If you’re looking for cheap renters insurance in Florida, consider getting quotes from Allstate, Travelers and Florida Farm Bureau Group. In our analysis, these companies offer the cheapest renters insurance in Florida for a typical coverage amount of $15,000, among the companies we analyzed.
Here are the average Florida renters insurance costs for three levels of coverage.
Average Florida renters insurance costs
| Company | Average annual cost for $15,000 in personal property coverage | Average annual cost for $30,000 in personal property coverage | Average annual cost for $50,000 in personal property coverage |
|---|---|---|---|
|
$79
|
$120
|
$172
|
|
|
$100
|
$102
|
$115
|
|
|
Florida Farm Bureau Group
|
$102
|
$134
|
$184
|
|
$129
|
$246
|
$403
|
|
|
UPC
|
$152
|
$157
|
$187
|
|
$137
|
$191
|
$259
|
|
|
$175
|
$184
|
$233
|
|
|
Universal Insurance Co. of N. America
|
$176
|
$188
|
$225
|
|
Florida Peninsula Insurance
|
$227
|
$227
|
$234
|
|
HCI Group
|
$229
|
$293
|
$411
|
|
State Average
|
$151
|
$184
|
$242
|
Source: Quadrant Information Services. Rates include $100,000 in liability insurance.
More: Best renters insurance
Who Is Eligible for Renters Insurance from Citizens?
Citizens Property Insurance Corp. is Florida’s insurer of last resort, meaning you must try to get coverage elsewhere before you can buy insurance through Citizens. Citizens was created in 2002 by the Florida Legislature as a way for Floridians to buy insurance coverage when they face difficulties getting coverage from other companies. Citizens is a not-for-profit, tax-exempt, government entity. It’s funded by the premiums paid by policyholders, but it can also charge assessments to most policyholders if it develops a deficit after costly storms.
You may be eligible for Citizens insurance if:
- You are declined insurance by a private insurer in the state.
- Or the premium you’d pay is more than 20% higher than the premium from Citizens for comparable insurance and you and your property meet other criteria. Note that you’ll have to send proof that your offer was more than 20% higher than the Citizens insurance rate.
What Does Renters Insurance Cover?
You’ll find these types of coverage provided in any standard renters insurance policy:
- Personal property covers your personal belongings such as electronics, furniture, clothes and jewelry. Buy enough coverage to account for all your belongings in case they’re destroyed, and look for “replacement cost coverage,” which reimburses you for new, similar items.
- Liability insurance covers accidental injuries and property damage to others that you’re legally liable for, such as a ball accidentally thrown through a neighbor’s window.
- Additional living expenses (ALE) covers hotel expenses, restaurant meals and other extra costs if you cannot live in your home due to a problem covered by your policy, like a fire.
- Medical payments to others pays small medical bills no matter who was at fault, such as an urgent care visit for a visitor to your home who got a cut.
If you need more liability insurance than your renters insurance offers, consider buying umbrella insurance. For example, if your dog bites someone and the medical expenses exceed your renters insurance liability limits, umbrella insurance would kick in.
Compare Renters Insurance Quotes
1
Lemonade
$160
28 states + DC
Related: What can be taken from you in a lawsuit
When Can You Be Evicted in Florida?
You can be evicted in Florida for non-payment of rent. Your landlord must serve you with a written notice that allows three days (excluding weekends and legal holidays) to make up for the past due payments or move out.
If you don’t pay the rent owed or don’t move, a landlord can file suit in county court to evict you. If the court agrees with the landlord, you will receive a written notice. You will have five days (excluding weekends and legal holidays) to file a response in writing to the court. If you do not respond or the court’s judgment is against you, the court will issue a writ of possession to the county sheriff. The sheriff will notify you that the eviction will take place in 24 hours.
As a renter, you also have other obligations, such as keeping your home clean and sanitary. If you do not meet the obligations of your rental agreement, your landlord must notify you in writing of the situation and give you seven days to correct the matter. If you haven’t complied within seven days, your landlord can begin the eviction process.
In some cases, such as not respecting the privacy of others, you may be asked to leave with little notice.
In other cases, such as damage, destruction and misuse of property, the landlord doesn’t need to give you the opportunity to correct the situation. The landlord may give you a seven-day written notice to leave the apartment.
Your landlord does not have the right to evict you as retaliation for complaining to a government agency for code violations or asserting your tenant rights. If you believe your eviction is unwarranted, it’s a good idea to seek legal advice.
Rules on Security Deposits in Florida
When you move out of a rental in Florida, the landlord must return your security deposit within 15 days from the end of the rental agreement.
If your landlord wants to keep your security deposit, they must justify the claim in writing by certified mail to you within 30 days of the end of the rental agreement. The notice must be sent to your last known address and state why they are keeping all or a portion of your deposit. If your landlord does not send notice within the 30-day period, they forfeit the right to make a claim against the deposit (unless you failed to give proper notice of vacating).
Rules on Rent Increases in Florida
Generally, a landlord must wait until the end of a rental agreement before raising rent. There is no limit to how much a landlord can raise rent.
Some Florida leases contain provisions for raising the rent but if this provision is not in your lease, a landlord must wait until the end of a lease to raise the rent.
A landlord is expected to give you notice of a rent increase in a timeframe that is similar to a termination notice. The notice should be delivered in person or by mail.
- 60-day notice for year-to-year rental agreements
- 30-day notice for quarter-to-quarter rental agreements
- 15-days notice for month-to-month rental agreements
- 7-day notice for week-to-week rental agreements or if there is no rental agreement
When Can a Landlord Enter Your Apartment in Florida?
A Florida landlord can enter your apartment with proper notice to inspect the premises, make necessary repairs, decorations, improvements, alterations and supply services. The landlord may show the apartment to possible tenants, purchasers, and to workers and contractors who will do work on the rental unit.
A Florida landlord may enter an apartment at any time under the following conditions:
- An emergency situation
- With your consent
- If you unreasonably withhold consent
- If you are absent for a period of time equal to one-half the time of your periodic payments
- If you are current on rent but notify your landlord of an intended absence, your landlord can enter with your consent, or to preserve or protect the premises
Find the Best Renters Insurance Of 2024
