How Much Is Homeowners Insurance? Average Home Insurance Cost 2020

Selecting a homeowners insurance policy is one of the more important purchasing decisions you’ll make after finding a new home. Homeowners insurance protects your assets — the home itself, personal property within the home, and legal and medical bills if someone is injured on your property. It's also required by most mortgage companies before they’ll lend to you.

According to the National Association of Insurance Commissioners, the average annual homeowners insurance premium is $1,192. Homeowners insurance costs differ from state to state for a number of reasons. If a state has a lot of major cities and more densely populated areas, it’s more likely to have higher premiums, as home values are generally higher. States in areas with a higher incidence of natural disasters also generally have higher premiums than states that don’t match that criteria. Homeowners insurance premiums are also dependent on the age and rebuild value of your home and the insured limits in your policy.

Read on:

Average homeowners insurance cost by state
The most expensive states for homeowners insurance
The cheapest states for homeowners insurance
Average homeowners insurance rates by company
Average homeowners insurance premium by coverage amount
What determines the cost of homeowners insurance?
How much of each homeowners insurance component do you need?
How to save on homeowners insurance

Average homeowners insurance cost by state

State	Average annual premium	State	Average annual premium
Alabama	$1,386	Montana	$1,130
Alaska	$974	Nebraska	$1,402
Arizona	$803	Nevada	$742
Arkansas	$1,348	New Hampshire	$965
California	$1,000	New Jersey	$1,174
Colorado	$1,446	New Mexico	$996
Connecticut	$1,455	New York	$1,309
Delaware	$816	North Carolina	$1,098
District of Columbia	$1,225	North Dakota	$1,239
Florida	$1,918	Ohio	$850
Georgia	$1,200	Oklahoma	$1,875
Hawaii	$1,026	Oregon	$659
Idaho	$703	Pennsylvania	$927
Illinois	$1,042	Rhode Island	$1,496
Indiana	$1,003	South Carolina	$1,285
Iowa	$945	South Dakota	$1,125
Kansas	$1,548	Tennessee	$1,185
Kentucky	$1,085	Texas	$1,937
Louisiana	$1,967	Utah	$664
Maine	$866	Vermont	$898
Maryland	$1,022	Virginia	$966
Massachusetts	$1,451	Washington	$822
Michigan	$952	West Virginia	$917
Minnesota	$1,340	Wisconsin	$762
Mississippi	$1,525	Wyoming	$1,120
Missouri	$1,280

The most expensive states for homeowners insurance

Highest Average Premium by State

Extreme weather is a common theme in states with high homeowners insurance premiums. Louisiana, Texas, and Florida are coastal states and are more susceptible to strong storms, and Oklahoma and Kansas are right in the middle of Tornado Alley.

Louisiana: $1,967
Texas: $1,937
Florida: $1,918
Oklahoma: $1,875
Kansas: $1,548

The cheapest states for homeowners insurance

Lowest Average Premium by State

On the flip side, you can get a bargain deal on homeowners insurance if you live in a state that experiences milder weather.

While we don’t advise moving somewhere strictly based on how high homeowners insurance premiums run, it’s helpful to understand why policies are cheaper in certain states and more expensive in others. As you can see, the following states aren’t likely to experience tropical storms and aren’t as prone to catastrophic tornadoes or other disasters.

Oregon: $659
Utah: $664
Idaho: $703
Nevada: $742
Wisconsin: $762

Average homeowners insurance rates by company

Some insurance companies simply charge less for homeowners insurance than other companies. If you insure your home with a company intended for high-value homes owned by high-net-worth homeowners — like AIG or Chubb — you’ll pay more for coverage simply because the insurance products and customer service are more comprehensive and personalized than with a standard carrier like Travelers or Stillwater.

Certain insurance companies also have a different risk tolerance than others, and that can mean lower rates. For example, if they don’t insure homes with prior claims or homes at high risk of being damaged by a natural disaster, rates might be lower across the board.

Of the homeowners insurance companies offered by Policygenius, Stillwater quoted customers the lowest rates, while Chubb quoted customers the highest rates.

Insurance company	Average annual premium
AIG	$3,564
Chubb	$5,948
Encompass	$1,966
Hippo	$1,548
MetLife	$2,340
Nationwide	$2,044
Plymouth Rock	$1,134
Progressive	$1,366
Safeco	$1,680
Stillwater	$1,122
Swyfft	$1,286
Tower Hill	$1,465
Travelers	$1,415

Average annual premium courtesy of Policygenius quoting data

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Average homeowners insurance premium by coverage amount

Your homeowners insurance costs are largely determined by your home’s insured value, or the dwelling coverage limit in your policy. This is the part of your policy that reimburses you for covered damage to the structure of the home. The more dwelling coverage you have, the higher your homeowners insurance premiums will be.

Below is the average annual premium for homeowners insurance by insured value range.

Insurance range	Average annual premium
$49,999 and Under	$681
$50,000 to $74,999	$761
$75,000 to $99,000	$830
$100,000 to $124,999	$875
$125,000 to $149,999	$914
$150,000 to $174,999	$954
$175,000 to $199,999	$990
$200,000 to $299,999	$1,081
$300,000 to $399,000	$1,242
$400,000 to $499,000	$1,466
$500,000 and Above	$2,164

What determines the cost of homeowners insurance?

