Does Renters Insurance Cover Car Theft?

Renters insurance covers various events and losses — but car theft is not one of them. Instead, renters insurance pays for the loss of items stolen from inside your vehicle, which fall under personal property coverage.

Generally, personal property coverage, or contents coverage, pays for the repair or replacement of any items affected by a covered event. These items can include furniture, appliances, gadgets and more. However, some high-value items, such as art or jewelry, may require additional scheduled personal property coverage.

Items stolen from your car are covered under your personal property coverage, which is part of every standard renters insurance policy. However, if the car itself is stolen, it is not covered by your renters insurance.

Generally, damages and losses related to your vehicle are covered by auto insurance, not renters insurance. For instance, if your car window is broken due to theft, your auto insurance pays for the damage.

However, auto insurance will not help you recover any personal items that were stolen from your vehicle, which is where the personal property coverage from your renters insurance kicks in. Having both policies can help ensure you’re covered from all or most events.

Renters insurance will not cover your car if it is stolen or damaged. These incidents are covered by your auto insurance policy, which should include comprehensive coverage that pays for any damages outside of an accident.

While insurance stands as protection, you can take several measures to avoid theft of items from your car or theft of the car itself. Here are some measures you can take to help keep your car safe from thieves.

You can purchase renters insurance through many major insurance companies, such as GEICO or Allstate, or smaller ones, such as Lemonade or Toggle.

On average, renters insurance costs around $13 per month, but your actual premium will depend on your limits and how much your valuables cost. It’s important to compare renters insurance providers to find the best rate for your needs.

If you have particular limits in mind, use our calculator below to estimate your costs.