Renters Insurance in North Carolina

Whether you’re living in Charlotte, Raleigh, Asheville, or anywhere in between, making sure you have renters insurance coverage in North Carolina is a smart move. It protects you from all sorts of unexpected events—from having your bike stolen along the greenways of Durham to managing wildfire damage in Appalachia.

Let’s explore the ins and outs of renters insurance in NC.

What does renters insurance cover in North Carolina?

Renters insurance in North Carolina can cover your stuff in a bunch of unfortunate scenarios, plus cover you if you unintentionally harm another person or their property. Here’s exactly what NC renters insurance coverage includes:

Personal Property

Personal property coverage protects your stuff, no matter where you are in the world. So if your mattress is ruined due to a small bedroom fire, or your iPad is stolen while you’re traveling abroad, renters insurance has your back.

Loss of Use

If your place becomes unlivable due to a covered loss (like a fire or windstorm), your loss of use coverage can help pay for a temporary place to stay and basic living expenses such as food, laundry, a hotel, parking, etc.

Liability protection

If you or someone on your policy damages someone else’s belongings liability coverage in your renters insurance policy, you’d be protected. For example, if you spill a glass of wine on your friend’s custom-made couch while visiting their apartment, your liability coverage will have your back. 

Medical Protection

Medical Protection covers medical payments if a guest is injured at your place or if you accidentally hurt someone outside your home. For instance, if a guest in your home slips down your stairs and breaks their leg, that’s when the medical protection in your renters insurance comes in. It’s important to note, this doesn’t cover you or other household members—only visitors and non-residents.

Keep in mind: Different people will require different coverage amounts, so you should consider your own lifestyle and personal situation when selecting your coverage.

What damages to my property does renters insurance protect against in North Carolina?

Renters insurance protects your stuff against several potential damages (or “perils” in insurance speak), including theft, fire, vandalism, and water damage from things like burst pipes.

Here’s a complete list of covered perils included in your standard renters insurance policy in NC:

• Fire or lightning
• Windstorm or hail
• Explosion
• Riots
• Aircraft
• Vehicles
• Smoke
• Vandalism
• Theft
• Falling objects
• Weight of ice, snow, or sleet
• Accidental discharge or overflow of water or steam
• Sudden and accidental tearing, cracking, burning, or bulging
• Freezing
• Volcanic eruption

How much is renters insurance in North Carolina?

The average cost of renters insurance in North Carolina in 2025 is around $17 per month, according to Value Penguin*. But how much you pay on renters insurance will ultimately depend on how much coverage you need.

It’s important to keep in mind that your policy price depends on a lot of factors—like where you live, your deductible, and the actual amount of coverage you need. Let’s take a look at the average cost of renters insurance in some of NC’s top cities. 

Cities	Average monthly cost of renters insurance
Raleigh	$17
Charlotte	$17
Greensboro	$17
Winston-Salem	$18
Durham	$16

Is renters insurance required in North Carolina?

There’s no NC-specific law or federal mandate that forces you to get renters insurance, so it really depends on your landlord’s requirements—since you’re obligated to follow your lease agreement. Basically, if your lease terms include having renters insurance, you’ll need to get coverage.

Many landlords and property managers across North Carolina will typically ask for proof of insurance before you sign the lease. They might request updated proof of coverage when it’s time to renew your lease too. 

Landlords often require renters insurance for personal liability protection and assurance that your belongings are covered in case something goes wrong—from a tropical storm in Wilmington to an electrical fire in Asheville. 

Some landlords might ask you to add them as an interested party to your policy. This just means they’ll get a heads-up if your policy gets canceled, so they know your coverage is still active. It’s an easy step for you and gives landlords peace of mind that their renters are properly covered.

Why do I need renters insurance in North Carolina?

North Carolina’s diverse geography comes with its fair share of weather risks—think hurricanes near the coast, flash floods around Fayetteville, and even the rare ice storm in the Piedmont. Add in life’s unexpected moments (like theft or kitchen fires), and there are plenty of reasons to have renters insurance.

With a standard Lemonade renters insurance policy, your stuff could be covered if it’s damaged due to a natural disaster, water from burst pipes, or stolen. For instance, if a thief breaks into your parked car during the night stealing your laptop, renters insurance can help cover the costs to replace your stolen items. 

And perils like burglary and theft in North Carolina might be more common than you’d think. According to the most recent report by the FBI, there were 5,426 burglaries and 28,304 instances of larceny-theft reported in Charlotte-Mecklenburg in one year. That’s about 36 incidents per 1,000 residents.

Plus, you could get reimbursed for additional living expenses if a covered event temporarily makes your rental property unlivable.

