Renters insurance in Hawaii: what it costs, whether you need it, and what it covers

How much is renters insurance in Hawaii?

The average renters insurance policy in Hawaii costs about $23 a month, or $280 a year, according to ValuePenguin, Best Cheap Renters Insurance in Hawaii (updated Sep 2026). The cheapest large insurer in ValuePenguin's Hawaii study averages $16 a month, and Progressive reports its own Hawaii policies averaged $20.98 a month in 2025. Prices are nearly flat across the islands; only Keaau in Puna, near the Kilauea lava zones, quotes noticeably higher.

For a like-for-like comparison with other states, ValuePenguin's 50-state rate study (updated September 2026) puts Hawaii at $22 a month against a national average of $23, which makes it close to the national average. Different studies assume different coverage amounts, so treat any single average as a guide, not a quote.

Your own price depends on five things: how much personal property you insure (most renters choose $15,000–$30,000), your liability limit (usually $100,000), your deductible ($500 is common), your ZIP code, and your claims history. Raising the deductible from $500 to $1,000 is the quickest way to lower the premium.

See the national cost guide for how each factor changes the price, and the coverage calculator to size your policy.

Is renters insurance required in Hawaii?

No. No Hawaii law requires renters insurance. No Hawaii law requires tenants to carry insurance. A landlord or property manager can require a policy in the lease, and many large apartment and condo rentals in Honolulu and Kapolei do. (Source: Progressive, Hawaii Renters Insurance.)

If your lease requires a policy, it usually asks for a liability limit (often $100,000) and for the landlord or property manager to be listed as an "interested party," so they are notified if the policy lapses. Read more in can a landlord require renters insurance?

What renters insurance covers in Hawaii

A standard renters policy (an HO-4) has three parts everywhere in the US: personal property (your belongings), personal liability (if you injure someone or damage their property), and loss of use (hotel and meal costs if your home becomes uninhabitable after a covered event). What changes from state to state is which disasters you are likely to face, and whether the standard policy covers them.

• ~Hurricanes. Since Hurricane Iniki hit Kauai in 1992, many Hawaii insurers write hurricane coverage separately or with its own higher named-storm deductible. Confirm in writing that your policy covers hurricane wind before you rely on it.
• ✕Flooding, storm surge and tsunami. Flash flooding in Manoa and Kaneohe, the April 2018 Kauai floods, and tsunami inundation zones along every coast are all flood, which no renters policy covers.
• ~Lava and volcanic activity (Big Island). Insurers treat lava damage as fire, which is a covered peril, but many standard carriers will not write policies in Lava Zones 1 and 2 around Kilauea, so renters in Puna and Kau often need a specialty policy.
• ✕Earthquakes. The Big Island has frequent quakes, including the magnitude 6.9 event in May 2018. Earthquake damage is excluded unless you add an endorsement.
• ✓Theft. Theft is covered at home and, with limits, away from home. Car break-ins at beaches and trailheads on Oahu are common; the off-premises theft limit on most policies is 10% of your property coverage.
• ✕Flood. No renters policy covers flood, including storm surge and tsunami inundation on every island, flash flooding in Honolulu's valleys and on Kauai's north shore, and overflow from streams in Hilo. A separate flood policy through the NFIP or a private insurer covers contents.
• ✕Earthquake. Hawaii is seismically active, especially the Big Island, where the magnitude 6.9 quake of May 2018 accompanied the Kilauea eruption. A standard renters policy excludes earthquake damage. Most insurers sell an earthquake endorsement; it is worth pricing if you rent in Hilo, Puna, Kona or Kau, and worth considering on Maui and Oahu.

For the full list of what is and isn't covered, see what does renters insurance cover?

Renters insurance costs in Hawaii cities

Prices move with local theft rates, weather exposure and building age, so two renters in Hawaii can pay quite different premiums for the same coverage.

