Homeowners Insurance Quotes | Get Started

Shopping for homeowners insurance isn’t something you do every day. Once you’ve picked a policy, you’re likely to stick with it for at least a year. So when you do shop for a policy, it’s important to compare home insurance quotes and make sure you’re getting a good price.

Home insurance rates are based on several factors. Each insurer has its own way of calculating rates, so the cost to insure the same home will vary from insurer to insurer.

Average rates from the largest home insurers can vary by up to $1,000 a year, according to our most recent rates analysis. When we include regional insurers in our analysis, that difference becomes even bigger. That means you may be able to save hundreds of dollars a year just by shopping around.

You’ll also be able to compare the features and discounts offered by each insurer. You may find that some insurers stand out in ways that meet your specific needs.

When you shop around for a home insurance policy, follow these steps to make sure you get the best price for the coverage you need.

1. Understand your coverage needs. You should have a rough idea of how much homeowners insurance you need before you start getting home insurance quotes. If you already have insurance, the declarations page of your current policy is a good starting point. You can see the coverage and extra features you have now, but also consider whether your needs have changed. For example, if you’ve recently upgraded your kitchen or built an addition to your home, you may need extra coverage.

2. Collect homeowners insurance quotes. We recommend getting at least three quotes. Prices can vary a lot from one company to the next, so getting several quotes helps ensure you’re getting the best deal available.

3. Check policy limits and deductibles. Make sure your quotes have similar coverage limits and deductibles so you can get an apples-to-apples comparison. It’s fine if they don’t match exactly, but make sure you understand the differences so you can assess the value of each policy to you.

4. Consider the whole package. Yes, you want the best price, but cost isn’t the only issue — you also want a policy that will meet your needs if disaster strikes. Make sure you trust the company and the coverage.

There are three main ways to get homeowners insurance quotes: through comparison shopping sites, through an independent agent or broker, or directly from the insurer. Here are the advantages and disadvantages of each method.

Before you can get home insurance quotes, insurers need some information about you and your home. Here’s some of the information you’ll want to have on hand:

• Your address and how long you’ve lived there.

• The number of people and pets who live with you.

• The year the house was built, how it’s heated, and when its electrical and plumbing systems were last updated.

• The age of the roof and what it’s made of, such as slate, shingles or metal.

• The square footage, number of stories and exterior materials of the home.

• Whether there are features like a garage, fireplace, burglar alarm or detached tool shed.

• Whether you’ve filed any claims in the past five years.

• The date you want your homeowners insurance coverage to begin.

When shopping for home insurance quotes, it's a good idea to understand what your coverage needs are. That way you can make sure to choose the policy that makes the most sense for you.

Home insurance policies typically consist of six different coverage types. Your policy will likely include all of them.

As you compare home insurance quotes from different companies, here are some considerations to keep in mind for the various parts of your policy.

Dwelling coverage

Your dwelling coverage limit should be enough to cover the cost of rebuilding your home after a total loss. Most insurance companies will suggest a certain amount of dwelling coverage based on the specific features of your home, though you can often choose a higher or lower amount. (This amount isn't necessarily the same as the market value of the home.)

If one company’s dwelling coverage is significantly higher or lower than those from other insurers, it could be a red flag. For example, one quote may be much cheaper than the others because it offers $75,000 less coverage for the structure of your house. Those upfront savings might not be worth it if a house fire would leave you without enough to rebuild.

If you’re not sure how much coverage you need, build in a little wiggle room. Ask about extended replacement coverage. With this coverage, if your home has a $200,000 dwelling limit but is covered up to 125% with extended replacement cost, you’d have up to $250,000 to rebuild your home if you needed it.

Personal property coverage

Personal property coverage is the part of your policy that pays to replace your belongings that are lost or stolen. Your insurer may cover your personal property on an actual cash value or replacement cost basis.

With actual cash value, you'll receive what your belongings are worth at the time of the loss. With replacement cost coverage, you'll get enough money to buy new replacements for your lost or damaged stuff.

You may find a policy with replacement cost coverage to be worth paying a little extra for. That way, you'll get enough money to buy new versions of the stuff you had. Read more about actual cash value vs. replacement cost coverage.

Personal liability insurance

Personal liability insurance is what pays the cost to defend you if someone sues you or files a claim against you. Say your dog bites someone at the park or a neighbor's child is injured on your backyard trampoline. Liability insurance can pay their medical expenses if they file a claim against you. If they sue you, your policy can cover your attorney fees and pay any legal damages.

