Who Has the Cheapest Renters Insurance in Wisconsin?
Lemonade has the best cheap renters insurance in Wisconsin, with an average rate of $8 per month, or $101 per year.
Compare Cheap Renters Insurance in Wisconsin
Cheapest renters insurance in Wisconsin
The average price for renters insurance in Wisconsin is $13 per month.
The cheapest renters insurance in Wisconsin is offered by Lemonade, which has an average rate of $8 per month. Renters could save $53 a year with Lemonade, compared to the state average.
Compare Cheap Renters Insurance in Wisconsin
Cheapest renters insurance companies in Wisconsin
Best renters insurance for most people: Lemonade
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Editor rating
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Average monthly rate
$8 ?
Pros and cons
Lemonade is our recommendation for most renters insurance shoppers in Wisconsin. It had the lowest prices of any company we looked at, plus solid customer service ratings and a good online experience.
The average price from Lemonade is $8 per month. That's 34% lower than average among all the insurers we considered and 46% lower than the most expensive rate.
Customer service from Lemonade is strong, too. Lemonade has a low rate of customer complaints, according to the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC). J.D. Power also rated it as the best company available to most customers in its annual renters insurance satisfaction survey.
The only relative downside to Lemonade is that its coverage options are good but not great. It has some useful optional coverages, like valuable items coverage and replacement cost coverage, but no extended liability or identity theft coverage.
Best renters coverage options: Nationwide
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Editor rating
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Average monthly rate
$13 ?
Pros and cons
For renters who have very particular coverage needs that our top pick can't meet, we recommend Nationwide Insurance. That company had the best overall selection of optional coverages we found in Wisconsin.
There are a lot of options to choose from at Nationwide. You can add water backup coverage, which pays for damage that results from sewer backups or sump pump failures, as well as valuable items coverage and replacement cost coverage.
Nationwide's rates are cheaper than average, with a typical price of about $13 per month. That's a few dollars per month less than the state average overall. If you're looking to add optional coverages, however, they will almost assuredly raise your rate.
You will also have a limited set of ways to lower those rates. Nationwide offers discounts for being claim free, bundling and having home security alarms, but you can't get commonly available price breaks for paperless billing or paying a policy in full.
Customer service from Nationwide is also only mediocre. It has a low number of complaints compared to an average company, according to the NAIC. However, it only had a middle-of-the-road ranking from J.D. Power for customer satisfaction when it comes to claims.
Best company for customer service: Amica
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Editor rating
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Average monthly rate
$11 ?
Pros and cons
For renters focused on quality service as part of their policies, we recommend Amica. A good experience when it comes to service is important because prompt responses and claims help make things easier during hectic moments in your life.
Amica receives only one-eighth the complaints of an average company its size, according to the NAIC. It also received a high rating from ValuePenguin's editor.
The average renters insurance quote at Amica is about $11 per month. That's 13% lower than the typical rate statewide, though it is $3 per month higher than our top pick.
Coverage options from Amica are somewhat limited. It offers identity theft coverage, replacement cost coverage and extra coverage for valuable items, but you can't add protection for water backups or equipment breakdowns like you can with Nationwide.
Wisconsin renters insurance cost by city
Among Wisconsin's major cities, Menomonee Falls, New Berlin and Waukesha, all Milwaukee suburbs, have the cheapest average renters insurance, at $145 per year.
Milwaukee itself, the state's largest city, has the highest rates: $190 per year. Madison, the state capital and second-largest city, is much cheaper at $148 per year.
What you'll pay for renters insurance can change based on where you live. Renters who live in areas with low crime might pay less, while renters who live far from a fire department might pay more.
City | Average annual cost | Change from state average |
|---|---|---|
| Appleton | $152 | -1% |
| Beloit | $154 | 0% |
| Brookfield | $146 | -5% |
| Eau Claire | $159 | 3% |
| Fond du Lac | $151 | -2% |
Best companies for renters insurance in Wisconsin
Amica and USAA have the best customer service for Wisconsin renters.
