Amica Mutual Renters Insurance Review of 2023
Renters insurance provides protection to replace renters’ personal property and shield them from liability. Every renter should have enough renters insurance coverage to protect them if their belongings are damaged, destroyed, or stolen, or if someone sustains an injury or property damage while in their rental home or apartment.
At PropertyNest, we want all renters to be protected but we also recognize that the process of evaluating insurance companies and choosing one can be overwhelming since there are many options available. Amica is a well-known and well-respected insurance company with a good reputation and a history of providing affordable insurance.
In this review, we’ll look at Amica’s history, its renters insurance coverage, the average cost of renters insurance, how Amica compares with other renters insurance companies, and review the pros and cons of choosing Amica for your renters insurance.
Amica Mutual History and Overview
Amica Mutual Insurance has been in operation for over a century, having gotten its start back in Providence, Rhode Island in 1907, making it the nation’s oldest mutual insurer of automobiles. As a mutual company, Amica is owned by its policyholders, not by stockholders as is usually the case.
While the company got its start selling car insurance, it has since expanded to offer homeowners insurance, renters insurance, life insurance, marine insurance, and other products. The company outgrew its original premises in Providence and today is headquartered in nearby Lincoln, Rhode Island.
Amica prides itself on tailoring coverage to policyholders’ needs, which is important for renters who want to be sure they get the right coverage for their specific circumstances.
Financial and Customer Service Ratings
There are many methods you can use to evaluate an insurance company, but financial and customer service ratings are essential to any evaluation.
We consider financial ratings in our reviews because they serve as an indication of an insurance company’s stability and claims paying ability, both of which are key to your choice of renters insurance companies. High financial ratings can provide some peace of mind that you can expect that if you file a claim, it will be investigated and verified in a timely manner and paid quickly. A company with strong financial ratings is also unlikely to collapse or go out of business, which means you can feel comfortable trusting them to protect you.
High customer service ratings are likewise important because you want an insurance company that prioritizes your needs and will be there to help you if you have a question or need to file a claim.
The A.M. Best rating indicates excellent financial strength and stability, meaning that you can trust Amica to pay your claims.
The ratings from the Better Business Bureau, J.D.Power, and NAIC all indicate excellent customer service and a lower than average volume of customer complaints when compared to other insurance companies.
Ratings shouldn’t be your only consideration, but they can be a helpful benchmark when comparing renters insurance companies.
| J.D. Power (out of 1,000) | 854 |
|---|---|
| A.M. Best - Financial Strength Rating | A+ |
| BBB | A+ |
| NAIC Complaint Index | 0.32 |
Amica Renters Insurance Overview
Renters insurance is not required by law in any state, but some landlords require proof of renters insurance because it protects their tenants and reduces the risk of conflicts in the event a tenant’s property is damaged.
Your renters insurance policy will cover your personal belongings up to the policy limit whether they are in your rental unit or not when they are damaged, destroyed, or stolen.
At PropertyNest, we highly recommend that all renters have a renters insurance policy because a landlord’s property insurance doesn’t protect tenants’ personal property or their personal liability.
Policies & Coverage
Amica offers standard coverage that’s typical of renters insurance with some differences related to the amount of coverage that’s available.
Here’s what’s covered under Amica’s standard renters insurance policy.
- Personal property. Personal property protection protects your furniture, clothing, electronics, small appliances, and other belongings; keep in mind that high-value items must be scheduled separately.
- Personal liability. Your personal liability will be covered up to the policy limit if you are personally liable for either an injury to a guest or for the destruction or damage of their personal property while they are in your home.
- Guest medical. Amica will cover a portion of the medical expenses incurred by a guest if you are found to be liable for their injuries.
- Loss of use. Loss of use coverage provides reimbursement for additional living expenses if you cannot live in your rental unit. It pays for the difference between your rent and the cost to stay in a hotel as well as restaurant meals and other related expenses.
Amica also offers a selection of additional coverages that may be added to your renters insurance policy, as follows.
