If you’re considering buying renters insurance in Pennsylvania, you’ve got plenty of affordable options. Renters policies in most parts of the state cost less than the national average.

NerdWallet analyzed rates across the Keystone State to find out which companies offer the cheapest renters insurance in Pennsylvania.

How much is renters insurance in Pennsylvania?
The average cost of renters insurance in Pennsylvania is $129 a year, or about $11 a month. That’s cheaper than the national average of $179 a year.

Philadelphia renters pay some of the highest prices in the state, with an average cost of $153 a year. Pittsburgh renters insurance rates are the same as the state average at $129 a year.

Below are average renters insurance rates for the state’s 20 largest metro areas.

City

Average annual rate

Average monthly rate

Allentown-Bethlehem

$131

$11

Altoona

$122

$10

Chambersburg-Waynesboro

$118

$10

East Stroudsburg

$133

$11

Erie

$128

$11

Gettysburg

$120

$10

Harrisburg-Carlisle

$124

$10

Johnstown

$121

$10

Lancaster

$125

$10

Lebanon

$119

$10

New Castle

$130

$11

Philadelphia

$153

$13

Pittsburgh

$129

$11

Pottsville

$127

$11

Reading

$127

$11

Scranton

$132

$11

State College

$123

$10

Sunbury

$126

$11

Williamsport

$128

$11

York-Hanover

$123

$10

Cheap renters insurance companies in Pennsylvania
NerdWallet analyzed rates across the state to find the cheapest renters insurance companies in Pennsylvania. These are the ones with premiums below the state average.

Company

Average annual rate

Average monthly rate

Penn National

$60

$5

Erie

$67

$6

Allstate

$107

$9

Chubb

$111

$9

State Farm

$114

$10

USAA*

$91

$8

*USAA renters insurance is available only to active military, veterans and their families.

About the cheapest companies
Penn National: Harrisburg-based Penn National sells renters, auto and other insurance through independent agents. The company can automatically raise your renters personal property and loss of use coverage amounts each year to hedge against inflation. The company draws about the expected number of consumer complaints to state regulators for an insurer of its size, according to the National Association of Insurance Commissioners.

Erie: You may be able to save money on your Erie insurance by bundling renters and auto policies, getting an advance quote or having safety devices in your home. The personal property coverage on your policy offers financial protection if your stuff is stolen or damaged anywhere in the world. You may want to tack on extra coverage for scenarios like homesharing (if you rent your apartment out to others) or flooding. Read our Erie renters insurance review to learn more.

Allstate: An Allstate renters insurance policy comes with all the basics, plus a user-friendly website where you can pay bills and file claims. Discounts may be available for bundling your auto and renters policies and for being 55+ and retired. Allstate draws about the expected number of consumer complaints for a company of its size, according to the NAIC. For more details, check out our Allstate renters insurance review.

Chubb: Chubb targets well-to-do clients with high coverage limits and generous perks. For example, its renters policies include replacement cost coverage for your personal belongings. That means if your stuff is stolen or destroyed, the company will pay enough for you to replace it with brand-new items. (Some companies reduce your claim payout for older items due to depreciation.) Chubb draws far fewer consumer complaints than expected for a company of its size, according to the NAIC.

State Farm: The largest insurer in the country, State Farm has a robust website where you can get quotes, pay bills, file claims and learn about insurance. Renters may become eligible for discounts by bundling multiple policies or installing safety devices in their home. Ask your agent about inflation coverage, which regularly raises your personal property limit to keep up with rising costs. Get more info in our State Farm renters insurance review.

USAA: Renters policies from USAA cover flood and earthquake damage, unlike policies from most other companies. They also include replacement cost coverage for your belongings. But USAA’s coverage isn’t available to everyone. The company serves only military, veterans and their families. Learn more in our USAA renters insurance review.

Pennsylvania renters insurance from the best companies
If you want to buy a policy from a highly rated national company, consider one of these carriers from NerdWallet’s list of the Best Renters Insurance Companies. Click on the company name to read our review.

Company

NerdWallet rating

Average annual rate

Erie

5.0NerdWallet rating 
$67

Allstate

4.5NerdWallet rating 
$107

State Farm

5.0NerdWallet rating 
$114

Farmers

5.0NerdWallet rating 
$147

Nationwide

4.5NerdWallet rating 
$199

Travelers

5.0NerdWallet rating 
$295

USAA*

5.0NerdWallet rating 
$91

*USAA renters insurance is available only to active military, veterans and their families.

What to know about Pennsylvania renters insurance
Renters insurance isn’t required by law in Pennsylvania, though some landlords may ask for proof of insurance before you sign your lease. Either way, it might be worth buying a policy if you’d have trouble replacing all your stuff after a disaster.

» MORE: 6 reasons not to skip renters insurance

Flooding
Floods are the state’s most common natural disaster, according to the Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency. Unfortunately, most renters insurance policies don’t cover flood damage.

Buying separate flood insurance may not be necessary if you live in an upper-floor apartment. But if you’re in a ground-floor unit near a body of water or in an area prone to flash floods, consider reaching out to an agent to discuss your options.

» MORE: Flood insurance for renters: What you need to know

Fires
Unlike floods, fire damage is generally covered by renters insurance policies. For example, that could include a kitchen fire in your own apartment or smoke damage from a blaze in a neighboring unit.

