The Best Cheap Renters Insurance in California (2024)
Lemonade has the cheapest renters insurance in California, at $13 per month on average.
Compare cheap renters insurance options in California
Best Cheap Renters Insurance in CA
Our editors compared renters insurance companies by looking at cost, customer service, extra coverage options and discounts. ValuePenguin collected hundreds of renters insurance quotes from top companies across 25 of California's largest cities.
Cheapest renters insurance companies in California
Lemonade has the cheapest renters insurance in California.
The company charges $13 per month for $30,000 of personal property coverage. That's one-third cheaper than the California state average.
Compare cheap renters insurance options in California
Progressive has the second cheapest renters insurance in California, with an average rate of $15 per month. The company offers several discounts that can lower your monthly rate even more.
Renters insurance costs $19 per month in California on average.
That's slightly cheaper than neighboring states like Oregon and Nevada, and much cheaper than nearby Arizona, where rates average $28 per month.
Cheapest renters insurance companies in California
Company | Monthly cost | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Lemonade | $13 | |
| Progressive | $15 | |
| Allstate | $20 | |
| Assurant | $29 | |
| USAA | N/A | |
Companies that have stopped selling renters insurance in CA
At the moment, several top companies no longer sell renters insurance to new customers in California. State-level rules about how much companies can raise rates combined with increasing wildfires and other natural disasters has made the California market unprofitable for companies like State Farm, Allstate and AIG.
Other companies still sell renters insurance in the Golden State, but only in some areas. If you live in a place with frequent wildfires, consider buying government-backed renters insurance, called the California Fair Plan.
Best renters insurance for most people in California: Lemonade
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Editor's rating
- Cost: $13/mo
Lemonade has the cheapest renters insurance quotes in California.
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Cheap rates
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Fast online quotes
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Mixed customer satisfaction
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Few extra coverage options and discounts
A Lemonade renters insurance policy costs $13 per month for $30,000 of personal property coverage. That's 33% cheaper than the California state average.
Lemonade also stands out for its easy online shopping and claims filing process. Its digital-first approach to business means you can get a quote or file a claim online in minutes.
This approach also means Lemonade does not use insurance agents. So you should not choose Lemonade if you prefer working with a person. But, you can speak to a real human through their customer service phone line.
Lemonade has a mixed customer service reputation. The company scored well on customer satisfaction on a recent J.D. Power survey that compared 14 top renters insurance companies.
However, Lemonade gets more than three times as many complaints, on average, as other insurance companies of the same size, according to the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC).
Compared to its competitors, Lemonade only offers a few discounts. However, the company lets you personalize your policy with five coverage add-ons.
Discounts
Coverage extras
- Renter-auto bundle
- Protective devices
- Pay in full
Discounts
- Renter-auto bundle
- Protective devices
- Pay in full
Coverage extras
- Water backup
- Replacement cost
- Valuable items
- Extended liability
- Equipment breakdown
Best renters insurance in CA for extra coverage and discounts: Progressive
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Editor's rating
- Cost: $15/mo
Progressive offers many coverage extras and discounts.
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Cheap rates
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Bundling discounts available
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Many extra coverage options and discounts
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Low customer satisfaction
Progressive is a good choice if you want personalized coverage or qualify for one or more discounts. You can customize your policy with optional add-ons, such as coverage for earthquakes, floods, mold and identity theft. You can also increase your personal property and liability coverage limits.
Progressive is a good choice for bundling your renters and auto insurance. You may qualify for other discounts if you live in a gated community, sign up for paperless billing or get your quote at least three days before you buy.
Progressive has cheap rates, charging an average of $15 per month for $30,000 of personal property coverage. That's 22% cheaper than the California state average.
However, Progressive has a poor customer satisfaction reputation. The company gets about three and a half times as many complaints as the average insurance company of the same size. Progressive also scored last on the most recent J.D. Power renters insurance customer satisfaction survey.
Best renters insurance in California for military families: USAA
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Editor's rating
- Cost: N/A
USAA offers strong customer service, but it's only available to current and former military members and their families.
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High customer satisfaction
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Good renters-auto bundle discount
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Many extra coverage options
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Only available to current and former military members and their families
You can only buy a USAA policy if you, a parent, spouse or former spouse are current or former member of the military. USAA tailors its discounts and coverage toward those in the armed services. That makes it a great choice if you're a veteran or active duty service member.
USAA has the best customer service in California for renters insurance companies.
The company gets 67% fewer complaints, on average, than other insurance companies of the same size. USAA also had the highest customer satisfaction score among top renters insurance companies, according to a recent J.D. Power survey.
You can also lower your monthly rate if you qualify for one or more of USAA's six renters insurance discounts:
USAA renters insurance discounts
- Renters-auto bundling: Save up to 10% on your renters insurance if you have an auto policy through USAA.
- Claims free: You may qualify for this discount if you've gone at least three years without making a renters insurance claim.
