Whether you’re a Seattle-based tech wiz or a professional climbing instructor in Tacoma, you might want to consider Lemonade renters insurance for an affordable protection of your possessions.
We’ll guide you through the essentials of affordable renters insurance coverage, and how this straightforward insurance policy can help shield your personal property and more.
Here’s what we’ll discuss:
- How much does renters insurance cost in Washington?
- What does renters insurance cover in Washington?
- Is renters insurance required in Washington?
- How can you save on renters insurance?
- What’s the right amount of renters insurance coverage?
How much does renters insurance cost in Washington?
The average cost of renters insurance in Washington costs $13/month in 2024, according to ValuePenguin.com.
Various factors can influence your premium and determine how much you actually end up paying for renters insurance.
What does renters insurance cover in Washington?
Affordable renters insurance is a cost-effective way to safeguard your personal property and to defend yourself against liability risks (for instance, if a guest at your house injures themselves).
Let’s dive into the components of what your policy covers and your coverage options.
Personal Property
Personal property coverage ensures your personal belongings are protected against “perils” like theft, vandalism, certain types of water damage, fire, and more—whether you’re unwinding at your apartment or journeying across Europe. So if your living room furniture is ruined due to water damage from that burst pipe, or your phone is stolen while you’re on a trip to Berlin, your Lemonade renters insurance policy has you covered. Your valuables are also protected against “perils” like vandalism, windstorms, and more.
In Washington State, Lemonade often sees renters insurance claims pertaining to theft and water damage.
Loss of Use
What about if disaster strikes? If you can’t stay at your home because of covered losses (like a fire or windstorm), your loss of use coverage provides reimbursements for temporary housing and additional living expenses such as food, laundry, hotel parking, and more.
Liability Coverage
If someone is injured in your apartment or anyone on your policy causes damage to someone else’s property or stuff, your insurance company should have things like legal fees and property damage covered as part of your policy’s personal liability coverage.
Medical Protection
Your insurer covers medical expenses if your guests get injured at your place or if you accidentally hurt people outside of your home as well. Note that your Lemonade renters insurance policy does not cover medical payments if you or someone residing with you is injured—only non-residents and guests.
Is renters insurance required in Washington?
While there’s no law requiring that you purchase renters insurance in Washington, your landlord might specifically require it. And if your lease specifies that you need renters insurance, well… that’s that.
The good news is that it’s easy to sign up for a Lemonade renters insurance policy, and you’ll thank yourself later if your stuff gets stolen or damaged. Plus there are many reasons why you’ll be grateful to have renters insurance, even if it’s not legally mandated.
When signing up, your landlord might request they be added as an ‘interested party‘ on your policy. This means they’ll be kept in the loop when you make any policy changes—or if you cancel your policy. You can easily add them using the Lemonade app.
How can you save on Lemonade renters insurance in Washington?
In addition to renters insurance, Lemonade also offers term life insurance and pet health insurance in the state of Washington. Bundling different policies with the same insurance company—known as bundling—can lead to savings and lower costs.
Click below to explore your insurance bundle discount options when combining Lemonade renters insurance with pet insurance, for instance.
And wait, there are more ways to lower the cost of your Lemonade renters insurance:
- Lowering your coverage limits can reduce your premium. However, saving a bit on your monthly rates could leave you vulnerable to paying more out of pocket later, in the event of a claim.
- Raising your deductible might also lower your premium—but again, this means you’d be responsible for more out of pocket expenses in the future.
- Investing in quality safety and security services, like fire alarms or burglar alarms, can also make you eligible for discounts.
What’s the right amount of coverage to get?
The answer to “how much renters insurance do I need” depends on how much stuff you have to cover and what it’s worth. As discussed above, your Lemonade renters insurance policy has a few main categories: Contents (your stuff); Loss of Use (temporary living expenses); and then personal liability and medical bills.
You can set the coverage limits for those categories when you sign up for a Lemonade policy.
- Lower coverage limits might save you a few bucks on your monthly premiums—but they might also leave you with insufficient coverage when you have to make a claim.
- You’ll also need to figure out your deductible. It’s a balancing act and one that requires you to consider your property and lifestyle.
Take a few minutes to apply to see your Lemonade renters insurance quote to get a sense of your insurance options.
If you’ve got valuables that are especially pricey or important—things like engagement rings, fancy cameras, musical instruments, or artworks—you can add ‘scheduled personal property coverage’ for those items. At Lemonade, we simply call it ‘Extra Coverage’—here’s a bunch more info about that.
