The Best Home Insurance in Alaska for 2023

We analyzed the cheapest rates and top companies for home insurance in Alaska.
Sarah Schlichter
Kayda Norman
By Kayda Norman and  Sarah Schlichter 
Published
Edited by Caitlin Constantine

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The average cost of homeowners insurance in Alaska is $1,325 per year, or about $110 per month, according to a NerdWallet analysis. That’s less than the national average of $1,820 per year.

We’ve analyzed rates and companies across the state to find the best homeowners insurance in Alaska.

Note: Some insurance companies included in this article may have made changes in their underwriting practices and no longer issue new policies in your state. Even if an insurer serves your state, it may not write policies for all homes in all areas.

Our writers and editors follow strict editorial guidelines to ensure fairness and accuracy in our writing and data analyses. You can trust the prices we show you because our data analysts take rigorous measures to eliminate inaccuracies in pricing data and may update rates for accuracy as new information becomes available.

We include rates from every locale in the country where coverage is offered and data is available. When comparing rates for different coverage amounts and backgrounds, we change only one variable at a time, so you can easily see how each factor affects pricing.

Our sample homeowner had good credit, $300,000 of dwelling coverage, $300,000 of liability coverage and a $1,000 deductible.

The best homeowners insurance in Alaska

If you’re looking to buy homeowners insurance from a well-rated national brand, consider one of these insurers from NerdWallet’s list of the best homeowners insurance companies.

Company

NerdWallet star rating

Average annual rate

5.0

NerdWallet rating 

$1,135

5.0

NerdWallet rating 

Not available

4.5

NerdWallet rating 

$870

5.0

NerdWallet rating 

$2,150

*USAA homeowners policies are available only to active military, veterans and their families.

More about the best home insurance companies in Alaska

insurance-product-card-logo

State Farm

5.0

NerdWallet rating 
Well-established insurer with a lengthy list of coverage options.

Coverage options

More than average

Discounts

Average set of discounts

NAIC complaints

Fewer than expected
insurance-product-card-logo

State Farm

5.0

NerdWallet rating 
Well-established insurer with a lengthy list of coverage options.

Coverage options

More than average

Discounts

Average set of discounts

NAIC complaints

Fewer than expected

America’s largest home insurer celebrated its 100th anniversary in 2022. One useful endorsement you may be able to add to a State Farm policy is an inflation guard rider, which automatically increases your policy limits to make sure your coverage doesn’t fall short.


insurance-product-card-logo

Chubb

5.0

NerdWallet rating 
Perks and high coverage limits for affluent homeowners.

Coverage options

About average

Discounts

Great set of discounts

NAIC complaints

Far fewer than expected
insurance-product-card-logo

Chubb

5.0

NerdWallet rating 
Perks and high coverage limits for affluent homeowners.

Coverage options

About average

Discounts

Great set of discounts

NAIC complaints

Far fewer than expected

Chubb caters to high-value homes and draws far fewer consumer complaints than expected for a company of its size, according to the National Association of Insurance Commissioners. Its home insurance policies come with some great perks, including extended replacement cost in case it costs more than your dwelling limit to rebuild your home after a disaster.

Chubb policyholders may also be able to take advantage of the company’s HomeScan service, which uses infrared cameras to look for problems behind the walls of your home.


insurance-product-card-logo

Country Financial

4.5

NerdWallet rating 
Best for those who prefer to have a personal conversation with an agent when choosing coverage.

Coverage options

More than average

Discounts

Great set of discounts

NAIC complaints

Far fewer than expected
insurance-product-card-logo

Country Financial

4.5

NerdWallet rating 
Best for those who prefer to have a personal conversation with an agent when choosing coverage.

Coverage options

More than average

Discounts

Great set of discounts

NAIC complaints

Far fewer than expected

Country Financial has three different levels of homeowners coverage to help you choose the package that’s best for you. You also have the option to add extra coverage for the structure of your home, in case inflation drives up the cost of rebuilding more than you expect.

