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Best Renters Insurance in Pennsylvania

In this guide, we review the top renters insurance companies in Pennsylvania and help you find the best policy for your home.

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Updated: Feb 05, 2024
Written by
Amanda Lutz
Written by Amanda Lutz Author

Amanda Lutz is a content marketing manager and writer with nearly a decade of experience contributing to prominent home services and wellness publications like AD, This Old House, and MarketWatch. She has written extensively on topics spanning insurance products, lawn care, pest control, and other home services. When she’s not providing readers with practical advice, Amanda enjoys remodeling her 1960s home, cruising Nashville on her Vespa, and songwriting on her grandmother’s piano.

Pennsylvania renters insurance protects you from liability claims and covers your personal belongings if they’re damaged from destructive events.

To help you find the best renters insurance policy, Quartz Advisor Reviews Team wrote an all-inclusive review on renters insurance in the Keystone State. To see what companies offer the best coverage and learn how to buy a policy, keep reading.

3 Best Renters Insurance Companies in Pennsylvania

Here are the top providers of renters insurance in Pennsylvania.

Toggle

Best for Flexible Pricing
4.3
J.D. Power N/A A.M. Best A

Toggle makes it simple to choose the level of coverage you need for your rental at the perfect price to fit your budget. Our team was able to get quotes on a basic, standard, and premium policy after submitting a name, address, and birthday with the basic policy costing only $5 per month. We had the flexibility to completely customize coverage amounts, and adding endorsements was as easy as toggling on the selections we wanted. We were able to purchase a plan in only 2 minutes that could start as early as today.

Pros and Cons of Toggle Renters
Pros Basic plan is only $5 a month Replacement cost coverage available for just $3 a month Members gain access to exclusive discount portal Cons Customer support is only available by email and live chat Auto insurance is only available in 9 states, so it may be difficult to bundle
Additional Coverage Options

Here are the endorsements you can add to a Toggle plan:

  • Pet Parent
  • Replacement Cost
  • Temporary Living Costs
  • Side Hustle
  • Identity Protector
  • Significant Other
Available Discounts

Although not explicitly stated in the quote process, we identified several discounts that customers are eligible for by speaking with a customer service representative.

  • Diminishing deductible: For every year you don’t file a claim, your deductible will decrease with no added cost to your policy.
  • Multi-policy: Customers who bundle with auto insurance are eligible to save with this discount.

Allstate

Best for Unique Coverage
4.7
J.D. Power 835/1000 A.M. Best A+

Allstate offers standard liability, personal property, loss of use, and medical payment coverage, but what brings the company to the next level is its customer service. Allstate is the only provider in this review that provides 24/7 customer service for all policy questions—not just claims.

Pros and Cons
Pros Has a tool to help you calculate the value of your personal belongings Provides additional coverage for valuable items like jewelry Customers can choose an RCV or ACV policy for personal property coverage Cons Not explicit about what events count as covered losses Coverage amounts for personal property, loss of use, liability, and medical payments vary by state
Additional Coverage Options

Allstate offers most of its endorsements via an Allstate agent. The endorsements are the following:

  • Flood insurance endorsement
  • Personal umbrella policy
  • Scheduled personal property endorsement
Available Discounts

Allstate provides the following discounts:

  • 55 and retired discount: This discount is for renters who are 55 and older.
  • Easy Pay Plan: This discount is available when you enroll your bank account into an automatic payment plan.
  • Multi-policy discount: You’re eligible for this discount when you purchase additional insurance policies with Allstate.

State Farm

Best for Valuables Coverage
4.6
J.D. Power 844/1000 A.M. Best A++

State Farm offers the most affordable renters insurance out of the providers listed in this review. The company provides an average policy that costs $12 per month, but our team received a quote for even lower at $7.58 for liability, additional living expenses, medical payments, and personal property coverage.

Pros and Cons
Pros No limit on personal property and loss of use coverage Cost of renters insurance is around $12 per month, which is lower than the national average of $15 per month Has a website, customer portal, and mobile app that contains resources for policy and claims questions Cons Cons Customer service isn’t available 24/7 Offers only choice of three deductibles
Additional Coverage Options

Here are the endorsements you can add to a State Farm plan. Note that State Farm offers its flood insurance endorsement via an agent only.

  • Backup or sewer drain endorsement
  • Cyber event, identity restoration, and fraud loss endorsement
  • Earthquake endorsement
  • Flood insurance endorsement
Available Discounts

State Farm provides the following discounts:

  • Bundling discount: This discount is available when you bundle multiple policies with your renters insurance plan.
  • Claim record discount: Those who haven’t filed a renters insurance claim within the past five years are eligible for this discount.
  • Higher deductible discount: This discount lowers your renters insurance premium when you select a higher deductible.
  • Home alert protection discount: This discount is available for those living in a home with installed smoke detectors and burglar and fire alarms.

Nationwide

Best Coverage Customization
4.5
J.D. Power 852/1000 A.M. Best A

Nationwide offers personal property, loss of use, liability, and medical payments to others like the other two providers, but it also includes credit card, building alterations and additions, and ordinance or law coverage in all of its policies.

