Updated: October 9, 2025
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Renters insurance covers pet liability costs, making it a valuable investment for pet owners with furry friends that could potentially injure someone or damage their property.
Depending on your insurance provider, coverage for certain dog breeds and exotic pets may be excluded.
Renters insurance doesn't cover your pet's damage to your own property or their health costs.
Renters insurance covers third-party damage or injury caused by your pet under personal liability coverage. You're covered if your pet hurts others or damages others' property under covered circumstances, while you and your property aren't covered. When you purchase a renters insurance policy, you'll select a liability coverage limit (typically starting at $100,000), and you'll be responsible for expenses above that limit.
Personal liability insurance covers:
Your pet injures someone outside your household and they require medical attention.
Your pet damages someone else's property, like knocking over a guest's phone or chewing on your neighbor's fence.
You're sued as a result of an incident with your pet, like if your dog bites someone outside your household and they pursue legal action.
Renters insurance won't cover injuries your pet causes to you or damage it does to your own property or apartment. It also doesn't pay for your pet's health costs; use pet insurance for veterinary bills.
If your elderly pet has an accident on a carpet owned by the landlord, your renters insurance wouldn't cover the damage. Similarly, if your pet is injured inside or outside your apartment, renters insurance won't cover the vet bill.
Depending on your renters insurance provider, liability coverage might not cover some dog breeds or exotic pets. Certain breeds of dogs are considered higher risk by insurers and may not be covered. Exotic pets like reptiles, wolves or other wild animals aren't covered either. If you're unsure whether your renters insurance covers your pet, check with your provider.
Breed restrictions vary significantly by state and insurer. Some states prohibit breed-based discrimination. Contact your insurance provider to understand specific restrictions in your area.
Dog breeds commonly excluded from renters insurance policies include pit bulls, German shepherds, Rottweilers, Doberman pinschers, chow chows, mastiffs and Staffordshire terriers, though the list varies by provider and state regulations. Some insurers evaluate dogs based on their individual temperament and bite history rather than automatically excluding entire breeds.
If you're denied coverage because of your pet, shop around for dog-friendly insurance companies that don't discriminate based on breed. State Farm doesn't ask about your dog's breed when writing renters insurance policies, and USAA doesn't impose any breed restrictions, though you'll need military ties to qualify for USAA coverage.
You have options even if your pet isn't covered under standard renters insurance liability coverage. An umbrella policy can provide expanded liability protection that covers incidents your renters policy excludes. You can also consider pet-specific liability insurance, which offers specialized policies that focus solely on pet-related incidents and often cover breeds that traditional insurers won't touch.
What one insurer sees as a liability, another might view as just another family pet worth protecting.
You can buy renters insurance from most major insurance companies, like State Farm or GEICO, as well as from smaller insurers like Lemonade. Most policies require a minimum of $100,000 in liability coverage. Unlike property coverage, personal liability coverage doesn't have a deductible.
The average cost of a renters insurance policy with $20,000 of personal property coverage is $13 per month. Your actual rates vary based on factors like location, credit score and claims history. Shop around and compare coverage to find the best renters insurance providers to meet your price and coverage needs.
Worried about liability exposure and want additional coverage? Bumping your coverage from the standard $100,000 liability coverage limit to $300,000 costs just a few extra dollars per month. If you're unsure what coverage limit makes sense for your situation, an insurance agent can walk you through your options and help you find the right balance between cost and financial protection.
A typical renters insurance policy covers $100,000 in personal liability, but you often have the option to purchase additional coverage. According to the Insurance Information Institute, the average cost of a dog bite claim in the U.S. is $69,272, and severe incidents can cost even more.
Renters insurance with pet coverage is a good investment even if you have calm, well-behaved pets. Even the best pets may lash out when stressed, and accidents can occur unexpectedly.
The best policy balances affordability, service quality and coverage. Getting quotes for renters insurance from multiple providers helps you compare offers and find the best rates. Use our renters insurance calculator below to get started.
MoneyGeek's renters insurance calculator will give you a customized estimate of your renters insurance costs.
It's free to use, requires no personal information and we won't send you any spam.
Rates updated:
Oct 31, 2025
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While many renters are familiar with rental insurance policies that cover basic risks like theft or property damage due to natural disasters, they may not be as familiar with the liability coverage part of renters insurance, which includes pet liability coverage.
Renters insurance provides financial protection should your pet cause damages or injuries to a third party. However, there are certain exclusions like damages to you or your property and your pet's health costs.
We answer common questions about pet liability insurance for renters.
Your pet is covered for injury or property damage to others under the personal liability coverage portion of your renters insurance policy. If you have an exotic pet or a breed of dog often considered aggressive, your policy may not cover that pet and you might have to purchase additional coverage.
Renters insurance with pet liability coverage costs an average of $13 a month for a policy with $20,000 of personal property coverage and $100,000 in liability coverage. Pet liability coverage is included under the personal liability coverage of a renters insurance policy, though costs vary based on personalized factors.
Many renters insurance policies exclude certain dog breeds from personal liability coverage, like Pit Bulls, German Shepherds, Rottweilers, Doberman Pinschers, Chow Chows, Mastiffs and Staffordshire Terriers. Exotic pets are also excluded. The list of excluded pets varies, so check with your insurer.
Renters insurance for pets covers any damage or personal injury your pet causes to a guest or visitor at your rental property. Pet insurance covers health expenses for your pet, like vet checkups or emergency surgery.
Finding renters insurance that covers your pet shouldn't mean choosing between affordability and adequate liability protection. We designed our methodology to identify insurers that offer strong pet liability coverage at competitive rates, since breed restrictions and coverage gaps vary dramatically between providers.
We evaluated renters insurance companies using data from Quadrant Information Services and assessed customer and claim satisfaction rates from J.D. Power, the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) and AM Best. Our ranking system compares insurers across four categories: customer service, affordability, financial stability and coverage options.
Our scoring methodology weights each category:
We prioritize affordability while assigning weights to each performance element, then combine individual scores for a total MoneyGeek score of 100. This approach helps you identify insurers that balance competitive rates with adequate pet liability protection.
Our standardized renter profile includes:
Coverage standards for our analysis:
These coverage limits represent typical protection levels for renters with pets. Personal liability coverage is particularly important for pet owners, as it covers damages or injuries your pet causes to others. We modified pricing information based on the persona, state or coverage limit depending on the category to show how costs vary across different renter situations.
About Mark Fitzpatrick
Mark Fitzpatrick, a Licensed Property and Casualty Insurance Producer, is MoneyGeek's resident Personal Finance Expert. With over five years of experience analyzing the insurance market, he conducts original research and creates tailored content for all types of buyers. His insights have been featured in publications like CNBC, NBC News and Mashable.
Fitzpatrick holds a master’s degree in economics and international relations from Johns Hopkins University and a bachelor’s degree from Boston College. He's also a five-time Jeopardy champion!
Passionate about economics and insurance, he aims to promote transparency in financial topics and empower others to make confident money decisions.
