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

How much is renters insurance in North Dakota?

The average renters insurance policy in North Dakota costs about $17 a month, or $204 a year, according to ValuePenguin, Best Cheap Renters Insurance in North Dakota (Sep 2026). The cheapest large insurer in North Dakota quotes about $9 a month for $30,000 of personal property coverage; Amica and Assurant quote $15–$17. North Dakota ties with Montana and Wyoming for the cheapest renters insurance in the country.

For a like-for-like comparison with other states, ValuePenguin's 50-state rate study (updated September 2026) puts North Dakota at $16 a month against a national average of $23, which makes it cheaper than most states. 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 North Dakota?

No. No North Dakota law requires renters insurance. No North Dakota statute requires tenants to carry renters insurance. A landlord or property manager can require a policy in the lease, and many newer apartment complexes in Fargo, Bismarck and the Bakken oil-patch towns do. (Source: Progressive, North Dakota 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 North Dakota

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.

• ✓Blizzards, extreme cold and frozen pipes. Weeks below zero in January and February burst pipes in older Fargo, Grand Forks and Minot rentals every year. Sudden water damage from a burst pipe is covered, as is the weight of ice and snow.
• ✕Red River and Souris River flooding. Spring snowmelt floods on the Red River (Fargo, Grand Forks) and the Souris (Minot, 2011) are the state's costliest disaster. Rising water is never covered by a renters policy.
• ✓Summer thunderstorms, hail and tornadoes. June and July bring hail and tornadoes to the eastern and central counties. Wind, hail and lightning damage to your belongings is covered.
• ✓Theft. Theft is covered at home and, with limits, from your car or a storage unit. Rates are low statewide because property crime is low; Fargo and Williston run slightly higher.
• ✕Sewer and sump-pump backup. Basement apartments in Fargo and Grand Forks flood from backed-up sewers during spring melt. This needs a sewer-backup endorsement, which most insurers sell for a few dollars a month.
• ✕Flood. No renters policy covers flood, including Red River flooding in Fargo and Grand Forks, Souris River flooding in Minot, and overland snowmelt flooding across the Red River Valley. A separate flood policy through the NFIP or a private insurer covers contents.

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

Renters insurance costs in North Dakota cities

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

City	What to expect
Fargo $17/mo avg	About $17 a month, matching the state average. Ask about sewer-backup and flood coverage if you rent a ground-floor or basement unit near the Red River. (ValuePenguin)
Bismarck $17/mo avg	About $17 a month. Missouri River flooding in 2011 reached neighborhoods near the river; that risk needs a separate flood policy. (ValuePenguin)
Grand Forks $17/mo avg	About $17 a month. The 1997 Red River flood rebuilt much of downtown; the flood wall protects most rentals now, but flood is still excluded from renters insurance. (ValuePenguin)
Minot $16/mo avg	About $16 a month, the lowest of the large cities. The 2011 Souris River flood destroyed thousands of homes; renters near the river should price NFIP contents coverage. (ValuePenguin)
West Fargo $17/mo avg	About $17 a month, the same as Fargo. (ValuePenguin)

How to get renters insurance in North Dakota

You can buy a policy online in a few minutes. Lemonade sells renters insurance in North Dakota 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 North Dakota: security deposits and tenant rights

These are North Dakota'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 North Dakota

Maximum deposit	One month's rent; up to two months' if you have a felony conviction or a prior judgment for breaking a lease, plus a separate pet deposit of up to $2,500 or two months' rent, whichever is greater.
Return deadline	Within 30 days after the lease ends and you move out, with an itemized list of any deductions sent to your last known address.
Interest and accounts	The deposit must be kept in a federally insured interest-bearing account and returned with interest, unless you lived there less than nine months.
Move-in condition list	Landlord must give you a written statement of the unit's condition when you sign the lease, which you both sign; damage not listed on it is presumed yours.
If it is wrongly kept	A landlord who withholds deposit money without reasonable justification owes you three times the amount (treble damages).
Law	N.D. Cent. Code §§ 47-16-07.1, 47-16-07.2

Tenant rights in North Dakota

Landlord entry	No set number of hours; unless impractical, landlord must notify you and get your consent (presumed if you don't object) for a specific time at reasonable hours; may enter anytime in an emergency or if abandonment or a serious lease violation is suspected.
Repairs	Landlord must keep the unit fit and habitable and meet housing codes; if repairs aren't made within a reasonable time after notice, you may repair and deduct, or move out and stop paying rent.
Retaliation	State leasing law bars retaliation only against tenants who use the domestic violence lease-termination right; we found no general anti-retaliation statute.
Ending a lease early	Domestic violence victims may end a lease with advance written notice citing a protective order or court record, paying rent for that month plus one more month.
Law	N.D. Cent. Code ch. 47-16 (§§ 47-16-07.3, 47-16-13, 47-16-13.1, 47-16-17.1)

Official guide: Tenant Rights (North Dakota Attorney General).

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

Tips for North Dakota renters

1. If you rent in the Red River Valley or near the Souris in Minot, price a contents-only NFIP flood policy. Spring snowmelt flooding is North Dakota's most common disaster, and renters insurance pays nothing for it.
2. Keep the heat on and open cabinet doors under sinks on exterior walls when it drops below zero. A burst pipe is covered, but insurers can deny a claim if the unit was left unheated.
3. Newer apartment complexes in Fargo, Bismarck and Williston usually require renters insurance with $100,000 liability and list the manager as an interested party. Set that up before move-in to avoid a lease notice.
4. North Dakota is one of the three cheapest states for renters insurance, but the spread is still wide: State Farm quoted about $9 a month versus $17 for the state average. Get at least two quotes.
5. Add a sewer-backup endorsement if you rent a basement or garden-level unit. Backed-up drains during spring melt are excluded from the base policy and the endorsement is cheap.