Home Insurance – INSURANCE PROGRAMS

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Home insurance quotes: everything you need to know

Homeowners insurance is your safeguard against unforeseen losses. However, many feel they are overpaying for their policy, making comparing home insurance quotes a necessity. In this article, we simplify the process, guiding you through how to compare, pinpointing the essential information you need, and helping you select the appropriate coverage—making sure you’re only paying for what you truly need.

To get a quote, you will need basic information about your house, including a rough estimate of your home replacement cost.
Rates vary by individual factors, but homeowners insurance premiums can cost more than $2,000 per year.
59% of Insurance Programs customers visiting this page believe they are overpaying for their policy.
You can save an average of $482 on home insurance by using Insurance Programs side-by-side comparison tool or by speaking with one of our licensed independent agents.

How to get a homeowners insurance quote

A good place to begin is with your car insurance provider. This will allow you to bundle your policies and receive a discount. Keep in mind that this company won’t always be your best or cheapest option, but it gives you a starting point.

Here are three steps to help you find the best homeowners coverage for your needs:

Choose how you want to shop
Pick your coverage (open or named peril)
Adjust your coverage as needed (optional)

Now let’s go over the steps with a little more detail so you can make the most educated decision when you’re ready to shop.

Step 1: Choose how you want to buy a homeowners insurance policy

There are three ways you can receive a home insurance quote.

Directly via a captive insurance agent – this method requires you to contact a home insurance agent online, over the phone, or even at an in-person office. This can be a good option if you want the personal help of an insurance agent. However, these agents typically can’t offer comparison home insurance quotes and can sometimes be more expensive.
Independent agents – independent agents are similar to captive agents but work with multiple insurance companies so they can offer you options to compare home insurance quotes. However, these agents are rare and still don’t allow you complete flexibility.
Online comparison consolidator – websites such as Insurance Programs allow you to compare homeowners insurance quotes side-by-side from multiple companies at once, likely saving you time and money.

Regardless of which method you choose, you’ll need to have certain information handy to get homeowners insurance quotes.

What information will I need to provide?

Full address
Number of full-time residents in the home
Is the home your primary, seasonal or secondary residence?
Year built
Square footage
Number of stories and bathrooms
Presence of detached structures like a shed or garage
Roof and exterior wall materials
Presence of wood stoves or fireplaces
Pet information
History of home insurance claims
Notable renovations or updates
Presence of safety information like smoke detection, burglar alarms or security cameras

Step 2: Pick how you’re covered — named or open peril policies

Most homeowners insurance companies base their quotes on your home’s replacement cost, which is the amount it would take to rebuild your home in case of a total loss. This value depends on labor and materials, not the real estate market or demand.

No need to stress about knowing the exact dollar amount of insurance you need. Many insurance companies, including Insurance Programs, use your home’s address to automatically suggest basic policy options. Some may even verify your replacement cost through a home inspection.

Your main decision is how you want your home and belongings covered. You’ve got options, ranging from basic to better to best, and the price varies between coverage levels. It’s all about finding the coverage that suits you best, and we’re here to help.

Types of Homeowners Insurance Policies

Policy Options	Your Home Covered by:	Personal Property Covered by:
BASIC: HO-2 Broad Form	Named Perils	Named Perils
BETTER: HO-3 Special Form	Open Perils	Named Perils
BEST: HO-5 Comprehensive Form	Open Perils	Open Perils

Named peril policy

Definition: All the hazards and threats to your property that are covered will be explicitly listed on your policy.

Available in: HO-2 for dwelling and personal property; HO-3 for personal property.

Open peril policy

Definition: All the hazards that are not covered will be listed.

Available in: HO-5 for both dwelling and personal property; HO-3 policy for dwelling only.

Perils not covered

Whether you have an open peril or named peril policy, the following are never covered by homeowners insurance:

Step 3 (Optional): Adjust default home insurance coverage

As we mentioned earlier, most home insurance policies will create your coverage amounts based on the replacement cost of your home. This means you might want to adjust your coverage slightly to better fit your individual needs. Take a look at our table below to see the standard breakdown of coverage most insurance companies default to.