Pros and Cons
Pros Offers coverage for unauthorized charges on your credit card Has a variety of additional coverage options, like loss of refrigerated food and personal injury Has a claims center that’s open 24/7 Cons Customers can only talk to a sales or customer service representative during certain hours Expensive premiums are higher than the national average of $15 a month
Additional Coverage Options

Nationwide offers the following endorsement options to improve its basic coverage:

  • Valuables Plus
  • Water backup
  • Theft extension
  • Earthquake Insurance
Available Discounts

Although Nationwide offers higher prices than some competitors, it may become your best value option if you qualify for discounts. They offer the following savings opportunities:

  • Multi-policy: save by bundling with another insurance type
  • Protective device: discount offered to those who have devices such as smoke detectors
  • Claims-free: if you have no claims history, you may be eligible for savings

Our Conclusion

We recommend Allstate, State Farm, and Nationwide renters insurance to any renter in Pennsylvania looking for a policy because of their affordable and comprehensive coverage. Before buying a policy, we encourage you to get quotes from all three companies to see which works best for your home and budget.

Enter your zip code in the tool below or call 855-948-5219 to compare quotes from renters insurance providers in your area:

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Compare Renters Insurance Companies

Companies Allstate State Farm Nationwide
Types of coverage Personal property, loss of use, liability, medical payments to others Personal property, loss of use, liability, medical payments to others Personal property, loss of use, liability, medical payments to others, ordinance or law, building additions and alterations, credit card
Personal property coverage limits $25,000–$150,000 No limit No limit
Liability coverage limits $100,000, $200,000, $300,000, or $500,000 $100,000, $300,000, $400,000, $500,000, $750,000 or $1,000,000 $100,000, $200,000, $300,000, $400,000, or $500,000
ACV or RCV ACV or RCV ACV or RCV ACV or RCV
Monthly price About $16 About $12 About $20
Discounts available 5 2 3
Unique add-ons Scheduled personal property, uninsured/underinsured motorist Waterbed, computer Limited water backup, additional insureds
Customer service 24/7 Hours vary by department 24/7 for claims; limited for sales and service
BBB rating A+ A A+

Pennsylvania Renters Insurance

You can expect to find these four types of coverage in your renters insurance policy:

  • Personal Property Coverage: This part of your renters insurance covers your personal belongings. To determine how much of this coverage to buy, you should take an inventory of your belongings and estimate their value. Purchase at least that amount of coverage so that you won’t have to pay any replacement costs out of pocket when your items are damaged.
  • Loss of Use Coverage: If a fire or other major event forces you out of your apartment for repairs, your policy will cover living expenses that exceed how much you usually pay. For example, your provider will cover the cost of a hotel room.
  • Liability Coverage: Your insurance policy covers the costs associated with events that cause bodily harm to your neighbors or damage to their belongings if you’re responsible for the event. An example of this would be if your dog bites your neighbor and they need stitches.
  • Coverage for Medical Payments to Others: If someone is injured in your home, your policy will pay for their medical bills.

How Much Does a Renters Insurance Policy Cost in Pennsylvania?

In 2017, Pennsylvania renters insurance cost an average of $158 for the year, according to the Insurance Information Institute. That’s about $13 per month, which was lower than the national average of $15 per month.


Factors to Consider Before Buying Renters Insurance

Consider these factors to find the best renters insurance for you and your home:

  • Actual Cash Value (ACV) vs. Replacement Cash Value (RCV) Policies: ACV and RCV policies are two types of personal property policies. An ACV policy replaces damaged items based on their value today, while RCV policies cost a little more because they replace items based on their new value.
  • Weather: Pennsylvania’s temperature drops in the winter, making several feet of snow common. This extreme weather can cause frozen pipes and damage from the weight of snow, sleet, or ice. Make sure that the policy you purchase covers these events so that you don’t have to pay out of pocket for the damage they cause.
  • Budget: While Pennsylvania has lower than average renters insurance rates, certain providers can charge up to $30 per month, which may not be reasonable for someone on a tight budget. State Farm offers policies for as low as $7.58 per month.
  • Discounts: Most insurance companies offer renters insurance discounts for bundling your renters insurance with auto insurance or homeowners insurance. You may also receive a discount for having certain safety features in your home, like security systems and fire alarms. To get the lowest rate possible, look at companies like Allstate and Liberty Mutual that offer a wide range of discounts.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is renters insurance required in Pennsylvania?

No. Renters insurance is not required by law in Pennsylvania, but certain property managers may require you to purchase liability coverage to help minimize their risks.

Can I get PA renters insurance online?

Yes. Most national insurance companies like the ones in this review offer an online renters insurance quote tool. After filling in your information and inputting the amount of coverage you want, it will give you a policy quote that you can buy on the spot.

What affects the cost of renters insurance in PA?

A variety of factors can affect the cost of your policy, including:

  • Age: If you’re young and have less renting experience, a provider may charge you more money.
  • Location: If you live in a state with a higher cost of living and higher risk of natural disasters, your policy may cost more.
  • Claims History: If you have made a lot of insurance claims in the past, your renters insurance company may increase your rate, since you’re considered more risky to insure.
  • Building: If your building is older, you may be charged more because systems and appliances are more likely to fail and cause damage that will require you to file a claim.
  • Credit Score: If you have a poor credit score, your policy may cost more.

Our Rating Methodology

Quartz Advisor rates providers using comprehensive review standards to score each company. Our review standards compare relevant factors such as cost, coverage, customer experience, technology, and reputation, which tally up to 100 points. In addition, we reviewed provider websites, customer access features, and tools; spoke with representatives; obtained sample quotes and policy terms; analyzed AM Best and JD Power ratings; and reviewed online customer feedback for each provider.

*All AM Best and JD Power ratings used in this review are accurate as of January 2024