Your Guide to San Antonio Renters Insurance

San Antonio, renowned for its beautiful River Walk, has become an increasingly popular destination for renters. Its business-friendly environment contributed to a significant population  growth of nearly 19,000 in 2022, making it one of the fastest-growing large cities that year.

However, the steady influx of newcomers has brought challenges. With a rise in population, the city's crime rate stands at 156.1% above the national average, which is a significant concern for San Antonians and makes renters insurance more important than ever to help replace your stuff if anything happens.

If you’re new to the area or just looking for a new place, Goodcover offers renters insurance coverage with great value for your money in San Antonio.

But that's not all. Let’s go over everything you need to know about renters insurance in San Antonio to get you up to speed.

Keep reading to discover:

• Is Renters Insurance Legally Required in San Antonio?
• How Much Is Renters Insurance in San Antonio?
• What Does Renters Insurance Cover in San Antonio?
• What Isn’t Covered by Renters Insurance in San Antonio?
• What To Look for When Buying Renters Insurance in San Antonio
• Top San Antonio Renters Resources for Tenants

Is Renters Insurance Legally Required in San Antonio?

State and federal laws don’t require San Antonians to get renters insurance. However, your landlord can require you to get it as part of your lease agreement.

If they do, Goodcover’s got you covered. Our renters insurance policy is your key to landlord-approved coverage that also protects your belongings.

And even if your landlord doesn’t ask for it, getting renters insurance is always a good idea. There were 28,106 building fires in Texas in 2021, and that’s just one risk renters insurance policies cover. 

How Much Is Renters Insurance in San Antonio?

The average Texas renters insurance rate is about $12.50 per month ($150 per year). That’s great news for San Antonians since it’s a bit lower than the $15 per month ($180 per year) national average cost of renters insurance. 

Goodcover rates fall right in line with the average — policies start from $12.75 per month if you’re living in San Antonio, and we add extra value without extra cost.

Our plans include replacement cost value (RCV), which some other plans don’t. RCV ensures that, in the event of a claim, Goodcover Members receive the full retail amount to repair or replace their items after paying their deductible — not a depreciated used price based on how long you’ve had it. 

We save you time as well. With Goodcover, you can get a quote faster than you can listen to your favorite song and bind your policy online from the comfiest spot on your couch — no boring paperwork, no waiting on phone calls, and no need to talk to agents. 

On top of that, we also pay back unused premiums to our Members every year through our Member Dividend program. It’s our way of ensuring we’re good stewards of your money.

What Does Renters Insurance Cover in San Antonio?

Renters insurance in San Antonio from Goodcover consists of three main types of coverage: personal property, personal liability, and temporary housing.

Personal Property Coverage

A renters policy from Goodcover protects your personal belongings from perils like fire, theft, vandalism, water damage, windstorms, and even certain types of mold​​. 

We also cover your property when you're out and about. For example, you don't have to panic if you picnic at Brackenridge Park and your camera gets stolen. Goodcover can help pay for its replacement. This coverage is especially valuable, considering 52,586 thefts were reported in San Antonio in 2022.

Liability Protection

Personal liability coverage protects you when you unintentionally damage someone else's property or injure them. It helps protect you from huge personal injury lawsuits seeking to recover medical payments.  

For example, if you have friends over and one accidentally slips and hurts themselves in the bathroom, renters insurance can help take care of their medical bills up to your policy limits. 

Goodcover policies include personal liability, so you’ll have peace of mind if the unthinkable happens.

Temporary Housing (Loss of Use)

Goodcover plans include temporary housing coverage, which covers additional living expenses when you can't live in your apartment due to a covered loss.

For example, say your neighbor decides to fry a turkey on their balcony, and it goes horribly wrong, starting a fire that damages your apartment and leaves it coated in greasy smoke. 

If that happens, renters insurance can cover the additional cost of staying somewhere else (like a hotel) during repairs. So, if your rent is $1000, and your hotel is $1800, we pay you the extra $800 (after your deductible and subject to coverage limits).

What Isn’t Covered by Renters Insurance in San Antonio?

Every insurance has its exclusions. For renters in San Antonio, the biggest concern is usually flooding. Sudden flash floods are common, and Risk Factor found a 26% chance that floods will severely affect 18% of all properties in San Antonio over the next 30 years.

While renters insurance doesn’t cover natural disasters like floods, earthquakes, and tornadoes, you can get specialty coverage for some natural disasters. For example, you can get a flood insurance policy from the National Flood Insurance Program, and we can offer earthquake coverage as an add-on through our partner, Palomar Specialty.

Our policies also don't cover losses resulting from extraordinary events with risks too hard to predict, like wars, nuclear hazards, or government seizures.

Other scenarios not included in our policy include:

• Home-based businesses — Covered by business insurance
• Your medical expenses — Covered by health insurance
• Your pet’s medical expenses — Covered by pet insurance
• Asbestos-related issues — Covered by the property manager
• Intentional damage — Not covered by any insurance
• Negligence — Not covered by any insurance

For a list of Goodcover exclusions, please read this blog post.

What To Look for When Buying Renters Insurance in San Antonio

When shopping for the best renters insurance, be sure that it meets your needs. You can get the most accurate quotes by doing a home inventory first to help figure out the amount of coverage you need. It’s usually a good idea to get at least three quotes.

Renters insurance is your safety net for unexpected losses, especially with the unpredictable weather in San Antonio.

For example, San Antonians experienced temperatures as high as 105 degrees for a record eight days straight in the summer of 2023. Plus, there was a deadly winter storm that nearly brought the city to a standstill when the power grid failed.

Events like these can result in property damage from fires and other covered perils. 

When shopping for San Antonio renters insurance, be sure to look for:

Replacement Cash Value

Look for insurance with Replacement cost value (RCV) instead of actual cost value (ACV) coverage. ACV uses your personal property’s current value, often deeply discounted from depreciation. However, RCV covers the total cost of buying new items regardless of how old the originals were.

For example, imagine a laptop you bought for $1,000 two years ago gets destroyed by a power surge as the grid fails. If your insurance policy is based on ACV, the renters insurance company would compensate you based on the laptop’s current market value. After depreciation, that might only be a few hundred dollars.

However, if your policy is based on RCV, it can cover the cost of replacing your damaged laptop with a new one of similar quality. That way, you aren’t left paying the difference between depreciation and the cost of a new laptop.

Worldwide Protection

Sometimes, we take our personal property with us. Be sure to look for a policy with coverage outside your home. Ensure your insurance covers your stuff while traveling, shopping at the mall, or at work. A policy from Goodcover covers your stuff at up to 10% of your personal property limit anywhere around the world.

Extra Coverage Options

Sometimes, you need additional coverage for your high-value items like jewelry, musical instruments, and cameras. Goodcover offers extended coverage options under SUPERGOOD. 

Plus, SUPERGOOD covers accidental damage, so you’re covered if your cat knocks your camera off the shelf.

Top San Antonio Renters Resources for Tenants

At Goodcover, we love to empower our Members with knowledge as we believe it's the best way to help people make sound financial decisions.

To that end, we’ve compiled helpful resources for San Antonio tenants below:

• Tenants Rights and Resources
• Renter Resources
• Rental Assistance Program
• Housing and Support Services for Renters

Goodcover offers great value for your money, and you can get a renters insurance quote in seconds.

If you want to switch to Goodcover, we'll help you cancel your old policy. Just email your current policy to compare@goodcover.com, and we'll analyze it and give you a complete comparison.

Note: This post is meant for informational purposes, insurance regulation and coverage specifics vary by location and person. Check your policy for exact coverage information.

For additional questions, reach out to us – we’re happy to help.