renter's insurance (Boston: car insurance, how much, home)

[luckyducky87]

hey guys, I am looking into getting renter's insurance for the studio I'm renting out in brookline, mainly for the valuables i have to leave home during the day when i work. so far, i've really just googled "boston renter's insurance" and looked at a couple of the first hits. and I'm guessing I should just ask around for quotes from various companies. I guess my questions are:

- any particular company names that are known to be great or terrible in the Boston area?
- what should I typically expect for a monthly fee?
- what should I look carefully into (or really make sure/clear) before signing with any insurance company?
- anyone have any stories to share (specific to a particular company or to renter's insurance in general) that would help me out? I'm completely new to this!!

I'd appreciate any help on this!

[shiver]

I use Progressive but I combine it with my car insurance. Never had to use it though. I've heard good things about Liberty Mutual from a friend who needed to make a claim after being robbed.

Make sure you get sufficient coverage - maybe 20K. What you own is worth more than you think and just imagine if there was a fire and you had to go out and replace everything at once. The yearly premium should run you around $150-$250 give or take. $300 on the higher end. It depends on how much coverage you get and also how you pay it - discount for paying it upfront as opposed to installments and what your deductible is. Generally,

[Cart24]

Shiver pretty much covered it. We use Liberty Mutual and pay about $275/yr.

[John Delano]

Some notes on renters insurance...I am an insurance agent and this is what I offer to my customers:
Question: Any particular company?
Answer: There are big national companies as well as regional insurance companies. What you want is a company that has a financial rating by AM Best of A- or better, provides replacement cost coverage, and is responsive at the time of a claim.
Question: what should I typically expect for a monthly fee?
Answer: The cost of renters insurance is reasonable. The amount of premium is based on several factors. The primary factor is the amount of coverage you need to cover your personal belongings.
A personal property limit of $20,000 should run around $200 per year.
Question: What should I look carefully into (or really make sure/clear) before signing with any insurance company?
Answer: First, it really pays to spend some time determing how much coverage you need. I run my customers through a little excercise that they can do on their own...it takes about 10 minutes. Next, as much as we would like to do this over the internet, you really need to talk to an insurance professional about your insurance needs. Also, take the time to review the quote you receive with your insurance agent and ask a lot of questions about what each coverage means and how a claim is handled. Finally, ask a friend or family member to recommend an insurance agent.
Question: anyone have any stories to share (specific to a particular company or to renter's insurance in general) that would help me out? I'm completely new to this!!
Answer: I think the biggest surprise is how inexpensive renters insurance is. Also, if you have car insurance, see what can be done to combine your auto and renters with one company to take advantage of the multi policy discounts.