Homeowners insurance companies factor in different kinds of potential risks when determining home insurance rates. Some of these risks you have control over, and some are simply beyond your control.

Circumstantial homeowners insurance cost factors

Location – Location is one of the biggest homeowners insurance premium cost factors. Weather, population density, proximity to fire-prone forested areas or car accident-prone intersections and roads, proximity to a fire station, and insurance claim history (if you’ve filed past claims or live in an area with a high number of insurance claims, you’ll have higher premiums) are all taken into account when determining rates.
Credit history – Most states allow homeowners insurance companies to check an individual’s credit history to determine their premium.
Age of your home – That Victorian house you just bought in a historic neighborhood may be charming, but chances are it has older wiring and plumbing, meaning your rates will be higher due to the heightened risk of fire and plumbing hazards. Homes with aluminum wiring are typically excluded from dwelling coverage unless proper safety modifications are made by a licensed electrician. Companies will also suggest a complete copper rewiring to minimize risk.

Customizable homeowners insurance cost factors

How much coverage you have – When buying homeowners insurance, the insurance company largely determines your dwelling coverage amount (along with three other components that are set as a percentage of your dwelling coverage limit), but you also have the option of customizing the policy to suit your needs. That could mean upgrading your personal property coverage to replacement cost rather than actual cash value or opting for the maximum personal liability coverage amount ($500,000). Insurance companies also offer a wide range of additional protections, or coverage endorsements, to make your policy more comprehensive. The more robust your policy is, the higher your premiums will run you.
Deductible amount – The amount you pay out of pocket in the event of a claim. A standard policy deductible is typically anywhere from $500 to $2,000, but some companies may offer even higher deductible options. The general rule of thumb in insurance is lower deductible-higher premiums; higher deductible-lower premiums.
Homeowners insurance discounts – Homeowners insurance companies offer numerous discounts and bundles that can decrease your premiums. A few common ways to save are with home and auto insurance bundling discounts; loyalty discounts if you’re with the same company for a set number of years; and discounts for infrequent or zero claims.

How much of each homeowners insurance component do you need?

Example of coverage limits in a standard HO-3 homeowners insurance policy

Coverage type	Coverage limit example
Dwelling coverage	$300,000
Other structures coverage	$30,000 (10% of dwelling coverage)
Personal property coverage	$150,000 (50% of dwelling coverage)
Loss-of-use coverage	$60,000 (20% of dwelling coverage)
Liability coverage	$100,000-500,000
Medical payments coverage	$1,000-5,000

Dwelling coverage – Coverage for your home should equal its full replacement cost. Not to be confused with the home’s purchase price or market value, the replacement cost should reflect what it’d cost for a full rebuild.
Other structures coverage – Protects the garage, guesthouse, fences and driveways. Other structures coverage is typically insured for 10% of your dwelling coverage limit.
Personal property coverage – Protects personal belongings both inside and outside of the home. Personal property coverage is typically insured for 50% of your dwelling coverage limit.
Loss-of-use coverage – Covers additional living expenses while your home is being repaired or rebuilt. Loss-of-use coverage is typically insured for 20% of your dwelling coverage.
Liability coverage – Should be enough to cover all of your financial assets — like the home itself, investments, and automobiles in the event you’re sued. If $500k isn’t enough coverage, you can add an umbrella policy to increase your liability protection.
Medical payments to others – The amount you’ll pay out if someone is injured in your home and requires medical expenses on your behalf. Policies should typically have anywhere from $1,000-5,000 in medical payments coverage.

➞ Learn more about what homeowners insurance covers here.

How to save on homeowners insurance

Along with insurance bundles, loyalty discounts, and infrequent claims, you can also lower your homeowners insurance premiums by increasing the number of safety and security features in your residence:

Smoke detectors
Security alarms
Sprinkler system
Deadbolts on doors
Fire extinguishers
Wind protection

Interested in reshopping into lower homeowners insurance rates? Look no further than Policygenius. We’ll look at your policy, compare your coverage and cost with other insurers, and help you determine if you can get a better deal with another company.

The average cost of homeowners insurance is around $1,200 a year, but many factors play a role, including the details of your property and which state and city you live in. Louisiana has the most expensive home insurance, at an average of over $1,900 a year, and Oregon has the cheapest average home insurance at around $650 a year.

The replacement cost of a home can vary from company to company. Factors like your house's square footage, local construction costs, your roof, and even the style of the house can come into play. A licensed expert can help you make sure you get adequate replacement cost coverage.

Home insurance covers your home and personal property, along with providing liability protection and covering loss-of-use costs if your home is damaged and you need to stay in a hotel. Exact coverage will depend on your policy; fire, hail, theft, and burst pipes are typically covered, but earthquakes and flooding are not and require separate policies at an additional cost. Note that your coverage will only kick in after you meet your deductible, and a lower deductible will mean higher premiums. Check your policy and talk to an expert to find out exactly what coverage you have and need.

How much does homeowners insurance cost?