Tenant insurance (also called renters insurance) is a home insurance policy for people who rent. It protects what the landlord’s policy does not: your own belongings, your personal liability and your extra costs if you have to move out while a covered loss is repaired. Definitions on this page come from the Insurance Bureau of Canada (IBC) and Ontario’s insurance regulator, the Financial Services Regulatory Authority of Ontario (FSRA); landlord rules come from the Guide to Ontario’s standard lease on ontario.ca; insurer features come from each insurer’s own tenant insurance page, checked October 6, 2026. This page is general education, not insurance or legal advice, and the policy wording always decides what a claim pays.
What does tenant insurance cover?
Tenant insurance covers three things: your contents, your personal liability to others, and additional living expenses when a covered loss makes your home unlivable. IBC describes it as coverage for “your possessions in your apartment and while you’re away.”
How to read this table: Each insurer sets its own limits for these parts; the limits are in your policy declarations page.
| Coverage | What it pays for | Definition from |
|---|---|---|
| Contents (personal property) | Your possessions in your apartment and while you're away, such as clothes and most household items. | Insurance Bureau of Canada |
| Personal liability | Bodily injury or property damage you unintentionally cause to others, up to the limit, including damage you cause to the building. | Insurance Bureau of Canada |
| Additional living expenses | Unexpected expenses when you cannot live in your apartment because of a covered loss, subject to limits. | Insurance Bureau of Canada |
Source: Types of home coverage — Insurance Bureau of Canada (tenant/renter's insurance); Types of home coverage — IBC (additional living expense); Types of home coverage — IBC (personal liability); Types of home coverage — IBC (all risks vs named perils); Types of home coverage — IBC (uninsured perils); Types of home coverage — IBC (excluded perils); Types of home coverage — IBC (excluded perils, continued); Types of home coverage — IBC (water damage and add-ons); Types of home coverage — IBC (optional flood, earthquake and sewer backup); Types of home coverage — IBC (sudden and accidental water damage); Types of home coverage — IBC (freezing of plumbing); Types of home coverage — IBC (renting out your home); Helping you navigate property insurance — Financial Services Regulatory Authority of Ontario (questions to ask); Helping you navigate property insurance — FSRA (replacement cost, exclusions, water); Helping you navigate property insurance — FSRA (ways to reduce the premium); Helping you navigate property insurance — FSRA (switching timing). In effect from September 30, 2026; checked October 6, 2026.
Contents coverage is the part most renters think of first: furniture, clothes, electronics and other movable property, at home and, within the policy’s limits, while you’re away. Personal liability covers harm to others: IBC notes that tenants may be liable for damage they cause to the building or unintentional harm to people who live in or visit the property, and liability insurance is the coverage Ontario’s standard lease lets a landlord require. Additional living expenses (ALE) pay extra costs while a covered loss keeps you out of your unit, subject to limits; Co-operators and Desjardins both give hotel costs as an example.
The limits differ by insurer. RBC Insurance publishes a plan overview for its tenant policy: additional living expenses of up to 40% of the contents coverage, property in your vehicle covered for up to 100% of the contents coverage, liability coverage of $1,000,000 to $2,000,000, and a waiver on large claims: deductible waived if the claim exceeds $25,000. Sonnet recommends a liability limit of at least $1 million.
All risks or named perils?
IBC says you can insure your contents on an “all risks” basis, covering everything except what is specifically excluded, or a “named perils” basis, covering only the perils the policy lists. TD Insurance says its standard tenant policy includes All Risks coverage, with exclusions such as illegal activity and normal wear and tear. Square One says all its policies are comprehensive (all-risk), and RBC Insurance lists All Perils coverage on belongings. When two quotes both say all risks, the exclusions list is where they differ.
What does tenant insurance not cover?
Tenant insurance usually does not cover predictable or preventable damage, wear and tear, or pests, and earthquake, overland flooding and sewer backup cover is typically an optional extra. IBC puts it plainly: a home insurance policy is not a maintenance contract.