Country Financial sells homeowners insurance through local representatives. The company has drawn far fewer complaints than expected to state regulators.


insurance-product-card-logo

USAA

5.0

NerdWallet rating 
Offers perks for for the military community.

Coverage options

Below average

Discounts

Average set of discounts

NAIC complaints

Far fewer than expected
insurance-product-card-logo

USAA

5.0

NerdWallet rating 
Offers perks for for the military community.

Coverage options

Below average

Discounts

Average set of discounts

NAIC complaints

Far fewer than expected

USAA sells homeowners insurance to veterans, active military members and their families. If that description fits you, you may want to consider a USAA policy. That’s because the company’s homeowners insurance has certain features that other insurers may charge extra for.

For example, USAA automatically covers your personal belongings on a “replacement cost” basis. Many companies pay out only what your items are worth at the time of the claim, which means you may not get much for older items. USAA pays enough for you to buy brand-new replacements for your stuff.


How much does homeowners insurance cost in Alaska?

The average annual cost of home insurance in Alaska is $1,325. That’s 27% less than the national average of $1,820.

In most U.S. states, including Alaska, many insurers use your credit-based insurance score to help set rates. Your insurance score is similar but not identical to your traditional credit score.

In Alaska, those with poor credit pay an average of $1,835 per year for homeowners insurance, according to NerdWallet’s rate analysis. That’s 38% more than those with good credit.

Average cost of homeowners insurance in Alaska by city

How much you pay for homeowners insurance in Alaska depends on where you live. For instance, the average cost of home insurance in Anchorage is $1,105 per year, while homeowners in Fairbanks pay $1,250 per year, on average.

City

Average annual rate

Average monthly rate

Anchorage

$1,105

$92

Chugiak

$1,015

$85

Eagle River

$1,010

$84

Fairbanks

$1,250

$104

Fort Wainwright

$1,245

$104

Homer

$1,060

$88

Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson

$1,170

$98

Juneau

$1,025

$85

Kenai

$1,095

$91

Ketchikan

$1,020

$85

Kodiak

$1,040

$87

North Pole

$1,245

$104

Palmer

$1,115

$93

Soldotna

$1,070

$89

Wasilla

$1,190

$99

The cheapest home insurance in Alaska

Here are the insurers we found with average annual rates below the Alaska average of $1,325.

Company

NerdWallet star rating

Average annual rate

4.5

NerdWallet rating 

$870

Umialik

Not rated

$1,090

5.0

NerdWallet rating 

$1,135

What to know about Alaska homeowners insurance

Alaskans are likely aware of the risks that come with winter storms and freezing temperatures. However, you’ll also need to make sure to consider the possibility of earthquakes, wildfires, volcanic activity and flooding.

If you’re shopping for home insurance in Alaska, make sure to read your policy carefully so you understand what’s covered and what isn’t.

Winter storms and freezing temperatures

Alaska sees long winters with freezing temperatures, heavy snowfall and icy conditions. Homeowners should be aware of the damage this can bring to their homes, including roof and structural damage caused by the weight of snow and water damage due to frozen pipes.

Homeowners insurance generally covers winter storm-related damages, but some types of winter weather damage may require extra coverage. For instance, you’ll typically need a separate flood insurance policy to cover flood damage caused by snowmelt.

Earthquakes

Alaska is one of the most seismically active areas of the world. Earthquakes can be frequent and of high magnitude, posing significant risks to homeowners. Standard homeowners insurance policies do not typically cover structural damage due to an earthquake. If you live in an area with higher risk, you may want to buy additional earthquake insurance.

Earthquake insurance often has a separate deductible, which can be around 10% of the coverage on your policy. For example, if you have a 10% deductible on $200,000 of coverage, you would need to pay a $20,000 deductible for earthquake damage before your insurance covers anything. When shopping for earthquake insurance, pay attention to the deductible so you know what you’ll potentially pay out of pocket.

Flooding

Alaska often sees flooding from snowmelt, coastal storm surge, ice jams in rivers and heavy precipitation. Standard homeowners insurance policies typically don't cover flood damage. As a result, homeowners in flood-prone areas may need to purchase separate flood insurance.