Renters insurance can’t prevent the unexpected, but it offers peace of mind by protecting your belongings from life’s uncertainties.

Have more questions about Lemonade renters insurance? Check out our FAQs. 

How much renters insurance do I need in NC?

In order to determine how much renters insurance you need, you should weigh how much you think you need in terms of your belongings and lifestyle against how much you would feel comfortable paying each month. More coverage means a higher monthly premium, but you don’t want to be caught without enough coverage if something unexpected happens.

As we previously mentioned, your policy has a few main categories:

• Personal property
• Temporary living expenses
• Personal liability & medical bills

When choosing coverage amounts, it’s important to look at each category and assess what works best for you. For example, if you have $50,000 worth of personal belongings, you’ll want to go for $50,000 in personal property coverage (not just the standard $15,000 minimum) to make sure you’re fully protected.

​​When choosing your loss of use coverage, think about all the extra costs you might face if your home became unlivable for an extended period of time. This could include things like hotel stays, meals, laundry, commuting, and other unexpected expenses that go beyond your usual budget.

Keep in mind: Before setting coverage limits, you should also check in with your landlord, who may require you to have a certain amount of personal liability coverage for renters.

Still not sure how much coverage to get? Check out our guide to how much renters insurance you need.

How much does it cost to rent in NC?

With about 34% of the population renting their homes in NC, the average cost of rent across the state is roughly $1,245 per month. However, the average cost of rent varies widely depending on where you live, and the type of home your renting. Let’s break it down for some of North Carolina’s top cities. 

City	Average cost to rent an apartment	Average cost to rent a condo	Average cost to rent a home
Charlotte	$1,600	$1,650	$2,120
Raleigh	$1,420	$1,650	$1,995
Durham	$1,552	$1,497	$1,995
Greensboro	$1,100	$1,395	$1,749

How can I lower my renters insurance rate in NC?

Renters insurance is generally quite affordable, but there are still some ways you can cut down on costs. Here are a few:

Look for discounts

Many insurers offer certain discounts that can help reduce your renters insurance premium. At Lemonade we offer discounts for the following:

• Check for security devices: Check to see if your rental property has a fire alarm or burglar alarm—you could qualify for a discount. 
• Pay in full: Paying your annual premium in full rather than month-to-month will earn you a discount with many insurance providers, including Lemonade.
• Bundling: One of the easiest ways to save money on your renters insurance is to bundle multiple policies. If you’re a renter and a pet parent in North Carolina, you can bundle renters with pet insurance by clicking the button below.

Adjust your deductible and coverage amounts

Choosing a higher deductible (aka the amount you’d have to pay out of pocket if you need to file a claim) will automatically lower your premium. Lowering your total coverage amount will also save you some money. 

Just make sure that your stuff is still adequately covered should disaster strike, and that you have enough liability coverage in the event that you accidentally injure another person or their property. 

Why North Carolina renters should go with Lemonade insurance

It’s no secret that getting renters insurance can be confusing, tedious, and even a bit dull. But with Lemonade, it doesn’t have to be. You can get a policy in as little as 90 seconds from start-to-finish, all thanks to our tech-powered approach.

Just open the Lemonade app, answer a few questions, and AI Maya will crunch some numbers to calculate your personalized renters insurance quote. No paperwork, no phone calls, no hassle. 

Should you need to update your coverage—say, your landlord has new requirements or you simply realized your belongings are more valuable than you thought—you can easily adjust your limits right in the app using Lemonade’s Live Policy feature.

And if you ever have to file a claim, the process couldn’t be simpler. Just have a chat with AI Jim, Lemonade’s claims bot, and tell him what happened. Roughly 30% of claims are approved in just three seconds.

The best part? All unclaimed premiums go to a charity you choose at the end of the year. We take a fixed fee out of your monthly payments, pay reinsurance (and some unavoidable expenses), and use the rest for paying out claims. Then, we return unclaimed remainders in our annual Giveback.

Lemonade customers enjoy amazing renters insurance while society gets a little push for the better. 

Ready to get started? Get your quote today. 

*https://www.valuepenguin.com/average-cost-renters-insurance

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A few quick words, because we <3 our lawyers: This post is general in nature, and any statement in it doesn’t alter the terms, conditions, exclusions, or limitations of policies issued by Lemonade, which differ according to your state of residence. You’re encouraged to discuss your specific circumstances with your own professional advisors. The purpose of this post is merely to provide you with info and insights you can use to make such discussions more productive! Naturally, all comments by, or references to, third parties represent their own views, and Lemonade assumes no responsibility for them. Coverage and discounts may not be available in all states.