We recommend thinking through a few questions to understand what (if any) modifications you should make to your home insurance quote.

Typical Coverage Limits for a Homeowners Insurance Policy

Coverage Type	What it Covers	Typical Limit of Coverage
Coverage A: Dwelling	Your house + attached garage	Varies
Coverage B: Other structures	Any stand-alone structures — like a carport or tool shed — not attached to the home.	10% of Dwelling Coverage
Coverage C: Personal Property	Coverage can be on a replacement cost or Actual Cash Value basis	50% of Dwelling Coverage Limit
Coverage D: Loss of Use	Cover the cost of temporary relocation in the event the home is unlivable due to covered losses.	20% of Dwelling Coverage Limit
Coverage E: Medical Payments	Covers medical costs incurred on the property by those not listed as residents of the household, regardless of fault.	Custom
Coverage F: Personal Liability	Covers the costs of another party’s injuries as well as claims against an insured for property damage	Custom

Do I need to increase the default amount of coverage?

Depending on you and your home, the default coverages above might not be ample enough coverage. Those with valuable personal property should consider adding an endorsement. An endorsement is any change to an insurance policy — whether adding coverage or removing it.

If you have these items and their value is greater than the coverage limit, consider adding an endorsement.

$200 limit on money, gold, coins
$1,500 limit on jewelry, watches, furs
$1,500 limit on watercraft, trailers
$2,500 limit on firearms
$2,500 limit on silverware
$2,500 limit for on-premises business property
Variable limit on electronics

"We recommend having liability limits equal to or greater than your household’s net worth."

As far as personal liability and dwelling coverage, we recommend having liability limits equal to or greater than your household’s net worth. This coverage is designed to protect your assets if you’re ever sued. By setting this limit high, you can avoid exhausting your insurance coverage and having to forfeit assets to pay legal fees.

For your dwelling coverage, many insurance companies will give you coverage to a certain percentage — 100 to 150% of the replacement cost of your dwelling’s value. As long as it’s equal to or greater than 100%, you should be sufficiently covered.

Additional information:

What is personal property coverage?
What is personal liability insurance?
What is the 80% rule for dwelling coverage?

Ready to start comparing home insurance quotes?

As an independent insurance broker, we partner with top home and auto insurance companies across the US. It all begins with your ZIP code, which allows our tool to retrieve home insurance quotes from our partners, giving you the freedom to pick the best option without the usual hassle.

Only with Insurance Programs home insurance comparison tool can you:

Save time. Conveniently view multiple home insurance quotes simultaneously.
Make informed decisions. Compare rates, homeowners companies, and coverage options side-by-side.
Get answers from experts. Ask your questions directly to our licensed in-house agents.
Lock in your rate and save. The average Insurance Programs customer saves $480 on homeowners insurance!

And here’s the best part – we respect your preferences. You won’t receive any unsolicited messages or feel pressured to choose a home insurance quote that doesn’t align with your needs. Plus, our services are 100% to you.

Don't just take our word for it

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Comparing homeowners insurance quotes: an example

Below is an example of personalized quotes you might see when using our comparison tool. Let’s walk through how to determine which of these homeowners’ quotes is best based on each company’s coverage, reputation, price, and deductibles.

Real image of Insurance Programs product — individual results may vary.

Let’s break down each option before we get started.

Home insurance quote from Nationwide: $1,485/year

Policy type: HO-5
Deductible – $1k
Dwelling – $286.2k
Personal liability – $300k

Home insurance quote from Mercury: $1,524/year

Policy type: HO-5
Deductible – $1.5k
Dwelling – $286.2k
Personal liability – $300k

Home insurance quote from Liberty Mutual: $1,680/year

Policy type: HO-3
Deductible – $2.9k
Dwelling – $286.2k
Personal liability – $300k

Now, we’re ready to compare! We’ll use three key steps to help you efficiently compare your options.

