Renters Insurance: Because the Worst Case Will Happen

For military families, Murphy’s Law isn’t a theory—it’s a lifestyle. Cars break down during deployments. Power goes out during TDYs. And sometimes, while you’re out of town, your spouse calls to say the house is flooded.

That last one happened to me.

In July 2023, my husband was awakened in the middle of the night by my daughter’s screams. He knew something was wrong long before he got to her room. As his bare feet sloshed through our soaked carpet, he began to hear water gushing from a fixture on a toilet valve that had come loose in the middle of the night.

He rushed to our kids’ Jack and Jill bathroom and stopped the flow of water, but the damage had been done. Water had saturated both our daughters’ room and our son’s room, the bathroom and the upstairs hallway. Because the fitting came off in the middle of the night, the volume of water was enough that it began dripping down through the ceiling to our first floor, onto our belongings and ruining our rental. 

Just days before, we had noticed a slow leak and had contacted our landlord. A plumber was scheduled to come later that afternoon, a day too late.

What wasn’t too late was our decision to carry renters insurance.

Renters Insurance Saved Our Sanity

Renters insurance is a policy designed to protect you, not the building you live in. Your landlord’s insurance only covers the structure—not your belongings or your living expenses if the home becomes uninhabitable. As a military family who had never purchased a home, we were lucky to have been advised to purchase renters insurance ages ago. It wasn’t until this incident that we had to utilize it.

And boy did we ever utilize it.

After we finally got a hold of a plumber and our landlord, to notify them of what we called “the flood”, we reached out to our insurance provider, USAA.

An agent listened to our story and advised us of what was covered under our policy. We quickly learned that we did not have to stay in our waterlogged home. Insurance would cover costs we had not even considered. 

What Our Renters Insurance Covered:

• Temporary housing: We didn’t have to stay in a water-damaged home. Our hotel stay was covered.
• Damaged personal property: Clothing, furniture and household items ruined by water were eligible for reimbursement. It didn’t cover the full cost, but it was better than losing the items entirely.
• Moving costs: Our policy helped cover the cost of hiring a moving company and van to relocate our stuff to a new rental.
  

Just as important as the financial coverage was the human element. The agent understood military life—frequent moves, disruptions and the reality that sometimes everything falls apart at once.

All we had to do was take photos and annotate any of our personal property that had been damaged beyond repair. We were eligible to submit reimbursement costs for those items.

But we had our work cut out for us, getting out of our rental agreement, finding a new place to live, ensuring our kids could attend the same school despite being in a new zip code, finding a moving company and packing all our stuff into boxes. 

Luckily, we found a new rental and moved in 10 days after “the flood” happened. 

Today, I will tell anyone who asks about the importance of renters insurance. Although our landlord might not have charged us rent, we would have had to pay out of pocket for our property, hotel and moving costs, within a year of our next PCS move. 

If you rent your home or are living in military housing and don’t have renters insurance, stop what you are doing and find a policy that works for you. It’s not as expensive as you might think, especially considering it can cover thousands in personal property loss.

Most renters insurance policies include three main types of coverage:

Personal Property

Covers your belongings if they’re damaged or destroyed by covered events such as:

• Water damage (from burst pipes or appliance leaks) – (yes please!)
  
• Fire or smoke
  
• Theft or vandalism
  
• Certain natural disasters (varies by policy)
  

Loss of Use (Additional Living Expenses)

Pays for hotel stays, meals, and other costs if your rental becomes unlivable due to a covered loss. (Please & thank you)

Personal Liability Coverage

Protects you if someone is injured in your home or if you accidentally cause damage to someone else’s property.

While we were not liable for the damage because we had notified the landlord of the slow leak we observed, if we hadn’t noticed the leak (in a bathroom we didn’t use frequently), we could have been liable for hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of water damage.

