Best and Cheapest Renters Insurance in Pennsylvania

Lindsay Frankel
Written by
Lindsay Frankel
Photo of an Insurify author
Written by
Lindsay Frankel
Insurance Writer
Lindsay Frankel is a content writer specializing in personal finance and auto insurance topics. Her work has been featured in publications such as LendingTree, The Balance, Coverage.com, Bankrate, NextAdvisor, and FinanceBuzz.
John Leach
Edited by
John Leach
Photo of an Insurify author
Edited by
John Leach
Insurance Content Editor at Insurify
John Leach is an insurance content editor who has worked in print and online. He has years of experience in car and home insurance and strives to make these topics easy to understand for everyone. He has a linguistics degree from UC Santa Barbara.

Updated April 13, 2022

Reading time: 6 minutes

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How do I get renters insurance in Pennsylvania?

To get the best and cheapest renters insurance available in PA, you're going to want to compare quotes from different companies. We'll show you how.

When shopping for renters insurance in Pennsylvania, the first factor you’ll want to consider is coverage. All rental insurance providers in the Keystone State should offer three main types of coverage:

  • Personal liability coverage, which provides legal expenses and medical payments for incidents that happen in your home or injuries caused by you, your family, or your dog

  • Personal property coverage, which provides payouts to cover personal belongings stolen or damaged by a covered peril

  • Additional living expenses, also known as loss of use coverage, which pays for hotel bills or other alternative accommodations if your apartment becomes uninhabitable

While these types of coverage typically come standard, each policy has different limits, and adjusting the deductible will also impact your premium. But renters insurance is generally very affordable; the average cost in Pennsylvania is just $158 per year, according to the Insurance Information Institute.

You may be able to offset the cost of a new renters policy by saving money on your car insurance. It’s easy to find cheap car insurance that still provides the coverage you need with Insurify. Rather than pulling auto insurance quotes from different insurance companies ’ websites, you’ll just need to enter your information once, and our artificial intelligence technology will point you in the direction of the best deal.

Factors that Affect Renters Insurance Premiums in Pennsylvania

Coverage Level

For each type of coverage, your renters policy will have a coverage limit. For example, you might be covered for personal property damage up to $20,000 and additional living expenses up to $5,000. Your insurance company won’t pay more than your coverage limit, so it’s important to choose the right coverage level. Raising your coverage level will raise your premium.

It’s also important to note that there are two types of policies: replacement cost policies and actual cash value policies. Replacement cost policies tend to cost more because the payouts reimburse you for the cost to replace each item up to your limit, rather than the actual cash value of the item after depreciation.

Deductible

Deductibles for renters insurance typically range from $500 to $2,000, but you can find $0 deductible renters policies as well. The lower your deductible, the higher your premium will be, and vice versa. But you should never choose a deductible that’s higher than what you have saved in an emergency fund since you’ll be on the hook for that amount if something happens to your home or belongings.

Value of Property

Most renters policies have a total limit for your personal property coverage and a dollar limit for each category of item. That’s the amount they’ll pay for your belongings if they are stolen or damaged by a covered loss, such as fire or vandalism. For example, your portable electronics may only be covered up to $1,000. If you have more expensive valuables, like fine jewelry, musical instruments, or art, you may want to purchase additional coverage for those items, which will increase your premium. You may also be able to get additional coverage, such as identity theft coverage or earthquake coverage, which would likewise raise your premium.

Residence Type and Location

If you rent a single-family home, you’ll likely get a lower premium than if you rented an apartment, where your neighbors’ behavior is a factor in your risk. But every residence type impacts your premium differently; you might pay more for renting a mobile home because of the greater risk of storm damage.

Your address will also play a role in your premium costs since high-crime areas are considered riskier. For example, you’ll likely pay more for renters insurance in Philadelphia than you would in Pittsburgh or Erie.

Credit Score

Some renters insurance providers will use your insurance-based credit score to determine your premium amount. This score is based on many of the same factors as your traditional FICO score, such as your payment history and credit utilization ratio. If you can improve these measures by paying down debt before applying for a renters insurance policy, you might be able to get a lower rate.

Owning Pets

Having an animal in your home can increase your risk of liability insurance claims, so your renters insurance company will probably ask you if you have a pet and raise your premium accordingly. If you do have a pet, you should make sure to purchase enough liability protection. Note that some renters insurance companies may be unwilling to cover high-risk breeds.

Pennsylvania -Specific Factors

The average cost of renters insurance in Pennsylvania is $158 per year, or roughly $13 dollars a month. That makes renters insurance substantially less expensive than in other states like New York, California, or Texas. That’s probably at least in part because natural disasters like hurricanes or earthquakes are less common in Pennsylvania than in most other states.

Average Annual Cost of Renters Insurance by State

Finding Cheap Renters Insurance in Pennsylvania

Here are some tips to finding a cheap renters insurance policy in the Quaker State.

Shop Around and Compare

Pennsylvania renters insurance costs and coverage options vary from one insurer to the next. Find out what each renters insurance policy covers, and narrow down your options based on your needs. Next, get renters insurance quotes from each provider. Once you’ve verified that customer satisfaction ratings are up to par, you can choose the company willing to offer you the best deal.

