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5 Best Landlord Insurance Providers for New Investors
Table of Contents
- What New Investors Need to Know Before Choosing Landlord Insurance
- Quick Comparison: 5 Best Landlord Insurance Providers
- 1. Steadily: Best for First-Time Landlords
- 2. American Family Insurance: Best for Online Quotes
- 3. biBerk: Best for Apartment Buildings
- 4. Liberty Mutual: Best for Customizable Coverage and Bundling
- 5. Bringas Insurance: Best for Personalized, Bilingual Guidance
- What Does Landlord Insurance Coverage Include?
- Frequently Asked Questions
Last Updated: October 13, 2026
What New Investors Need to Know Before Choosing Landlord Insurance
Landlord insurance is a policy that protects a rental property owner from financial loss tied to the building, liability, and lost rent.
A common mistake is assuming a homeowners policy will cover a rental. It won't.
Three things drive your premium more than anything else: property type, location, and your coverage limits.
Below, we'll show you how to compare providers on the same criteria, and which one fits your rental strategy.
Quick Comparison: 5 Best Landlord Insurance Providers
Most "best of" lists rank providers on price alone.
Here is how providers stack up on those criteria, plus the investor each one fits best.
| Provider | Best For | Rental Specialization | Loss of Rental Income | Quote Process | Watch For |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bringas Insurance | Personalized, bilingual guidance | Independent agency, multi-carrier | Ask agent to confirm limits | Free quote, agent-led | Service area limited to its region |
| Steadily | First-time landlords | Rental-only carrier | Typically included; confirm limit | Online or phone quote | No published rates |
| American Family | Online quotes | General insurer with landlord product | Optional endorsement | Fast digital quote flow | Availability varies by state |
| biBerk | Apartment buildings | Commercial/multifamily focus | Confirm per-building terms | Phone/broker quote | Not built for single-family rentals |
| Liberty Mutual | Customizable coverage | General insurer with landlord product | Optional endorsement | Agent-led, bundling available | Complex policies take longer to compare |
How to read this table as a new investor. Start with the column that matches your situation, not the price column.
A note on apples-to-apples quotes. No two landlord policies price the same way, because premiums are driven by replacement cost, roof age, claims history, credit-based insurance score in states that allow it, and the specific perils your property is exposed to. When you request quotes, give every carrier the same inputs so the numbers are comparable:
- Property address and year built
- Square footage and construction type (frame vs. masonry)
- Replacement cost estimate for the dwelling
- Requested dwelling limit and deductible
- Requested liability limit (commonly $300,000 or $1,000,000)
- Requested loss-of-rental-income limit (often expressed as a number of months or a dollar cap)
- Whether the property is currently occupied, vacant, or under renovation
Why the deciding factor is rarely price. A policy that saves you $200 a year but excludes water backup, tenant damage, or ordinance-or-law coverage can cost you five figures at claim time. For a first rental, the goal is not the lowest premium, it is the policy that pays when the loss you can least afford actually happens.
1. Steadily: Best for First-Time Landlords
Steadily is a landlord insurance provider built specifically for rental property owners, and it's frequently named as a top choice for new landlords.
What works: Steadily focuses on rental properties rather than treating them as a side product, which means the coverage language speaks directly to landlords.
What doesn't: The supplied research doesn't publish premium amounts or detailed policy terms, so you'll need a quote to compare it against the others.
2. American Family Insurance: Best for Online Quotes
American Family offers landlord insurance and stands out for its online quote options, which makes it a practical pick if you want to compare numbers before you commit.
The online quote flow is the real advantage here. You can get a sense of your landlord insurance cost range without a phone call, then decide whether to dig deeper.
The catch: rates and specific policy limits aren't published, and availability varies by state, so confirm eligibility for your property's location first.
3. biBerk: Best for Apartment Buildings
biBerk is identified as a strong choice for apartment buildings, which sets it apart from providers built around single-family rentals.
If your rental portfolio includes multifamily property, this is where biBerk earns its place.
Where it falls short: the supplied results don't detail coverage options or pricing, and it isn't positioned for single-family rentals. New investors with one duplex may find it less relevant than someone insuring a larger building.
4. Liberty Mutual: Best for Customizable Coverage and Bundling
Liberty Mutual offers landlord insurance and is described as an option for customization, bundling, and multifamily properties.
The bundling angle is the practical draw. If you already insure a home or vehicle, consolidating policies with one national insurer simplifies your paperwork. Customization also helps when a standard rental policy doesn't quite fit your property.
The tradeoff: customizable coverage means more decisions to weigh, and complex policies take longer to compare line by line. Set aside time to read the exclusions carefully.
5. Bringas Insurance: Best for Personalized, Bilingual Guidance
Bringas Insurance provides comprehensive insurance solutions tailored to protect what matters most, with free quotes and guidance for property investors who want a real person walking them through the options.
Auto, home, life, and business insurance are all available, so a landlord who also owns a vehicle and runs a small business can consolidate rather than juggle multiple agents.
Where it fits best: investors who value a conversation over a quote form.
What Does Landlord Insurance Coverage Include?
Landlord insurance is built from four core pieces. Each one covers a different risk, and the gaps between them are where new investors get burned.
