Best homeowners insurance in Florida for 2022

Florida may be known as the Sunshine State for its vitamin sea, but its months-long hurricane season makes home insurance a vital purchase for any homeowner. Unfortunately, it’s this very risk of hurricane damage and vast coastline that makes the average cost of homeowners insurance in Florida so expensive — averaging $2,643 per year or $220 a month. This is around 39% higher than the national average of $1,899 per year.   

But there are other factors you should consider when choosing an insurer. Not sure what to look for? Policygenius can help you figure out your coverage needs and compare quotes from multiple top companies in Florida.  

Best homeowners insurance companies in Florida

Of the companies we looked at, Tower Hill has the lowest annual premiums in Florida at just $1,189 per year, while Citizens Insurance is five times more expensive at $6,019 per year. 

This drastic difference in price is because Citizens sells Florida’s Fair Access to Insurance Requirements (FAIR) Plan policies specially designed for high-risk homeowners who’ve been denied coverage by traditional home insurance companies.

Aside from cost, you’ll also want to consider each company’s customer service, claims satisfaction, and coverage options when choosing a provider. This is especially important in Florida, where unpredictable weather and a strained insurance market has led to over 116,000 lawsuits filed against insurance companies in 2021. (To put that into perspective, no other state had more than 900.)

So looking at the five largest home insurance companies in Florida, Policygenius analyzed thousands of quotes to find the average cost of homeowners insurance with each company in 2022. We then looked at 2021 J.D. Power customer satisfaction scores and compared that with the coverage needs of Florida residents to find the best homeowners insurance in Florida.

Universal Property

Universal Property is a Florida-based insurance company that provides a relatively standard, but solid home insurance policy. It's an especially good option if you have lots of animals on your property thanks to its special animal liability coverage.

Pros

• Covers homes that are generally more difficult to insure

• Excellent coverage add-ons, such as replacement cost contents, water backup, equipment breakdown, and service line coverage

• Special animal liability coverage available in case your dog or another animal on your property injures someone

Cons

• Customer reviews complain of a poor claims experience

• Doesn't offer increased dwelling coverage

• Minimal discount opportunities

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Why Universal Property tops our best list

We like Universal Property thanks to its flexible underwriting criteria. It offers coverage to high-risk homeowners who might struggle to qualify with other insurers — a valuable benefit when so many homes are located in hurricane-prone areas throughout the state. 

You also have the option of adding tree and debris removal coverage to your policy — something you’d likely want to consider with the high number of thunder and lightning storms the state sees each year. And you can score discounts for fortifying your home with windstorm protective devices, meaning you’re saving money while keeping your family safe. Talk about a win-win.

How to get a quote

Online through Universal Property

Citizens Insurance

Citizens Insurance offers basic home and wind-only insurance coverage for homes in high-risk coastal areas of Florida. If you're having a difficult time finding a company to insure your home, Citizens is a decent last-resort option.

Pros

• Provides homeowners insurance to high-risk homes that are often denied coverage by private insurers

• Offers wind-only policies

• Sets up catastrophe response centers after natural disasters to offer in-person support to homeowners without power or means of communication

• File claims over the phone or online 24/7/365

• Low customer complaint ratings in 2020

Cons

• Rates are around 15% higher than the state average

• Limited additional coverage options

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Why Citizens tops our best list

Although Citizens Insurance doesn’t come cheap, expensive insurance still provides much-needed protection. And that’s why we like Citizens. It’s helpful for Floridians in a pinch who’ve been denied coverage from other insurers due to their proximity to the coast, past history of claims, or poor insurance score. 

But that doesn’t make it a second-rate insurer. In fact, it has a lower rate of customer complaints than other insurers on this list, according to the NAIC Complaint Index. [1] One reason for this might be its mobile catastrophe response centers it dispatches throughout the state following a hurricane, tornado, or other natural disaster to make filing claims easier for impacted policyholders. 

How to get a quote

Reach out to a Citizens Insurance agent in your area — you can use this tool to help you find a Citizens agent near you

State Farm

There's a reason State Farm is one of the top-rated insurance companies in the U.S. — its customer satisfaction ratings are through the roof, it offers a slew of coverage add-ons for full protection, and makes filing claims through its mobile app a breeze.

