Protect What You Own with New Jersey Renter's Insurance

New Jersey Renter’s Insurance 

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 New Jersey. 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 to purchase renters insurance in New Jersey 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 protection, 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 helps protect 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.

Renters insurance policies 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 home 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 offers.

Is Renters Insurance Required?

No, renters insurance coverage is not required by federal or state laws. However, some landlords may require their tenants to purchase insurance as a stipulation of the lease agreement. Regardless of whether your landlord requires it, purchasing renter’s insurance is a good idea. It’s the only way to gain financial security for your belongings as well as liability protection. 

What Does Renters Insurance Cover? 

Renter’s insurance has three main categories of coverage.

1. 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
2. Liability: Liability coverage pays for your medical or legal bills should you be responsible for an injury on the property or damage to the property itself.
3. 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.

New Jersey Renters Insurance :

Renters insurance in New Jersey protects you and your belongings from a range of perils. New Jersey experiences hurricanes, winter storms, and wildfires. Any of these weather events can damage your personal property, making it important to ensure your belongings are covered. Your renter’s insurance policy can also cover legal and medical expenses if you are liable for an injury in your home (up to your coverage limits and minus your deductible). 

Does Renters Insurance Cover Theft? 

Yes, renters insurance covers theft, in addition to other losses from property crimes like burglary and vandalism. Be sure to review your policy specifics and crime data in your area to determine how much theft coverage you need. 

How Much Does Renters Insurance in New Jersey Cost? 

What does renters insurance cost in New Jersey? Fortunately, the cost of renters insurance in New Jersey is very affordable. According to NerdWallet, the average New Jersey renters insurance premium in 2024 is $132, or about $11 a month. New Jersey’s average monthly rates are a dollar cheaper than the national average of $12 a month. 

Remember that the specifics of your policy will influence the renters insurance rates you can get—The cheapest renters insurance companies and policies, for instance, will typically have higher deductibles. The best renters insurance companies even offer renters insurance discounts for bundling with your auto insurance policy. Regardless of your policy specifics, the renters insurance New Jersey offers is inexpensive and well worth the small investment it requires each month. 

What Are the Most Common Claims in New Jersey?

New Jersey experiences a limited number of severe weather events compared to other states, However, common renter’s insurance claims in the state include damage due to hurricanes from the Eastern Seaboard, winter precipitation, and wildfires in rural areas (e.g., the Pine Barrens). Hurricane Sandy caused at least $36 billion in damage to New Jersey alone. It’s important to ensure your belongings are insured since storms and severe precipitation in this region are predicted to increase in the coming years. 

What Additional Policies Do I Need in New Jersey? 

New Jersey renters also need flood insurance. Flooding can occur after hurricanes, heavy rains, or rising water levels near large bodies of water. 

FEMA data from the past several decades shows that flood events are extremely common across New Jersey. Almost all counties in the state have experienced more than 100 floods between 1996 and 2019, with several seeing more than 200 floods in that period. In fact, New Jersey has the fourth highest historical flood risk in the country, both by number of insurance claims filed (163,678) and by total money spent on flooding-related claims ($5,418,041.40). 

If you rent your home in New Jersey (especially if you live on the coast or near a large body of water), investing in flood coverage is necessary. Flood coverage is typically excluded from most renter’s insurance policies, so a separate policy is necessary. The National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) helps renters find a flood insurance policy customized to their individual needs and coverage preferences. 

How to Get Renter’s Insurance in New Jersey 

Most major insurance providers offer renter’s insurance, often bundled with auto insurance for a lower price. 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 policy and coverage details to your needs. 

Get Renter’s Insurance with Innago 

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