What Military Families Need to Know about Renters Insurance 

Military-connected renters face unique risks that make renters insurance less optional and more essential:

• They Break It, But They May Not Buy It: If your property is damaged in military housing, don’t expect the military to reimburse you for the damage. And don’t rely on Reddit to make your insurance decisions, as information is often out of date. Check your housing agreement. 
• Frequent moves (PCS): Even if your installation housing offers insurance, it likely will not extend through your next move. Most renters insurance covers your belongings through PCS moves.
• Deployments: You may not be home to notice a small leak before it becomes a “flood”.
• Tight timelines: Emergency moves can happen fast—and out-of-pocket costs add up quickly.
• Murphy’s Law: When disaster strikes, military spouses often have to manage major crises alone. Having the peace of mind of renters insurance makes everyone’s lives better.
• Mold: In recent years, mold has plagued military housing. However, not all policies cover mold that grows due to neglect/maintenance. Be sure to ask about this before signing a new policy.
  

Cost & Discounts

USAA

According to USAA, “a renters policy could cost you as little as 33 cents a day.” They also claim you can save:

• Up to 28% off if you live on base.

• Up to 10% off in most locations if you bundle renters and auto insurance.
• Up to 5% off if you have fire alarms or other protective devices.
• Up to 45% off if you attend a U.S. service academy.

Learn more at USAA

Armed Forces Insurance (AFI)

According to AFI, the starting rate is as low as $0.23/day*. They don’t offer specific discounts for the military, as they are baked into the policy, as only eligible military-connected individuals are eligible to become AFI Members.

AFI says its Comprehensive Coverage Endorsement is what sets AFI apart. Adding this coverage on the AFI renters insurance policy protects personal property against damage from earthquake, flood, accidental breakage, and mysterious disappearance.

*rate based on $5,000 Basic Personal Property coverage with $100,000 Personal Liability and $1,000 Medical Payments to Others.

Veterans United Insurance

While Veterans United Insurance (VUI) doesn’t estimate costs on its website, it likely offers rates competitive with other carriers. An affiliate of Veterans United Home Loans, it prioritizes military members and veterans in its operations.

As an insurance agency, VUI features insurance products from multiple carriers such as Nationwide, Progressive, Safeco, and Travelers, meaning this agency can shop around for the best rates for your situation.

Get a custom renters insurance quote from VUI here.

State Farm

If you crave in-person vs. online only support State Farm may be an inticing option. It boasts an average rate of $13 per month, which is roughly 43 cents per day. They are one of the largest insurance providers in the country. While they do offer discounts, they are primarily focused on bundling vs. a military-specific benefit. 

Allstate

All State boasts rates starting at $5 per month. They offer savings to those 55 years and older and when bundled with other coverage plans. A primary benefit of Allstate is its customization, which allows you to cover specific items like jewelry or protect against earthquake damage if you are stationed in earthquake-prone locations like Japan or California.

Liberty Mutual

If you are looking for a good deal, Liberty Mutual also posts starting rates of $5 per month. Liberty Mutual offers interesting discounts, especially for online shoppers. New customers get 10% off if they sign up for renters insurance online.

How Much Renters Insurance Do You Really Need?

Unsatisfyingly, it depends. Do you own expensive items? What would it cost to replace your belongings if your house had a flood, impacting two bedrooms and your dining and living rooms? Not every item was destroyed in those rooms, but it could have been. We had to claim a dining table, rugs, beds, clothing, and some toys. 

The beautiful thing is, most companies will help talk you through coverage options. It may be that increased coverage will not cause your rates to jump, but you will be covered.

The Bottom Line

Today, I tell every military family who will listen: renters insurance is not optional. It’s a financial safety net that recognizes how unpredictable military life can be.

While I had a good experience at USAA, I have heard others who have had similarly positive experiences with other companies. But don’t run off and get USAA because you heard about one positive experience; it is important to do your own research based on your unique circumstances. TMW did a deep dive on what to consider HERE.

No matter what company you choose, paying a small monthly premium is far better than draining savings, taking on debt or scrambling during an already stressful crisis. When everything went wrong in our home, renters insurance allowed us to focus on helping our kids get through another unexpected move—not our finances.

For military families trained to adapt, move quickly, and recover from disruption, renters insurance isn’t just practical. It’s peace of mind.