Consider getting at least enough liability insurance to protect the value of your financial assets, such as your home, bank accounts and investments. You may want to choose a higher amount if your lifestyle puts you at greater risk of getting sued — for example, if you own a swimming pool or trampoline or you participate in risky activities such as hunting or skiing.

Additional coverage

You may have certain needs that require more coverage than a standard policy offers. For instance, if you own expensive jewelry or art, you may want a scheduled personal property endorsement. If you want coverage for sump pump failure or backed-up sewers, look into water backup coverage. Make sure to include these add-ons when you’re getting quotes.

Read more about what home insurance covers.

Deductibles

The deductible is the part of a claim you’re responsible for. So if you have a $1,000 deductible and a fallen tree does $10,000 worth of damage to your roof, the insurance company’s claim payout would generally be $9,000.

The higher the deductible, the lower your premium is likely to be. Be sure you’re comfortable with the deductibles on your policy before you buy it. If you wouldn’t have enough money put aside to cover a high deductible, it’s best to choose a lower one.

Depending on where you live, your insurance company may charge a separate deductible for certain types of claims such as those from hurricanes or windstorms. For example, you may have a $1,000 deductible for most disasters but a 3% deductible for hurricanes. On a house with $300,000 of dwelling coverage, you’d pay for $9,000 of hurricane damage before your insurance company would pay anything.

Below are three sample homeowners insurance quotes, as well some thoughts about how you might compare them.

Our analysis: Company C wins on price, but that's because you’re getting significantly less coverage for your home and your belongings. The company is covering your stuff on an actual cash value basis, which pays what your belongings are worth at the time of the loss. Both of the other policies offer replacement cost coverage, which means you'll receive enough to buy brand-new replacements.

Companies A and B offer dwelling and personal property coverage limits that are comparable. The potential dwelling coverage payout from Company A would be higher if you file a claim due to extended replacement cost coverage, which offers a set percentage above your dwelling coverage limit in it's case it's not enough to rebuild. With Company A, your dwelling coverage limit would effectively be $381,250 (your $305,000 limit plus an extra 25%). You’ll save a little money each year with Company B, but you’ll also have lower limits and a higher deductible.

So which is right for you?

If you’re on a tight budget, Company C’s offer might be what you can afford. If you want to make sure you have enough coverage in a worst-case scenario, you might choose Company A.

There may also be other factors to consider, such as the company’s reputation, discounts or extra features. And if you’re insuring a car, you’ll want to compare the total price of both homeowners and auto insurance, plus any bundling discounts you might qualify for.

Many factors affect your home insurance quote, from the size of your house to the things in your closet. Companies weigh these factors in different ways, so one insurer might be more lenient than another about your credit history or your backyard trampoline. To find the best rate, shop around with multiple insurers.

Here are some of the factors that can affect your homeowners insurance quote.

• Your house

  • Rebuilding cost. The more it would cost to rebuild your home if it were destroyed, the higher your home insurance quote is likely to be. The price to rebuild depends on the size of your home and on local material and labor costs.

  • Age of your home. Older homes generally cost more to insure because things like pipes and electrical systems wear out over time and may not meet current building codes.

  • Materials. Homes built from materials like brick or stone are cheaper to insure than houses made of wood, which is flammable.

  • Security features. Alarm systems, smoke detectors, deadbolt locks and other safety features reduce the likelihood of theft or damage, so your insurer may offer a discount if you have them.

  • Home renovations. Your quote may be higher after you remodel the kitchen, add a deck or make other improvements that increase the cost to rebuild.

• Your location

  • Local fire protection. If you’re near a hydrant or fire station, you’ll likely qualify for cheaper home insurance than someone who lives in a more remote area.

  • Natural disaster risks. Rates are typically higher in places prone to hurricanes, wildfires and other natural risks.

  • Neighborhood crime rates. If lots of burglaries happen in your neighborhood, your home insurance quotes may be higher.

• You and your belongings

  • Your insurance credit score. In most states, a home insurance quote can be higher for people with blemished credit. Insurers say people with poor credit are more likely to file claims. But in California, Maryland and Massachusetts, companies aren’t allowed to consider credit in setting homeowners insurance prices. Learn more about homeowners insurance and credit scores.

  • Your pet. Home insurance quotes can be high if you own a dog of a breed that’s considered aggressive. That’s because your liability insurance might have to pay if your dog bites someone and they sue you. Some companies may not be willing to sell you a policy at all. Learn more about home insurance and dog bites.

  • Your belongings. If you own a costly musical instrument, expensive jewelry or other valuables, you may need extra coverage that will increase your homeowners insurance quote.

  • Your backyard pool or trampoline. Owning these items can raise your home insurance quote because of the risk of injuries they pose. If someone is injured using them, even if they didn't have your permission, you could be liable. Learn more about insurance for trampolines.

