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ResidentShield Renters Insurance Review 2024
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Lead Writer | Home insurance, renters insurance, pet insurance
Assistant Assigning Editor | Home insurance, renters insurance, pet insurance
ResidentShield
Pros
- No credit check required to get a policy.
- Your rate won’t go up if you file a claim.
- Bedbug coverage may be available.
Cons
- Animal liability coverage may be limited.
ResidentShield
Pros
- No credit check required to get a policy.
- Your rate won’t go up if you file a claim.
- Bedbug coverage may be available.
Cons
- Animal liability coverage may be limited.
About ResidentShield
ResidentShield isn’t an insurance company. It’s an agency that works with third-party insurers to find you a renters policy, with availability throughout the U.S.
ResidentShield partners with certain apartment communities across the country. If you live in one of those communities, the company will make your life a little easier by prefilling certain parts of your application. But you don’t need to live in a partner complex to get ResidentShield renters insurance.
Policies from ResidentShield stand out in a couple of ways. First, the application process doesn’t involve a credit check. That’s useful for renters with poor credit, who generally pay higher renters insurance rates in most states.
Second, ResidentShield promises that your premium won’t go up if you file a claim. That’s a rare perk in the renters insurance industry.
But pet owners will want to take a close look at ResidentShield’s animal liability coverage, which may fall short of what you’d find elsewhere.
We make every effort to rate each company we review. However, we’re sometimes unable to provide a NerdWallet star rating for insurers that work with multiple third parties to underwrite their policies. That’s because the quality of the policy you get may vary depending on the coverage options, financial strength and other factors of each separate underwriting company.
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.
Where ResidentShield stands out
Replacement cost coverage for personal belongings. Many insurance policies charge extra for this type of coverage, while ResidentShield includes it.
No penalties for poor credit or prior claims. Renters with a patchy credit history or a past insurance claim often pay more for their policy. That’s not the case with ResidentShield.
Where ResidentShield falls short
Animal liability coverage. Most renters insurance covers dog bites and other animal liability claims up to your full personal liability limit (often $100,000). But many of the quotes we got from ResidentShield had lower levels of animal liability coverage, such as $10,000, unless we were willing to pay extra. The average cost of a dog bite claim was more than $58,000 in 2023, the most recent data available, according to State Farm and the Insurance Information Institute.
State availability
ResidentShield is licensed to sell renters insurance in all states and Washington, D.C.
Availability may change at any time. Coverage may not be available to all renters in a given state.
ResidentShield renters insurance coverage
Landlords sometimes require tenants to purchase a policy with a minimum amount of renters 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:
Type of coverage | What it does |
|---|---|
Covers your clothing, furniture, electronics and other belongings. | |
Pays for hotel stays, restaurant meals or other expenses if you have to live elsewhere while your home undergoes covered repairs. | |
Pays out if you're responsible for injuries to other people or damage to their property. | |
Covers injuries to other people in your home, regardless of fault. |
For more details, see What Does Renters Insurance Cover?
One nice feature of a ResidentShield policy is that it covers your personal belongings on a replacement cost basis. With this type of coverage, the company will pay you enough after a claim to buy new replacements for damaged or stolen items.
Some renters policies pay only the actual cash value of lost items, which reflects depreciation. Because things like furniture and electronics tend to lose value over time, having actual cash value coverage means your claim payout could come up well short of what you need to buy new items.
Depending on where you live, you may be able to add some or all of the following to your policy:
Water and sewer coverage, which pays for damage to your belongings if a water line or sump pump backs up into your home.
Pet damage coverage, which pays to repair things like carpet stains or scratch marks from your furry buddy.
Extra animal liability coverage for medical and/or legal expenses if your pet injures someone or damages their property. (The personal liability coverage included with your policy may be limited for scenarios involving animals.) Learn more about dog liability insurance.
Bedbug coverage to help clean up an infestation in your home.
Equipment protection coverage, which pays for physical damage to laptops, phones and other electronic gadgets.
Tenant damage coverage, which pays for property damage you cause to your rented house or unit.
Earthquake coverage to repair or replace your belongings after an earthquake (available in California only).
Discounts
ResidentShield offers a discount of up to 20% for renters in a senior living community. You may also be able to save money by paying your renters insurance premium in full, rather than in installments.
Consumer experience
Website: You can use the ResidentShield website to get a renters insurance quote, file a claim or see basic information about the company’s policies.
Claims: You can file a claim online or call 800-822-2997. According to the company, your premium won’t go up after you file a claim, which is unusual in the insurance industry.
Customer service: For support, email [email protected], call 800-566-1186 or use the company’s chat feature, which offers both automated and live assistance. Customer service is available on weekdays from 7:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. CT.
Other renters insurance companies to consider
Not ready to make a decision? You may be interested in these other renters insurance companies:
ResidentShield doesn’t sell any other types of insurance (such as auto insurance), so it’s not a good bet if you’re looking to bundle your policies. However, it does offer another service to renters: an alternative to a traditional security deposit. Instead of paying a large security deposit that you get back when you move out, you can pay a smaller, nonrefundable amount to reduce your move-in costs.
Yes. You can add a spouse and up to three more adults to your policy. A small extra fee may apply. Learn more about the pros and cons of sharing renters insurance with a roommate.
ResidentShield advertises policies starting at 43 cents a day, which adds up to about $157 per year or $13 per month. Find out the average cost of renters insurance in your state.
ResidentShield doesn’t sell any other types of insurance (such as auto insurance), so it’s not a good bet if you’re looking to bundle your policies. However, it does offer another service to renters: an alternative to a traditional security deposit. Instead of paying a large security deposit that you get back when you move out, you can pay a smaller, nonrefundable amount to reduce your move-in costs.
Yes. You can add a spouse and up to three more adults to your policy. A small extra fee may apply. Learn more about the pros and cons of
sharing renters insurance with a roommate
.
ResidentShield advertises policies starting at 43 cents a day, which adds up to about $157 per year or $13 per month. Find out the
average cost of renters insurance
in your state.
In This Review . . .