How to read this table: General exclusions across home, condo and tenant policies. Your policy wording may add or remove items.
| Usually excluded | What IBC says |
|---|---|
| Predictable or preventable events | A policy is not a maintenance contract: flooding of a home built on a flood plain and frozen indoor pipes are examples IBC gives. |
| Freezing of indoor plumbing | If you're away more than four days in the heating season, drain the plumbing or have the home checked to keep the heat on. |
| Earthquakes, landslides and other earth movement | Not covered on a home policy (fire or explosion caused by earth movement is); earthquake cover may be available as a separate optional coverage. |
| Overland flooding and sewer backup | Not part of standard water damage cover; may be available as optional add-ons. |
| Insects and rodents | Damage by insects and rodents is excluded. |
| Intentional or criminal acts, illegally acquired property, pollution, war, terrorism, nuclear risks | Listed by IBC among excluded perils. |
| Renting out a property without telling the insurer | IBC guidance for anyone planning to rent out a primary or secondary property: contact your insurer first; failing to do so can void coverage. |
Source: Types of home coverage — Insurance Bureau of Canada (tenant/renter's insurance); Types of home coverage — IBC (additional living expense); Types of home coverage — IBC (personal liability); Types of home coverage — IBC (all risks vs named perils); Types of home coverage — IBC (uninsured perils); Types of home coverage — IBC (excluded perils); Types of home coverage — IBC (excluded perils, continued); Types of home coverage — IBC (water damage and add-ons); Types of home coverage — IBC (optional flood, earthquake and sewer backup); Types of home coverage — IBC (sudden and accidental water damage); Types of home coverage — IBC (freezing of plumbing); Types of home coverage — IBC (renting out your home); Helping you navigate property insurance — Financial Services Regulatory Authority of Ontario (questions to ask); Helping you navigate property insurance — FSRA (replacement cost, exclusions, water); Helping you navigate property insurance — FSRA (ways to reduce the premium); Helping you navigate property insurance — FSRA (switching timing). In effect from September 30, 2026; checked October 6, 2026.
Insurers repeat the same pattern on their own pages. Desjardins says defects, wear and tear and gradual deterioration are not covered, and that damage by vermin, insects, birds, rodents, raccoons or bats is not covered. Intact says standard tenant insurance typically doesn't include overland flooding and lists an Enhanced Water Damage Package as an add-on; Allstate’s enhanced water damage option lists up to $10,000 for related expenses. Two other gaps catch renters out. Business equipment: belairdirect says business equipment and supplies are treated as commercial and not covered. And high-value items: Co-operators says most base policies cap items such as jewellery at $6,000 total or $4,000 per item, with extra coverage available for more expensive pieces.
Can a landlord require tenant insurance in Ontario?
Yes, if the lease says so. Ontario’s standard lease has a tenant insurance section where the landlord and tenant agree whether the tenant must have liability insurance, and the tenant must show proof of coverage if asked.
How to read this table: Paraphrased closely from the ontario.ca guide; the quoted wording is in the source record.
| Topic | What the Guide to Ontario’s standard lease says |
|---|---|
| Liability insurance | The landlord and tenant can agree in the lease whether the tenant must have liability insurance. |
| Proof of coverage | If the landlord asks for proof of coverage, the tenant must provide it. |
| Contents insurance | It is up to the tenant to get contents insurance if they want it. |
| Which leases | The standard lease is required for most residential tenancy agreements signed on or after April 30, 2018 (not care homes, mobile home parks, land lease communities, most social and supportive housing, co-ops and certain special tenancies). |
| Limits of a lease | A lease cannot take away a right or responsibility under the Residential Tenancies Act. |
Source: Guide to Ontario's standard lease — Ontario.ca (section 11, Tenants insurance); Guide to Ontario's standard lease — Ontario.ca (contents insurance); Guide to Ontario's standard lease — Ontario.ca (who must use the standard lease); Guide to Ontario's standard lease — Ontario.ca (exceptions); Guide to Ontario's standard lease — Ontario.ca (lease cannot override the act); Guide to Ontario's standard lease — Ontario.ca (Landlord and Tenant Board contact). In effect from April 30, 2018; checked October 6, 2026.
