Home Insurance Finder: Compare policies, coverage and price

How much is home insurance?

The average cost of home insurance is $1,000 to $2,000 a year, depending on your demographics, home info and location. To get the cheapest rates, you’d typically need to have good credit and no previous claims and own a cheaper, low-risk home in a safe location.

Average home insurance rates

Compare the cheapest home insurance rates we found for Texas homeowners. We compared premiums across 30 home insurance companies plus policies from the FAIR Plan, which offers policies to homeowners who have been denied coverage elsewhere.

• How we got these rates

  We pulled sample rates for homeowners insurance in Texas using this profile:

  • Anderson County
  • No previous home insurance claims
  • Good credit
  • $200,000 home value
  • 20-year-old home

How can I compare homeowners insurance?

• Pick the right deductible. Typical deductibles range from $500 to $1,000. Raising your deductible will lower your premium; however, don’t sacrifice a lower premium at the risk of not being able to afford your deductible should an issue arise. Weigh the risk vs reward carefully.
• Bundle your insurance policies. Purchasing your auto and home insurance from the same provider often results in a discount. But it’s not always cheapest, so get quotes from multiple companies with bundling and without.
• Protect your home. Insurance companies offer discounts for taking extra precautions to secure your home. Security systems, smoke alarms, storm shutters, reinforced building materials and more can reduce your premiums.
• Take an inventory of your home’s contents. Keep a running inventory of all the major possessions you own and how much they’re worth. This lets you get the coverage you need without paying too much whenever you renew your insurance. Did you pass on that expensive piece of jewelry to your niece? Cancel the endorsement you purchased to protect it in case of theft.
• Maintain your property. This reduces the chances of you needing to make a claim and keeps your premiums low.
• Shop around. Investigate all your options and find the one that best works with your budget. But don’t make the mistake of choosing a policy strictly on the basis of cost. Check the reputation of your provider. You’ll want good customer service when disaster strikes.

Do I need home insurance?

Though home insurance isn’t required unless you have a home loan, it’s probably a good idea to consider for most homeowners. Your home is likely your most valuable possession, and homeowners insurance protects it from the unexpected.

Thunderstorms, lightning, burst pipes, fallen trees, fire, ice — the list of things that could potentially damage or destroy your home is endless. Without homeowners insurance, one disaster might require you to dig into your savings to clean up the mess, or be left without a way to fix the damage if your savings can’t cover it.

What does homeowners insurance cover?

A typical homeowners policy covers your house and personal belongings plus any garage or shed on the property. You’re also usually covered if someone is injured while on your property and if you need to stay in a hotel while your home is being repaired. It also protects what’s in your home, so if your furniture is damaged in a kitchen fire or your television is stolen, your insurer can help you replace it.

• The house itself
• Garages, sheds and other structures
• Fences, landscaping and other property
• Your personal belongings
• Visitors and contractors
• Additional living expenses

What are the types of homeowners insurance?

Homeowners insurance policies are broken down into three main categories, with each policy covering damage caused by different types of events or disasters — referred to as “perils” in insurance-speak.

Can I get insurance for an older or non-standard home?

In addition to the three main home insurance policies, you can also purchase a policy for non-standard home types.

Older home

Historic home

Condo or co-op

Mobile home

Tiny house

Rental house

What add-ons can I get for my home insurance policy?

Perils typically not covered in a homeowners insurance policy include: a flood, an earthquake, sewer backup, or normal wear and tear or maintenance to the home. However, additional coverage can be purchased to protect against these occurrences.

Additions to your home insurance policy are referred to as “floaters,” “riders” or “endorsements.” These can include flood insurance, earthquake insurance, floater policies for valuable items like furs and jewelry, and an umbrella liability policy. We’ll discuss endorsements in further detail later in the guide. Here is what is typically excluded from most standard policies:

• 

  Flood

• 

  Earthquake

• 

  Ground movement

• 

  Wear and tear

• 

  Sewer backup

• 

  War

• 

  Nuclear accident

What’s the difference between actual cash value and replacement cost?

In addition to choosing what your policy covers and under which circumstances, you will also need to choose your level of coverage. It can greatly affect how much you will be paid to repair your home and replace items that may have been damaged.

Actual cash value vs replacement cost

Market value or actual cash value (ACV) is the default, what your payout will typically be unless you’ve selected replacement cost coverage. Actual cash value is the cost to replace it based on how much your car is worth today, which is its original purchase price minus any depreciation.

How to decide on actual cost vs replacement cost

• How much is your home worth? Keep in mind the real estate value of your home is not the same amount as what it would cost to rebuild your home. Don’t include the cost of your land when determining your coverage.
• How much would it cost to rebuild your home with today’s standards? It might cost more today to rebuild or repair your home than when it was originally constructed. This is especially true after a natural disaster like a hurricane, when supplies and labor are in high demand.
• How much would your house need to be updated? If building codes have been updated since your house was built, this may also cause the cost to reconstruct your home to be more expensive today.

How much is a home insurance deductible?

The deductible is how much you must pay toward repairing your home or replacing any belongings that are damaged. You will have to pay a deductible each time you file a claim. Deductibles can either be a set amount or a percentage, but are usually a predetermined amount. The average deductible is $500-$1,000.

The deductible for your policy is determined when you purchase your insurance policy. A higher deductible results in a lower premium. But make sure your deductible is low enough that you can afford to pay it if you need to repair damage to your home that is covered by your policy. Your mortgage company also might put a limit on how high your deductible can be.

How can I prevent common home insurance claims?

Water, storm damage and theft are three of the most common insurance claims. Be proactive and minimize the risks to your home.

Water damage

It might come as a surprise to learn that most water damage is not caused by weather, but by burst pipes and other plumbing problems.

• Regularly check pipes for leaks. Avoid flushing foreign objects down toilets and make sure you address any signs of a leak as soon as possible, because even a small leak can cause an exponentially growing amount of damage over time.
• Keep an eye out for mildew and mold, and try to scrub it away as soon as possible. It can also be a sign of internal water damage. If mold keeps appearing in a well ventilated room, it could be a leak that is not visible. Ignoring these issues can count as a failure to adequately maintain the home, which can be used to reject insurance claims.
• If you live in a colder climate, insulating your pipes will help to prevent them from bursting.

Wind and hail damage

An increasingly common cause of damage and source of insurance claims, it makes sense to take steps to ensure your home is protected from storm damage.

• Check your roof for loose shingles and make any necessary repairs.
• Protect your windows. If you live in an area that’s prone to storms, it might be worth investing in storm shutters and impact-resistant windows.
• Durable siding and impact-resistant shingles will also help to protect your home from hail.

Theft

No one wants to think that this might happen to them, but unfortunately it is all too common. Take steps to prevent a break-in at your home.

• Check all entry points to your home and make any necessary repairs, like loose hinges or faulty locks.
• Installing a home security system will deter would-be thieves.
• Although it’s convenient when you find yourself in a bind, don’t hide a spare key outside your house. Criminals are well aware of this practice. Instead, consider giving a trusted neighbor a key to your home.
• Exterior lighting is a cost-effective deterrent to thieves.

Common questions about home insurance