There’s a common misconception about renters insurance that you don’t need it because your landlord has insurance. However, as a renter in San Francisco, that’s not true! Your landlord’s insurance covers the building you’re living in if it’s damaged by a covered peril, but it doesn’t cover your items and it doesn’t give you liability protection. That’s what San Francisco renters insurance is for. Plus, renters insurance is easy to purchase with the ability to get quotes from most companies online on their website in just a few minutes.

To help you find the best renters insurance in San Francisco, you can browse the 10 best San Francisco renters insurance companies, along with rates from seven of those top 10 companies.

On this page you’ll find:

• Best renters insurance companies in San Francisco
• Average renters insurance rates in San Francisco
• Average rent cost in San Francisco

What are your coverage options on a renters insurance policy?

Just like any other policy, you can usually customize your renters insurance coverage to get exactly what you need. A standard renters insurance policy usually contains some form of the following types of coverage:

• Personal property coverage – This coverage pays the replacement cost for the personal items you keep in your apartment should they be damaged or destroyed.

• Personal liability coverage – Liability protection pays for medical expenses if someone is injured in your apartment.

• Loss of use coverage – Loss of use pays for your hotel and food expenditures when you are unable to stay in your apartment because of damages. This may also be called additional living expenses coverage.

Beyond these basic coverage options, you may also be able to purchase identity theft protection, guest medical payments coverage, and more additional coverage.

If you keep valuable items, like jewelry, sports equipment, or musical instruments in your apartment, you may also wish to raise your personal property coverage limits.

People who live in high-risk areas prone to flood or earthquake damage may need to purchase a special rider on their policy for those perils to be covered.

Extra coverage and riders will usually raise your renters insurance premium, but it's important to have all the protection you need.

What are the best renters insurance companies in San Francisco?

In the table below, you can see the top 10 best renters insurance companies in San Francisco, based on reviews submitted to Clearsurance as of July 2019. Lemonade is the highest rated company on the list, making it the best renters insurance company in San Francisco.

To qualify for this top 10 list, companies needed at least 25 renters insurance reviews and must sell renters insurance in California.

*USAA is only available to active and former military members and their families

1. Lemonade

The highest rated renters insurance in San Francisco is Lemonade. By utilizing technology, Lemonade has a quick and simple process for getting a quote and signing up for a policy. If you need to file a claim, you can do so on the Lemonade mobile app. Lemonade processes many of its claims nearly instantly. Lemonade earned a score of 4.78 out of 5.

2. USAA

USAA is the second best renters insurance for San Francisco, according to consumers. USAA only provides insurance and other services to military members and their families, though. USAA earned the No. 1 spot for our yearly rankings for all three insurance categories: best car, homeowners and renters insurance company for 2019.

3. Geico

Geico is most well-known for its car insurance, but it’s also a strong choice for renters insurance in San Francisco according to consumers. However, it’s a little different than the other companies on this list. Geico offers renters insurance policies from many other licensed insurance carriers through the Geico Insurance Agency. If you bundle your Geico car insurance with renters insurance, you can receive a discount.

4. State Farm

State Farm earned the No. 4 spot of best renters insurance companies in San Francisco. This national insurer is the most popular renters insurance company with 1,363 reviews on Clearsurance, the most of any renters insurance company on Clearsurance. You can get a renters insurance quote on State Farm’s website where you’ll be connected with a local agent.

5. Nationwide

At No. 5 on our list of best renters insurance companies in San Francisco, Nationwide is another highly-rated company. You can get a renters insurance quote from Nationwide on its website, by calling or by finding an agent in your area to get in touch with. To save money on a Nationwide renters insurance policy, the company offers a multi-policy discount, protective device discount and claims-free discount.

6. Allstate

Holding the No. 6 spot on the list of best renters insurance companies in San Francisco is Allstate. Do you already have car insurance with Allstate? If so, you can bundle renters insurance with your car insurance to earn a significant discount and lower your monthly costs.