  • Your wood-burning stove. Insurers may see your stove as a fire hazard, particularly if it wasn’t professionally installed or doesn’t meet code requirements.

  • Your home-based business. You may need to add coverage to a standard homeowners policy or buy a business owner's policy to cover business-related equipment, inventory and liability.

  • Your previous claims. If you’ve filed numerous claims, insurers may view you as a risk and charge you higher premiums. You may even see higher rates if the previous owner of a house you’re buying filed a recent claim.

The average cost of homeowners insurance in the U.S. is $2,110 per year, according to NerdWallet’s rate analysis. However, what you pay for home insurance depends in large part on where you live. Homeowners in some parts of the country, such as the Gulf Coast or the Midwest, tend to pay more for home insurance than homeowners in other parts of the country.

Your home insurance quote may be higher or lower than the average in your state, depending on where you live and what it would cost to rebuild your home. Check out the cheapest homeowners insurance in your state.

• See the average cost of home insurance in each state

  State	Average annual cost	Average monthly cost
  National average	$2,110	$176
  Alabama	$3,420	$285
  Alaska	$1,035	$86
  Arizona	$2,565	$214
  Arkansas	$3,215	$268
  California	$1,335	$111
  Colorado	$4,175	$348
  Connecticut	$1,870	$156
  Delaware	$1,025	$85
  Florida	$2,625	$219
  Georgia	$2,435	$203
  Hawaii	$610	$51
  Idaho	$1,460	$122
  Illinois	$2,420	$202
  Indiana	$2,495	$208
  Iowa	$2,505	$209
  Kansas	$3,735	$311
  Kentucky	$2,510	$209
  Louisiana	$2,220	$185
  Maine	$1,180	$98
  Maryland	$1,945	$162
  Massachusetts	$1,595	$133
  Michigan	$2,095	$175
  Minnesota	$2,920	$243
  Mississippi	$3,310	$276
  Missouri	$3,290	$274
  Montana	$2,735	$228
  Nebraska	$4,505	$375
  Nevada	$1,305	$109
  New Hampshire	$1,185	$99
  New Jersey	$1,290	$108
  New Mexico	$1,730	$144
  New York	$1,740	$145
  North Carolina	$2,490	$208
  North Dakota	$2,805	$234
  Ohio	$1,590	$133
  Oklahoma	$6,210	$518
  Oregon	$1,305	$109
  Pennsylvania	$1,440	$120
  Rhode Island	$2,080	$173
  South Carolina	$2,350	$196
  South Dakota	$3,345	$279
  Tennessee	$2,850	$238
  Texas	$4,585	$382
  Utah	$1,385	$115
  Vermont	$950	$79
  Virginia	$1,705	$142
  Washington	$1,415	$118
  Washington, D.C.	$1,295	$108
  West Virginia	$1,770	$148
  Wisconsin	$1,515	$126
  Wyoming	$1,555	$130

Which homeowners insurance companies should I consider?

There are hundreds of home insurance companies in the U.S., ranging from small regional insurers to well-known national brands. But they’re not all equally reliable. An insurer with poor customer service or iffy finances may not offer the support you need in a disaster.

Below are the insurers that earned the highest star ratings in NerdWallet’s latest homeowners insurance company analysis. Click on each company’s name to read our full review.

For NerdWallet’s full list of highly rated insurers, see the best home insurance companies.

If you have a few companies in mind, check out NerdWallet’s home insurance reviews to see each insurer’s strengths and weaknesses.

How to get a cheap homeowners insurance quote

Shopping around is the best way to find the cheapest home insurance quotes you can, but you can also try these other tips to find lower homeowners insurance rates.

Increase your deductible. If you agree to shoulder more of the cost after a potential claim, you can substantially cut your premiums. Raising your deductible from $1,000 to $2,500 lowers your rate by an average of 11%, according to NerdWallet's rate analysis.

Bundle home and auto insurance policies. You can often get discounts for buying car and home insurance from the same company. Check out our picks for the best home and auto bundles.

Ask for discounts. Price breaks vary from one company to the next. You might get discounts for having a smoke-free home, being retired, buying a new home, signing up for automatic payments or being claims-free, for example.

Make your home safer. Features like smoke detectors, storm shutters, smart-home technology and deadbolt locks can result in discounts. You may also get cheaper home insurance quotes if you upgrade outdated heating, plumbing and electrical systems.

Build your credit. In most states, a good credit history can lead to lower home insurance quotes. Aim to make your credit card and loan payments on time and keep your debt as low as you can to build your credit score.