American Family Renters Insurance Review

If you’re one of the over 45 million households that rent a place to call home, and you also love your pet with all your might, you should consider a pet-friendly renters insurance policy from American Family. While state laws do not require you to carry a policy, many reputable landlords require it as part of your lease agreement.

However, the policy is more beneficial for you. It provides coverage in case of damage to or theft of your personal property, and living expenses in the event that your home becomes uninhabitable. Furthermore, if your pet damages a guest’s property or causes physical harm, your policy may cover related expenses.

Before you rush to purchase your policy, let’s take a deep dive into the benefits of one of the best, with our American Family Renters Insurance review, one of our top contenders on our list of the best renters’ insurance companies for pet owners.

About American Family Renters Insurance

American Family Insurance is a nearly 100-year-old company, originally started as Farmers Mutual Automobile Insurance Company in Madison, Wisconsin. Over the years, the company has expanded its insurance offerings to include coverage for vehicles, RVs & campers, boats, ATVs, snowmobiles, homes, rentals, personal property, pets, life, and even travel.

With a mission to inspire, protect, and restore dreams, American Family Insurance has served thousands of customers and won multiple awards, including being named to the Ward’s Top 50 for 18 consecutive years.

Features and Benefits

American Family Renters Insurance Company provides coverage in every possible instance. Especially impressive is its expansive loss of use coverage, which provides for additional living expenses, transportation costs, added food costs, increased utilities, parking fees, and pet boarding costs in the event your home becomes uninhabitable.

While American Family offers outstanding coverage with its standard policy, you can choose to add on multiple protections tailored to your specific needs. Whether you need additional pet protection, require coverage during a trip, want to monitor your credit, or require insurance in case of a flood, you can find a suitable policy.

• Medical coverage for visitor injury
• Personal property coverage after theft
• Liability coverage extends to dog bites
• Expansive loss of use coverage
• Pet boarding covered under loss of use
• Pet insurance add-on available
• Itemization of valuable items up to $2,000
• Identity theft protection add-on
• Optional home-based business coverage
• Travel protection extension

Pet Coverage Details

If you’re a pet parent residing in a rental home, you’ll love American Family Renters Insurance. Within your policy, which covers your personal property and damage that may occur to your rental property, you can rest assured that your renters’ insurance policy will also cover expenses related to your pet. These include incidents such as your pet damaging a visitor’s property or biting a visitor or their pet.

Please note that each policy includes restrictions. This means that while you may carry a renters insurance policy, there are some things it won’t cover. Exclusions include:

• Damage to YOUR personal property caused by your pet
• Damage to your rental property caused by your pet
• Bites from dogs with a history of biting
• Damages caused by certain breeds, overweight dogs, or unneutered males
• Damages caused by pets not approved by your landlord
• Damages caused by certain exotic pets
• Injury to your pet

While the renters’ insurance does not provide medical payments for your pet’s healthcare, you can easily bundle pet health insurance with your policy for full coverage. A quality Pet Health Insurance policy covers your pet’s care, whether due to an unexpected injury, an illness, or other urgent need. It’ll even cover hospitalization and surgery.

American Family Renters Insurance Reviews: Editorial Rating

Trusted Company Reviews Rating Score for American Family Insurance: 9.6

American Family Insurance provides policies to cover all your most prized possessions. This includes:

• American Family homeowners’ insurance
• American Family car insurance
• American Family umbrella coverage
• American Family pet insurance

Its long list of available policies makes bundling a cinch, an option that can quickly save you up to 7% on your premiums.

Another thing we love about the company is its automatic diminishing deductible. To save you more each year, American Family rewards you for continuing your policy by reducing your deductible by $100 annually at the time of your policy renewal.

This continues for a full 5 years, after which you’ll save a total of $500 on your deductible amount. Worried the amount will increase after you file a renters insurance claim? Don’t! American Family won’t reverse your savings due to policy use.

While its deductible options are limited compared to some competitors, the range is solid and pairs well with the affordable monthly premiums.

Why We Like It

American Family Insurance makes coverage and savings easy with its quick, online quote process and long list of discount options. To start your quote, all you’ll need is your address, the type of home you live in, the number of people living with you, and your contact information. Without even speaking to an agent, you’ll receive an estimate of the cost of your renter’s insurance and can compare different policy options.

