What Does Renters Insurance Cover and Not Cover?

The Texas Department of Insurance starts with the point renters most often miss: your landlord’s insurance won’t cover your personal items. Renters insurance protects your own belongings and your liability.

The three core coverages

Coverage	What it does
Personal property	Repairs or replaces your belongings after a covered loss, including items stolen from your car or while you travel, according to TDI
Additional living expenses	Pays extra food, rent and other costs if a covered loss forces you to move out temporarily
Personal liability	Helps if someone is injured in your home and you’re found responsible, including legal costs

California’s Department of Insurance describes renters policies with loss of use typically set at 20% of personal property and a liability minimum generally of $100,000.

Renters vs. homeowners vs. the landlord’s policy

	Renters (you)	Landlord’s policy	Homeowners
Building	No	Yes	Yes
Your belongings	Yes	No	Owner’s belongings
Your liability	Yes	No (the landlord’s)	Owner’s
Your temporary housing	Yes	No	Yes

Common exclusions and limits

• Flood: TDI notes renters policies don’t cover flood. The National Flood Insurance Program offers contents coverage for renters.
• Special limits: TDI lists common limits of $100 for cash, $2,500 for business property and $500 for jewelry and watches. Ask about scheduling valuables.
• Earthquake: usually excluded or separate.
• Pests and wear: not covered.

Water damage

TDI says most renters policies cover certain kinds of water damage, such as a burst pipe. Damage from rising water outside is flood, which is excluded. See water damage vs. flood.

Replacement cost vs. actual cash value

TDI’s example: you paid $1,300 for a laptop two years ago, and the same kind now sells for $500. A basic policy would pay $500 if it were destroyed. A replacement cost policy costs more but pays closer to what it takes to replace the item new. See RC vs. ACV.

Students and dependents

TDI notes that a dependent’s belongings may be covered under a parent’s homeowners policy while away from home, usually limited to 10% of that policy’s personal property coverage.

Cost

TDI reports that the average renters policy in Texas costs about $20 a month. That is a Texas figure; your price depends on location, limits and deductible.

By phone

What happens when you call

A conversation lets the agent ask about your specific home instead of relying on a generic online estimate. There are no online forms to fill out.

1. 1

   Describe your home

   Share the address, size, age, construction, and roof or system updates. You do not need every detail to start.

2. 2

   Talk through coverage

   Explain what you want covered and ask about limits, deductibles, and exclusions that apply to your property.

3. 3

   Compare and decide

   Ask for the written quote terms and compare them before deciding. A call or a quote does not start coverage.

Sources and how this page was checked

Page updated October 23, 2026

This page is general information written from the public sources below. It has not been reviewed by an insurance company, attorney or licensed agent for your situation. Your policy form, endorsements, insurer and state rules decide what is covered.

Sources

• Texas Department of Insurance — Renters insurance: What does it cover and how much does it cost?Retrieved and reviewed October 25, 2026 for renters coverage parts, off-premises belongings, flood exclusion, common special limits, depreciation example, landlord policy limits and the Texas average cost figure, which is attributed to Texas only.
• California Department of Insurance — Residential Insurance: Homeowners and Renters (Form 401, rev. January 2026)Retrieved and reviewed October 25, 2026 for Coverage A–F descriptions, special limits on valuables, renters and condo coverage, dwelling limits based on rebuilding cost rather than market value, actual cash value, guaranteed and limited/extended replacement cost, building code upgrade (ordinance or law) coverage, inflation guard, FAIR Plan, surplus lines and binder/quote definitions. California rules (notice periods, broker fees, CA-specific laws) are not generalized nationally.
• FEMA FloodSmart — Buy a flood insurance policyRetrieved and reviewed October 25, 2026 for NFIP building ($250,000) and contents ($100,000) residential limits, renters contents coverage, items not covered, separate deductibles and uniform NFIP pricing across providers.

Before you rely on this page

• Read your declarations page, policy form and every endorsement; they control over any summary.
• Ask the insurer or agent to confirm limits, deductibles and exclusions in writing before you buy or cancel coverage.
• For state rules, deadlines or complaints, check your state insurance department directly.