Protect What You Own with Renter's Insurance in Connecticut

Purchasing a renter’s insurance policy is one of the easiest (and cheapest) ways to protect yourself and your belongings while renting your home in Connecticut. A typical policy costs only $10 to $20 per month and can save you much more should unexpected damage or liability occur. 

But despite its affordability and practicality, only about half (55%) of U.S. renters currently have renter’s insurance, most of whom must have a policy per their landlord’s requirements. 

We’ve prepared this article to help you understand why you need renters insurance in Connecticut and how to obtain a policy in this state—from cost and coverage to additional policies you may need.  

What is Renter’s Insurance? 

Renter’s insurance is insurance that covers specific types of losses suffered by renters during their occupation of a rental property. A typical renter’s insurance policy covers personal property, liability, and additional living expenses. Renter’s insurance often kicks in after damage from natural disasters, accidents, or other incidents.  

An important note: Renter’s insurance does not cover the actual building itself. The physical building you live in should be covered by your landlord’s insurance. Renters insurance protects you and the belongings you own within the property that may be damaged or stolen. 

Why Do I Need Renter’s Insurance? 

Everyone who rents their home—whether that be a single-family home, studio apartment, mobile home, townhome, condo, or other type of property— should have a renter’s insurance policy. This is because even though you don’t own the physical building you are renting, the items you keep within it (or even in your car, or elsewhere) could still be damaged or stolen. 

For example, imagine that a fire occurred in your apartment complex. Your landlord’s insurance would cover the damage to the actual building, appliances, and building systems. However, your landlord is not responsible for replacing all your lost clothes, furniture, electronics, and other belongings. That’s what renter’s insurance is for.  

Renter’s insurance can also cover medical or legal expenses if you are sued. For example, your renter’s insurance would apply if someone gets injured in your rental unit and you are responsible for their medical bills. 

An average renter’s insurance policy includes $20,000 – $30,000 of personal property coverage and doesn’t cost you more than a $20 bill each month. It’s a small price to pay for the great financial security renters insurance helps protect. 

What Does Renters Insurance Cover? 

Renters insurance coverage has three main categories: 

• Personal Property: Personal property refers to any belongings like clothes, furniture, electronics, etc. Your personal property is subject to limits and requires a deductible. However, your insurance will reimburse you should your personal property get damaged by disasters such as the following:  
  • Fire and smoke 
  • Storms, lightening, wind, hail 
  • Theft 
  • Vandalism 
  • Explosions 
  • Winter weather damage 
  • Damage from infrastructure tearing, cracking, burning, etc. 
  • Sudden, accidental damage from electric currents  

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• Liability: Liability insurance covers your medical or legal bills should you be responsible for an injury on the property or damage to the property itself. 
• Loss of Use/Living Expenses: Loss of use insurance kicks in if the property you rent becomes uninhabitable due to damage or repairs. It pays for your hotel bills and even certain food expenses while you wait for repairs to be completed. 

There are a few disasters renter’s insurance doesn’t cover, like flooding. It’s important to read your renter’s insurance policy to understand what is and isn’t included. If you need coverage that isn’t included, you can purchase add-on policies, such as water backup coverage, theft extension coverage, scheduled valuables coverage, or earthquake and volcano coverage. 

Connecticut Renters Insurance 

Renters insurance in Connecticut protects you and your belongings from a range of perils. Although Connecticut does not see some of the natural disasters that other states do, homes in the state can still be damaged by severe weather events. Renters insurance companies can also cover legal or medical expenses if you are responsible for an injury in your home. It’s important to obtain financial protection for yourself and your personal property in case any of these events should occur. 

What Does Renters Insurance Connecticut Cost? 

How much is renters insurance? Many renters are understandably concerned about what renters insurance costs. Fortunately, renters insurance in Connecticut is very affordable. The average premium for 2024 in Connecticut is $152, or about $13 per month. Renters insurance rates in Connecticut are only a dollar more than the national average of $12. Additionally, keep in mind that the cheapest renters insurance policies will have higher deductibles, while more expensive options will have lower deductibles. Regardless of which plan you decide on, all renters in Connecticut can benefit from financial protection for a relatively small investment each month. 

What Are the Most Common Claims in Connecticut? 

Common renter’s insurance claims in Connecticut include damage due to hurricanes, coastal storms, and windstorms. Tornado damage is also possible in Connecticut—in 2018, tornadoes felled trees from Brookfield to New Haven, with wind gusts over 100 mph resulting in widespread destruction. Tropical Storm Irene and Hurricane Sandy both caused major damage to homes along the eastern U.S. coast. Connecticut also sees its fair share of winter weather and snow: in January of 2011, snowfall totaled over 54 inches and caused roofs to collapse across the state. Any of these disasters could damage your home and personal property in Connecticut and lead you to file a claim with your renters insurance company. 

What Additional Policies Do I Need in Connecticut? 

Connecticut renters may also choose to purchase flood insurance. Although Connecticut is not among the top states for flooding, floods can still occur and cause major damage to properties, furniture, and other personal belongings. Hartford County has the highest historical flooding risk, although many floods have also been recorded in Fairfield and New Haven Counties between 1996 and 2019. 

Flood coverage is typically excluded from most renter’s insurance policies. The National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) helps renters find a flood insurance policy customized to their individual needs and coverage preferences. 

How to Get Renters Insurance in Connecticut 

Most major insurance providers offer renter’s insurance, often bundled with auto insurance for renters insurance discounts. To determine your policy and coverage details, your insurer will typically ask you a few questions about the rental unit (such as the type of building, year it was built, and address) and the dollar value or replacement cost of high-value personal belongings you own. You’ll be able to tailor your renters insurance policy and coverage details to your needs and then compare renters insurance quotes and liability coverage across companies. 

Get Renter’s Insurance with Innago 

Innago offers renter’s insurance through our partnership with Viaffinity. If you’re a renter, regardless of whether your landlord uses Innago, you can purchase affordable renters insurance and get protection for you and your personal belongings. You can get a quick renters insurance quote, customize your coverage, and add an additional person onto your policy at no extra cost.