- Protective devices: You can lower your monthly rate if you have a monitored fire alarm, security system or automatic sprinkler installed in your rental home.
- Living on base: This discount applies to those who live in the barracks or other housing on a U.S. Army base.
- Military college: You may be eligible for this discount if you're a cadet at a senior military college.
- Service academy: You may qualify for this discount if you're enrolled in a U.S. service academy.
USAA renters insurance comes standard with several coverage options that other companies charge extra for or don't commonly offer. For example, all renters insurance comes standard with coverage for military gear, uniforms and identity theft.
California renters insurance: Costs by city
Long Beach, a part of the Los Angeles metro area, has the highest renters insurance quotes in California with an average rate of $31 per month.
Chula Vista, a San Diego suburb, has the cheapest rates among California's major cities, at $16 per month on average.
Where you live has a big influence on your renters insurance rates. Factors like crime, natural disasters and the cost of labor and materials can impact how much you pay for renters insurance.
City | Monthly rate | % from average |
|---|---|---|
| Anaheim | $18 | -4% |
| Bakersfield | $20 | 4% |
| Chula Vista | $16 | -14% |
| Fontana | $19 | 0% |
| Fremont | $20 | 3% |
How to get cheap renters insurance in California
Pay less for renters insurance in California by comparing rates, taking advantage of discounts and bundling your renters and auto insurance.
Comparing rates can lower your annual renters insurance by hundreds of dollars per year. Lemonade has the cheapest renters insurance quotes in California at $13 per month for $30,000 of personal property coverage . That's less than half the cost of Assurant which charges $29 per month for the same level of coverage.
Take advantage of discounts to lower your monthly rate. Most renters insurance companies let you qualify for multiple discounts.
Common discounts include auto-renters bundling , claims free and using online bill pay.
Make sure you're buying the right amount of coverage. The level of coverage you buy is one of the most important factors that determines your monthly rate.
It's a good idea to add up the cost of everything you own in your home. The sum will give you an idea of how much personal property coverage to buy.
Common natural disasters in California
Depending on where you live in California, you may need protection against wildfires, floods and earthquakes.
Wildfires
Wildfires have become increasingly common in California over the past few decades. Most renters insurance policies cover fire damage. However, some insurance companies have stopped selling renters insurance policies in parts of California at high risk for wildfires.
Fortunately, the state government sells insurance to renters everywhere in California regardless of wildfire risk through a program called the California Fair Plan. You can buy fire insurance from the California FAIR Plan Association if no private insurance companies offer coverage in your area.
Keep in mind that FAIR Plan policies can be expensive.
Floods
A normal renters insurance policy won't cover flood damage. You'll have to buy a separate flood insurance plan to protect yourself. Consider a flood policy if you live in a high-risk flood area.
You can find your home or apartment's risk level by using the flood map tool on the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) website.
Earthquakes
Renters insurance does not cover damage caused by earthquakes. It's a good idea to buy separate earthquake coverage that you can add to your renters policy. The California Earthquake Authority (CEA) sells coverage for as little as $35 per year.
California has the most earthquakes that cause damage to buildings of any state nationwide.
Every year, California usually gets two to three earthquakes large enough to cause at least moderate amounts of damage to buildings. These earthquakes can impact some of California's largest cities including San Francisco, Los Angeles and San Diego.
In California, your standard renters insurance will pay for fire damage caused by an earthquake. It might also cover explosions, stolen property and broken glass caused by an earthquake, though you should check with your agent to be sure.
Frequently asked questions
Who has the best cheap renters insurance quotes in California?
Lemonade has the best cheap renters insurance quotes in California. It charges $13 per month on average for $30,000 of personal property coverage. That's 33% below the California state average.
How much is renters insurance in California?
The average cost of renters insurance in California is $19 per month for $30,000 of personal property coverage. What you pay for renters insurance depends mainly on where you live, the level of coverage you choose and your insurance company.
Is it illegal to not have renters insurance in California?
No, there is no legal requirement to have renters insurance in California. However, many landlords will require that you buy a renters policy as a condition of your lease.
Methodology
Information related to California's Fair Plan program came from the California Fair Plan website. The flood insurance risk zone definition came from the FEMA website. Natural disaster trend data was taken from the California Department of Conservation, the United States Geological Survey and Climate Central, a nonprofit organization.
ValuePenguin collected hundreds of quotes from across the 25 largest cities in California for an unmarried 30-year-old woman with no claims history. Coverage limits include:
- $30,000 of personal property coverage
- $9,000 for loss of use
- $500 deductible
- $100,000 of personal liability
- $1,000 of medical payments to guests
Customer service ratings were created using cost data, information from the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) complaint index scores and J.D. Power's 2023 renters insurance customer satisfaction study rankings.
These rates should be used for comparative purposes only. Your quotes may differ.
Editorial Note: The content of this article is based on the author’s opinions and recommendations alone. It has not been previewed, commissioned or otherwise endorsed by any of our network partners.