Table of Contents
- How much is renters insurance in Utah?
- Average cost of renters insurance in Utah by city
- Average cost of renters insurance in Utah by insurance company
- The cheapest renters insurance in Utah: Nationwide
- The best renters insurance in Utah: Nationwide
- Where to learn more about insurers in Utah
- Other Utah renters insurance providers you should consider
- What else do you need to know about renters insurance in Utah?
- How we gathered our data on Utah renters insurance prices
How much is renters insurance in Utah?
The average cost of renters insurance in Utah is $15.16 per month, which is below the national average of $20.
Prices are highest in Salt Lake City, at $16.47 per month on average, and lowest in Logan, at $13.89 per month on average. The high rates in Salt Lake City can be explained by the city’s high robbery and property crime rates, which insurers take into account during pricing because renters insurance covers theft and vandalism.
In addition to your city’s crime rate, insurers consider several other factors when calculating your renters insurance premium (the amount you pay each month).
Factors that affect the price of renters insurance
How much renters insurance costs depends on where you live, your personal characteristics, and your specific coverage needs.
Crime rate is one location-related factor that influences the monthly cost of renters insurance, but there are a couple of others:
- Proximity to a coast: Because renters insurance covers damage from hurricanes, insurance companies will charge you more if you live on the coast, where hurricanes and tropical storms are most likely to hit.
- Susceptibility to natural disasters: If you live in an area that’s particularly prone to natural disasters such as wildfires, heavy storms, or tornadoes, then your premium will be higher.
Other factors include:
- Whether you have any pets: Renters insurance comes with pet liability insurance, which covers medical and repair costs if your pet injures someone or damages their personal property.
- Your credit score: In Utah, insurers can run a credit check and charge you more for renters insurance if you have a low credit score. They do this because statistics show that people with low credit scores are more likely to file claims.
- How much coverage you want: Naturally, the higher the value of the possessions you want to insure, the more you’ll have to pay.
- What you set your deductible as: Your renters insurance deductible is the amount you have to pay out of pocket when filing a claim before you receive a payout. A lower deductible almost always means a higher premium.
- What discounts you’re eligible for: You can get various discounts on renters insurance with different companies. The most common ways to save include having multiple insurance policies with the same company (known as a bundling discount), installing home safety equipment (such as fire alarms and security systems), and having no recent claim history.
Average cost of renters insurance in Utah by city
The table below shows the average cost of renters insurance per month and per year in Utah’s 15 most populous cities.
| City | Average price (monthly) | Average price (yearly) |
|---|---|---|
| Salt Lake City | $16.47 | $197.66 |
| West Valley City | $15.83 | $190.01 |
| West Jordan | $15.88 | $190.61 |
| Provo | $14.37 | $172.41 |
| Orem | $14.59 | $175.11 |
| Sandy | $15.24 | $182.90 |
| St. George | $14.50 | $174.02 |
Average cost of renters insurance in Utah by insurance company
The next table shows the average price of renters insurance offered by major insurers in Utah and how their prices compare to the statewide average.
| Insurer | Price | Difference from average |
|---|---|---|
| Allstate | $11.00 | -$4.16 |
| GEICO | $20.95 | +$5.79 |
| Progressive | $22.43 | +$7.27 |
| State Farm | $12.45 | -$2.71 |
| Liberty Mutual | $12.87 | -$2.29 |
| Nationwide | $8.65 | -$6.51 |
| Homesite | $20.34 | +$5.18 |
The cheapest renters insurance in Utah: Nationwide
Nationwide offers the cheapest renters insurance in every city in Utah, with policies costing only $8.65 per month on average. Nationwide consistently charges around $8 per month, except in Salt Lake City, where they charge $10.16 per month.
Should you get Nationwide renters insurance in Utah?
Nationwide, in addition to offering the cheapest renters insurance by a wide margin (21% cheaper than Allstate, the second-cheapest option), has several advantages that make them a solid choice for anyone living in Utah.
To help you decide whether Nationwide is right for you, we’ll go over some of the company’s major pros and cons.
Benefits of Nationwide renters insurance in Utah
- Extensive coverage: Renters insurance coverage usually doesn’t extend to building fixtures because they’re your landlord’s responsibility, but Nationwide’s policies cover damages to additions and fixtures that you’ve installed yourself in your home (like a new light fixture that you paid for). They’ll also take care of your expenses if someone steals your credit card, which is another type of coverage most of their competitors don’t offer.
- Variety of additional coverage options: Nationwide gives you the option to include an earthquake rider in your renters insurance policy or increase your coverage for jewelry or other expensive items. These are benefits that most other companies also offer, but they’re benefits nonetheless.
