Since your landlord insurance doesn't cover any tenant belongings, tenant insurance is required in order to keep your rental safe, including everything inside of it. Sonnet Tenant Insurance is a well-rounded and reasonably priced insurance product from an online-only company, offering tenants peace of mind.
This product hits all the basics – personal liability, personal belongings, additional living expenses, and more. It even offers a few unique and valuable ways to save on your already-low premiums.
Sonnet tenant insurance features
Here's what you can get with Sonnet Tenant Insurance:
Why You Want It
Get an easy online quote for cheap insurance premiums + Multiple ways to save.
Eligibility
- Canadian citizen
- Age of majority
Provinces
AB, NB, NS, ON, PE, QC
Features
Personal Liability
Personal Belongings
Additional Living Expenses
Unit Improvements
Identity Theft
Sewer Backup
Overland Water
* We received this quote (and the ones in the comparison table below) by using a fictional situation of a tenant with no prior claims and a very good credit score in a 1-bedroom apartment. Your own quotes will vary heavily depending on several factors, and these numbers are only used here as an example.
Sonnet tenant insurance product rating: 5.0 stars
Sonnet Tenant Insurance offers all the basic coverage you'll need to protect your personal belongings, receive additional living expenses, and avoid personal liability charges. It also comes with a handful of extras that can be advantageous to many, like unit improvements and identity theft.
Many Canadians still have trouble trusting an online-only company, though. You can still contact a service representative online or over the phone, but if you're someone who values face-to-face communication, this product won't be for you.
Rating methodology
In order to determine our Genius Rating, we break a product down into its most important parts, as shown in the table above. We then assign each feature a score out of 5 based on how it does compared to other products in its category. Then, we average out the score to get the final Genius Rating out of 5.
Learn more about our rating methodology.
The pros of Sonnet tenant insurance
There's quite a bit to like about Sonnet tenant insurance:
Pros
Covers all the basics
Some of the main coverages people look for in tenant insurance are personal liability coverage, additional living expenses, and personal contents insurance. Sonnet Tenant Insurance ticks all three of those boxes, with standard coverage amounts for each.
Some extra coverage available
On top of the basics, Sonnet Tenant Insurance also offers various optional coverages you can opt-in for. These include sewer backup coverage, overland water (flood damage), and hail damage. It's always good to have these options, and they're easy to exclude if you're trying to cut costs.
Ability to get cheaper premiums
Sonnet lists three main ways you can help cut down your premium costs when it comes to its tenant insurance: being claims-free for the last 5 years, insuring more than one property at once, and bundling your home and auto insurance policies together.
Low-cost and easy option
Similar to online banks, Sonnet is able to offer lower prices as they have less overhead than companies with brick-and-mortar locations to maintain. While not the cheapest of the 4 quotes I tested, Sonnet held its own. Their system for getting a quote was also the easiest by far, taking only a couple minutes to complete.
The cons of Sonnet tenant insurance
Here are a few concerns to consider regarding Sonnet Tenant Insurance:
Cons
Not available in all provinces
Unfortunately, Sonnet Tenant Insurance is only available in a handful of provinces: Alberta, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Ontario, Prince Edward Island, and Quebec. If you live elsewhere in Canada, you won't be able to take advantage of this product.
Everything is done online
Buying insurance online is convenient – but if you ever run into issues, it can make the company a lot harder to deal with. And some people simply prefer talking to someone face to face, rather than doing everything on a computer screen or by calling customer service.
Sonnet tenant insurance alternatives
If you're curious how fares against its competitors, here's a head-to-head comparison:
 |  |  | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Account | RBC Tenant Insurance | Scotiabank Tenant Insurance | Square One's home insurance |
| Genius Rating | |||
| Why You Want It | Choose from comprehensive coverage options + Trusted, reputable bank. | Easy to set up if you’re a Scotiabank customer + 24/7 claims service. | Rates start as low as $12 per month + Coverage is fully customizable and online. |
| Personal Liability | | | |
Compare |
FAQ
Does Sonnet Tenant Insurance insure my roommates?
Your Sonnet Tenant Insurance won't cover your roommates by default, but you can easily add them during the sign-up process or online later. Your spouse, common-law partners, and kids are automatically covered by your insurance.
How is Sonnet Tenant Insurance so cheap?
Sonnet is able to offer low prices simply by being an online-only insurance company – it saves money by not paying for brick-and-mortar locations and passes these savings onto clients. It also provides a few options for additional savings.
What kind of things are covered by Sonnet Tenant Insurance?
The standard coverage available with Sonnet Tenant Insurance includes personal liability, personal belongings, extra expenses, unit improvements, and identity theft. There are options for add-on coverage too, including sewer backup, overland water, and more.
Do I need tenant insurance?
Though it's not legally mandatory in Canada, individual landlords or rental agencies sometimes require their tenants to provide proof of tenant insurance. In any case, it's a highly recommended product as it provides significant financial protection and peace of mind.
Editorial Disclaimer: The content here reflects the author's opinion alone, and is not endorsed or sponsored by a bank, credit card issuer, rewards program or other entity. For complete and updated product information please visit the product issuer's website.
Hot Money Deals This Month
- Get even more cash back with exclusive offers only available on the GeniusCash app
- Explore bigger GeniusCash offers that you won't find anywhere else.
- Connect your credit cards and unlock bonus cash.
- Explore customized recommendations to level up your rewards.
- Refer your friends and family to earn bonus levels and extra cash back.
- Take control of your money with a full-featured chequing account + $100 GeniusCash
- Get up to $500 in cash when you open a new account, complete specified actions, and open 2 registered investment accounts.
- Unlimited free transactions – including debit and Interac e-Transfers®.
- Earn Scene+ points on every debit transaction.
- $100 GeniusCash on approval – ends Dec 31, 2025.*.
- Unlimited transactions + Free identity theft protection + $125 GeniusCash
- Unlimited transactions and Interac e-Transfers.
- Free identity theft protection and access to Coursera online learning.
- $125 GeniusCash on approval – ends Dec 31, 2025.*.
- A low cost online broker with a $2,000 bonus + $80 GeniusCash
- Get $150 when you open and fund your new accounts with at least $1,000.
- No minimum investment requirement.
- Plenty of trade-free ETFs to choose from.
- $80 GeniusCash on approval – ends Dec 31, 2025.*.
- Bonus: Get one of the lowest brokerage rates from an online broker from a Big 5 Bank →