- Replacement cost coverage. Amica’s standard policy will pay you the actual cash value of your personal belongings; upgrading to replacement cost coverage will provide enough money to replace your items with new ones.
- Scheduled valuables. Any high-value items you own, including electronics, jewelry, or artwork, must be scheduled separately if you want them to be covered.
- Smart devices and computers. Amica offers unique coverage to protect electronics in your home, including your computers, laptops, smart phones, and smart devices.
- Identity fraud. You can purchase separate coverage to protect you in the event someone steals your identity or uses your credit card without authorization.
Amica doesn’t provide some of the common add-ons for renters insurance, with earthquake insurance being a key example.
Limits
Amica offers generous limits on its renters insurance with plenty of options to cover renters at all income levels.
Here are the limits for Amica’s renters insurance.
- Personal property: No maximum limit
- Loss of use: 20% of personal property limit
- Personal liability: up to $1,000,000
- Medical payments to others: Minimum of $1,000; maximum of $5,000
- Deductible: $100 and up
The availability of a $100 deductible is something that also sets Amica apart, although you should expect a higher premium if you opt for the lowest deductible.
Discounts
Amica offers a total of five potential discounts to help renters save on renters insurance.
- Automatic payments. If you enroll in automatic payments, you’ll get a break on your renters insurance premium.
- Bundling. Amica says you can save up to 15% by bundling your renters insurance with auto insurance.
- Claims free. You’ll earn a discount by going three years without filing a renters insurance claim.
- E-discount. Get a break on your premium by agreeing to receive your policy and bills electronically.
- Loyalty. If you were with your previous insurance carrier for at least two years, you can qualify for a loyalty discount and the discount may increase with additional time.
Keep in mind that you can layer discounts and if you qualify for two or more discounts, you can save a significant amount on your renters insurance.
Prices
The national average cost of renters insurance is $17 per month, which works out to $206 per year.
According to PropertyNest research, the average cost of Amica renters insurance is $16.35 per month or $196.2 per year.
Of course, you should take into consideration that choosing high policy limits or adding endorsement coverage will increase your costs and may put your premium above the national average.
The same is true of deductibles: choosing a low deductible will increase your premium, and choosing a high one will reduce it.
Claims
Amica has created a system that makes it easy to file a claim, with options to do so online by using live chat or their online claims form, or by phone using their toll free number.
The toll free number for claims filing or tracking is (800) 242-6422.
You should make sure to have information about your claim available before you file, including:
- The date and time of your claim
- The nature of the property that was damaged, destroyed, or stolen
- The location of the incident in question
- The cause of damage or injury
- Your contact information
- Details of injuries, if applicable
You can track the status of your claim online using the same methods available for filing a claim, including live chat and telephone.
After you file a claim, make sure to note your claim number because you will need it to follow and check the status of your claim.
Customer Service Options & Availability
It’s always important to choose a renters insurance company with excellent customer service because you want the experience of filing a claim to be as stress-free as possible.
Amica offers five ways to get customer support.
Online Support
You can get help by visiting Amica’s customer support page to view links to resources and specific options for customer support.
There is a live chat option for customer support that’s available from 6 AM to midnight EST Monday through Friday, and from 7 AM to midnight on weekends; there is claims chat available from 8 AM to 9 PM on weekdays and from 10 AM t0 5:30 PM on Saturdays.
Phone Support
Phone support for renters insurance is available by calling (800) 242-6422 between 6 AM and 1 AM on weekdays and between 7 AM and midnight on weekends, and claims support is available at the same number 24/7.
Mobile Support
Amica has a free mobile app, and you can get support within the app, including options to file and track claims and receive technical support.
Email Support
If you prefer email support, Amica has an easy-to-use contact page where you can submit a request for help and receive a return email.
In-Person Support
Amica has offices in 44 locations around the United States and if you prefer in-person support, you can locate an office by visiting this page and entering your zip code.
How Does Amica Compare with Other Renters Insurance Companies?
