The Best Home Insurance in Maryland for 2023

The average cost of homeowners insurance in Maryland is $1,300 per year, or about $109 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 Maryland. Our sample rates are for a homeowner with good credit and $300,000 of dwelling coverage, $300,000 of liability coverage and a $1,000 deductible. Your rates will be different.

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.

The best homeowners insurance in Maryland

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.

More about the best home insurance companies in Maryland

See more details about each company to help you decide which one is best for you.

State Farm is a great choice for homeowners who like to work directly with a company representative, as the company sells policies through a wide network of agents. And its attention to customer service has paid off; the company has fewer customer complaints to state regulators than expected for a company of its size.

State Farm offers a free Ting device as a perk for home insurance policyholders. Ting is a smart plug that monitors your home’s electrical network to help prevent fires.

Learn more with our State Farm homeowners insurance review.

Homeowners policies from Farmers may include two valuable types of insurance: extended dwelling and replacement cost coverage. Extended dwelling coverage gives you extra insurance for the structure of your house, while replacement cost coverage offers higher reimbursement for stolen or destroyed belongings.

Some Farmers policies also come with perks that can save you money. For example, with claim forgiveness, Farmers won’t raise your rate for a claim as long as you haven’t filed one within the past five years.

Learn more with our Farmers homeowners insurance review.

Based in Pennsylvania, Erie is a regional insurer that offers guaranteed replacement cost for the structure of your home. With this coverage, the company will pay to rebuild your home completely after a disaster, even if the amount exceeds your dwelling limit. Not all insurers offer this option, but it’s worth considering as a hedge against rising construction costs.

Got a car to insure, too? If you bundle your home and auto insurance with Erie, you could get a discount of around 20%. You may also be able to save if your home has certain safety and security features such as smoke alarms or sprinkler systems.

For more details, read our Erie home insurance review.

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.

If you insure a secondary or seasonal home in Maryland 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.

Learn more with our Chubb homeowners insurance review.

We like Nationwide for its wide variety of coverage options. For example, its standard homeowners insurance policy generally includes ordinance or law coverage, which can help pay to bring your home up to current building codes after a covered claim. You can add other coverage for things like identity theft and damage from backed-up sewers and drains.

Depending on how much personal assistance you need, you can get a quote for homeowners insurance on the Nationwide website or work with a local agent instead. You can also use the website to pay bills, file claims or check claim status.

Learn more with our Nationwide 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.

Learn more with our USAA homeowners insurance review.

How much does homeowners insurance cost in Maryland?

The average annual cost of home insurance in Maryland is $1,300. That’s 29% less than the national average of $1,820.

How much you pay for homeowners insurance in Maryland depends on where you live. For instance, the average cost of home insurance in Baltimore is $1,560 per year, while homeowners in Silver Spring pay $1,120 per year, on average.

Average cost of homeowners insurance in Maryland by city

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

The cheapest home insurance in Maryland

Here are the insurers we found with average annual rates below the Maryland average of $1,300.

» MORE: The cheapest homeowners insurance

What to know about Maryland homeowners insurance

Maryland homeowners have a few natural disasters to consider when shopping for home insurance, including hurricanes, flooding, winter weather and wildfires.

Hurricanes and tropical storms

While less common than in coastal states further south, hurricanes and tropical storms can still cause extensive damage when they strike. If you live near the Maryland coast, make sure you have enough coverage for the wind and flood damage often caused by hurricanes. Wind damage is typically included in a standard homeowners policy, but flooding isn't, which we cover in the next section. Read more about hurricane insurance.

While your policy typically covers wind damage, make sure to read it closely, as you may have a separate wind deductible. These are often a flat rate, such as $1,000, or a percentage of your dwelling coverage. For example, your policy may have a $1,000 deductible for most claims and a 1% deductible for wind claims. So if your house has $250,000 worth of dwelling coverage, you’d have to pay for the first $2,500 of wind damage yourself.

Flooding

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 protect their property from water damage.

To find out if you’re at risk, check out the Federal Emergency Management Agency's flood maps or visit 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 anytime, there’s typically a 30-day waiting period before the insurance takes effect. Here’s more information about flood insurance and waiting periods.

» MORE: How to choose the best flood insurance company

Winter weather

Maryland can see harsh winter weather, including heavy snowfall, ice storms and freezing temperatures. This can damage a home's structure, roof or plumbing systems.

A standard homeowners policy will cover most damage from winter storms. However, you should carefully review your policy, as some types of winter weather damage may require extra coverage.

If you have damage from water seepage caused by snowmelt, that may need to be covered under a separate flood policy. Damage caused by negligence, such as frozen pipes if you fail to keep your heat at an adequate temperature while you’re out of town, also may not be covered.

Wildfires

Although less prevalent in Maryland compared with some other states, wildfires can still occur, particularly in wooded or rural areas. Homeowners insurance typically covers damage from fires, but make sure to review your policy to ensure you have enough coverage in case of wildfires.

Pay particular attention to your dwelling coverage limit. This is the amount the insurance company will pay to rebuild your house. A significant fire can destroy your whole home, so talk with your insurer to make sure you have enough coverage to rebuild if necessary.

» MORE: Home insurance calculator: Estimate your rate

Maryland insurance department

The Maryland Insurance Administration (MIA) oversees the state’s insurance industry. Its website provides helpful resources about insurance rates and claims, as well as information to help you file a complaint against your insurance company. You can access the complaint form on the MIA website, and if you have questions about insurance complaints, you can call the MIA for help at 800-492-6116.

Looking for more insurance in Maryland?

• The cheapest car insurance in Maryland.

• Cheap car insurance in Baltimore.

• Best Medicare Advantage plans in Maryland.

Amanda Shapland contributed to this story.