Consider Bundling

Consider bundling your renters insurance policy with your auto policy, life insurance policy, or homeowners insurance policy. This can save you a significant chunk of change, often up to 25 percent.

Install Safety Devices

Many insurance options have discounted premiums for people who install burglar alarms, fire alarms, or security systems at their rental property, so talk to your insurance agent if you have or plan to install any of these devices.

Automatic Payment Discount and Other Deals

Some insurance providers offer discounts for setting up automatic monthly payments or prepaying your premium for the year. Some companies may even offer college students, teachers, or veterans discounts on renters insurance coverage. Ask your local agent if there are any additional deals you qualify for.

Best Companies for Cheap Renters Insurance in Pennsylvania

Lemonade

Lemonade offers renters insurance policies starting as low as $5 per month. It is the top-ranked renters insurance provider by J.D. Power and has some of the best customer satisfaction ratings in the industry. What’s more, it uses a social good business model. After paying claims, Lemonade donates the remainder of its profits to charitable organizations. Lemonade policies also cover your personal property up to the replacement cost and include your spouse at no extra cost.

State Farm

State Farm provides affordable renters insurance policies in Pennsylvania and can be a great option for bundling with auto or pet insurance policies. Its policies are flexible, and it offers add-ons such as identity restoration and additional liability coverage. However, its customer service reviews leave something to be desired.

Liberty Mutual

Liberty Mutual offers renters insurance policies starting at $5 per month. Its policies only cover your items up to the actual cash value unless you add replacement cost coverage. Liability protection and additional living expenses coverage also come standard with Liberty Mutual policies.

What is Renters Insurance––and What Does it Cover?

Many renters assume that their landlord will pay for damages, but this often isn’t the case. Landlords must be found to have personal liability for the damage done to personal property in order to have to pay to replace or repair that property. So a fire started by your downstairs neighbor or a burglar’s break-in often won’t be covered by your landlord’s insurance.

That’s why it’s so important to purchase renters insurance. Renters insurance protects you and your personal belongings from financial loss in a few specific ways. Check out the handy table below to learn more about what renters insurance does and doesn’t cover.

Renters Insurance 101

Renters insurance is a type of insurance for those who rent their homes. But what exactly does renters insurance cover?

Renters insurance usually incorporates three primary types of coverage for policyholders: liability coverage, personal property coverage, and additional living expenses (sometimes also known as loss of use ) coverage.

Coverage TypeWhat It (Usually!) CoversWhat’s (Usually!) Not Covered
LiabilityMay cover medical payments or property bills if you accidentally damage someone else’s property or a guest hurts themselves in your residenceAny liability costs that exceed your coverage limit, damage to your personal property, or additional living expenses
Personal PropertyThe cost to repair or replace your personal belongings should they be damaged or stolenDamage to personal property over your coverage limit, liability damages, or additional living expenses
Additional Living ExpensesAdditional coverage that pays for hotel bills or other living expenses if your current residence is damaged or otherwise not habitableThe cost of repairing damage to your rented residence (your landlord’s insurance policy may cover that)

Pennsylvania Renters Insurance FAQ

  • Renters insurance costs an average of $158 per year in Pennsylvania. That’s less than $14 per month and can provide needed protection in case of accidents and perils.

  • That depends on who you ask. J.D. Power ranks these renters insurance providers as the top three for 2020: 1. Lemonade 2. Erie Insurance 3. Allstate You should read customer service reviews at Trustpilot, ConsumerAffairs, and the Better Business Bureau before coming to a final decision on your renters insurance company. You’ll also want to ensure the company you choose offers the protection you need.

  • Yes. You can save up to 25 percent with some insurance companies if you bundle your auto and renters insurance. You may even be able to save more than that if you add a life insurance policy or pet insurance policy as well.

  • If you want to compare car insurance quotes lightning-fast, Insurify can help. You’ll just need to enter your information once, and you’ll be able to view auto insurance quotes from up to 20 providers side by side. It’s easy to toggle between coverage type and amounts so you can find a policy that fits your budget.

How to Find the Best and Cheapest Renters Insurance in Pennsylvania

While Insurify doesn’t currently offer a way to compare renters insurance quotes, you can use our artificial intelligence technology to find great deals on car insurance, home insurance, and life insurance.

Switching providers could be a great way to save on your overall insurance costs. For example, if you use Insurify to get car insurance quotes, you could potentially save hundreds on your annual premium. You may want to start by finding a great deal on car insurance and then checking to see if the same provider offers affordable renters insurance with a bundling discount. Insurify makes it super easy to compare auto rates apples-to-apples, so you won’t waste any time.

Lindsay Frankel
Written by
Lindsay Frankel

Insurance Writer

Lindsay Frankel is a content writer specializing in personal finance and auto insurance topics. Her work has been featured in publications such as LendingTree, The Balance, Coverage.com, Bankrate, NextAdvisor, and FinanceBuzz.

Learn More
John Leach
Edited by
John Leach

Insurance Content Editor at Insurify

Photo of an Insurify author
Edited by
John Leach
Insurance Content Editor at Insurify
John Leach is an insurance content editor who has worked in print and online. He has years of experience in car and home insurance and strives to make these topics easy to understand for everyone. He has a linguistics degree from UC Santa Barbara.