Erie
- Plenty of coverage options.
- Low rate of consumer complaints.
- No online quotes or claim filing.
- Not available in most states.
About Erie renters insurance
Erie renters insurance earned 4.7 out of 5 stars thanks to good coverage and customer service. With this rating, it's among NerdWallet’s Best Renters Insurance Companies.
Erie offers many ways to customize and save on your policy, and it draws a low rate of consumer complaints. But its website doesn't have common features like online quotes or claim filing. You can get Erie renters insurance through independent agents.
Best for: Renters seeking solid coverage and a local agent to help manage their policy.
Not ideal for: Those who want to buy and manage their insurance policies online.
Where Erie stands out
Coverage. Having replacement cost coverage included in a standard Erie policy is a nice perk. With this type of coverage, you’ll usually get a higher claim payout for your belongings after a disaster.
Customer satisfaction. Erie draws a low rate of consumer complaints to state regulators. It also ranked above average for customer satisfaction in J.D. Power’s 2025 Home Insurance Study.
Where Erie falls short
Online features. Erie doesn’t offer the option to file claims online or get a quote on its website.
Availability. Erie’s renters policies are sold in only 12 states and Washington, D.C.
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What Erie renters insurance covers
Landlords sometimes require tenants to buy a policy with a minimum amount of liability insurance, but otherwise, the coverage you choose is generally up to you. Below are the four types of coverage included in most standard renters policies:
- Personal property
Personal property coverage can replace belongings such as furniture and electronics if they're stolen or damaged.
- Personal liability
Renters liability insurance pays out if you're responsible for injuring other people or damaging their property.
- Loss of use
Loss of use coverage pays for hotel stays, meals or other expenses if you have to live elsewhere while your home is repaired.
- Medical payments
Medical payments coverage pays to treat injuries to other people in your home, regardless of fault.
For more details, see What Does Renters Insurance Cover?
Besides the basics listed above, Erie generally also includes coverage for food that spoils during a power outage.
A standard Erie policy covers your stuff on a replacement cost basis. This means Erie will pay enough after a claim to buy brand-new replacements for your damaged or stolen belongings. (Some insurance companies pay less to reflect the lost value of older items.)
Also included is personal injury liability coverage. It protects you financially if someone sues you for issues like libel or slander.
Optional coverage
You may be able to add the following types of coverage to your policy, depending on where you live:
Sewer and drain backup. Pays for damage if water backs up into your home.
Home-sharing. Covers liability, theft and damage to your belongings if you rent out your space on a site like Airbnb or Vrbo.
Identity recovery. Provides assistance if you’re a victim of identity theft.
Scheduled personal property. Offers extra coverage for valuables like jewelry or sports equipment.
Erie renters insurance rates
Erie renters insurance costs $142 a year on average, according to NerdWallet’s rate analysis. That’s slightly less than the national average of $151 a year.
We found that Erie renters insurance was cheaper than average in some states and more expensive in others. How much you pay will depend on where you live and how much coverage you need.
Discounts
You may be able to save money on Erie renters insurance by:
Having an alarm or sprinkler system in your home.
Getting a quote more than a week before you want your renters policy to take effect.
Buying more than one Erie policy.
Discounts vary by state.
Consumer complaints and satisfaction
Complaints: One strong sign of consumer satisfaction is how many people complain about their insurance company to state agencies. Erie scores highly on this measure, drawing a low proportion of home insurance complaints compared to other U.S. insurers.
How we determined our complaint scores We analyzed three years' worth of complaint data from the National Association of Insurance Commissioners. When comparing insurers, we accounted for company size and total premiums. NAIC home insurance complaints cover various policy types, including homeowners, renters, mobile home and condo insurance.
J.D. Power rating: Erie renters insurance ranked above average in J.D. Power’s 2025 U.S. Home Insurance Study.
» MORE: The cheapest renters insurance
Where Erie renters insurance is available
Erie insurance is available in 12 states and Washington, D.C.
Availability may change at any time. Coverage may not be available to all renters in a given state.
Consumer experience
Website: Erie’s website doesn’t have many bells and whistles, but you can use it to make payments, find an agent and track claims. However, you can’t get a quote or file a new claim online.
App: The Erie mobile app has some similar functions. Use it to read policy documents, pay bills, check the status of a claim and find your agent’s contact details.
Claims: To file a claim, call your agent or dial Erie’s 24/7 claims line at 800-367-3743. Once you’ve submitted the claim, you can track its status through your online account or the app.
Customer service: You can get help by calling your local agent or dialing 800-458-0811. You can also send an email through the site or chat with a representative via your online account (weekdays only).
» MORE: Erie home insurance review
Other renters insurance companies to consider
Not ready to make a decision? You may be interested in these other renters insurance companies:
How we review renters insurance
Our editorial team considers these factors when reviewing renters insurance companies:
- 📞 Customer experience
This rating is based primarily on consumer complaints to state regulators, as reported by the National Association of Insurance Commissioners. We also evaluate whether companies have customer-friendly features such as online claims filing and quotes.
- 🛡️ Coverage
We look at how companies cover your personal belongings and how many common optional endorsements they offer.
- 💲Affordability
We evaluate the discounts a company offers and, when available, its median rates.
- 🏦 Financial strength
We use AM Best and Demotech ratings to confirm each insurer’s long-term financial stability and ability to pay claims.
See our complete renters insurance rating methodology.
Why you can trust NerdWallet
In our research, we analyzed:
More than 175 million renters insurance rates.
More than 100 insurance companies.
More than 150 renter profiles.
Our writers and editors follow strict editorial guidelines that ensure fairness and accuracy in order to help you choose the financial products that work best for you. Here is a list of our partners and here’s how we make money.
Frequently asked questions
What other types of insurance does Erie offer?
What other types of insurance does Erie offer?
Erie sells homeowners, boat, life, umbrella and auto insurance, among other policies. Learn more with our Erie auto insurance review.
Does Erie renters insurance cover dog bites?
Does Erie renters insurance cover dog bites?
Yes, the liability portion of your policy can cover expenses if your dog bites someone else. However, coverage may not be available in certain states for renters who keep any of the following dog breeds on the premises: Akita, American Staffordshire terrier, chow, Presa Canario, Rottweiler, shar-pei and wolf hybrid. Learn more about dog liability insurance.
How can I get an Erie renters insurance quote?
How can I get an Erie renters insurance quote?
Erie sells policies through local agents and doesn’t offer online quotes. You can enter your location on the Erie website to find an agent near you.
Article sources
NerdWallet writers are subject matter authorities who use primary, trustworthy sources to inform their work, including peer-reviewed studies, government websites, academic research and interviews with industry experts. All content is fact-checked for accuracy, timeliness and relevance. You can learn more about NerdWallet's high standards for journalism by reading our editorial guidelines.
- 1.J.D. Power. 2025 U.S. Home Insurance Study. Accessed Dec 16, 2025.
Renters insurance star 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 affordability, financial strength, consumer experience and coverage options. 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 from 2022 through 2024. 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 average cost of renters insurance in the U.S., NerdWallet calculated the median rate 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.
We made minor changes to the sample policy in cases where rates for the above coverage limits or deductibles weren’t available.
We then compared the insurer's median rates to the median rates for other companies.
These are sample rates generated through Quadrant Information Services. Your own rates will be different.