- Optional flood insurance: You can get flood insurance with Nationwide. This is a huge plus considering that renters insurance doesn’t cover floods and that flooding is common in Utah.
Disadvantages of Nationwide renters insurance in Utah
- Not available in all states: Nationwide isn’t available everywhere, so if you move to New Mexico, Louisiana, Florida, Massachusetts, New Jersey, Alaska, or Hawaii, then you’ll have to get coverage with another provider.
- Limited customer service hours: Although you can call to file a claim at any time, if you want to talk to a customer service representative about your policy, then you’ll have to call between 8 am and 11 pm ET. Although this is a fairly broad window, you won’t get the 24/7 customer support you’d get with other insurers like State Farm and Allstate.
The best renters insurance in Utah: Nationwide
Nationwide offers the best renters insurance in Utah, providing excellent coverage options at very affordable prices. This makes Nationwide our pick for both the cheapest and best renters insurance in Utah.
Why Nationwide stands out
We’ve already gone over the company’s major advantages and disadvantages, but what sets Nationwide apart from the other insurance companies? Nationwide is the only major insurance company in Utah that we looked at that will give you coverage if you find yourself dealing with any of the following:
- Floods
- Earthquakes
- Credit card theft
- Backed-up pipes
- Damage to added fixtures or installations in your home
Although Allstate comes close in terms of coverage, they won’t cover the cost of damages to additions you’ve made to your home, and their policies are also slightly more expensive ($11.00 per month), meaning that you’ll get more coverage at lower prices with Nationwide.
Basically, Nationwide offers the cheapest renters insurance that will give you the coverage you need if you live in Utah. They also offer standard discounts for bundling your insurance policies, installing home safety systems, and showing that you haven’t filed any renters insurance claims in the past.
Where to learn more about insurers in Utah
If you want to compare Nationwide with the other major insurers in Utah, then check out our detailed renters insurance reviews, which give a breakdown of each company’s performance and coverage:
- Allstate
- State Farm
- Progressive
- Lemonade (they’re not currently available in Utah, but they may be in the future)
- USAA
- GEICO
Other Utah renters insurance providers you should consider
Most standard renters insurance policies provide pretty similar coverage, regardless of the company you choose. However, many insurers offer coverage options and discounts that are particularly appealing to certain groups of people.
In this section, we’ll go over which companies offer the best renters insurance for:
- Veterans and members of the military
- People with dogs
- Car owners
- Business owners
Best Utah renters insurance for veterans and members of the military: USAA
Unlike any other insurance provider, USAA includes coverage for earthquakes and floods in their standard renters insurance policies. They’ll also cover your items at replacement cost if you file a renters insurance claim, meaning that you’ll get the money you need to replace your old items with brand new ones if they’re damaged or stolen.
The only downside to USAA renters insurance is that you can only get a policy if you have served in the military or you’re a family member of a USAA member. Considering their unbeatable coverage and strong customer service reputation, we recommend getting your renters insurance from them if you’re eligible.
Best Utah renters insurance for people with dogs: State Farm and USAA
As we already mentioned, pet liability coverage is a standard part of renters insurance that covers dog bites or other injuries and damage your pet causes to other people’s property. However, some companies refuse to cover certain pets, including dogs of certain breeds, such as pit bulls (a practice known as breed blacklisting). The only companies that don’t do this are State Farm and USAA. Instead, these companies will make a decision about your dog’s eligibility for coverage based on whether they have a history of causing injuries or property damage.
Best Utah renters insurance for business owners: State Farm
If you own a business, then you might be attracted by State Farm’s optional business property coverage and incidental business liability coverage, which cover the cost of damage to your business equipment and any expenses you have to pay if you’re taken to court as part of a work-related lawsuit. You’ll even receive loss-of-income coverage if you’re forced to shut down your business due to a covered renters insurance peril.
Even if you don’t get these add-ons to your policy, you’ll get a certain amount of coverage for business equipment in a standard renters insurance policy with State Farm as part of your personal property coverage, which is something that you won’t get with most other companies.
Best Utah renters insurance for car owners: your current insurer
One of the most common discounts people get on their renters insurance is a discount for bundling their renters and auto insurance. The amount you can save depends on the company, but you can often get a discount of up to 10%.
If you already have auto insurance, then you should check whether your insurer also offers renters insurance before you start looking elsewhere. The potential savings could end up making a big difference when you’re comparing quotes from different insurers.
What else do you need to know about renters insurance in Utah?
Getting renters insurance in Utah is a pretty similar process to getting renters insurance in any other state. However, there are a few things you should know about the process of buying renters insurance in Utah, the particular perils that the state is prone to, and whether your policy will give you the coverage you need.