To learn more about your risk, check out the Federal Emergency Management Agency's flood maps and riskfactor.com, a website from the nonprofit First Street Foundation. Even if your property is deemed low risk, it may be worthwhile to purchase flood insurance for extra peace of mind.

Remember that while you can purchase flood coverage at any time, there’s typically a 30-day waiting period before the insurance takes effect. Here’s more information about flood insurance and waiting periods.

Wildfires

Wildfires are less common in Alaska than in other forested areas of the U.S. However, the risk and severity of wildfires in Alaska is predicted to increase significantly due to climate change. Homeowners insurance typically covers damage caused by fire, including wildfires, but make sure to read your policy so you understand any exclusions.

Volcanic activity

Alaska has over 130 volcanoes and is home to most of the volcanic activity in the U.S. Fortunately for homeowners, volcanic damage is typically covered by standard home insurance policies. Additionally, most Alaskan volcanoes are remote, and ash fallout is typically what a community may encounter after an eruption. However, the weight of heavy ash fallout, especially when mixed with rain or snow, could cause a roof to collapse.

Alaska insurance department

The Alaska Division of Insurance oversees the state’s insurance industry. You can find consumer resources on its site, and you can call 907-269-7900 if you need help while filing an insurance claim or have other questions about home insurance specific to Alaska. If you need to file a complaint against your home insurance, you can do so online, by fax or by mail.

Looking for more insurance? Check out the cheapest car insurance in Alaska.

Amanda Shapland contributed to this story.

Frequently asked questions

Home insurance is not required by Alaska state law. However, your lender may require you to purchase home insurance. For more information, read Is Homeowners Insurance Required?

Standard Alaska home insurance does not cover earthquakes. Consider purchasing separate earthquake insurance if you’re concerned about seismic activity.

There are several ways to save money on home insurance in Alaska:

  • Shop around to make sure you’re getting the best rate.

  • Choose a higher deductible. In case of any claims, you’ll pay more out of pocket, but your premiums will be lower.

  • Bundle your home and auto insurance for a lower overall rate. See the best home and auto insurance bundles.

  • Ask your insurer if you qualify for any home insurance discounts.

Methodology

NerdWallet averaged rates for 40-year-old homeowners from various insurance companies in every ZIP code across the state. All rates are rounded to the nearest $5.

Sample homeowners were nonsmokers with good credit living in a single-family, two-story home built in 1984. They had a $1,000 deductible and the following coverage limits:

  • $300,000 in dwelling coverage.

  • $30,000 in other structures coverage.

  • $150,000 in personal property coverage.

  • $60,000 in loss of use coverage.

  • $300,000 in liability coverage.

  • $1,000 in medical payments coverage.

We made minor changes to the sample policy in cases where rates for the above coverage limits or deductibles weren’t available.

We changed the credit tier from “good” to “poor,” as reported to the insurer, to see rates for homeowners with poor credit.

These are sample rates generated through Quadrant Information Services. Your own rates will be different.

Star rating methodology

NerdWallet’s homeowners insurance ratings reward companies for customer-first features and practices. Ratings are based on weighted averages of scores in several categories, including financial strength, consumer complaints, coverages, discounts and online experience. These ratings are a guide, but we encourage you to shop around and compare several insurance quotes to find the best rate for you. NerdWallet does not receive compensation for any reviews. Read our full homeowners insurance rating methodology.

Complaint methodology

NerdWallet examined complaints received by state insurance regulators and reported to the National Association of Insurance Commissioners in 2019-2021. To assess how insurers compare with one another, the NAIC calculates a complaint index each year for each subsidiary, measuring its share of total complaints relative to its size, or share of total premiums in the industry. To evaluate a company’s complaint history, NerdWallet calculated a similar index for each insurer, weighted by market shares of each subsidiary, over the three-year period. NerdWallet conducts its data analysis and reaches conclusions independently and without the endorsement of the NAIC. Ratios are determined separately for auto, home (including renters and condo) and life insurance.

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