- Dwelling coverage: The structure itself, roof, walls, foundation, and built-in fixtures. Priced off a replacement-cost estimate, not market value.
- Other structures: Detached garages, fences, and sheds on the same lot, usually at a sublimit of the dwelling limit.
- Liability coverage: Protects you if a tenant, guest, or delivery worker is injured on the property or you are sued over property damage. Most new investors start at $300,000 and move to $1,000,000 once they have meaningful equity or multiple properties.
- Loss of rental income: Reimburses the rent you lose while the property is uninhabitable after a covered peril. This is the coverage that separates a landlord policy from a homeowners policy, and it is the one new investors most often under-limit.
- Personal property coverage: Covers items you provide for tenant use, appliances, window treatments, lawn equipment, within limits. Tenant-owned belongings are not covered; tenants need their own renters policy.
Landlord insurance vs. homeowners insurance. A homeowners policy covers your personal residence and your personal belongings. A landlord policy covers a property you rent out and excludes your personal belongings. Filing a homeowners claim on a rental property is one of the fastest ways to have a claim denied.
Common exclusions new investors miss
Standard landlord policies typically exclude or sublimit the following. Read every quote against this list before you compare premiums:
- Flood and earthquake, always separate policies, usually through a federal flood program or a specialty carrier.
- Sewer backup and water backup, often an endorsement, not standard coverage.
- Ordinance or law, covers the extra cost of rebuilding to current code after a loss. Older rentals need this.
- Mold and fungus, usually capped at a low sublimit.
- Intentional acts, neglect, and wear-and-tear, no policy pays for deferred maintenance.
- Vacancy beyond a set window, most policies reduce or suspend coverage after 30 to 60 days of vacancy.
- Tenant damage from normal use, some policies cover vandalism and malicious damage, but not ordinary wear.
Loss of rental income, vacancy, and renovation coverage
Loss of rental income is usually expressed as a dollar cap or a number of months, commonly 12 months of fair rental value. Two details matter more than the headline number:
- What triggers it. The loss must stem from a covered peril. A tenant who stops paying rent is not a covered peril; that is a credit risk, not an insurance risk.
- What it pays. Most policies pay fair rental value, not the rent you actually charged, and some deduct a percentage for expenses you no longer incur.
For vacancy, you generally have three options: a standard policy with a vacancy clause, a vacancy endorsement, or a dedicated vacant-property policy. For renovation, a builder's risk or renovation policy is usually the right tool, because standard landlord policies often exclude damage tied to ongoing construction.
Coverage differences by rental strategy
The right policy depends on how you rent:
- Long-term rental (12-month lease): Standard landlord policy with dwelling, liability, and loss of rental income.
- Short-term rental (nightly or weekly): Standard landlord policies often exclude business use. You typically need a commercial policy or a short-term-rental endorsement, plus a separate commercial liability policy if you host frequently.
- Vacant or between tenants: Vacancy endorsement or vacant-property policy.
- Under renovation: Builder's risk or renovation policy until the property is rent-ready.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do new landlords need landlord insurance?
Yes. A standard homeowners policy typically excludes rental property exposure, so if a tenant is injured or the building is damaged, you could pay out of pocket. Landlord insurance covers the dwelling, liability, and often loss of rental income. Most mortgage lenders also require it. If you rent out a property you used to live in, tell your insurer immediately, because your existing policy may not cover rental use.
What does landlord insurance cover?
Landlord insurance coverage generally includes dwelling coverage for the structure, liability coverage if a tenant or guest is injured, personal property coverage for items you supply like appliances, and loss of rental income if the unit becomes uninhabitable. Covered perils often include fire damage, wind damage, hail damage, and water damage. Tenant damage and vacancy may need separate endorsements. Review policy exclusions carefully before you buy.
How much does landlord insurance cost?
Landlord insurance cost depends on the property's location, age, construction type, replacement cost, and your deductible and coverage limit. A single-family rental in a low-risk area usually costs less than a multifamily property in a storm-prone region. Because premiums vary so much by property type and location, the best way to get an accurate number is to request a landlord insurance quote from a licensed agent who can compare policy options for your specific property.
Does landlord insurance cover lost rental income?
Loss of rental income coverage is usually included or available as an add-on. It reimburses you for rent you lose when a covered peril, such as a fire or severe storm, makes the unit uninhabitable during repairs. The coverage limit and waiting period vary by policy, so check how many months of rent are covered and whether the cause of loss is included. It does not cover rent lost because a tenant simply stops paying.
What is the difference between landlord insurance and homeowners insurance?
Landlord insurance vs homeowners insurance comes down to who lives in the property. A homeowners policy covers an owner-occupied home and the owner's personal belongings. Landlord insurance covers a rental property you do not live in, excludes tenant belongings, and adds loss of rental income protection. It also typically carries higher liability limits because you face risk from tenants and visitors. Using the wrong policy can lead to a denied claim.
A rental property is one of the largest financial commitments you'll make, and the coverage behind it should match. At Bringas Insurance, we help property investors compare landlord insurance with free quotes, bilingual guidance, and one team for auto, home, life, and business coverage. Get a free quote from Bringas Insurance and protect your investment with coverage built around your property.