7. Liberty Mutual

Liberty Mutual earned the No. 7 spot. For renters in San Francisco, Liberty Mutual is another highly-rated company to choose from. You can save money protecting your San Francisco apartment if you qualify for Liberty Mutual’s claims free discount or bundling discount.

8. Farmers

Another highly rated option for renters insurance in San Francisco is Farmers, which holds the No. 8 spot on the list of best companies in the city. Farmers is based in Los Angeles and sells in most states across the United States. Farmers has other insurance options, including car or motorcycle insurance. You can bundle renters insurance with another line for a discount.

9. Travelers

Travelers earned a score of 4.01 out of 5, placing it at No. 9 for the best renters insurance companies in San Francisco. If you bundle your Travelers car insurance policy with your renters insurance, you could earn a 5 percent discount on your car insurance.

10. Assurant

No. 10 on our list of best renters insurance companies for San Francisco is Assurant. You can purchase an Assurant policy on its website in just a few minutes. Assurant earned a score of 3.80 out of 5.

How much does renters insurance cost in San Francisco?

The cost of renters insurance in San Francisco varies based on you, your apartment and the area you live in, but the cost also varies by company. In the table below, you can see monthly renters insurance rates in San Francisco for seven of the top 10 companies. Out of these companies, Farmers offers the cheapest rates for renters insurance in San Francisco.

To retrieve these quotes, we used a profile of a 25-year-old single male renting an apartment in San Francisco with no roommates or pets with a policy beginning in May 2019. The policies include $20,000 in personal property coverage ($30,000 for Travelers because that is the minimum required by the company), $100,000 in personal liability and $1,000 in medical payments to others. The policies have a $500 deductible. Your rates may vary depending on your characteristics and coverage. We were unable to retrieve quotes from USAA and Liberty Mutual.

*Geico sells renters insurance through other licensed insurance companies. The Geico quote listed is for coverage from Assurant Group.

How much does rent cost in San Francisco

The average cost of rent for an apartment in San Francisco is state $3,609 per month. San Francisco is the most expensive city in the United States to rent an apartment in. Most apartments in San Francisco cost more than $2,000 a month to rent.

The cost of rent in the city varies based on location and size of the apartment. There are many areas that have an average rent cost of more than $4,000 and even close to $5,000 a month. The most expensive area in San Francisco is Presidio with an average rent cost of $4,881 per month.

Renters insurance is a valuable coverage to purchase and add to your monthly expenses as a renter in San Francisco. For as little as about $10 a month, you can have peace of mind that you can recover from an unexpected loss in your apartment. For the most updated list of the best renters insurance companies in the state, you can visit our best California renters insurance companies page.

How can you save money on your renters insurance?

If you bundle your auto policy with a homeowners insurance policy or renters policy with the same company, you will usually receive a multi-policy discount (this might also be available for bundling any additional policies, such as a life insurance policy or boat insurance policy). Some companies also offer discounts for protective devices in your apartment, such as smoke detectors or security systems, or for setting up automatic payments.

Additional insurance discounts may be available, so make sure to ask renters insurance providers about your options when you're shopping around for quotes. If you're looking for the most affordable renters insurance, get quotes from at least three companies before making a decision.

You can get online quotes from multiple companies easily by entering your ZIP code in the box below. Don't choose the cheapest company right away. Find the company that offers the renters coverage you need at a price you can afford.

Recap: Best Renters Insurance in San Francisco: What's the bottom line?

• USAA: Best renters insurance for military members in San Francisco
• Lemonade: Best renters insurance in San Francisco
• Farmers Insurance: Cheapest renters insurance rates in San Francisco

The content on this site is offered only as a public service to the web community and does not constitute solicitation or provision of legal advice. This site should not be used as a substitute for obtaining legal advice from an insurance company or an attorney licensed or authorized to practice in your jurisdiction. You should always consult a suitably qualified attorney regarding any specific legal problem or matter. The comments and opinions expressed on this site are of the individual author and may not reflect the opinions of the insurance company or any individual attorney.