American Family Renters Insurance Review
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Coverage options
Discounts
NAIC complaints
American Family
Coverage options
Discounts
NAIC complaints
About American Family renters insurance
American Family offers a variety of ways to customize your renters policy, including optional coverage for valuables, identity fraud and the breakdown of electronic devices. The company draws far fewer complaints than expected for a company of its size, but its rates are more expensive than the national average. Policies aren't available in all states.
American Family renters insurance earned 5 out of 5 stars for overall performance and is among NerdWallet’s Best Renters Insurance Companies.
Where American Family stands out
Diminishing deductible. American Family's diminishing deductible feature is worth considering if you’re worried about being able to afford your deductible after a claim.
Detailed website. The company's site includes lots of information about insurance in general and American Family policies in particular.
Where American Family falls short
Availability. American Family doesn’t sell renters insurance in all 50 states.
State availability
American Family sells renters insurance in 19 states.
American Family renters insurance coverage
Landlords sometimes require tenants to purchase a policy with a minimum amount of renters liability insurance, but otherwise, the coverage you choose is generally up to you. Below are the four types of coverage included in most standard renters policies:
Type of coverage | What it does |
|---|---|
Covers your clothing, furniture, electronics and other belongings. | |
Pays for hotel stays, restaurant meals or other expenses if you have to live elsewhere while your home undergoes covered repairs. | |
Pays out if you're responsible for injuries to other people or damage to their property. | |
Covers injuries to other people in your home, regardless of fault. |
For more details, see What Does Renters Insurance Cover?
You may be able to add the following types of coverage to your American Family renters policy, depending on where you live:
Jewelry, gemstones, watches and furs coverage. Because coverage for jewelry and other valuable items is limited in a standard policy, you can add this endorsement to make sure your belongings are covered for their full value. Learn more about jewelry insurance.
Identity theft coverage. If someone steals your identity, this coverage can help you replace documents, pay legal fees and work through the process of recovery.
Personal injury coverage. This endorsement can pay legal damages if you’re sued for issues such as libel, slander or wrongful entry.
Equipment breakdown coverage. If a computer, TV or other electrical appliance suddenly fails, this insurance would pay to repair or replace it, minus a $500 deductible. (A deductible is the amount of a claim you need to pay.)
Diminishing deductible. When you add this coverage to your policy, American Family will immediately reduce your deductible by $100. Your deductible will continue to drop by $100 each year you go without filing a claim, up to a total reduction of $500.
Water and sewer backup coverage. This coverage will pay if a backed-up drain or sewer damages your belongings.
» MORE: The cheapest renters insurance
American Family renters insurance rates
American Family renters insurance costs $182 a year on average, or $15 a month, according to NerdWallet’s rate analysis. That’s more expensive than the national average of $148 a year.
Discounts
American Family may offer you a discount for:
Bundling multiple policies.
Having a qualifying smart home device.
Signing up for paperless billing or autopay.
Paying your premium in full, upfront.
Having your American Family renters policy for at least a year.
Being between ages 18 and 30 and having parents who are American Family customers.
Discount availability may vary by state.
Consumer complaints
American Family received far fewer than the expected number of home insurance complaints to state regulators relative to its size, according to three years’ worth of data from the National Association of Insurance Commissioners. (NAIC home insurance complaints also cover other home policy types, including mobile home, renters and condo insurance.)
Consumer experience
Website: American Family’s comprehensive website features general insurance advice plus plenty of specifics about the company’s policies. You can use the site to get a quote, report and track claims, pay your bill, and find an agent.
App: The MyAmFam app is similarly useful, allowing you to see policy details, schedule payments, file and track claims, and contact your agent.
Claims: American Family offers several ways to file claims, including online, through the app or by phone at 800-692-6326.
Customer service: For support, you can call 800-692-6326, contact your local agent, send an email through the website or chat with a virtual assistant.
Other renters insurance companies to consider
Not ready to make a decision? You may be interested in these other renters insurance companies:
Methodology
Renters insurance star ratings methodology
NerdWallet’s renters insurance ratings reward companies for customer-first features and practices. Ratings are based on weighted averages of scores in several categories, including financial strength, consumer complaints, coverage options, discounts and online experience. These ratings are a guide, but we encourage you to shop around and compare several insurance quotes to find the best rate for you. NerdWallet does not receive compensation for any reviews. Read our full renters insurance rating methodology.
Insurer complaints methodology
NerdWallet examined complaints received by state insurance regulators and reported to the National Association of Insurance Commissioners in 2021-2023. To assess how insurers compare to one another, the NAIC calculates a complaint index each year for each subsidiary, measuring its share of total complaints relative to its size, or share of total premiums in the industry. To evaluate a company’s complaint history, NerdWallet calculated a similar index for each insurer, weighted by market shares of each subsidiary, over the three-year period. NerdWallet conducts its data analysis and reaches conclusions independently and without the endorsement of the NAIC. Ratios are determined separately for auto, home (including renters and condo) and life insurance.
Renters insurance rates methodology
To find the average cost of renters insurance in the U.S., NerdWallet calculated the median rate for 30-year-old tenants from multiple insurance companies in every ZIP code across all 50 states and Washington, D.C. Sample tenants were nonsmokers with good credit and no recent claims, living in a two-bedroom apartment. They had a $500 deductible and the following coverage limits:
$30,000 in personal property coverage.
$100,000 in liability coverage.
$10,000 in additional living expenses coverage.
$1,000 in medical payments coverage.
We made minor changes to the sample policy in cases where rates for the above coverage limits or deductibles weren’t available.
We then compared the insurer's median rates to the median rates for other companies.
These are sample rates generated through Quadrant Information Services. Your own rates will be different.
In This Review . . .
