The Best Cheap Renters Insurance in North Carolina

The cheapest renters insurance in North Carolina is offered by Nationwide and costs about $15 per month, or $182 per year.

The average cost of renters insurance in North Carolina is $17 per month, or $204 per year. The price of a policy at Amica is only slightly higher than at Nationwide — $2 more per year, on average.

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Choosing the best renters insurance involves finding out which company combines affordable prices with protective coverage and dependable customer service. To help you search, we gathered dozens of quotes from addresses across North Carolina.

Methodology

Cheapest renters insurance in North Carolina

The cheapest renters insurance in NC is from Nationwide, while the most expensive is most often from Allstate.

With an average rate of $15 per year, Nationwide is 1% cheaper than Amica, the second-cheapest option, and 11% more affordable than average.

A bar graph showing the average costs of renters insurance in North Carolina

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The average cost of renters insurance in North Carolina is about $17 per month, or $204 per year. This is slightly less expensive than the average price of renters insurance in the United States, is around $18 per month.

Cheapest renters insurance companies in North Carolina

Company
Monthly cost
Nationwide logo
Nationwide$15
Amica logo
Amica$15
Travelers logo
Travelers$18
Allstate logo
Allstate$19

Best renters insurance for most people: Nationwide

  • Editor rating

  • Average monthly rate

    $15 ?

Pros and cons

  • Typically has the lowest rates in the state
  • Many ways to upgrade your coverage
  • Middling reputation for customer service

The best renters insurance for most people in North Carolina comes from Nationwide. On average, it has the cheapest prices in the state. You can purchase coverage for about $15 per month, which is 11% cheaper than the average cost of renters insurance in North Carolina.

Nationwide renters insurance offers more protections than many other companies. Beyond the standard protections, you can add replacement cost coverage, water backup coverage and identity theft protection.

Where Nationwide is a bit weaker is in terms of customer service. J.D. Power ranks Nationwide's service as only about average among large renters insurance companies. Additionally, the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) shows that Nationwide receives only half the complaints expected for its size.

Best renters insurance for customer service: Amica

  • Editor rating

  • Average monthly rate

    $15 ?

Pros and cons

  • Top-rated customer service
  • Affordable coverage for most renters
  • Limited set of extra coverages
  • Few in-person agents

Amica has the best renters insurance for people who value strong customer service. The company stands out in terms of several metrics and also has low rates.

Amica receives a low number of customer complaints, 12% of what an average company its size receives according to the National Association of Insurance Commissioners. This indicates customers are mostly satisfied with their coverage. The company also received a strong rating from ValuePenguin's editors.

Amica is also close to the cheapest coverage in North Carolina. The company's average rate, $184 per year, is only $2 per year more than Nationwide's.

One negative of Amica is that renters will not find too many ways to add to their policies. The company does offer identity theft coverage, replacement cost coverage and coverage for valuable items, which are usually not included in a basic policy. However, you cannot get water backup coverage or equipment breakdown coverage. The company also has very few agents, so you won't be able to manage your policy in person.

Best for military families: USAA

  • Editor rating


Pros and cons

  • Extra coverages included in basic policies
  • Strong customer service
  • Not available to most renters

North Carolina is home to a large population of military veterans, and they can get quality coverage with USAA. The company offers some military-specific coverages and has extensive basic policies.

Standard USAA policies include earthquake and flood coverage. You can also get overseas insurance to cover your property if you're deployed.

USAA has some of the highest-rated customer service available, which is crucial in helping you get through an incident with less stress. The company got top marks from J.D. Power and receives few complaints, according to the NAIC.

One drawback is that USAA is only available to members of the military, veterans and some military family members. You'll have to enter a military ID number to get a quote, and USAA's rates are often low.

North Carolina renters insurance rates: City by city

In North Carolina, renters insurance is typically most expensive in Wilmington, while Hickory tends to have the cheapest policies.

Charlotte, North Carolina's largest city, has an average rate of $191 per year, 8% cheaper than the state average.

City
Average annual cost
Difference from state average (%)
Apex$2164%
Asheville$158-24%
Burlington$183-12%
Cary$188-9%
Chapel Hill$178-14%
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Best renters insurance companies in NC for customer service

Amica and USAA offer the highest-rated customer service in North Carolina. Each company received few complaints and had a high ValuePenguin editor's rating.

USAA is also the top renters insurance company in J.D. Power's customer satisfaction survey. It is, however, only available to members of the military, some of their family members and veterans.

Customer service can be extremely important. If something damages your rental or property, it can be extremely disruptive to your life. Good customer service can make the return to normal quicker and smoother, which means less stress.

Company
Rating
USAA
Amica
Nationwide
Travelers
Allstate

Frequently asked questions

How much is renters insurance in North Carolina?

Renters in North Carolina can expect to pay around $17 per month for insurance. Nationwide and Amica both offer cheaper-than-average rates at $15 per month.

What does renters insurance cover in NC?

Renters insurance should always cover property damage, medical payments to guests, personal liability and additional living expenses. Many insurance companies also allow renters to increase their protection with optional coverage add-ons, like flood insurance and valuable belongings protection.

Does NC require renters insurance?

The state of North Carolina does not require you to buy renters insurance. However, your property management company or landlord may make renters insurance a mandatory part of your lease agreement.

How much is renters insurance in Charlotte, NC?

Renters insurance in Charlotte costs an average of $16 per month, which is 8% cheaper than the state average. In comparison, renters in Raleigh pay $15 per month for the same coverage.


Methodology

To choose the best renters insurance in North Carolina, ValuePenguin analyzed each company based on three qualities.

  • Affordability: The premiums renters insurance companies are likely to charge.
  • Coverage options: The quality of an insurer's standard coverage and add-ons.
  • Customer service: The reputation an insurer has for meeting the needs of its policyholders.

To determine the average cost of renters insurance in North Carolina, we collected nearly 100 quotes from the 25 largest cities in the state. We gathered these quotes using a profile for a 30-year-old male renter with no spouse or history of insurance claims.

The results of our study are drawn from quotes for $30,000 of personal property coverage, $100,000 of liability and $1,000 of medical payments to others. Finally, we chose $500 deductibles where available. Your rates may vary from ours.

Customer service ratings are based on three factors, which are weighted and combined into a five-star rating.

NAIC complaint index: This metric shows the number of complaints a company receives relative to its market share, or size. A typical complaint index is represented by 1.00. This means a company receives more complaints than expected if its complaint index is higher than 1.00.

J.D. Power Homeowners Insurance Study - Renters Insurance: In this evaluation of the insurance industry's largest providers, J.D. Power distilled policyholders' responses into an overall satisfaction score. This score stands for the quality of a company's service, its offerings and its claims process.

ValuePenguin editor's rating: ValuePenguin's insurance experts analyze and evaluate companies based on their prices, coverage offerings and customer service, to give a complete picture of the insurer protecting your property.

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.