Compare homeowners insurance rates
Look at each company’s reputation
Compare levels of coverage

Step 1: Compare homeowners insurance rates

As you shop for homeowners insurance, cost is probably the first thing that will grab your attention. While it’s important to stay within your budget, remember that the cheapest policy isn’t necessarily the best one. If a quote is exceedingly low, make sure that it actually provides the coverage that you need.

However, we understand the need to save where possible — in our example, Nationwide offers the cheapest home insurance quote. You can also ask a potential insurer about any discounts they may offer for homeowners or certain homes (like a home with an alarm system).

Winner for best rate: Nationwide

Nationwide’s policy was $39 cheaper than Mercury and $195 cheaper than Liberty Mutual.

We’ve gathered annual and monthly home insurance premiums from top companies for you to get an idea of what your rates might be. Remember that these rates are averages — you and your home’s insurance premium will depend on several factors, including where you live, the average cost of building materials, claim history and even your credit score.

Average Home Insurance Costs by Company

Company	Avg. Annual Premium	Avg. Monthly Premium
Allstate	$1,561	$130
American Family	$1,764	$147
Amica Mutual	$2,843	$237
Farmers	$1,871	$156
Natinwide	$1,231	$103
State Farm	$1,484	$124
Travelers	$2,674	$223
USAA	$1,385	$115

Source: Insurance Programs

Step 2: Look at a company's reputation

When picking home insurance, we suggest you consider the insurer’s reputation for responsive claims handling. Price matters, but don’t make it the only focus. Trust me, you don’t want surprises when you need coverage the most. Your home is probably the most expensive asset you’ve got, so be sure to prioritize protection.

Winner for best company: Nationwide

Nationwide’s overall rating was higher than Mercury and Liberty Mutual.

Both Liberty Mutual and Nationwide have similar customer satisfaction ratings but Nationwide’s financial strength and compliant score are better.

Note that Mercury is only available in a handful of states in the US and thus isn’t nationally ranked by many third-party sources. In the states it is available, the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) has Mercury rated as “Poor” in customer complaints.

To learn more about individual companies, you can look into third-party evaluations from JD Power, NAIC, Better Business Bureau, or your state’s insurance department.[2] Below are just a few of the top names in the business, and we’ve compiled a larger list of top home insurance companies with ratings and scores to help save you time as you research.

Best Home Insurance Companies

Home Insurance Company	J.D. Power Customer Satisfaction Rating	A.M. Best Financial Strength Rating	NAIC Customer Complaint Score
State Farm	4/5	A++	Very Good
Allsae	3/5	A+	Good
USAA	5/5	A++	Very Good
Liberty Mutual	2/5	A	Below Average
Farmers	3/5	A	Good
Travelers	2/5	A++	Good
American Family	3/5	A	Good
Nationwide	2/5	A+	Very Good
Chubb	2/5	A++	Very Good
Erie	5/5	A+	Very Good

Step 3: Compare levels of homeowners coverage

The HO-3 policy from Liberty Mutual isn’t as good as the HO-5 offered by Nationwide or Liberty Mutual. Nationwide and Mercury’s quote is based on the “best” policy because it covers both your home and personal belongings against anything except what is explicitly excluded.

Winner for best coverage: Nationwide

Nationwide offers the best policy offering at the best rate.

Step 4: Compare your deductibles

Did you know that one of the key factors affecting your monthly homeowners insurance payment is your deductible? Increasing your deductible can often lead to a lower overall premium because your insurance company is shouldering less financial responsibility if you ever need to make a claim.

However, it’s important to strike the right balance. Don’t set your deductible too high, or you might find it challenging to meet in case you need to file a homeowners claim. Also, keep an eye out for any separate deductibles that may apply to specific situations like hurricanes or windstorms. Being well-informed can help you make the best decision for your insurance needs.

Home deductibles differ from auto insurance

Home deductibles are deducted from your claim payout and are percentage or dollar-value-based.