Tropical storms, thunderstorms and tornadoes
These types of storms can strike Pennsylvania during the warmer months, leaving destruction in their wake. Whether your stuff is covered by your renters policy depends on the nature of the damage.

Say a tornado sweeps through your neighborhood and destroys most of your stuff. You’d likely be covered because wind is one of the “named perils” most renters policies cover. But if a heavy thunderstorm causes a flash flood that damages your furniture, you probably wouldn’t be covered unless you had flood insurance.

Winter storms
Pennsylvania sees its share of winter storms, especially in the northern reaches of the state. Renters insurance typically covers damage to your belongings due to the weight of snow or ice.

For example, if a blizzard damages the roof of your apartment complex and your stuff is ruined by the snow, your policy would likely cover that. Some policies might also cover the cost of replacing food lost during a winter storm power outage.

What determines Pennsylvania renters insurance rates?
You may pay more or less than the average rates listed above, based on factors like these:

Where you live
Does your neighborhood have a high crime rate? Is your area at risk for certain natural disasters? If so, you might pay more for renters insurance.

Your credit history
Many companies use your credit-based insurance score — similar to a credit score — to help set rates. Renters with better credit tend to pay lower rates.

Don’t have sparkling credit? Consider one of these companies, which were the cheapest in our analysis for renters with poor credit.

Company

Average annual rate

Average monthly rate

Penn National

$111

$9

Erie

$121

$10

Chubb

$185

$15

Westfield

$189

$16

USAA*

$91

$8

*USAA renters insurance is available only to active military, veterans and their families.

» MORE: How poor credit could raise your renters insurance rates

Your coverage
As you might expect, you’ll pay a higher rate if you need more coverage. So if you own a lot of stuff, or you need higher liability limits, expect a more expensive premium.

Your deductible
One way to lower your premium is by choosing a higher deductible. That means you’ll pay more out of pocket before your insurance company steps in to cover a claim. The savings may not be worth it if you’d struggle to pay the full deductible in an emergency.

Previous claims
Insurance companies often raise rates for renters who’ve previously filed claims, assuming they may be more likely to file another one in the future.

If you’ve filed a claim recently, consider one of the following companies. These were the five cheapest carriers for renters with a previous theft claim in NerdWallet’s analysis.

Company

Average annual rate

Average monthly rate

Penn National

$67

$6

Erie

$95

$8

Allstate

$107

$9

Chubb

$134

$11

USAA*

$125

$10

*USAA renters insurance is available only to active military, veterans and their families.

Your other policies
Bundling your renters policy with another type of insurance, such as an auto policy, can often get you a discount on one or both premiums.

Your home’s features
Having burglar alarms, deadbolt locks, sprinkler systems or other protective devices in your home is another way to get a renters insurance discount.

Your dog
Some insurance companies consider certain breeds a higher risk for dog bite liability claims. Owners of pit bulls, Doberman pinschers or other breeds may pay more for renters insurance — or be refused coverage altogether.

» MORE: Why your dog needs liability coverage even if she’s perfect

Pennsylvania Insurance Department
The Pennsylvania Insurance Department website offers an agent lookup tool, coverage information and a complaint form where you can raise concerns about your carrier. For personal assistance you can also call 877-881-6388.

Want more insurance in Pennsylvania? Check out these resources:

Pennsylvania car insurance.

Cheapest car insurance in Philadelphia.

Medicare Advantage plans in Pennsylvania.

Pennsylvania homeowners insurance.

About the author: Sarah Schlichter is a NerdWallet authority on homeowners, renters and pet insurance. Her work has appeared in numerous outlets, including The Associated Press, MarketWatch and The Washington Post. Read more

METHODOLOGY
Renters insurance ratings methodology

NerdWallet’s renters insurance ratings reward companies for customer-first features and practices. Ratings are based on weighted averages of scores in several categories, including financial strength, consumer complaints, coverage options, discounts and online experience. These ratings are a guide, but we encourage you to shop around and compare several insurance quotes to find the best rate for you. NerdWallet does not receive compensation for any reviews. Read our full renters insurance rating methodology.

Insurer complaints methodology

NerdWallet examined complaints received by state insurance regulators and reported to the National Association of Insurance Commissioners in 2019-2021. To assess how insurers compare to one another, the NAIC calculates a complaint index each year for each subsidiary, measuring its share of total complaints relative to its size, or share of total premiums in the industry. To evaluate a company’s complaint history, NerdWallet calculated a similar index for each insurer, weighted by market shares of each subsidiary, over the three-year period. NerdWallet conducts its data analysis and reaches conclusions independently and without the endorsement of the NAIC. Ratios are determined separately for auto, home (including renters and condo) and life insurance.

Renters insurance rates methodology

To find the national cost of renters insurance, NerdWallet averaged rates for 30-year-old tenants from multiple insurance companies in every ZIP code across all 50 states and Washington, D.C. Sample tenants were nonsmokers with good credit and no recent claims, living in a two-bedroom apartment. They had a $500 deductible and the following coverage limits:

$30,000 in personal property coverage.

$100,000 in liability coverage.

$10,000 in additional living expenses coverage.

$1,000 in medical payments coverage.

To see rates for renters with poor credit, we changed the credit tier from “good” to “poor” as reported to the insurer. To see rates for renters with a history of claims, we added a single theft claim.

These are sample rates generated through Quadrant Information Services. Your own rates will be different.