Pros

• Top-tier coverage add-ons, including equipment breakdown, water backup, and service line coverage

• Get up to $1 million in personal liability coverage

• Score discounts for bundling, installing security devices, and choosing a high deductible

• File and track claims online, over the phone, in person, or through its mobile app

• High customer satisfaction and financial strength ratings

Cons

• No discounts for first-time homebuyers or going a year without a claim

Read our full State Farm home insurance review

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Why State Farm tops our best list

Earning a stellar 835 out of 1,000 J.D. Power rating — the highest of any insurer on this list — State Farm is known for its top-notch customer service and seamless claims filing. [2] And its coverage isn’t lacking, either. We especially love that it doesn’t require a larger deductible for roof damage — a common claim for Florida homeowners. This is a huge perk considering Florida lawmakers have been pushing to allow insurers to charge roof deductibles of up to 2% of your dwelling coverage limit. [3]  

How to get a quote

Online through State Farm

Tower Hill

Tower Hill stands out thanks to its robust flood insurance options and contractor network program that makes repairing your home after a natural disaster as seamless as possible.

Pros

• Offers 3 flood insurance options, including a private flood endorsement and standalone policy

• Contractor network program for easy repairs that come with a 5-year warranty for workmanship

• Lower-than-average customer complaints according to the NAIC

Cons

• Little information about discounts or coverage options available online

Read our full Tower Hill review here

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Why Tower Hill tops our best list

We’re a big fan of Tower Hill — especially for high-net-worth Floridians. The insurer offers two special policies with more robust coverage limits for homeowners with larger, more expensive homes. Its enhanced debris removal coverage will come in handy with the high winds that accompany hurricane season. And its rare screened enclosure coverage will keep your screened-in pool protected from all of the elements. 

Add to this its personal liability limits that span up to a whopping $1 million and its personal property replacement cost coverage, and you’d be hard-pressed to find another insurer on this list that ensures your home is this protected.  

How to get a quote

Online through Policygenius or Tower Hill

ASI Progressive

ASI Progressive offers robust home insurance coverage and ways to save. Our fave perk? Its bundling discount, which lets you save up to 20% on premiums and only requires you to pay one deductible if your home and car are damaged in the same event.

Pros

• Policies are backed by Progressive Insurance

• Flood insurance coverage add-on available — a rarity among insurers

• Save up to 20% when you bundle your home and auto insurance

• Score discounts for owning a new home, signing up for e-bills, paying your premiums in full for the year, and more

• Only pay one deductible if your home and car are damaged in the same incident and you bundle your home and auto insurance together

• File and track claims online

Cons

• Below-average claims satisfaction ratings

• Minimal information about coverage add-ons available online

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Why ASI Progressive tops our best list

Florida homeowners who live near the coast will appreciate ASI Progressive’s flood insurance coverage add-on — meaning you won’t have the hassle of taking out a separate policy with another insurer. 

We also like ASI Progressive for its bundling option. Insure both your home and car with ASI and you’ll not only score a huge discount, but you’ll only have to pay one deductible if your home and car are damaged in the same incident. This means if a hurricane knocks a tree onto your home and car, or rising ocean waters flood your garage and prized Corvette, you’d only be on the hook for one deductible.

How to get a quote

Online through Policygenius or ASI Progressive

Cheapest homeowners insurance companies by city in Florida

Looking at average home insurance costs for the 15 most popular insurers in Florida, we found that the cheapest homeowners insurance companies in the state are Tower Hill, UPC Insurance, and ASI Progressive.

You’ll notice that inland cities situated around Gainesville (Grandin, Hollister, and Interlachen) have some of the lowest rates, since they’re less likely to sustain hurricane damage. 

Meanwhile, towns in southeast Florida along the Atlantic coast (Pompano Beach, Fort Lauderdale, and Hollywood) have some of the highest rates — not surprising considering their risk of hurricane and storm surge damage.

But your home’s location isn’t the only factor that affects your home insurance rates. Everything from the size of your home to the age of your roof to your credit history play a role in determining your cost of homeowners insurance.

Regardless of all of these factors, it’s still possible to find affordable home insurance in cities throughout Florida, as evidenced by the companies highlighted in the table below.

Shopping for homeowners insurance in Florida

Once you’re ready to shop for homeowners insurance in Florida, a Policygenius expert can help you navigate your coverage needs and help you find the best deal. 

This will be helpful considering what a mess the Florida insurance market is. Insurers have stopped writing new policies left and right due to a turbulent market, high risks due to worsening storm seasons, and an outdated property insurance system.