Both companies have low rates of complaints according to the NAIC and high ratings from ValuePenguin editors. USAA also has a high score from J.D. Power, but only military service members, veterans and some military family members can buy policies.
Company |
Rating
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|---|---|
| USAA | |
| Amica | |
| Lemonade | |
| Nationwide | |
| Allstate | |
| Travelers | |
| Farmers |
Picking a renters insurance company with strong customer service is essential, especially when you're buying a policy or making a claim. An insurer with good customer service will be there to answer questions and resolve issues, while one without it will have frustrating delays.
How to compare renters insurance in Wisconsin
No two renters have the same coverage needs: Some people might want extra protection for valuables, while others may benefit from equipment breakdown coverage. So when we evaluated optional coverages, we looked for companies that provide a wide range of useful coverage options.
Some especially useful options for Wisconsin renters include:
- Replacement cost coverage: Pays for the full cost to replace a destroyed or stolen item, without factoring in depreciation.
- Valuable/scheduled items coverage: Boosts coverage for expensive or valuable items you own, like jewelry, electronics or musical instruments, which may have limited coverage under a standard policy.
- Mechanical breakdown coverage: Pays to repair appliances and other equipment that malfunctions due to normal use.
- Water backup coverage: Pays for damage to property due to water backup.
In addition, every insurer we looked at offered all of the following basic protections. If you're looking at an insurer that is missing any of these, consider that a red flag and look for another insurer instead.
- Personal property coverage: Pays to repair or replace items that are damaged, stolen or destroyed from a covered peril.
- Additional living expenses: Pays for a hotel or other temporary living arrangement if your home is uninhabitable due to a covered peril.
- Liability coverage: Pays monetary damages to others that you're responsible for, such as if your dog injures a guest.
- Medical payments coverage: Pays for medical care of guests who are injured at your home, regardless of who is at fault. Pays out before liability coverage goes into effect.
Frequently asked questions
How much is renters insurance in Wisconsin?
The average cost of renters insurance in Wisconsin is $13 per month. Renters shopping for cheap coverage can find the most affordable quotes from Lemonade, where a policy costs $8 per month.
Can a landlord require renters insurance in Wisconsin?
Yes, landlords in Wisconsin can require you to buy renters insurance. You should review your rental agreement before buying a policy to make sure you have enough coverage to satisfy your contract.
How much is renters insurance in Madison, WI?
Madison renters can expect to pay $12 per month for insurance, which is 4% cheaper than average in Wisconsin. In comparison, people living in the largest city in the state, Milwaukee, pay $16 per month for the same coverage.
Methodology
To find the best renters insurance companies in Wisconsin, we evaluated five top insurers and gathered quotes for 25 cities across the state. All quotes are based on a sample renter profile of a 25-year-old man who lives alone and has no recent renters claims. He's protected himself with $30,000 of personal property coverage with a $500 deductible, plus $100,000 of liability protection.
When evaluating the best Wisconsin renters insurance companies, we considered three key factors: affordability, coverage options and customer service.
- Affordability: Are the rates the insurer charges competitive with other local insurers?
- Coverage options: Does the insurer have a good mix of coverage options?
- Customer service: Are customers usually satisfied with the service they receive?
To evaluate customer service, we looked at a trio of key metrics.
- NAIC complaint index: This number compares the number of complaints an insurer has received to its size. A smaller number indicates fewer complaints and suggests that renters are more likely to be satisfied with their insurer. The national average is 1.00.
- J.D. Power ratings: This score is based on J.D. Power's national renters insurance satisfaction survey. Ratings are on a 1,000-point scale, and a higher number indicates greater overall satisfaction.
- ValuePenguin editor’s ratings: Our editors analyze companies based on customer service, rates and coverage options. These ratings give an all-around picture of the company you'll be trusting to protect your home.