Dollar-value based – With a $1,000 deductible and a claim totaling $5,000 in property damage, you get a $4,000 payout and are responsible for the rest.
Percentage-based – if your dwelling is valued at $367,000 and your wind and hail deductible is 1%, your deductible would be $3,670.

Winner for best deductible: Nationwide

In our example, Nationwide has the lowest deductible and the lowest premium.

So which option wins?

In the example we’ve used to demonstrate different home insurance options you might see, Nationwide provides the best option. This is based on their reputation, coverage level, and price.

Of our options, Nationwide provided the broadest coverage by insuring both the home and its content under an Open Perils policy, while having the most consistent review scores. Furthermore, Nationwide had the lowest deductible with the cheapest total premium.

Keep in mind that this was just an example of shopping for home insurance, but we’d love to help you get your own personalized home insurance quotes! Get started by entering your ZIP code below.

Find home insurance in your state

Where you live is a big indicator of how much you will pay for home insurance. Each state has its own set of risk factors (such as wildfires, tornadoes, floods, or other natural disasters) that make home insurance state-specific.

Below we’ve listed average home insurance rates by state as well as each state’s cheapest provider to help you get an idea of what you might pay.

Annual Home Insurance Rates by State

Home Insurance Rates by State	Cheapest Home Insurance Rates by State
Alabama: $1,947	UAA: $1,452
Alaska: $1,011	USAA: $926
Arizona: $1,410	UAA: $815
Aransas: $2,143	Famers: $1,665
California: $791	Mercury: $564
Colorado: $2,271	American Family: $1,878
Connecticut: $1,411	State Farm: $896
Delaware: $716	Nationwide: $544
Washington, D.C.: $940	Allsate: $885
Florida: $1,572	State Farm: $1,261
Georgia: $1,196	State Farm: $250
Hawaii: $349	Allstate: $283
Idaho: $1,034	Farmers: $990
Illinois: $1,673	State Farm: $690
Indiana: $1,343	Erie: $961
Iowa: $1,302	Nationwide: $933
Kansas: $2,862	USAA: $1,984
Kentucky: $2,001	USAA: $1,099
Louisiana: $2,037	State Farm: $1,545
Maine: $695	State Farm: $876
Maryland: $1,042	Travelers: $796
Massachusetts: $916	Amica: $1,278
Michigan: $1,098	AAA: $567
Minnesota: $1,411	AAA: $1,167
Mississippi: $1,929	Allstate: $1,792
Missouri: $2,185	AAA: $1,544
Montana: $2,074	Foremost: $876
Nebraska: $2,813	USAA: $1,890
Nevada: $841	Farmers: $553
New Hampshire: $722	State Farm: $706
New Jersey: $706	Chubb: $661
New Mexico: $1,203	Foremost: $1,081
New York: $980	State Farm: $692
North Carolina: $1,661	Nationwide: $1,591
North Dakota: $1,682	AAA: $1,904
Ohio: $979	Erie: $747
Oklahoma: $3,102	Farmers: $2,676
Oregon: $876	State Farm: $760
Pennsylvania: $1,004	Erie: $565
Rhode Island: $1,087	Amica: $1,097
South Carolina: $1,556	Allstate: $1,139
South Dakota: $2,004	Farmers: $1,599
Tennessee: $1,872	Erie: $1,145
Texas: $2,387	State Farm: $2,719
Utah: $740	Farmers: $325
Vermont: $593	Allstate: $562
Virginia: $1,294	Erie: $885
Washington: $878	Allstate: $690
West Virginia: $1,331	USAA: $834
Wisconsin: $876	American Family: $1,020
Wyoming: $1,164	USAA: $641

Comparing home insurance: FAQs

Homeowners insurance can be overwhelming and complicated, so take a look at these frequently asked questions that you may also be wondering.

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Customer Questions & Answers

Other people are also asking…

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Does the name on my insurance policy need to match the name on my mortgage loan and deed?

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