Renters insurance for college students in 2026: Rates in top college towns

Q: Can I get a renters insurance discount by bundling with my car insurance?

Yes . Most insurance companies offer an auto and renters insurance bundle with a discount on both policies.

Average cost of renters insurance for college students in major college towns

New Orleans, Lousiana ($62 a month), Atlanta, Georgia ($36), and Baltimore, Maryland ($29) are the most expensive cities for college student renters insurance. At $12 a month, the cheapest cities are Burlington, Vermont, Princeton, New Jersey, Hanover, New Hampshire, and Madison, Wisconsin.

In the table below, you can see how much renters insurance costs, on average, in 60 major college towns for a renters policy with coverage levels of $40,000 for personal property, a $1,000 deductible and $100,000 of liability protection.

State	City	Average annual premium	Average monthly premium
Arizona	Flagstaff	$182	$15
Arizona	Tempe	$182	$15
California	Berkeley	$340	$28
California	Davis	$202	$17
California	Los Angeles	$289	$24
California	Pasadena	$260	$22
California	Stanford	$224	$19
Colorado	Boulder	$192	$16
Connecticut	New Haven	$195	$16
Florida	Gainesville	$197	$16
Florida	Tallahassee	$185	$15
Georgia	Athens	$317	$26
Georgia	Atlanta	$432	$36
Illinois	Bloomington	$215	$18
Illinois	Chicago	$251	$21
Illinois	Evanston	$208	$17
Indiana	Lafayette	$224	$19
Indiana	Notre Dame	$232	$19
Kansas	Manhattan	$242	$20
Louisiana	New Orleans	$746	$62
Massachusetts	Amherst Center	$199	$17
Massachusetts	Boston	$336	$28
Massachusetts	Cambridge	$217	$18
Maryland	Baltimore	$344	$29
Michigan	Ann Arbor	$158	$13
Michigan	Kalamazoo	$206	$17
Minnesota	Rochester	$197	$16
Missouri	Columbia	$212	$18
Missouri	St. Louis	$273	$23
North Carolina	Durham	$208	$17
North Carolina	Greenville	$328	$27
North Carolina	Winston-Salem	$218	$18
North Dakota	Fargo	$183	$15
New Hampshire	Hanover	$148	$12
New Jersey	Princeton	$141	$12
New York	Ithaca	$158	$13
New York	New York	$271	$23
Pennsylvania	Philadelphia	$323	$27
Rhode Island	Providence	$244	$20
Tennessee	Nashville	$258	$21
Texas	Austin	$158	$13
Texas	Denton	$154	$13
Texas	Houston	$240	$20
Utah	Provo	$241	$20
Virginia	Blacksburg	$156	$13
Virginia	Charlottesville	$176	$15
Virginia	Lynchburg	$184	$15
Vermont	Burlington	$138	$12
Washington	Bellingham	$209	$17
Wisconsin	Madison	$141	$12

How much is renters insurance for college students?

Renters insurance for college students averages $21 a month; rates are not impacted by age or student status. They do, however, vary by location, coverage amount and factors about the home. Use the tool below to calculate the cost of renters insurance for your location and needs.

Renters insurance calculator

Average renters insurance rates in Texas

Most & least expensive ZIP codes for renters insurance in Texas

Most expensive
Least expensive

ZIP code	City	Highest rate
77555	Galveston	$590
77550	Galveston	$583
77650	Bolivar Peninsula	$570
77551	Galveston	$569

ZIP code	City	Lowest rate
79772	Pecos	$174
79770	Orla	$174
79785	Toyah	$174
79843	Marfa	$175

Read our methodology

Cheap renters insurance for college students

The cheapest renters insurance for a college student varies by location. In Flagstaff, Arizona, Lemonade is the cheapest at $11 a month, while in Boston, Massachusetts, State Farm is the cheapest at $13 a month. The table below shows rates by company for a policy of $40,000 in personal property coverage with a $1,000 deductible and $300,000 in liability.

Enter your state in the search field to see what you can expect to pay in your location.

City	Company	Average annual premium	Average monthly premium
Flagstaff	Allstate	$246	$20
Flagstaff	American Family	$272	$23
Flagstaff	Lemonade	$129	$11
Flagstaff	Nationwide	$368	$31
Flagstaff	State Farm	$145	$12
Flagstaff	Travelers	$164	$14
Tempe	Allstate	$246	$20
Tempe	American Family	$272	$23
Tempe	Lemonade	$171	$14
Tempe	Nationwide	$233	$19
Tempe	State Farm	$132	$11
Tempe	Travelers	$150	$12
Flagstaff	USAA	$149	$12
Tempe	USAA	$147	$12

Do college students need renters insurance?

Yes, college students need renters insurance if they live independently (their parents' home is no longer their primary residence).

If a college student is still technically living at home, and lives in a dorm during the school year, their personal property will be covered by their parents’ homeowners insurance policy. Homeowners insurance covers personal property off-premises at 10% of the total coverage available. That’s generally enough for the small amount of property a college student takes for the year.
If you’ve completely moved out and have your own place, whether that’s a solo apartment or a home shared with roommates, you need a renters insurance policy to protect your personal property.

A lot of young people skip renters insurance, believing they do not need it. But that can be a mistake, according to Justin Herndon, spokesperson for Allstate.

“Don’t underestimate how much stuff you actually own,” he says. “If you’ve got a laptop, you’ve probably got a smartphone. If you’ve got a guitar, you’ve probably got an amp.”

PEOPLE ASK

Should I get renters insurance for a college dorm?

No, generally not. When living in a dorm, your primary residence is your parents’ home; their insurance coverage will extend to your property in the dorm at 10% of the personal property coverage limit. If that's not the case, you should consider renters insurance.

Why should college students have their own renters insurance policy?

College students should have renters insurance to cover their personal property, including furniture, clothing and electronics and to provide liability insurance for injuries or damage to others.

Herndon notes that the average renter owns $30,000 worth of stuff. Although college students likely own less than that, they might own more than they think. Renters insurance covers everything in your home against damage or theft.

At least a portion of your renters insurance also covers you away from home. So, if you travel to Canada or study in Europe, your renters insurance will cover you if someone steals that laptop.

“Wherever you go, your insurance coverage travels with you,” Herndon says.

In addition, renters insurance can protect you from a costly lawsuit or other costs if you are responsible for injuries or damages to someone else.

“If someone’s injured at your place, it could cover their medical expenses,” Herndon says.

Renters insurance also can reimburse temporary living expenses – such as paying for a hotel room – if your apartment becomes uninhabitable due to fire, flood or another situation.

FAQ: Renters insurance for college students

Is renters insurance worth it for college students?

Yes. Renters insurance is a worthwhile purchase for college students, who often can't afford to replace their belongings. It protects those belongings for a low monthly cost.

How does renters insurance work if my parents co-signed my lease?

If your parents co-sign the apartment lease, you can be the named insured on the policy, with your parents endorsed as additional nonoccupant insureds, Herndon says.

Can I get a renters insurance discount by bundling with my car insurance?

Yes. Most insurance companies offer an auto and renters insurance bundle with a discount on both policies.

Can you share renters insurance with roommates?

No. If you have a roommate, you each should have your own separate policies. If a claim is filed on the policy it will be on your claim history for three to five years, regardless of who filed the claim.

What factors make renters insurance premiums cheaper for college students?

Renters insurance may be cheaper for college students because they don't have as much personal property as older renters. However, there are no discounts specific to college students on renters insurance.