The Best Home Insurance in Montana for 2024
Many or all of the products featured here are from our partners who compensate us. This influences which products we write about and where and how the product appears on a page. However, this does not influence our evaluations. Our opinions are our own. Here is a list of our partners and here's how we make money.
The average cost of homeowners insurance in Montana is $2,605 per year, or about $217 per month, according to a NerdWallet analysis. For comparison, the national average is $1,915 per year.
NerdWallet analyzed data from numerous insurance companies to help you find the best home insurance in Montana in the following categories:
Best for affordability: Nationwide.
Best for coverage: State Farm.
Best for consumer experience: Amica and Nationwide.
The rates in our analysis are estimates based on many factors, so your rate may differ.
Best affordable homeowners insurance in Montana: Nationwide
Nationwide
Coverage options
Discounts
NAIC complaints
Nationwide
Coverage options
Discounts
NAIC complaints
In Montana, the average annual premium for Nationwide is $1,425, which is well below the state average of $2,605.
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.
Best homeowners insurance in Montana for coverage: State Farm
Coverage options
Discounts
NAIC complaints
State Farm
Coverage options
Discounts
NAIC complaints
As America’s largest 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.
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.
Best homeowners insurance in Montana for consumer experience: Amica and Nationwide
Coverage options
Discounts
NAIC complaints
Amica
Coverage options
Discounts
NAIC complaints
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, or NAIC.
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.
Get more information in our Amica homeowners insurance review.
Nationwide also earned high marks for consumer experience. Its website offers plenty of ways to manage your policy, including filing and tracking claims, paying bills and getting quotes. The company also has a comprehensive and highly rated mobile app.
Learn more with our Nationwide homeowners insurance review.
Full list of the best homeowners insurance in Montana
NerdWallet analyzed home insurance companies across the state to find the best home insurance in Montana. Here are all of the insurers that received a NerdWallet star rating of 4.5 or higher:
Company | NerdWallet star rating | Average annual rate |
|---|---|---|
Not available | ||
Not available | ||
Not available | ||
$1,425 | ||
$1,775 | ||
$4,535 | ||
USAA* | $2,365 | |
*USAA homeowners policies are available only to active military, veterans and their families. | ||
How much does homeowners insurance cost in Montana?
The average annual cost of home insurance in Montana is $2,605. That’s 36% more than the national average of $1,915.
In most U.S. states, including Montana, 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 Montana, those with poor credit pay an average of $5,505 per year for homeowners insurance, according to NerdWallet’s rate analysis. That’s 111% more than what those with good credit pay.
Average cost of homeowners insurance in Montana by city
How much you pay for homeowners insurance in Montana depends on where you live. For instance, the average cost of home insurance in Billings is $2,975 per year, while homeowners in Missoula pay $2,535 per year, on average.
City | Average annual rate | Average monthly rate |
|---|---|---|
Anaconda | $2,155 | $180 |
Belgrade | $2,200 | $183 |
Bigfork | $2,110 | $176 |
Billings | $2,975 | $248 |
Bozeman | $2,200 | $183 |
Browning | $3,000 | $250 |
Butte | $2,110 | $176 |
Columbia Falls | $2,110 | $176 |
Dillon | $2,455 | $205 |
Glendive | $3,845 | $320 |
Great Falls | $2,355 | $196 |
Hamilton | $2,600 | $217 |
Havre | $2,855 | $238 |
Helena | $2,355 | $196 |
Kalispell | $2,110 | $176 |
Laurel | $2,770 | $231 |
Lewistown | $3,005 | $250 |
Libby | $2,470 | $206 |
Livingston | $2,375 | $198 |
Miles City | $3,815 | $318 |
Missoula | $2,535 | $211 |
Polson | $2,675 | $223 |
Sidney | $3,370 | $281 |
Stevensville | $2,575 | $215 |
Whitefish | $2,110 | $176 |
The cheapest home insurance in Montana
Here are the insurers we found with average annual rates below the Montana average of $2,605.
Company | NerdWallet star rating | Average annual rate |
|---|---|---|
$1,425 | ||
$1,775 | ||
American Modern | Not rated | $2,110 |
USAA* | $2,365 | |
*USAA homeowners policies are available only to active military, veterans and their families. | ||
What to know about Montana homeowners insurance
ou may face certain risks when living in Montana. Here are a few of the most common, along with steps you can take to insure your home properly against them.
Wildfire
Standard homeowners insurance typically covers damage caused by wildfire, though residents of high-risk areas may find exclusions in their policies. Pay particular attention to the dwelling coverage limit, which is how much the insurance company will pay to rebuild your house. Check with your insurer to ensure you have enough coverage to rebuild if necessary. To learn more, see our guide to wildfire insurance.
Flooding
Standard homeowners insurance does not cover flood damage, so homeowners in flood-prone areas may need to purchase separate flood insurance.
To find out 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.
Winter weather
Homeowners insurance generally covers winter storm-related damage, 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.
Hailstorms
Home insurance generally covers hail damage, but make sure to read your policy carefully as you may also have a separate deductible for hail damage. 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 hail claims. So, if your house has $250,000 worth of dwelling coverage, you’d have to pay for the first $2,500 of hail damage yourself.
Montana insurance department
The Montana Commission of Securities and Insurance oversees the insurance industry in the state. In addition to practical regulation, such as licensing insurers, the commission provides consumer information on the insurance industry. It’s also the place to go if you’re having a dispute with your insurer, as you can file a complaint through its online form. You can also call the commission’s consumer advocate division at 800-332-6148.
Amanda Shapland contributed to this story.
NerdWallet calculated median 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 2020-2022. 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.
On a similar note...