That’s why it’s extra important to compare insurance companies to find the right one for you — paying close attention to coverage limits, policy deductibles, and ease of claims.

In this section, we break down the average annual home insurance rates in Florida for different coverage and deductible levels, as well as the cheapest and most expensive home insurance companies in the state for individuals with a poor credit score, dog owners, and pool owners.

Florida home insurance costs by coverage amounts

One of the most important (and expensive) parts of your home insurance policy is your dwelling coverage, since it protects the physical structure of your home from covered hazards like hurricanes and fires. 

How much dwelling coverage you purchase should be based on the replacement cost of your home — not its market value. That means even if you paid $600,000 for a home that would really only cost $400,000 to rebuild — you’d only need $400,000 in dwelling coverage.

As you can see, the higher your dwelling coverage limit, the higher your premiums. In Florida, the most significant rate jump occurs in the $400,000 to $500,000 range — with a nearly $900 difference in premiums between these two coverage levels.

Liability coverage is the part of your home insurance policy that protects all of your assets — think your home, cars, investments, and that Jet ski you just bought. It covers medical bills, attorney fees, and damages if someone is injured or their property is damaged while at your home and you’re found legally responsible.

More liability coverage doesn’t necessarily mean higher rates in Florida. In fact, you could pay nearly $1,000 less for $500,000 in liability coverage versus $100,000 in coverage — making it a great value add for your policy.

Florida home insurance costs by deductible amount

Your home insurance deductible is the amount you have to pay out of pocket when you file a claim before your insurance company jumps in to cover the rest. In general, the higher your deductible, the lower your rates — and vice versa.

But before you choose a higher deductible, consider your risk of filing a claim — especially if you live in an area of Florida that’s often hit hard during hurricane season. You’ll want to make sure you have the savings to pay that high deductible — or else you won’t be able to file a claim at all.

Home insurance discounts in Florida

Most home insurance companies offer discounts for adding protective devices to your home, since it lowers your risk of filing a claim. While having just a deadbolt, smoke alarm, or burglar alarm won’t drastically lower your rates in Florida, having all three might put a small dent in your premium.

Home insurance companies in Florida for dog owners

Surprising to many, another factor that impacts your home insurance rates is whether or not you own a dog, since there’s a greater risk of a guest getting injured while at your home. To offset that risk, many insurers charge higher rates for dog owners — especially if you have a pit bull, German shepherd, or another dog breed they consider “aggressive.”

Dog-loving homeowners in Florida might want to consider Tower Hill first, since they have the cheapest home insurance rates for dog owners at $1,189 per year. Alternatively, Citizens has the highest rates for homeowners with a dangerous dog breed at $6,019 per year.

Home insurance companies in Florida for poor credit

Your credit score also plays a role in your home insurance premiums. Homeowners with lower credit scores generally see higher rates, since insurers consider you more likely to file a claim.

With an average rate of $1,898 per year, Tower Hill has the cheapest home insurance rates in Florida for a homeowner with poor credit, while Citizens’ average yearly premium of $6,019 is the highest. 

Home insurance companies in Florida for pool owners

Homeowners with a pool will also see higher rates than those without, since again there’s a greater risk of someone getting injured while at your home. 

So what company is the friendliest toward Florida pool owners? That would be Tower Hill, with the cheapest average rate of $1,189 per year. Meanwhile, Citizens (shocker) is the most expensive insurer for pool owners with a $6,019 average yearly premium.

How to buy homeowners insurance in Florida

With so many insurance companies pulling out of Florida thanks to the severe weather that makes expensive claims difficult to finance, it’s extra important to compare policies from multiple companies to make sure you’re getting the best coverage at the fairest price. 

Methodology

Policygenius has analyzed home insurance rates provided by Quadrant Information Services in March 2022 for ZIP codes in all 50 states plus Washington, D.C., for a 40-year-old female homeowner with no claim history, good credit, a $1,000 deductible, and the following coverage limits:

• Dwelling: $300,000

• Other structures: $30,000

• Personal property: $150,000

• Loss of use: $60,000

• Liability: $300,000

• Medical: $1,000

All rates based on the above coverage limits except where otherwise noted.

Some carriers may be represented by affiliates or subsidiaries. Rates provided are a sample of costs. Your actual quotes may differ.