | $20.27 | $243.20 |
| Fontana, CA | $36.56 | $438.72 |
| Fremont, CA | $19.57 | $234.88 |
| Fresno, CA | $20.76 | $249.12 |
| Fullerton, CA | $22.28 | $267.36 |
| Garden Grove, CA | $21.67 | $260.00 |
| Glendale, CA | $22.97 | $275.68 |
| Hayward, CA | $19.53 | $234.40 |
| Huntington Beach, CA | $23.23 | $278.72 |
| Inglewood, CA | $27.08 | $324.96 |
| Irvine, CA | $23.21 | $278.56 |
| Lancaster, CA | $28.71 | $344.48 |
| Long Beach, CA | $20.28 | $243.36 |
| Los Angeles, CA | $27.07 | $324.80 |
| Modesto, CA | $20.68 | $248.16 |
| Moreno Valley, CA | $24.67 | $296.00 |
| Murrieta, CA | $25.24 | $302.88 |
| Norwalk, CA | $22.77 | $273.28 |
| Oakland, CA | $25.69 | $308.32 |
| Oceanside, CA | $36.68 | $440.16 |
| Ontario, CA | $23.35 | $280.16 |
| Orange, CA | $21.68 | $260.16 |
| Oxnard, CA | $17.57 | $210.88 |
| Palmdale, CA | $28.91 | $346.88 |
| Pasadena, CA | $20.16 | $241.92 |
| Pomona, CA | $21.89 | $262.72 |
| Rancho Cucamonga, CA | $22.80 | $273.60 |
| Richmond, CA | $20.48 | $245.76 |
| Riverside, CA | $24.57 | $294.88 |
| Roseville, CA | $21.43 | $257.12 |
| Sacramento, CA | $21.28 | $255.36 |
| Salinas, CA | $18.93 | $227.20 |
| San Bernardino, CA | $23.64 | $283.68 |
| San Diego, CA | $21.45 | $257.44 |
| San Francisco, CA | $18.45 | $221.44 |
| San Jose, CA | $19.17 | $230.08 |
| Santa Ana, CA | $21.35 | $256.16 |
| Santa Clara, CA | $18.07 | $216.80 |
| Santa Clarita, CA | $24.23 | $290.72 |
| Santa Rosa, CA | $23.04 | $276.48 |
| Simi Valley, CA | $18.29 | $219.52 |
| Stockton, CA | $19.33 | $232.00 |
| Sunnyvale, CA | $17.84 | $214.08 |
| Temecula, CA | $25.27 | $303.20 |
| Thousand Oaks, CA | $28.17 | $338.08 |
| Torrance, CA | $20.09 | $241.12 |
| Vallejo, CA | $20.61 | $247.36 |
| Ventura, CA | $18.48 | $221.76 |
| Victorville, CA | $25.96 | $311.52 |
| Visalia, CA | $20.59 | $247.04 |
| West Covina, CA | $22.48 | $269.76 |
Is Renters Insurance Required in California
In California, renters insurance is not required by law, though some landlords may require it for you to live in their building. It’s a good idea to get renters insurance either way because your landlord’s insurance won’t cover you for everything. As a tenant in California, you are subject to some of the most extensive landlord-tenant laws in the country. Landlords must inform you about issues like mold risks. They must also perform maintenance to keep your building livable and up to code. However, they are not responsible for replacing your possessions or for any injuries your guests sustain in your rented home or apartment. Your landlord’s insurance policy only covers damage to the property’s structure and their personal property used on site. Renters insurance will take care of costs associated with covered perils (including mold, if it occurs due to a covered peril such as a leak in your pipes), damaged or stolen property, and medical payments for bodily harm to others. Without renters insurance, you face the risk of financial burdens much greater than the monthly cost of paying premiums.
