Theft, spills, and everything in between. Check out what’s covered and what isn’t.
Your laptop is probably one of the most expensive things you carry every day. It goes to coffee shops, airport lounges, and your kitchen table, which means it’s exposed to theft, spills, fires, and everything in between. Warranties cover hardware defects, but protecting against everyday life takes insurance.
Here’s what most people don’t realize: if you already have renters insurance, your laptop is likely protected against theft, apartment fires, and burst pipes as part of your personal property coverage. No separate policy required.
TL;DR
- Theft and major disasters: Renters insurance covers your laptop against theft (at home and away), fire, and sudden water damage, starting at a few dollars a month.
- Drops and spills: Renters insurance doesn’t cover accidental spills or drops. For those, you need a dedicated device plan or a manufacturer protection plan.
- Factory defects: Standard manufacturer warranties cover internal hardware failures and defects, usually during the first year.
- High-value laptops: Portable electronics have a default coverage cap (typically $1,500). Add an electronics endorsement to raise it.
21%
of renters insurance claims are theft related
~$5
Monthly starting price for Lemonade renters insurance
3
Main ways to protect a laptop: renters insurance, device plan, warranty
Comparing your options: renters insurance vs. device plans vs. warranties
Renters insurance is the better fit if you’re worried about theft, apartment fires, and major disasters. Standalone device plans and manufacturer plans are built for everyday accidents, like a cracked screen or a spilled drink.
| Coverage | Renters insurance | Standalone device insurance | Manufacturer / Extended care |
| Primary focus | All your personal belongings (laptop, phone, couch, gear) | One specific device | One specific hardware device |
| Theft protection | Anywhere: home, coffee shop, travel | Most plans | Excluded (AppleCare+ Theft & Loss isn’t available for Mac) |
| Fire and burst pipe | Covered under personal property | Most plans | Excluded |
| Accidental drops and spills | Excluded on standard policies | Covered | Covered, with per-incident service fees |
| Hardware defects and faulty parts | Excluded | Excluded | Covered |
| Average cost | Starts at ~$5/mo (covers all your stuff) | 8–15/mo per device | 99–149/yr, varies by brand |
Did you know?
Standard warranties from PC makers like Dell, HP, Lenovo, and ASUS only cover internal component failures, typically during the first year. They won’t help if your laptop is stolen from a coffee shop or damaged in an apartment fire.
What does renters insurance cover for your laptop?
Renters insurance covers your laptop when it’s damaged or lost because of a “named peril,” which is a specific list of events your policy protects against. Damage from negligence, intentional misuse, or normal wear and tear isn’t covered.
What’s covered:
- Theft from your home, your car, a hotel room, or while you’re traveling
- Fire and smoke damage
- Burst pipes and sudden water damage
- Lightning strikes and power surges caused by lightning
- Vandalism
What’s not covered:
- Dropping your laptop on concrete
- Spilling a drink on the keyboard
- Normal battery wear or hardware failure over time
- Flooding from outside your building (that requires a separate flood policy)
One note on limits: By default, portable electronics are covered up to $1,500 – though this varies by state. If your gear is worth more than that, you can raise your electronics coverage by adding an electronics endorsement to your Lemonade policy.
Does renters insurance cover employer-owned work laptops?
Probably not on a standard policy, and it’s worth checking before you assume you’re covered.
Items primarily used for business, like a work laptop, generally fall outside a standard renters policy. That’s typically handled by a separate business or commercial policy. Even where business equipment coverage applies, it’s often subject to a sub-limit (commonly around $1,500), and details vary by policy and employer arrangement.
Pro Tip
Talk to your HR or IT department before filing a personal claim for a work computer. Most companies carry commercial insurance that covers company-owned hardware, so your employer may already have it handled.
Real-life laptop claim scenarios
Here’s how three real claims played out, with the specific hardware, situation, and outcome.
Maya’s MacBook Pro 16-inch, stolen from a coffee shop in Brooklyn
Maya stepped away from her table to grab her order and came back to find her laptop gone. Her MacBook Pro 16-inch was worth $2,499. She filed a police report the same day and submitted a claim through the Lemonade app. After her $250 deductible, Lemonade paid out $2,249. Total time from claim to payout: two days.
Coverage that applied: off-premises theft is a named peril under personal property coverage. Your belongings are covered anywhere in the world, not just at home.
Daniel’s Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon, destroyed by a burst pipe
A pipe burst in the wall above Daniel’s home office desk overnight, soaking his ThinkPad X1 Carbon beyond repair. Replacement cost: $1,800. Lemonade covered the claim under sudden and accidental water damage, a named peril, minus his $500 deductible. Payout: $1,300.
Coverage that applied: sudden water damage from a burst pipe is covered. Gradual leaks or flooding from external sources are not.
Priya’s Dell XPS 15, taken out by a spilled drink
Priya knocked a full mug of tea onto her keyboard during a work call. The motherboard was fried and the repair estimate came back at $850. She filed a claim and it was denied. Accidental spills are not a named peril under a standard renters insurance policy, and laptops are not eligible for Extra Coverage.
What would have covered it: a standalone device protection plan or a manufacturer plan with accidental damage coverage. For MacBooks specifically, AppleCare+ includes liquid damage with a per-incident service fee.
Top Lemonade laptop claims by make and model
Based on laptop claims filed by Lemonade renters insurance policyholders in 2026, here’s how the brand breakdown looks across all models:
Most claimed laptop brands at Lemonade (%)
Apple52
Other16
HP9
Dell7
Lenovo5
Acer2
Microsoft2
Asus2
Google/Chromebook1
MSI1
Most claimed laptop models at Lemonade (%)
Apple MacBook Pro27
Other / unspecified18
Apple MacBook Air16
Chromebook3
Lenovo ThinkPad2
Microsoft Surface2
How much does it cost to protect your laptop?
The cost of protecting your laptop can range from as little as $5 to around $15 per month, depending on the type of protection you choose and the level of coverage you need.
- Renters insurance: ~$5/mo Covers your laptop alongside everything else you own, not per device. The default portable-electronics sub-limit varies by state. Add an endorsement to raise it.
- Standalone device plan: 8–15/mo Per device, varying by type and coverage level. Deductibles typically apply per claim.
- Manufacturer plan: 99–149/yr AppleCare+ covers drops and spills (with per-incident fees), but Theft and Loss isn’t available for Mac. Lenovo and Dell plans focus on hardware failures and accidental damage, not theft.
| Plan | Cost |
| Renters insurance | ~$5/mo |
| Manufacturer plan (avg/mo) | ~$10/mo |
| Standalone device plan (low) | $8/mo |
| Standalone device plan (high) | $15/mo |
Which laptop coverage option is right for you?
No single option covers everything. Here’s a straightforward way to decide.
- Choose renters insurance if: You want broad, affordable protection against theft, apartment fires, and burst pipes, for your laptop and everything else you own.
- Choose AppleCare+ or a standalone device plan if: Your biggest worry is dropping your laptop, cracking the screen, or spilling something on the keyboard.
- Choose both if: You want the full picture. Renters insurance handles the big stuff, and a device plan handles the everyday accidents. Together, they cover nearly every scenario.
Before we go…
Your laptop goes everywhere you go, it deserves coverage that does too.
Lemonade renters insurance covers theft, fires, and burst pipes starting at around $5 a month. Don’t have it yet? Your laptop is a pretty good reason to start.
