Renters Insurance
Just because you don’t own your home doesn’t mean you shouldn’t protect what’s inside. Renters insurance offers affordable coverage for your belongings, personal liability protection, and peace of mind. At Wisco Insurance, we help renters across Wisconsin — including Brodhead, Janesville, and Kenosha — find coverage that fits their lifestyle, their space, and their lease requirements. The result is simple protection that feels practical, not complicated.
What Renters Insurance Can Cover
Personal Property Protection
Covers the cost to repair or replace your belongings — such as furniture, electronics, clothing, and everyday items — if they’re damaged or lost due to events like fire, theft, or certain types of water damage. Whether you’re renting an apartment in Janesville or a home in Brodhead, this coverage helps ensure you’re not paying out of pocket to replace everything at once.
Liability Coverage
Provides financial protection if someone is injured in your rental or if you accidentally cause damage to someone else’s property. Liability coverage can help pay for medical expenses, legal costs, and related claims that can arise from everyday situations — an important safeguard for renters.
Loss of Use (Additional Living Expenses)
If your rental becomes unlivable due to a covered event, this coverage helps pay for temporary housing, meals, and other necessary living expenses. Whether you’re displaced for a few days or longer, loss-of-use coverage helps maintain stability while repairs are completed.
Medical Payments to Others
Offers quick coverage for minor injuries that occur to guests in your rental, regardless of fault. This coverage can help address small medical expenses without escalating into larger claims or disputes.
Optional Endorsements
Additional coverage can be added for high-value items such as jewelry, electronics, musical instruments, or collectibles that may exceed standard policy limits. These add-ons help ensure valuable items are fully protected.
Why Renters Insurance Matters in Wisconsin
Weather Can Affect Renters Too
Snow, ice, windstorms, and frozen pipes can cause damage in apartments and rental homes across Wisconsin. Renters insurance helps cover your personal losses even when the building itself is insured by the landlord.
Landlord Policies Don’t Protect Your Belongings
A landlord’s insurance only covers the structure — not your furniture, clothing, electronics, or liability. Without renters insurance, replacing your belongings after a loss would come entirely out of pocket.
Liability Risks Are Real
From water leaks that damage neighboring units to injuries that happen inside your rental, accidents can lead to costly claims. Renters insurance helps protect your finances when unexpected situations arise.
Renters Insurance FAQs
Is renters insurance required in Wisconsin?
Renters insurance is not required by Wisconsin state law, but many landlords in areas like Janesville, Kenosha, and Brodhead do require it as part of a lease agreement. Even when it’s not mandatory, renters insurance is strongly recommended because it protects your personal belongings and provides liability coverage that your landlord’s policy does not include. Given the affordability of renters insurance and the protection it offers against common risks like fire, theft, or water damage, many Wisconsin renters choose to carry a policy regardless of lease requirements.
What does renters insurance not cover?
Renters insurance typically does not cover damage to the building itself, normal wear and tear, pest infestations, or certain types of water damage such as flooding. For example, if heavy rain causes flooding in a lower-level apartment in Kenosha, that loss would usually require separate flood coverage. High-value items like jewelry, collectibles, or specialty electronics may also have coverage limits unless additional endorsements are added. Understanding these exclusions helps renters choose optional coverage where needed and avoid surprises during a claim.
How much renters insurance coverage do I need?
The right amount of renters insurance depends on the total value of your belongings and your potential liability exposure. Many renters in southern Wisconsin underestimate how much it would cost to replace everyday items like furniture, clothing, kitchenware, and electronics all at once. Creating a simple inventory of what you own — whether you live in an apartment in Janesville or a rental home in Brodhead — helps determine appropriate personal property limits. Liability coverage is also important, especially if you have frequent guests or live in a multi-unit building where accidents can impact neighboring units.
Does renters insurance cover roommates?
In most cases, renters insurance only covers the named policyholder and does not automatically extend to roommates. If you share a rental in Kenosha or Janesville, each roommate typically needs their own policy unless the insurer specifically allows multiple unrelated individuals to be listed on one policy. Sharing coverage can lead to complications during a claim, especially when determining ownership of damaged items. Separate policies are often the simplest way to ensure everyone’s belongings and liability risks are properly protected.
Will renters insurance cover my belongings in storage or while traveling?
Yes, renters insurance often provides limited coverage for personal belongings that are temporarily outside your rental, such as items kept in a storage unit or taken with you while traveling. For example, if luggage or electronics are stolen while you’re away from your Brodhead or Janesville rental, your policy may help cover the loss, subject to limits and deductibles. Storage unit coverage is typically included as well, though higher-value items may require additional protection. Reviewing these limits helps ensure your coverage matches how and where you use your belongings.