The guide’s own words for section 11: “a landlord and tenant can agree whether the tenant must have liability insurance. If the landlord asks for proof of coverage, the tenant must provide it.” It adds: “It is up to the tenant to get contents insurance if they want it.” So the insurance section of the standard lease is about liability insurance, and the guide leaves contents insurance to the tenant.
The standard lease is required for most residential tenancy agreements signed on or after April 30, 2018, but not for care homes, mobile home parks, land lease communities, most social and supportive housing, co-ops and certain special tenancies. A lease also cannot take away a right or responsibility under the Residential Tenancies Act. The guide points to Ontario’s Landlord and Tenant Board for information about landlords’ and tenants’ rights and responsibilities under the act.
This page covers Ontario’s lease rule only and does not describe other provinces’ rules. For the national picture, insurers’ own pages are the source here: Co-operators says tenant insurance is not legally required in Canada, but some landlords require it before renting.
How much is tenant insurance in Canada?
Three of the nine insurers checked publish a tenant price of their own. TD Insurance publishes average premiums by region, Sonnet a national median, and Square One an advertised starting price. Intact’s page cites a third-party cost range instead of its own prices, and the remaining five publish no tenant price.
| Insurer | Published figure | What the figure describes |
|---|---|---|
| TD Insurance, Ontario | $364 a year (as of July 25, 2025) | Average paid by new customers in a partner professional or alumni group |
| TD Insurance, Alberta, B.C., Saskatchewan, Manitoba and territories | $483 a year (as of July 25, 2025) | Same basis as above |
| TD Insurance, Quebec | $467 a year (as of July 25, 2025) | Same basis as above |
| TD Insurance, Atlantic Canada | $315 a year (as of July 25, 2025) | Same basis as above |
| Sonnet, Canada | $382 a year (median, Sonnet policies as of February 2024) | Median across all Sonnet tenant policies |
| Square One | from $15 a month (advertised starting price) | Square One’s advertised starting price, not a typical premium |
In sentences: TD Insurance says new Ontario customers who belong to a partner professional or alumni group paid an average of $364 a year (as of July 25, 2025), about $30 a month. Its averages elsewhere are $483 a year (as of July 25, 2025) in Alberta, B.C., Saskatchewan, Manitoba and the territories, $467 a year (as of July 25, 2025) in Quebec and $315 a year (as of July 25, 2025) in Atlantic Canada. TD priced those averages on a sample policy with a $1,000 deductible, $15,000 of additional living expenses and $1,000,000 of third-party liability. Sonnet’s median is $382 a year (median, Sonnet policies as of February 2024), about $32 a month. Square One advertises from $15 a month (advertised starting price), which is $180 a year at the starting price.
Read these as ranges, not quotes. TD’s figures are group-member averages, Sonnet’s median is more than two years old, and a starting price is the lowest premium an insurer advertises, not a typical one. TD Insurance says the cost varies with the deductible chosen, whether the rental is in a city or small town, and claims history; Sonnet names where the rental is, the building’s structure and age, past claims and information about the renter.
