Toggle Renters Insurance Review 2022: Pros and Cons – NerdWallet

Founded in 2018, Toggle is a new brand of renters insurance from Farmers. It’s designed for people who want to customize their policies quickly and easily online, with a range of unique add-on features such as coverage for side hustles and a package specifically for pet owners.

Toggle’s standard policies will generally pay for damage from flooding and earthquakes, coverage that costs extra from most other insurance companies. However, Toggle renters insurance is available only in about half of the United States.

Toggle renters insurance earned 4 out of 5 stars for overall performance. Our editorial team determines NerdWallet’s ratings. The homeowners insurance scoring formula considers policy coverage options and discounts, ease of filing a claim, website transparency, the financial strength of the company, complaint data from the National Association of Insurance Commissioners and more.

Toggle renters insurance is available in 26 states.

The process of choosing coverage with Toggle works a little differently than it does with other companies. Toggle’s base policy includes the following:

• $1,000 of coverage for your personal belongings. They’re covered anywhere in the world, up to your policy limit.

• $100,000 of renters liability coverage, which can pay if someone sues you for injuring them or damaging their things. Toggle also includes personal injury liability coverage, which can pay to defend you from lawsuits for things like slander, libel and wrongful entry.

• Coverage for medical payments to others, which can pay for someone injured in your home, with no lawsuit required.

Standard renters policies from other companies generally include loss of use coverage, which pays for you to live somewhere else while your home is being repaired after a covered claim. With Toggle, this is called temporary living costs and can be added to the basic plan for an extra fee.

Want more than the base level of $1,000 in personal property coverage? While other insurers have you select a single limit to cover everything, with Toggle, you’ll choose limits in a variety of categories:

• Technology. Covers computers, phones, TVs and other devices up to $10,000.

• Furniture and appliances. Pays for beds, sofas, laundry machines, wall art and more up to $20,000.

• Fashion and jewelry. Covers clothing, shoes, jewelry and other accessories up to $10,000.

• Creative gear. Pays for cameras, musical instruments, 3D printers and more up to $10,000.

• Active. Covers bikes, camping gear, guns and other sporting equipment up to $10,000.

• Collectibles. Pays for artwork, trading cards, antiques and other collectibles up to $10,000.

Unlike most other insurers, Toggle covers your belongings for flood damage — and, in every state but California, it covers earthquake damage, too. It can also pay to help you get rid of bedbugs or to clean up water damage if a drain backs up.

Once you’ve chosen your coverage amount in each of the categories above, you may be able to add the following optional features:

Pet Parent coverage. This includes up to $100,000 of liability coverage if your pet hurts someone outside your household, plus $500 for boarding costs if your home is uninhabitable after a covered claim. It also covers up to $500 of damage your pet does to your home and (in some states) up to $500 for vet bills if your pet is injured by an event your policy covers.

Replacement cost coverage. Selecting this option means that if your belongings are stolen or destroyed, Toggle will pay enough for you to buy brand-new replacements. Otherwise, the company will pay claims on an “actual cash value” basis, with deductions for older items that aren’t worth as much as they used to be.

Side Hustle coverage. If you have a passion project or side gig that brings in less than $25,000 a year, Toggle can cover your equipment plus lost income if you can’t complete a job because something breaks. This coverage can also pay for certain legal issues. However, it doesn’t include ridesharing.

Identity Protector coverage. If someone steals your identity, this coverage will pay for expenses associated with cleaning up the mess, such as legal fees and lost wages. It can also monitor your credit and connect you with a specialist who can help you resolve the issue.

Toggle doesn’t advertise any policy discounts. However, the company will reduce your deductible each year you don’t file a claim.

Toggle has partnered with dozens of other brands to provide discounts on rental cars, clothing, food delivery services and more.

Toggle had far more than the expected number of complaints to state regulators relative to its size for home insurance, according to three years’ worth of data from the National Association of Insurance Commissioners. (NAIC home insurance complaints cover other home policy types, including mobile home, renters and condo insurance.)

Website: The Toggle website offers online quotes and claims filing, plus an FAQ section where you can find information about the company and its policies. There’s also a Toggle Perks section with a list of discount offers from the company’s partners. When you log in to your online account, you can see policy documents, update personal information and change your billing method.

Claims: You can file a renters claim and check its status through your online account. One of Toggle’s claims adjusters will reach out to you to move the process forward.

Customer service: For assistance, you can submit a contact form on the website, use the site’s chat function, email [email protected] or call 855-864-1530.

Coverage. Some of the coverage Toggle includes in its standard policies would cost extra from other companies or not be available. This includes coverage for flooding, earthquakes, personal injury liability, bedbug remediation and water backup.

Partner perks. Toggle may not offer discounts on its renters policies, but you could save money on various other products and services through its partner offers.

Consumer complaints. Toggle gets a much higher volume of complaints to state regulators than most of its competitors.

No mobile app. Toggle’s website is mobile friendly, but the company doesn’t have an app you can use to manage your policy.

Not ready to make a decision? You may be interested in these other renters insurance companies:

• Assurant: Generous coverage but lots of consumer complaints.

• Farmers: Strong coverage plus a user-friendly app to manage your policy.

• Lemonade: Straightforward policies from a tech-centric, mission-driven company.

• Progressive: Sells its own renters policies and those of a third party.