Kin Home Insurance Review 2024

Kin Insurance sells homeowners policies in a handful of disaster-prone states.

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Written by Sarah Schlichter
Lead Writer
Profile photo of Caitlin Constantine
Assistant Assigning Editor
Fact Checked
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Kin

3.0

NerdWallet rating 
Provides homeowners insurance in high-risk states.

Coverage options

About average

Discounts

Average set of discounts

NAIC complaints

Far more than expected

Kin

3.0

NerdWallet rating 
Provides homeowners insurance in high-risk states.

Coverage options

About average

Discounts

Average set of discounts

NAIC complaints

Far more than expected

Consider Kin home insurance if...

You live in Kin's coverage area and are looking for an insurer with a strong online presence.
  • Strict editorial guidelines to ensure fairness and accuracy in our coverage to help you choose the financial products that work best for you. See our criteria for evaluating homeowners insurance.

  • More than 270 million rates analyzed by our team of specialists.

  • More than 50 insurance companies analyzed in all 50 states and Washington D.C. (See our top picks.)

Kin home insurance review

3.0

NerdWallet rating 

Kin homeowners insurance earned 3 out of 5 stars for overall performance.

Founded in 2016, Kin Insurance seeks to lower costs for high-risk homes by relying on technology and selling directly to consumers instead of through agents. Unlike other companies that sell auto, boat, life and other types of insurance, Kin focuses on residential insurance for single-family homes, condos, manufactured homes and investment properties. Kin also sells flood insurance you can add to your policy.

What's new with Kin?

In 2024, Kin expanded its coverage area to Georgia, Texas and Tennessee. The company now offers homeowners insurance in 10 states.

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How Kin home insurance stacks up

Pros

Includes generous coverage for personal belongings.

Easy online quotes.

Lots of useful insurance information on its website.

Cons

Limited state availability.

Pet liability coverage may cost extra.

No bundling discount.

Where Kin home insurance stands out

Kin stands out for its user-friendly website. You can get quotes, file claims and find information without having to work with an agent, though personalized assistance is available as well.

In certain states, the company also offers private flood insurance with more generous coverage limits and shorter waiting periods than policies from the federal government.

Where Kin home insurance falls short

The company's limited reach is the biggest drawback, as most Americans don't live in a state where they can buy a Kin policy. It’s also not ideal if you’re looking to bundle all your policies together — Kin doesn’t offer auto, boat or many other types of insurance. And the company draws far more consumer complaints than expected for an insurer of its size.

State availability

Kin currently offers new homeowners policies in Alabama, Arizona, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas and Virginia.

Availability may change at any time. Coverage may not be available to all homeowners in a given state.

Standard Kin home insurance coverage

You can customize your homeowners policy with numerous add-ons, but below are the types of coverage that generally come standard:

Type of coverage

What it does

Pays to repair or rebuild the structure of your home.

Covers damage to unattached structures such as sheds or fences.

Pays to repair or replace personal belongings such as furniture or clothing.

Pays for hotel stays, restaurant meals or other expenses if you have to live elsewhere while your home undergoes covered repairs.

Covers legal expenses and damages if you're responsible for injuries to other people or their property.

Covers injuries to guests in your home, regardless of fault.

In addition to the basic coverage above, Kin’s policies also include replacement cost coverage for personal property. Many insurance companies cover your belongings on an “actual cash value” basis unless you choose otherwise. For example, if a fire destroys your 15-year-old sofa and you have actual cash value coverage, your insurer will pay out only enough to buy another 15-year-old sofa. With replacement cost coverage, you’d receive enough money to buy a brand-new sofa.

Kin’s policies also include ordinance or law coverage, which pays expenses associated with rebuilding your home to comply with the latest building codes.

Optional Kin home insurance coverage

Kin may also offer:

Extended dwelling coverage. If you select this option, Kin will pay more than your dwelling coverage limit if rebuilding your home after a disaster costs more than expected.

Animal liability coverage. If your dog bites someone outside your household, many insurance companies would pay for ensuing medical or legal expenses as part of their standard personal liability coverage. But with Kin, you may have to add this coverage to your policy as an endorsement if you need it.

A note for homeowners with pets

The fact that Kin doesn’t always include animal liability coverage in its homeowners policies is somewhat unusual in the industry. If you have a pet, especially a dog that might bite or injure someone else, you’ll want to check your policy and buy the extra coverage if it’s not included. Breed restrictions may apply.

Water backup coverage. This type of insurance pays for damage due to backed-up drains or sump pump failures.

Identity fraud insurance. This coverage pays for fees and lost income associated with recovering your identity.

Personal injury liability coverage. This endorsement expands your liability coverage to include scenarios such as libel or slander.

Hurricane screen enclosure coverage. This endorsement provides coverage for the frame of a swimming pool’s screen enclosure.

Our Nerds say...

“Make sure you understand how Kin will cover your roof. Many of its policies may offer limited coverage for damage from wind or hail, with potentially reduced claim payouts based on how old your roof is. Having this type of coverage means your premium will be lower — but if a hailstorm or hurricane destroys your roof, you may not get enough money to pay for a full replacement. Look for the ‘roof surfacing payment schedule’ in your quote and make sure you understand the option you’ve chosen.”