City	What to expect
Honolulu $22/mo avg	About $262 a year, a dollar under the state average. High-rise condo rentals in Waikiki and Kakaako almost always require a policy; flash flooding in Manoa and tsunami zones in Waikiki need separate flood coverage. (ValuePenguin)
Pearl City $22/mo avg	About $264 a year, the same as most of Oahu. Large military rental market near Pearl Harbor and Hickam. (ValuePenguin)
Hilo $22/mo avg	About $264 a year. The wettest city in the US, with tsunami history downtown and frequent earthquakes; both are excluded from a standard policy. (ValuePenguin)
Kailua-Kona $22/mo avg	About $264 a year. Vog from Kilauea and occasional quakes; check that your policy is written by a carrier that stays in lava zones. (ValuePenguin)
Kahului $22/mo avg	About $264 a year. Maui's main rental market; after the 2023 Lahaina wildfire, confirm your policy's fire and loss-of-use limits. (ValuePenguin)
Kapolei $23/mo avg	About $276 a year, right at the state average. Newer construction on Oahu's west side. (ValuePenguin)

How to get renters insurance in Hawaii

You can buy a policy online in a few minutes. Lemonade sells renters insurance in Hawaii and quotes directly on its site: you enter your address, choose how much property coverage you want, add any extras (such as higher limits for jewelry or electronics), and the price updates as you go. A policy can start the same day, which matters when a landlord wants proof of insurance before move-in.

Whatever company you choose, compare the same three numbers: the personal property limit, the liability limit and the deductible. A cheaper quote with a $2,000 deductible is not a better deal if you'd struggle to pay it after a loss.

Renting in Hawaii: security deposits and tenant rights

These are Hawaii's statewide rules, checked against the statute and the state's official tenant guide in October 2026. Some cities add their own rules, and your lease can give you more protection but usually not less. Our guides to security deposits, tenant rights and breaking a lease explain how these rules work in practice.

Security deposits in Hawaii

Maximum deposit	One month's rent, plus an optional pet deposit of up to one more month's rent (none for assistance animals).
Return deadline	Within 14 days after the lease ends, with written reasons and evidence of costs such as receipts for anything kept, or the landlord forfeits the right to keep any of it.
Move-in condition list	Before you move in, the landlord must make a written inventory of the unit's condition that you both sign; without one, the unit is presumed to have been in the same condition at move-out.
If it is wrongly kept	If a landlord wrongfully and willfully keeps it, a small claims court may award up to three times the amount wrongfully kept, plus costs.
Law	Haw. Rev. Stat. §§ 521-42, 521-44

Tenant rights in Hawaii

Landlord entry	At least two days' notice before entering, at reasonable hours, except in an emergency or when notice is impracticable.
Repairs	Landlord must keep the unit habitable and up to code; if repairs don't start in time (12 business days, or 3 for essential plumbing or electrical), you can repair and deduct up to $1,000 or one month's rent, whichever is greater, with receipts.
Retaliation	Landlords may not evict, raise rent or cut services after you complain in good faith to a government agency or request repairs, as long as you keep paying rent; no presumption period is set.
Ending a lease early	Domestic violence victims can end a lease of one year or less with 14 days' written notice and documentation, given within 90 days of the abuse; servicemembers ordered into on-post housing who would lose their housing allowance can end it with 30 days' notice (15 month-to-month).
Law	Haw. Rev. Stat. ch. 521 (Residential Landlord-Tenant Code), §§ 521-42, 521-53, 521-64, 521-74, 521-80, 521-83

Official guide: Hawaii Residential Landlord-Tenant Handbook (DCCA Office of Consumer Protection, 2024).

Laws change and vary by city. This is general information, not legal advice.

Tips for Hawaii renters

1. Ask the insurer, in writing, whether hurricane wind is covered and what the named-storm deductible is. Hawaii policies have handled hurricane differently since Iniki, and a 2–5% deductible on a storm claim can swallow a small loss.
2. If you rent in Lahaina, Kula or anywhere on Maui's dry leeward side, check your fire and loss-of-use limits. After the August 2023 wildfire, renters with low loss-of-use limits ran out of hotel money in weeks.
3. On the Big Island, tell the insurer which lava zone the rental is in before you apply. Many carriers decline Zones 1 and 2 in Puna and Kau, and finding a willing insurer takes longer there.
4. Honolulu condo leases usually name the building's association or the property manager as an "additional interest." Add them when you buy; it is free and keeps the lease in good standing.
5. Island shipping makes replacing furniture and electronics cost more than on the mainland. Choose replacement-cost coverage, not actual cash value, so a claim pays what it takes to rebuy in Hawaii.