Tenant insurers compared at a glance
| Feature | How you buy | Standout feature (from the insurer's page) | Savings the insurer names | Where it sells (as stated) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| TD Insurance | Online quote and purchase, or by phone with a licensed advisor | All Risks coverage on belongings is included in the standard tenant policy; exclusions include illegal activity and normal wear and tear | 10% off the first policy term when the tenant policy is bought online (outside Quebec) | Averages published for every province and territory |
| Sonnet | an online tenant quote in minutes | quotes are saved for 45 days, or until the chosen start date if sooner | Bundling, group and affinity (employees, professionals, alumni), claims-free and multi-location savings | Ontario, Quebec, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, P.E.I., B.C. and Alberta |
| Square One | a personalized online quote in 5 minutes | Bicycles and sports equipment, business property, fine art and collectibles, and jewellery and watches are insured separately, only if chosen | Monthly or annual payments; cancel any time with no penalty | British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Ontario and Quebec |
| belairdirect | quote, customize and buy online instantly | Enhanced Water Damage Package available as an add-on | Savings for members of eligible groups | Alberta, Ontario, Quebec, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Newfoundland and Labrador, P.E.I. and B.C. (home only in B.C.) |
| Co-operators | quote and buy online | items in storage are covered for up to 60 days; belongings are covered during a move | any deductible over $1,000 drops by $100 for each claims-free year | Not listed on the tenant page |
| Desjardins | Online quote, with online purchase if eligible | up to 2 roommates on the same policy | Double Contract discount for insuring car and home together | Ontario version of the tenant page read; the site opens on Quebec by default |
| RBC Insurance | Online quote by postal code, or a licensed advisor by phone | All Perils coverage on personal belongings, amount set per policy | Higher deductible, combining policies, home security system | Not listed on the tenant page |
| Intact Insurance | through one of the 2,000 brokerages it works with, by phone, or with an online quote | a 24-hour advice and legal support line, listed under programs and add-ons, covering identity theft and landlord-tenant disputes | Home and car bundle, alarm systems, no recent claims | Not listed on the tenant page |
| Allstate Canada | an online quote in less than 3 minutes | One-on-one meetings with local agents | Bundling tenant and car insurance | Not listed on the tenant page |
Sources: each insurer's tenant insurance page, checked October 6, 2026. 'Not listed' means the tenant page did not state provinces; ask the insurer.
The table in sentences, insurer by insurer. TD Insurance takes 10% off the first policy term when the tenant policy is bought online (outside Quebec), and 5% off the first policy term in Quebec. TD also offers optional identity theft coverage. Sonnet gives an online tenant quote in minutes and holds it: quotes are saved for 45 days, or until the chosen start date if sooner. It sells home insurance online in Ontario, Quebec, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, P.E.I., B.C. and Alberta, and roommates on the lease can be added to share one policy. Square One gives a personalized online quote in 5 minutes, standard deductibles of $250 to $5,000, and serves British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Ontario and Quebec; you can pay monthly or annually and cancel any time with no penalty. It also sells an optional tenant’s protection coverage for sudden, accidental damage to the unit itself.
belairdirect lets you quote, customize and buy online instantly, and sells home insurance in Alberta, Ontario, Quebec, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Newfoundland and Labrador, P.E.I. and B.C. (home only in B.C.). Co-operators offers a personalized online quote in a few minutes, with buy-online available, covers belongings during a move and for a limited period in storage, and says any deductible over $1,000 drops by $100 for each claims-free year. Desjardins, on the Ontario version of its tenant page, can cover up to 2 roommates on the same policy, says dependent full-time students can be covered under their parents’ Desjardins home policy, and offers liability of $1 million minimum, $2 million option, $5 million maximum. RBC Insurance publishes a full plan table, including a standard deductible of $1,000. Intact sells through one of the 2,000 brokerages it works with, by phone, or with an online quote. Allstate Canada offers an online quote in less than 3 minutes and one-on-one meetings with local agents.
Which tenant insurance is best in Ontario?
No single insurer is best for every Ontario renter; the right match depends on how you want to buy and what you need covered. TD Insurance, Sonnet, Square One and belairdirect state on their tenant pages that they sell in Ontario; Desjardins serves an Ontario version of its tenant page. The other four did not list provinces there; a quote by postal code or a call confirms availability.
Matching features to situations, using only what the insurers publish:
- Want to buy entirely online and pay less for doing so: TD Insurance’s online discount is 10% off the first policy term when the tenant policy is bought online (outside Quebec), and belairdirect and Sonnet both sell online end to end.
- Want a price you can hold while you apartment-hunt: Sonnet says quotes are saved for 45 days, or until the chosen start date if sooner.
- Own little, or own a few specific valuables: Square One insures specialty items only if you choose them, instead of building them into every policy.
- Share a unit: Sonnet adds roommates who are on the lease; Desjardins covers up to 2 roommates on the same policy.
- A student living away from home: Desjardins says a dependent full-time student can be covered under a parent’s Desjardins home policy, if the parents tell the insurer where the student lives and which belongings to insure.
- Prefer advice from a person: Intact sells through brokers, Allstate through local agents, and Co-operators through financial representatives.
When an Ontario landlord asks for proof of coverage under section 11 of the standard lease, the section is about liability insurance, so the proof in question is proof of liability coverage.
