Apartments, houses, and rentals
Renters Insurance in Ohio & West Virginia
Your landlord's policy covers the building, not a single thing inside your unit, and not the liability if a guest is hurt or your overflowing tub soaks the apartment below. Renters coverage is the cheapest policy we write and the one people are most surprised they needed.
AAA Independent Insurance Agent
Policy Scout is an appointed AAA Independent Insurance Agent, so we can quote AAA renters insurance through CSAA Insurance Group right alongside the rest of our 50+ carrier network. AAA member discounts, multi-policy bundling, and claims support are available to Ohio and West Virginia households, no separate AAA agent visit needed.
Who this is for
- Apartment, duplex, and single-family renters
- Students in off-campus housing
- Tenants whose lease requires $100k liability
- Roommates who each need their own named policy
Coverage options, broken down
Typical coverage parts. Actual terms depend on the carrier and the policy form we place for you.
Personal property
Furniture, electronics, clothing, and kitchen gear, covered off-premises too, including in your car.
Personal liability
Injuries to guests and damage you cause to the building or neighboring units, plus legal defense.
Loss of use
Hotel and extra costs when a fire or covered loss makes your unit unlivable.
Medical payments to others
Small guest medical bills without a lawsuit.
Water backup
Sewer and drain backup into a lower-level unit, added by endorsement.
Scheduled valuables
Rings, cameras, instruments, and bikes insured above the base sublimits, usually with no deductible.
What it does not cover
- The building structure itself, that's the landlord's policy
- Flood and earthquake without separate coverage
- Roommate belongings unless they're on your policy
- Business inventory beyond a small sublimit
Limits & deductibles to know
- $20,000, $50,000 personal property
- Walk room to room and total it up; most people underestimate by half.
- $100,000, $300,000 liability
- $100k is the common lease requirement; $300k costs only a few dollars more.
- $500 deductible
- Standard on renters and rarely worth raising, since premiums are already low.
- Sublimits to watch
- Jewelry, firearms, and electronics carry internal caps, schedule anything valuable.
How to buy it well
1. Take a two-minute video
Walk your unit filming every room and open every closet. Store it in the cloud, it's the fastest proof of loss you can give an adjuster.
2. Choose replacement cost
Actual cash value depreciates your five-year-old TV to almost nothing. Replacement cost costs a couple dollars more per month.
3. Meet the lease requirement exactly
Most leases require $100k liability and the landlord listed as an interested party. We handle the certificate for you.
4. Bundle it
Adding renters to an auto policy often triggers a multi-policy discount that offsets much of the renters premium.
What drives your price
- Coverage amount and deductible chosen
- Building construction, age, and sprinkler protection
- ZIP code theft and fire loss history
- Claims history and prior coverage
- Pets, especially certain dog breeds
- Bundling with an auto policy
Discounts we look for
- Bundling renters with auto, often nearly free after the auto credit
- Smoke alarms, deadbolts, and monitored alarms
- Claims-free and paid-in-full
- Autopay and paperless
- Gated community or secured building
Ohio & West Virginia notes
Ohio and West Virginia college towns and river-valley rentals see a lot of basement and lower-level water losses. Add water backup, and if the unit sits in a flood-prone bottom, price a contents-only flood policy.
Common questions
How much is renters insurance?
Most Ohio and West Virginia renters land between $12 and $22 a month for $30,000 of contents and $300,000 of liability.
Does my landlord's insurance cover my stuff?
No. Their policy covers the building. Everything you own inside is yours to insure.
Do roommates share a policy?
Only if both are named on it. Separate policies are usually cleaner and barely cost more.
Am I covered if my laptop is stolen from my car?
Yes, renters personal property follows you off-premises, subject to your deductible.
Guides worth reading first
Ohio and West Virginia specifics on renters insurance, written by the same agency that will shop your quote.
- Home & Renters · 7 min readWhat Does Renters Insurance Cover in West Virginia?Your landlord's policy covers the building, not your stuff and not your liability. Here's what an HO-4 actually does for West Virginia renters.Read the guide
- Policy Basics · 8 min readSwitching Insurance Made EasySwitching carriers sounds like paperwork and risk. Done in the right order, it takes about twenty minutes and never leaves you without coverage.Read the guide
- Auto · 9 min readHow to Find Affordable Car Insurance in Ohio and West Virginia"Affordable" and "cheap" are not the same policy. Here is what actually controls your auto premium, and how to bring the number down the right way.Read the guide
Ready now? Start your comparison quote or take the two-minute coverage quiz.