Did we mention discounts? When you purchase your policy, you’ll find loads of options for saving money on your premiums. These include:

• Up to 7% for bundling with other insurance policies
• $5 monthly savings by enrolling in paperless billing
• Discounts for installing certain smart devices
• Annual pay discount
• Reduced renters insurance rates for loyal American Family customers
• Savings for the children of loyal customers

Furthermore, when initiating your policy, you’ll get the best average rate when:

• You haven’t filed a property insurance claim within the last 5 years
• You’re not operating a business from your home
• You’re not subletting or subleasing the property to another tenant

What We Don’t Like

The biggest downfall we’ve found with American Family Renters’ Insurance is availability. Currently, only offering policies in 19 states makes them unavailable to the majority of the country. However, its outstanding coverage is open to these states:

American Family Renters Insurance Customer Reviews

Customer reviews for American Family Insurance found on TrustPilot were overwhelmingly positive, with many praising the organization for its outstanding customer service and personalized attention. It currently has an average rating of 4.4 out of 5 stars overall.

American Family Insurance is A+ rated by the Better Business Bureau. The rating is calculated based on its length of time in business and a limited complaint history.

However, despite receiving several 5-star reviews for its excellent customer service, its overall rating is only 1.16 stars out of 5. Most dissatisfied customers reported being frustrated with rate hikes and a lack of communication.

Who Is American Family Renters Insurance Best For?

American Family Renters Insurance is a fantastic option for anyone residing in one of its available locations who would like the option to select from several tiers of coverage. While the basic coverage is comparable to that of some competitors, the second and third-tier options stand out.

For those who require additional coverage for high-value items, such as jewelry or furs, the premium tier is essential. Furthermore, pet parents who want the option to bundle pet health insurance will love the available bundle discount.

American Family Insurance Vs State Farm

American Family Insurance and State Farm Insurance both offer fantastic coverage options for renters. However, some distinct differences set them apart from one another.

For starters, State Farm renter’s insurance is available in one basic tier. Conversely, American Family Renter’s Insurance is available in three tiers, each with its own benefits. The Premier tier is the most costly, but provides high-value coverage for personal property, living expenses, personal liability, and more. The mid-grade tier, Traditional, offers many of the same coverage options at lower values.

For instance, the maximum for jewelry and furs is $2,500, whereas the Premier option provides a maximum of $5,000. Lastly, for the most cost-conscious consumers, the Economy tier provides outstanding basic coverage, but without the added coverage for things such as jewelry, gemstones, watches, and furs.

The most significant benefit of utilizing State Farm over American Family is its greater availability. American Family Renter’s Insurance policies are only currently available in 19 states, whereas State Farm provides coverage across 47 states and the District of Columbia.

Filing a Claim with American Family Renters Insurance

Filing a claim with American Family Insurance is simple. Start by gathering information about your policy and the event. This includes:

• Your login information
• Date and time of the incident
• Details of the occurrence

Next, choose one of several methods for filing your claim. If you have access, you can file the claim information on the American Family Insurance MyAmfam app. If you don’t have the app, you can log in to your account via the American Family Insurance website. Finally, if you’d prefer to speak with an agent, you can call American Family 24/7 at 1-800-MYAMFAM.

American Family Renters Insurance Alternatives

American Family offers strong protection and pet-friendly options, but its limited availability in only 19 states means many renters can’t access its policies. If you want broader availability, faster digital claims, or more flexible customization, one of these top alternatives in our overview of the best renters’ insurance companies for pet owners could be a better fit.

• State Farm: Nationwide coverage, low average premiums, and access to thousands of local agents for in-person service.
• Lemonade: Tech-driven policies with AI-powered claims and low monthly rates starting around $5.
• Nationwide: Highly customizable coverage and a wide range of deductible options for renters across 46 states.
• Erie: Strong customer satisfaction and replacement-cost protection included at no extra charge, ideal for renters in its 12-state service area.

Frequently Asked Questions

Conclusion

American Family Renters Insurance stands out for its exceptional coverage options, particularly for pet owners who want protection beyond the basics. With flexible policy tiers, generous loss-of-use benefits, and the ability to bundle pet health insurance, it’s a top choice for renters seeking well-rounded protection.

While its limited state availability may be a drawback for some, those within its coverage area can enjoy peace of mind knowing their home, belongings, and furry companions are protected. For a broader comparison of coverage options and providers, explore our overview of the best renters’ insurance companies for pet owners.

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Tammy McKinney