How much contents coverage do you need?
The starting point Desjardins describes is the cost of replacing what you own. It suggests taking stock of your belongings and pricing what it would cost to replace them, with photos and receipts kept somewhere safe, and points to IBC’s personal property inventory form.
A worked example with hypothetical numbers: a renter lists $9,000 of furniture, $6,000 of electronics, $4,000 of clothing and $3,000 of kitchenware and other items, for a total of $22,000. A policy with $25,000 of contents coverage would leave some room for things forgotten on the list. On RBC Insurance’s tenant plan, additional living expenses are up to 40% of the contents coverage, which at that example contents limit would be $10,000 of additional living expenses.
Two details change the answer. Special limits: Co-operators caps items such as jewellery at $6,000 total or $4,000 per item on most base policies, and says more expensive items can be insured specifically. And replacement cost versus actual cash value: FSRA lists this as one of the questions to ask. Square One, for example, says belongings are protected on a replacement cost basis, which Square One describes as the full cost of replacing stolen or damaged items.
How to compare tenant insurance quotes
Compare quotes on the same limits and deductible, then compare what differs: exclusions, water add-ons, special limits and how claims are handled. FSRA’s consumer page lists the questions to ask an agent or broker.
How to read this table: From FSRA's 'Helping you navigate property insurance' page, written for home insurance and equally useful for tenant policies.
| Question to ask |
|---|
| What does the policy cover and to what extent? |
| When does coverage begin, and for how long? |
| Does it pay replacement cost or actual cash value? |
| What liability does it cover? |
| What is the claim process? |
| How much are the deductibles? |
| What does it exclude? Ask for an example of when an exclusion would apply. |
| Are your valuables covered, and would they need appraisals? |
| Is a locker or storage unit covered? |
| Does it cover overland water (floods) and sewer backup, and to what amount? |
| Is there a discount for combining home and auto, or for making the home more disaster resistant? |
Source: Types of home coverage — Insurance Bureau of Canada (tenant/renter's insurance); Types of home coverage — IBC (additional living expense); Types of home coverage — IBC (personal liability); Types of home coverage — IBC (all risks vs named perils); Types of home coverage — IBC (uninsured perils); Types of home coverage — IBC (excluded perils); Types of home coverage — IBC (excluded perils, continued); Types of home coverage — IBC (water damage and add-ons); Types of home coverage — IBC (optional flood, earthquake and sewer backup); Types of home coverage — IBC (sudden and accidental water damage); Types of home coverage — IBC (freezing of plumbing); Types of home coverage — IBC (renting out your home); Helping you navigate property insurance — Financial Services Regulatory Authority of Ontario (questions to ask); Helping you navigate property insurance — FSRA (replacement cost, exclusions, water); Helping you navigate property insurance — FSRA (ways to reduce the premium); Helping you navigate property insurance — FSRA (switching timing). In effect from September 30, 2026; checked October 6, 2026.
A practical checklist built from those questions and the insurer pages on this page:
- Same contents limit on every quote. Use your inventory total, not a guess.
- Same liability limit. An Ontario lease can require liability insurance, and the limit on each quote is the number to line up. Sonnet recommends at least $1 million, and RBC Insurance’s plan offers $1,000,000 to $2,000,000.
- Same deductible. RBC Insurance’s standard deductible is $1,000; Square One offers $250 to $5,000.
- Replacement cost or actual cash value on contents.
- Water add-ons priced separately: sewer backup and overland water, especially for basement or ground-floor units.
- Special limits on jewellery, bikes, electronics and business property.
- Storage and moving: is a locker covered, and for how long?
- Roommates: one shared policy or separate policies.
- Discounts you actually qualify for: buying online, bundling with car insurance, group membership (alumni, employer, professional), claims-free history and alarm systems all appear on these insurers’ pages.
