The Best Home Insurance in West Virginia for 2024
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The average cost of homeowners insurance in West Virginia is $1,600 per year, or about $133 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 West Virginia in the following categories:
Best for affordability: State Farm.
Best for coverage: Erie.
Best for consumer experience: Nationwide.
The rates in our analysis are estimates based on many factors, so your rate may differ.
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.
Best affordable homeowners insurance in West Virginia: State Farm
Coverage options
Discounts
NAIC complaints
State Farm
Coverage options
Discounts
NAIC complaints
In West Virginia, the average annual premium for State Farm is $1,470, which is below the state average of $1,600.
State Farm is a great choice for homeowners who like to work directly with a 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.
Best homeowners insurance in West Virginia for coverage: Erie
Coverage options
Discounts
NAIC complaints
Erie
Coverage options
Discounts
NAIC complaints
Erie 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.
Got a car to insure, too? If you bundle your home and auto insurance with Erie, you could get a discount of upwards of 16%. 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.
Best homeowners insurance in West Virginia for consumer experience: Nationwide
Nationwide
Coverage options
Discounts
NAIC complaints
Nationwide
Coverage options
Discounts
NAIC complaints
The Nationwide 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.
In addition, Nationwide’s customers have several ways to get assistance, such as reaching out to their agent or calling the company’s customer service hotline. Outside of business hours, they can use the Nationwide website to get proof of insurance, pay bills and schedule callbacks. A chatbot is also available to answer basic questions.
Learn more with our Nationwide homeowners insurance review.
Full list of the best homeowners insurance in West Virginia
NerdWallet analyzed home insurance companies across the state to find the best home insurance in West Virginia. 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 | ||
$1,525 | ||
$1,740 | ||
$1,470 | ||
USAA* | $1,150 | |
*USAA homeowners policies are available only to active military, veterans and their families. | ||
How much does homeowners insurance cost in West Virginia?
The average annual cost of home insurance in West Virginia is $1,600. That’s 16% less than the national average of $1,915.
In most U.S. states, including West Virginia, 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 West Virginia, those with poor credit pay an average of $3,885 per year for homeowners insurance, according to NerdWallet’s rate analysis. That’s 143% more than those with good credit.
Average cost of homeowners insurance in West Virginia by city
How much you pay for homeowners insurance in West Virginia depends on where you live. For instance, the average cost of home insurance in Charleston is $1,690 per year, while homeowners in Morgantown pay $1,565 per year, on average.
City | Average annual rate | Average monthly rate |
|---|---|---|
Barboursville | $1,740 | $145 |
Beckley | $1,735 | $145 |
Bluefield | $2,015 | $168 |
Bridgeport | $1,510 | $126 |
Buckhannon | $1,550 | $129 |
Charles Town | $1,510 | $126 |
Charleston | $1,690 | $141 |
Clarksburg | $1,560 | $130 |
Elkins | $1,525 | $127 |
Fairmont | $1,530 | $128 |
Harpers Ferry | $1,480 | $123 |
Hedgesville | $1,425 | $119 |
Huntington | $1,785 | $149 |
Hurricane | $1,695 | $141 |
Inwood | $1,455 | $121 |
Keyser | $1,580 | $132 |
Martinsburg | $1,445 | $120 |
Morgantown | $1,565 | $130 |
Moundsville | $1,635 | $136 |
Parkersburg | $1,715 | $143 |
Princeton | $2,030 | $169 |
Saint Albans | $1,635 | $136 |
South Charleston | $1,610 | $134 |
Weirton | $1,530 | $128 |
Wheeling | $1,530 | $128 |
The cheapest home insurance in West Virginia
Here are the insurers we found with average annual rates below the West Virginia average of $1,600.
Company | NerdWallet star rating | Average annual rate |
|---|---|---|
$1,470 | ||
$1,525 | ||
USAA* | $1,150 | |
*USAA homeowners policies are available only to active military, veterans and their families. | ||
What to know about West Virginia homeowners insurance
You may face certain risks when living in West Virginia. Here are a few of the most common, along with steps you can take to insure your home properly against them.
Flooding
Standard homeowners insurance policies typically do not cover flood damage. As a result, homeowners in flood-prone areas likely need to purchase separate flood insurance to cover potential water damage.
To find out if your home is in a high-risk area, 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.
Note that while you can purchase flood coverage 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.
Thunderstorms
Typical homeowners insurance policies cover damage caused by thunderstorms, including wind and hail damage.
However, it’s important to review your policy for specific details and exceptions. For example, your policy may have the same deductible for most claims, but have a separate deductible for wind and hail claims.
These deductibles can be a flat rate, such as $1,000, or a percentage of your dwelling coverage limit. Suppose your policy has a $1,000 deductible for most claims and a 1% deductible for wind claims. If your house has $250,000 worth of dwelling coverage, you’d have to pay for the first $2,500 of wind damage yourself.
Winter storms
Homeowners insurance generally covers winter storm-related damages, but make sure to verify the specific coverage limits and deductibles in your policy. 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.
Landslides and mudflows
Landslides and mudslides are not covered under typical homeowners insurance policies. Landslides are considered “earth movement” events and typically need a separate policy in order to be covered. Mudflows may be covered if you have flood insurance. If you live in an area with high-risk terrain, make sure you have enough insurance to cover your home and belongings against damage from landslides or mudflows.
Wildfires
Homeowners insurance typically covers damage from fire, including wildfires, but check your policy for specific coverage details and exclusions. 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 home, so talk with your insurer to ensure you have enough coverage to rebuild if necessary.
West Virginia insurance department
The West Virginia Offices of the Insurance Commissioner is the state’s governmental organization overseeing the insurance industry. It provides consumer protections and insurance information.
If you need to file a complaint against your insurer, you can do so using an online form or by mail. The Consumer Services Division can also help answer questions about the complaint form by phone at 888-879-9842.
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.
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