Renters insurance without SSN

What renters insurance is

A renters policy (also called a tenant policy) protects the belongings you keep in a home you rent and covers you if someone is injured there or you damage someone else’s property. Your landlord’s insurance covers the building itself, not your possessions, which is why many leases now require tenants to carry their own policy.

What it covers

Renters policies have three standard coverages (Insurance Information Institute):

  • Personal property — furniture, clothing, electronics, and other belongings, up to the limit you choose. A replacement-cost policy (which pays to buy new items) typically costs about 10% more than an actual-cash-value policy (which subtracts depreciation).
  • Personal liability — pays if you are responsible for someone’s injury or for damage to their property. Coverage usually starts around $100,000, and $300,000 is commonly recommended. Most policies also include medical payments to others of about $1,000 to $5,000.
  • Additional living expenses — covers added costs such as a hotel if your unit becomes uninhabitable after a covered loss.

Jewelry and similar valuables generally have a theft sublimit of about $1,500 unless you schedule them on a separate endorsement.

What it does not cover

A standard renters policy does not cover floods, earthquakes, damage to your vehicle (that belongs on an auto policy), or self-inflicted or intentional damage. Flood and earthquake coverage are bought separately.

What it costs

As of 2026, the US average premium was about $171 a year (~$14 a month) according to the Insurance Information Institute (2022 data). A 2026 NerdWallet example priced a policy at about $151 a year (~$13 a month) for $30,000 in personal property, $100,000 in liability, and a $500 deductible. Some carriers advertise rates as low as $5 a month. Your actual premium depends on your limits, deductible, location, and the belongings you insure.

Your landlord and the policy

If your lease requires renters insurance, the landlord or property manager is added to the policy as an interested party (also called an additional interest). This only means they are notified about the policy — for example, if it is cancelled — and it gives them no coverage. It is different from an additional insured. The proof a landlord asks for is the policy’s declarations page (the dec page), which summarizes your coverage and limits. Adding an interested party is usually free and takes about two minutes.

Getting a policy without an SSN

Insurance carriers do not publish whether they accept an ITIN or passport in place of an SSN, so the honest answer is to confirm acceptance at quote time. What is consistent across major online quote flows (for example GEICO and Lemonade) is that they ask for your name, date of birth, address, and belongings — not an SSN up front. An SSN, when requested, is typically used only to run a credit-based insurance score, which some states restrict or prohibit for insurance pricing.

Practical paths:

  • Provide your ITIN or passport wherever an identifier or ID is requested.
  • Buy through a carrier app or website, or through an independent agent or broker who can shop multiple companies and ask each about ITIN acceptance for you.
  • Consider that some states restrict credit-based insurance scoring, which can reduce or remove the reason an SSN is requested.
  • Always confirm at quote time before assuming a specific company will or will not accept your documents.

This page does not endorse any specific carrier or claim that a particular company accepts an ITIN — practices vary and change.

Last verified: 2026-06-28.

General procedural information for educational purposes. Not legal, tax, or immigration advice. Laws and fees change — verify with the issuing agency before taking action. For case-specific guidance, consult a licensed immigration attorney or other appropriate professional.