Caitlin Constantine, NerdWallet editor

Caitlin Constantine, NerdWallet editor

What’s not covered

Like most home insurers, Kin doesn’t cover damage due to earthquakes, neglect or general wear and tear. If you’re running a business from your home, it won’t cover any liability claims related to your work either. (Learn more about business liability insurance.)

While Kin’s homeowners insurance policies don’t cover flood damage, the company offers flood insurance you may be able to buy separately.

Discounts

Discounts vary by state, but you may be able to save on your Kin premium by:

  • Having security or fire alarms.

  • Taking wind mitigation measures.

  • Being a new Kin customer.

  • Going without a claim for a set amount of time.

  • Opting to get your insurance documents electronically.

  • Having a water detection device.

  • Living in a neighborhood with a security guard.

  • Being a recent homebuyer.

  • Living in an area with a private fire company.

🤓Nerdy Tip

Another way to lower your premium is to raise your homeowners insurance deductible, the amount that will be subtracted from your payout if you ever file a claim. Just be sure to choose an amount you’d feel comfortable covering out of your own pocket.

Consumer complaints

Kin received far more home insurance complaints to state regulators than expected for a company of its size, according to NerdWallet's analysis of data from the National Association of Insurance Commissioners. (NAIC home insurance complaints also cover other home policy types, including mobile home, renters and condo insurance.)

Digital and consumer experience

Kin’s website is easy to use and offers a wealth of information about homeowners insurance. It takes only a couple of minutes to get a quote on the Kin website. You can also make payments, file claims and view policy information.

When we called the customer service line, we waited five minutes before speaking to a live agent. They were able to answer questions we had about Kin’s personal property and water backup coverage.

We also tried Kin’s live chat function. It started us out with a chatbot, but we were connected with a human within four minutes. The chat agent provided relatively consistent answers to those of the person we spoke with on the phone.

Kin doesn't currently have a mobile app.

How to file a claim with Kin

You can file a Kin homeowners claim online or by phone. If you choose the online option, you can upload damage photos and other documentation. Kin says an adjuster will typically contact you within 24 hours.

You can check the status of your claim by logging into your online account. If your claim is approved, Kin can reimburse you via direct deposit or check.

How to contact Kin customer service

You can get help from Kin's support staff by submitting an email through the website, calling 855-216-7674 or using the site's chat feature. Customer service is available every day but Sunday.

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Current Product

Kin Home Insurance
State Farm Homeowners Insurance
Allstate Homeowners Insurance
NerdWallet rating 

3.0

/5
NerdWallet rating 

4.5

/5
NerdWallet rating 

4.5

/5

Complaints to NAIC 

Far more than expected

Complaints to NAIC 

Fewer than expected

Complaints to NAIC 

Close to expected

Coverage 

About average

Coverage 

More than average

Coverage 

About average

Discounts 

Average set of discounts

Discounts 

Average set of discounts

Discounts 

Great set of discounts

Bottom line 

Provides homeowners insurance in high-risk states.

Bottom line 

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

Bottom line 

Widely available across the U.S. with lots of ways to customize your policy.

Other home insurance companies to consider

Not ready to make a decision? You may be interested in these other homeowners insurance companies:

How we rate homeowners insurance

NerdWallet’s star ratings reward companies for consumer-first features and practices. We evaluate factors such as financial strength, consumer complaints, coverage, discounts and customer experience.

In our research, we analyzed:

  • More than 270 million homeowners insurance rates.

  • More than 50 insurance companies.

  • Nearly 200 homeowner profiles.

Frequently asked questions

Yes, Kin sells flood insurance as an add-on to its homeowners policies in select states. Most flood insurance policies in the U.S. are underwritten by the National Flood Insurance Program, but Kin offers its own private flood insurance. Unlike NFIP coverage, which covers the structure of your home up to a maximum of $250,000, Kin’s flood insurance can pay up to your dwelling coverage limit for flood damage.

Kin’s policy offerings vary by state but may cover condos, mobile or manufactured homes, second or vacation homes, and rental homes.

The roof surfacing payment schedule endorsement could help you save money on your Kin homeowners insurance policy — if you’re willing to take a little risk. (An endorsement is an addition to a policy that changes its original terms.)

Say a hailstorm destroys your roof. Without the roof surfacing payment schedule endorsement, Kin would pay enough for you to buy a brand-new roof made of similar materials to the old one. But if you’ve chosen the endorsement, your home’s roof will be covered only for its actual cash value — which, on an older roof, could be significantly less than what it would cost to replace it. The endorsement applies only to hail and wind damage.

Adding a roof surface payment schedule endorsement to your policy could lower your premium or even help you get coverage when you might otherwise be denied for having too old a roof. But you’ll want to weigh the chance of not having enough coverage for your roof after a disaster.

Methodology

Homeowners insurance star ratings 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, coverage, 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 ratings methodology for home insurance.

Insurer complaints methodology

NerdWallet examined complaints received by state insurance regulators and reported to the National Association of Insurance Commissioners in 2021-2023. To assess how insurers compare to 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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