- Cancellation terms. FSRA suggests switching at renewal to avoid a cancellation penalty; Square One says its policies can be cancelled any time with no penalty.
| Tip |
|---|
| Get and compare quotes from different insurance companies, brokers and agents. |
| Ask about multi-policy discounts and other discounts you may qualify for. |
| Review your coverage every year and adjust it. |
| Switch at renewal rather than mid-policy to avoid a cancellation penalty. |
Source: Types of home coverage — Insurance Bureau of Canada (tenant/renter's insurance); Types of home coverage — IBC (additional living expense); Types of home coverage — IBC (personal liability); Types of home coverage — IBC (all risks vs named perils); Types of home coverage — IBC (uninsured perils); Types of home coverage — IBC (excluded perils); Types of home coverage — IBC (excluded perils, continued); Types of home coverage — IBC (water damage and add-ons); Types of home coverage — IBC (optional flood, earthquake and sewer backup); Types of home coverage — IBC (sudden and accidental water damage); Types of home coverage — IBC (freezing of plumbing); Types of home coverage — IBC (renting out your home); Helping you navigate property insurance — Financial Services Regulatory Authority of Ontario (questions to ask); Helping you navigate property insurance — FSRA (replacement cost, exclusions, water); Helping you navigate property insurance — FSRA (ways to reduce the premium); Helping you navigate property insurance — FSRA (switching timing). In effect from September 30, 2026; checked October 6, 2026.
Is tenant insurance worth it?
It is a personal decision, and the published numbers give a sense of scale. Co-operators puts the average tenant personal property claim at $6,716 (2023-2024 national data), while the published premiums on this page are a few hundred dollars a year.
The contents side is easy to picture: fire, theft or a burst pipe can ruin most of what a renter owns at once, and the landlord’s policy does not pay for any of it. The liability side is less visible and potentially larger. A kitchen fire or an overflowing bathtub can damage the units around yours, and IBC notes tenants can be held liable for damage they cause to the building. Additional living expenses matter too: if the building is closed for repairs, rent elsewhere starts right away.
A renter building a first budget can weigh the premium against an emergency fund. The emergency fund calculator shows how many months of costs a savings cushion covers, and the best high-interest savings accounts for an emergency fund compares where that cushion can earn interest. A deductible is paid from savings, so the two work together.
Common mistakes renters make with tenant insurance
- Assuming the landlord’s insurance covers belongings. RBC Insurance, Intact and Desjardins say on their tenant pages that it does not, and belairdirect says the landlord’s insurance only covers the building and the landlord’s own assets.
- Assuming a roommate is covered. Roommates are not covered by default; Sonnet and Desjardins both describe sharing a policy on their tenant pages.
- Skipping water add-ons in a basement unit. IBC says coverage for overland flooding or sewer backup may be available as optional add-ons.
- Working from home without telling the insurer. belairdirect treats business equipment as commercial; Desjardins requires home-based business activities to be listed on the policy.
- Renting out the unit short-term without telling the insurer. Desjardins says customers must tell it if they rent out the apartment short-term, and IBC’s guidance for rented properties is to contact the insurer first.
- Leaving for winter without protecting the pipes. IBC says anyone away more than four days in the heating season must drain the plumbing or have the home checked.
- Switching mid-term. FSRA suggests waiting until renewal to avoid a cancellation penalty.
Tenant insurance for newcomers and students
Newcomers renting a first apartment in Ontario may be asked for proof of liability coverage under the lease while also opening a first bank account and setting up rent payments. The best bank accounts for newcomers guide covers the account side, and the newcomer money guides cover the rest of settling in. For students renting near campus, some parents’ policies extend to them (Desjardins says this for dependent full-time students), and the best student credit cards in Canada guide compares student card options. Renters planning to buy eventually can use the mortgage affordability calculator to see when a home policy replaces the tenant policy.
How this list was put together
YieldMaple read each insurer’s own tenant insurance page on October 6, 2026 and recorded only features, discounts, provinces and prices stated there, with the exact wording saved for each fact. No insurer supplied information or paid to be listed, and there are no affiliate links on this page. The list is not exhaustive: other insurers also sell tenant insurance in Canada, and leaving one out is not a judgment about it. Desjardins’ site opens on its Quebec version by default; its facts here were read on the Ontario version of the tenant page. Prices change often, and a quote for your address is the only price that applies to you.