Natural disasters in Utah that are covered by renters insurance
Utah is particularly prone to thunderstorms, wildfires from dry heat or lightning strikes, and winter storms, and you’ll be relieved to hear that most of the types of damage from these events are covered by renters insurance. The following is a list of natural disasters that commonly occur in Utah that are always covered by renters insurance:
- Wildfires
- Tornadoes
- Windstorms
- Lightning strikes
- Hailstorms
Natural disasters in Utah that are not covered by renters insurance
For some natural disasters, you’ll have to buy separate insurance policies (which we go over in the following sections). The following is a list of hazards that occur frequently in Utah that are almost never covered by renters insurance:
- Floods
- Landslides
- Avalanches
- Sinkholes
Difference in Conditions policies cover landslides and avalanches
A Difference in Conditions policy is a separate insurance policy you can get that provides you with coverage for things that aren’t included in your renters insurance. This is pretty much the only way you can get coverage for landslides and avalanches, which are relatively common in Utah. In particular, if you live on the site of a previous landslide or near a mountain, then both have the potential to do a lot of damage to your home and belongings.
You can get flood insurance under the National Flood Insurance Program
Floods are the most common natural disaster in Utah. If you don’t choose an insurance company that offers flood insurance, then we highly recommend signing up for a policy under the National Flood Insurance Program, which is a government-led program that protects tenants and homeowners from losses due to flooding.
If your insurer offers flood insurance, then it’s most likely through the National Flood Insurance Program. The only way to get flood insurance under the National Flood Insurance Program is through an agent, so if your renters insurance provider doesn’t offer flood insurance, then you’ll have to find an agent who can get you a policy.
Is a credit check required for renters insurance in Utah?
Yes, a credit check is required for renters insurance in Utah. Under the Fair Credit Reporting Act, insurance companies can base the cost of renters insurance on your credit score. However, unlike most other states, Utah imposes certain restrictions on the extent that this can affect the cost of your renters insurance.
In Utah, if you’re initially charged more because you have a low credit score but your credit later improves, then you can ask your insurer to reevaluate your credit score and adjust your premium. What’s more, they’ll have to pay back whatever money they’ve overcharged you during the past year.
Although insurance companies will run your credit if you live in Utah, you can rest easy knowing that you have some control over the effect that your credit has on your premium. There are also some other simple ways you can overcome the effects of a low credit score, which we go over in our article on getting renters insurance with no credit check.
Can landlords require renters insurance in Utah?
Yes, although renters insurance is not legally required in any state, landlords in Utah can require their tenants to have it. Your landlord can include renters insurance as a requirement stipulated in your lease and can even evict you if you don’t have coverage.
How we gathered our data on Utah renters insurance prices
The quotes we obtained for the cost of renters insurance in Utah are based on the following assumptions:
- Insured party: 30-year old male, employed, unmarried, with no pets
- Personal property coverage: $30,000
- Personal liability coverage: $100,000
- Guest medical coverage: $1,000
- Loss-of-use coverage: Insurer’s default (usually based on the amount of personal property coverage)
- Deductible: $500
The amount you have to pay won’t be exactly the same as our quotes if you have a different demographic background or you want a different amount of coverage. However, considering the relatively low cost of renters insurance, these differences shouldn’t make a huge impact on the overall amount that you end up paying.
It’s worth noting that our quotes don’t include installation fees or down payments. The good news is that we can tell you about a few easy ways you can get renters insurance with no down payment.
The price of renters insurance in Utah: complete data set
| City | Allstate | Geico | Progressive | State Farm | Liberty Mutual | Nationwide | Homesite | Farmers |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Salt Lake City | $11.00 | $20.67 | $25.75 | $13.00 | $14.17 | $10.16 | $23.52 | $13.50 |
| West Valley City | $11.00 | $20.67 | $23.88 | $13.00 | $14.50 | $8.77 | $21.02 | $13.83 |
| West Jordan | $11.00 | $21.50 | $23.01 | $13.00 | $13.67 | $8.76 | $23.96 | $12.17 |
| Provo | $11.00 | $20.67 | $21.61 | $13.00 | $12.42 | $8.55 | $18.44 | $9.25 |
| Orem | $11.00 | $21.50 | $20.51 | $13.00 | $12.50 | $8.30 | $17.76 | $12.17 |
| Sandy | $11.00 | $21.50 | $21.91 | $13.00 | $12.67 | $8.51 | $21.17 | $12.17 |
| St. George | $11.00 | $20.67 | $22.35 | $12.25 | $9.42 | $8.50 | $17.99 | $13.83 |
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