How Much is Renters Insurance in California
One of your most pressing questions is probably what renters insurance will cost you. Renters insurance rates in California can vary quite a bit because of the numerous factors that go into calculating them. We’ve provided a table of average renters insurance prices in California by city. Rental property in Los Angeles won’t have the same insurance rates as those in San Diego or Burbank, but the location isn’t the only determining factor when it comes to price. Factors like your credit score, past claims history, pet ownership, and the value of your personal belongings all come into play. Consequently, your actual quote may look different than the one here. Note that renters insurance may also be called an HO-4 policy. Most other HO policies are for homeowners, though there is also an HO-6 policy for condo insurance. HO-4 policies typically cover your liability and personal property up until certain policy limits, as well as additional living expenses from loss of use.
| Price of Renters Insurance in California by County | Rate Per Month | Rate Per Year |
|---|---|---|
| Alameda County, CA | $22.75 | $273.04 |
| Contra Costa County, CA | $20.15 | $241.87 |
| Fresno County, CA | $20.76 | $249.12 |
| Kern County, CA | $21.51 | $258.08 |
| Los Angeles County, CA | $23.53 | $282.38 |
| Monterey County, CA | $18.93 | $227.20 |
| Orange County, CA | $22.31 | $267.64 |
| Placer County, CA | $21.43 | $257.12 |
| Riverside County, CA | $24.46 | $293.54 |
| Sacramento County, CA | $21.56 | $258.64 |
| San Bernardino County, CA | $26.46 | $317.54 |
| San Diego County, CA | $30.59 | $367.10 |
| San Francisco County, CA | $18.45 | $221.44 |
| San Joaquin County, CA | $19.33 | $232.00 |
| San Mateo County, CA | $19.48 | $233.76 |
| Santa Clara County, CA | $18.36 | $220.32 |
| Solano County, CA | $20.44 | $245.28 |
| Sonoma County, CA | $23.04 | $276.48 |
| Stanislaus County, CA | $20.68 | $248.16 |
| Tulare County, CA | $20.59 | $247.04 |
| Ventura County, CA | $20.63 | $247.56 |
What Does Renters Insurance Cover in California
As we’ve mentioned, most standard renters insurance policies in California cover three basic things: personal liability, personal belongings, and additional living expenses. Actual cash value is the most common coverage you’ll see. Actual cash value reimburses you for your damaged items minus depreciation. Alternatively, replacement cost coverage (which may come standard with some companies and as an add-on with others) will replace your damaged items without factoring in depreciation or the actual value of your item today. Personal liability is for when you are responsible for damaging others’ property or for injuries in your home or apartment. This coverage will protect you financially from claims and cover property repairs or medical costs for the injured party. Additional living expenses are paid out in cases where your rental property becomes unlivable. This is also known as loss of use coverage, which will take care of bills related to living elsewhere while repairs are made to your home. Those are the basics, but you may want to purchase additional coverage. While standard renters insurance in California will cover damage resulting from wildfires, it won’t cover every natural hazard. California is well-known for its earthquakes and floods, so you may wish to pay a little extra to insure yourself against these events.
Best Renters Insurance Companies in California Based on Consumer Ratings
Now that you have an idea of the costs and reasons for purchasing renters insurance, you’ll want to find the best renters insurance companies in California. The table below allows you to compare JD Power and NAIC ratings for renters insurance companies in California. For example, State Farm often performs well in other states. In California, it scored only a 3 out of 5 (an average rating) from JD Power and has an NAIC complaint ratio of 1.3 (well above the average number of complaints). One of the best performing insurance companies in the Golden State is USAA, with a JD Power score of 5 out of 5. On the other hand, American Family has one of the lowest scores with a 2 out of 5 and an extremely high NAIC complaint ratio of 2.55 (meaning they receive 2.5x more complaints than the average company). Meanwhile, AIG has the lowest complaint ratio in California at 0.12. You’ll likely want a company with a low NAIC rating, meaning they receive fewer customer complaints and a high JD Power rating, indicating overall customer satisfaction. You may want to look into the metrics each company is scored on to determine what best fits your needs.
Compare Renters Insurance in California for the Best Rates
We’ve given you a basic outline of renters insurance and the performance of various providers. Now how do you go about actually getting the best renters insurance in California? We highly recommend you compare renters insurance companies. Shop around and get multiple quotes. Companies will provide different coverage offerings, processes for claims, and of course, pricing. Most providers will have affordable renters insurance options in California. To get the most accurate quote, be ready with information about your rental property, financial and claims history, and the coverage you’re looking for. Most importantly, be on the lookout for discounts that may apply to you. One increasingly popular way to save is to bundle your renters and auto insurance together under the same company. You may also be eligible for a no-claim discount if you never filed a claim with your previous provider. Discounts on premiums are often available if you have protective devices in your home, like fire or burglar alarms, because you’ll be less of a risk to insure. These are only some examples of the many discounts available to you – every provider will have their own discount program and special offers. Comparing them is the best way to get your ideal renter's insurance policy.