Before you make a decision about whether to buy renters insurance from Amica, let’s see how the company compares with two of its top competitors, State Farm and Allstate.
| Company | National Monthly Average Sample Rate |
|---|---|
| Lemonade | $9.57 |
| State Farm | $10.83 |
| USAA | $13.70 |
| Allstate | $15.17 |
| Amica Mutual | $16.35 |
| Liberty Mutual | $16.38 |
| Progressive | $21.01 |
| Travelers | $22.14 |
| GEICO | $29.37 |
Amica vs. State Farm
Both Amica and State Farm are well-established companies with excellent financial and customer service ratings.
One difference between the two is in where coverage is available: Amica provides insurance in 48 states and the District of Columbia, with the two exceptions being Alaska and Hawaii.
State Farm is also available in 48 states and Washington D.C., with the two exceptions being Massachusetts and Rhode Island.
Amica outperforms State Farm when it comes to available discounts, providing five, while State Farm has only two: bundling and a discount for home protective devices.
On the other hand, State Farm comes out slightly ahead on costs with an average monthly premium of $10.83 per month compared to $16.35 for Amica.
State Farm also wins when it comes to additional coverage options because they provide add-ons for earthquake protection, inflation coverage, cyber-attacks, pet insurance, and a personal liability umbrella policy.
The comparison goes in favor of State Farm with coverage limits too, because while both companies have no maximum limit on personal property coverage, State Farm also has no limit on the loss of use coverage while Amica caps coverage at 20% of the personal property limit of the policy.
Amica has the edge with deductible options because they offer deductibles as low as $100, while the lowest deductible available with State Farm is $500.
Both companies offer excellent customer service, with one key difference being that State Farm uses agents while Amica does not.
Finally, Amica is a mutual company that pays dividends to policyholders, while State Farm is not.
Read a full State Farm renters insurance review.
Amica vs. Allstate
Allstate is another large and well-regarded insurance company, but let’s see how it stacks up against Amica.
Unlike Amica, Allstate renters insurance is available in all 50 states and the District of Columbia, while Amica is not yet available in Alaska or Hawaii.
Amica edges out Allstate on renters insurance discounts, with five compared to Allstate’s three for bundling, autopay, and a special discount for people over 55 who have retired.
Amica also has better options for personal property coverage with no maximum limit, while the maximum limit for Allstate is $150,000.
Both companies offer excellent customer support, but here again, we give Amica the edge because they offer live chat, telephone, email, mobile, and in-person support, while Allstate offers telephone, mobile, and agent support.
Coverage limits are a mixed bag, with Amica winning on personal property limits with its unlimited coverage compared to Allstate’s maximum of $150,000. Still, Allstate beat out Amica with unlimited loss-of-use coverage.
Finally, Allstate has the edge on costs with an average of $15.17 per month compared to Amica’s average of $16.35.
Read a full Allstate renters insurance review.
Summary and Conclusion
Overall, our review of Amica’s renters insurance indicates that they are a trustworthy company with the strength and stability to pay claims and serve their policyholders well.
Their financial strength has earned them one of the highest possible ratings from the A.M. Best company, while their customer service ratings indicate a lower-than-average volume of customer complaints.
We appreciate that Amica doesn’t place a cap on personal property coverage and offers up to $1,000,000 of personal liability coverage, with deductibles as low as $100.
We also like that Amica offers a broad array of customer support options, with our only complaint being that they don’t offer support around the clock–although 24/7 assistance for claims is available.
Claims can be filed online, by phone, using live chat, or through the company’s well-received mobile application.
We wish that Amica would include more resources on its website and expand its selection of add-on coverages to include things like earthquake protection and pet insurance.
Overall, we believe that Amica is a good choice for renters who want reliable and affordable coverage, particularly those who want a high policy limit to protect their personal belongings.
As always, we recommend obtaining at least three renters insurance quotes from three different carriers to compare costs and coverages before you buy a policy.
