The Best Home Insurance in Louisiana for 2024

Chubb and Amica are among the best home insurance companies in Louisiana, according to our analysis.

We analyzed data from more than 30 insurance companies to help you find the best home insurance in Louisiana. Below are the insurers that earned 4.5 stars or more in our analysis. Rates are based on a sample homeowner with good credit, $300,000 of dwelling coverage, $300,000 of liability coverage and a $1,000 deductible.

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The best homeowners insurance companies in Louisiana

Here's more information about the best homeowners insurance companies in Louisiana.

Amica stands out for its customer service and broad range of coverage options. The company has drawn far fewer consumer complaints to state regulators than expected for an insurer of its size, according to the National Association of Insurance Commissioners.

You can customize your policy with extra coverage above your dwelling limit, in case your house costs more to rebuild than expected. You may also want to add coverage for damage from water backups or recovery from identity theft.

» READ MORE: Amica homeowners insurance review

Chubb offers lofty coverage limits and plenty of perks. For example, the company covers water damage from backed-up sewers and drains, and pays to bring your home up to the latest building codes during reconstruction after a claim. (Many insurers charge more for these types of coverage.)

If you insure a secondary or seasonal home in Louisiana with Chubb, you can sign up for the company’s Property Manager service at no charge. With this service, a Chubb representative will inspect your home after a hurricane, report its condition to you, submit a claim on your behalf and help prevent further damage.

» READ MORE: Chubb homeowners insurance review

Allstate is one of the largest home insurance companies in the U.S. The company offers many ways to customize your policy, including replacement cost coverage for your personal property and water backup coverage, which applies if sewer lines or sump pumps back up and damage your home. Other, less common options may include home-sharing coverage and reimbursement for replacing damaged items with energy-efficient versions.

You may also be able to upgrade your policy with the Enhanced Package. One benefit of this package is Deductible Rewards, which takes $100 off your deductible for signing up, plus an additional $100 off for each year you go claim-free. And if you do file a claim, your rates won’t go up.

» READ MORE: Allstate homeowners insurance review

Farmers stands out for its lengthy list of discounts, including ones for installing protective systems like fire alarms and sprinklers, not smoking for the past two years, and paying your premium on time.

Add-on options include personal property replacement cost coverage, which will fully reimburse you for the cost of replacing a stolen, damaged or destroyed item. You may also want to buy coverage for water damage caused by backed-up drains or sewer lines.

» READ MORE: Farmers homeowners insurance review

The Hanover gives homeowners lots of choices. You can opt for an auto/home package, a policy designed for high-value homes or a standalone policy for a standard house. You can further customize your policy with a range of options such as guaranteed replacement cost coverage, which will pay as much as it takes to rebuild your home after a disaster.

The Hanover sells policies exclusively through local independent agents. That means online quotes aren’t available, but you can get personal service to help you choose the right coverage.

» READ MORE: Hanover homeowners insurance review

As America’s largest home insurer, State Farm stands out for its long list of coverage options. Its policies generally include extra dwelling coverage in case it costs more than expected to rebuild your home after a covered disaster. You may also be able to add coverage for things like identity theft, damage from backed-up drains and personal injury liability.

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.

» READ MORE: State Farm homeowners insurance review

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.

» READ MORE: USAA homeowners insurance review

How much does homeowners insurance cost in Louisiana?

The average annual cost of home insurance in Louisiana is $2,240. That’s 17% more than the national average of $1,915.

In most U.S. states, including Louisiana, 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 Louisiana, those with poor credit pay an average of $4,010 per year for homeowners insurance, according to NerdWallet’s rate analysis. That’s 79% more than those with good credit.

» MORE: How your credit score affects homeowners insurance

Average cost of homeowners insurance in Louisiana by city

How much you pay for home insurance depends on where in Louisiana you live. For example, the average cost of homeowners insurance in New Orleans is $2,240 per year, while homeowners in Baton Rouge pay $2,525 per year, on average.

» MORE: What’s the average cost of homeowners insurance?

The cheapest home insurance in Louisiana

Here are the insurers we found with average annual rates below the Louisiana average of $2,240.

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Why is home insurance so expensive in Louisiana?

A wave of recent hurricanes has caused a crisis in Louisiana’s homeowners insurance market. The storms left billions of dollars in damage, driving more than a dozen insurance companies out of the state or into insolvency.

That’s left homeowners scrambling to find new coverage and often paying significantly more as the companies that remain raise their rates. Many homeowners have had to buy policies from Louisiana Citizens, the state’s insurer of last resort. By law, Citizens must charge more than private insurers.

In addition to the lack of competition and the risk of insuring hurricane-prone homes, inflation also contributed to Louisiana’s higher insurance premiums. It now costs more to rebuild a house after a claim, and insurers pass those costs along to their policyholders.

Because experts believe climate change is making hurricanes stronger, it will likely become increasingly expensive to insure a home located in the path of tropical storms.

» MORE: 9 ways to lower your home insurance costs

Common risks for Louisiana homeowners

Common natural disasters in Louisiana include hurricanes, tropical storms, thunderstorms, tornadoes and hail, all of which can damage your home. Here’s how to make sure you’ve got the right coverage.

Hurricanes and tropical storms

Its location on the Gulf of Mexico makes Louisiana a prime target for hurricanes and tropical storms. Most homeowners insurance policies cover damage from wind but not flooding, so you may want to buy separate flood insurance. 

To assess your flood risk, look up your address on the Federal Emergency Management Agency's flood maps. However, FEMA’s maps don’t always capture all types of flood risk, so you may also want to check the website of the nonprofit First Street Foundation, which models climate risks. Enter your address in the top left corner to see your home’s flood risk rating on a scale of 1 to 10.

» MORE: How to choose the best flood insurance

In high-risk coastal areas, home insurance policies may not cover wind damage. If that’s the case for you, Louisiana Citizens may be your only option for coverage. It offers homeowners and wind-only policies to people who can’t find insurance anywhere else.

If your policy does cover wind damage, check whether it has a separate deductible for hurricanes or named storms. (A deductible is the amount of a claim you’re responsible for.) 

Many people choose a flat dollar amount such as $1,000 for their deductible, but a hurricane or named-storm deductible is often a percentage of your dwelling coverage limit. So if your home is insured for $200,000 and you have a 2% hurricane deductible, you’ll have to pay for the first $4,000 of hurricane damage.

» MORE: Complete guide to hurricane insurance

Tornadoes

Because standard homeowners policies cover wind damage, most people don’t need to buy extra coverage for tornadoes. However, if you live in a coastal area at high risk for hurricanes and your insurer won’t cover wind, you won’t have tornado coverage either. Shop around or turn to Louisiana Citizens to make sure you’re covered.

Thunderstorms and hail

Your homeowners policy will generally cover some, but not all potential thunderstorm damage.

Hail, lightning and wind are typically covered. So if hail dents a few shingles or wind blows a tree onto your garage, most homeowners insurance policies will pay for the damage, minus your deductible. (Again, one exception is for homeowners on the coast whose insurers won’t cover wind.)

However, if a thunderstorm brings heavy rain and flash flooding, you might not have coverage for the subsequent water damage. Instead, that would fall under flood insurance.

Louisiana Department of Insurance

Got an insurance problem or question? The Louisiana Department of Insurance may be able to help. You can use the agency’s website to file a complaint about your insurer, learn the basics about your policy or look up insurance agents. You can call 800-259-5300 for live assistance.