Farm Bureau home insurance review: Coverage out West
Farm Bureau home insurance offers exceptional customer service and the option to bundle a slew of policies to save money. But rates are over 50% higher than the national average.
By
Jennifer GimbelJennifer GimbelSenior Managing Editor & Home Insurance ExpertJennifer Gimbel is a senior managing editor and home insurance expert at Policygenius, where she oversees our homeowners insurance coverage. Previously, she was the managing editor at Finder.com and a content strategist at Babble.com.
Our proprietary ratings methodology takes multiple factors into account, including customer satisfaction, cost, financial strength, and policy offerings. See the “Ratings methodology” section for more details.
3.9
AM Best rating
AM Best is a global credit rating agency that scores the financial strength of insurance companies on a scale from A++ (Superior) to D (Poor).
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Cost
Using a mix of internal and external rate data, we grade the cost of each insurance company's premiums on a scale from least expensive ($) to most expensive ($$$$$).
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The bottom line
Farm Bureau home insurance is ideal for homeowners out West who are already members of their state Farm Bureau — you have to join in order to purchase insurance through Farm Bureau Financial Services.
It’s an especially good option if you’re looking to keep all of your insurance policies under one roof — Farm Bureau offers car, life, farm, boat, umbrella, business, and life insurance on top of home insurance. And you’ll receive a bundling discount when you purchase more than one policy.
But average rates are over 50% higher than the national average. And it doesn’t offer as many home insurance coverage add-ons as other regional insurance companies.
Excellent customer service score — received 99% fewer complaints expected for a company of its size in 2021
Excellent financial strength rating from A.M. Best, proving it likely has the funds to pay out claims in the wake of a natural disaster
Only pay one deductible if your home, car, and boat are damaged in the same event and you bundle your insurance policies with Farm Bureau
Cons
Rates are $1,400 more expensive than the national average
Only available in 8 states throughout the West
Need to have a Farm Bureau membership in your state to purchase insurance
Basic coverages offered
Farm Bureau home insurance policies include these six standard coverages to protect your home, belongings, and personal liability:
Dwelling coverage: Pays to repair or rebuild the structure of your home after a covered loss.
Other structures coverage: Pays to repair or rebuild other structures on your property not connected to your home, including detached garages, storage sheds, and fencing.
Personal property coverage: Pays to repair or replace your personal belongings after a covered loss, including furniture, clothing, tech gadgets, and other stuff you own.
Loss of use coverage: Pays for hotel stays, restaurant bills, pet boarding fees, and other temporary living expenses after a covered loss if you need to live elsewhere while your home is being rebuilt.
Personal liability coverage: Pays for legal and medical expenses if someone is injured or their belongings are damaged while at your home and you’re found legally responsible.
Medical payments coverage: Pays for small-dollar medical bills if someone is injured while at your home — regardless of who is at fault.
Additional coverages offered
You can add these additional coverages to your Farm Bureau homeowners insurance policy for even more protection:
Extended replacement cost for your home: Extends your dwelling coverage limit up to 25% in case rebuild costs exceed your policy limit after a covered loss.
Identity theft: Offers everything from assistance with your credit reports to attorney fees resulting from identity fraud to help replacing personal identification documents destroyed in a natural disaster.
Freezer contents: Covers up to $10,000 in spoiled food if your refrigerator or freezer stops working due to a power outage or breakdown.
Farm and ranch insurance: Offers a slew of property and liability coverage options for corporate farms, hobby farms, and everything in between.
Renters insurance: Purchased by tenants, renters insurance covers the personal belongings in your rental home or apartment against fire, vandalism, theft, windstorms, and water damage, as well as personal liability and loss of use coverage.
Condo insurance: Purchased as a supplement to your condo association’s master policy, condo insurance covers your personal belongings, the interior structure of your condo unit, and personal liability.
Mobile home insurance: Insures your manufactured or mobile home with the standard coverages listed in the above section.
Ratings methodology
Price
2.3/5
Our price rating scale looks at home insurance rates for a policy with $300,000 in dwelling coverage, as well as the total number of discounts offered. Farm Bureau’s average annual rate of $3,298 is 54% higher than the national average.
Customer experience
5.0/5
Farm Bureau isn’t included in J.D. Power’s claims or customer satisfaction surveys, which means its perfect score on our customer experience rating scale is based solely on its National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) National Complaint Index Score. Earning a 0.07, Farm Bureau received around 99% fewer customer complaints in 2021 compared to similar-sized home insurance companies.
Coverage options
3.7/5
Our coverage options rating is based on both the number and quality of additional coverage and policy options offered by the company. Farm Bureau scores middle of the pack compared to other regional home insurance companies.
Financial strength
4.5/5
Our financial strength rating is a weighted combination of three industry-leading metrics to measure a company’s financial health: AM Best, Standard & Poor’s (S&P), and Moody’s. Farm Bureau Financial Services has an A rating from AM Best, but it’s not rated by S&P or Moody’s.
How much does Farm Bureau home insurance cost?
The average cost of home insurance with Farm Bureau is $3,298 per year for $300,000 in dwelling coverage — that’s 54% higher than the national average.
Here’s a look at average rates for Farm Bureau home insurance based on different dwelling coverage limits:
Dwelling coverage limit
Average annual cost
$100,000
$1,393
$200,000
$2,309
$300,000
$3,298
$400,000
$4,287
$500,000
$5,311
Rates are based on our analysis of 2022 sample home insurance quotes from across the country provided by Quadrant Information Services. Actual rates will vary based on location, policy limits, coverages, claims history, and other factors.
Compare home insurance quotes with top insurers in minutes
You can save on the cost of Farm Bureau home insurance if you qualify for any of these discounts:
Multi-policy: If you bundle your home insurance with car, boat, motorcycle, or other insurance policies with Farm Bureau.
New home: If your home is under a certain number of years old.
New roof: If your home has a new roof, you’ll qualify for different discounts depending on the type of roof you choose.
Protective device: If your home is outfitted with burglar alarms, central fire alarms, and more safety devices.
Loyalty: If you renew your home insurance policy with Farm Bureau each year.
Farm Bureau home insurance state availability
Farm Bureau home insurance is available in eight states out West: Arizona, Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Nebraska, New Mexico, South Dakota, and Utah.
Home insurance policies in the above states are underwritten by Farm Bureau Property & Casualty Insurance Company and Western Agricultural Insurance Company. However, if you live in another state, you might still be able to purchase home insurance through your state's own Farm Bureau insurance underwriter.
For example, Southern Farm Bureau Casualty Insurance Company offers home insurance policies in Arkansas, Colorado, Florida, Louisiana, Mississippi, and South Carolina. And several other state Farm Bureaus like Texas, Georgia, and Kentucky have their own individual underwriters to serve the needs of residents.
You need a Farm Bureau membership to purchase home insurance
To purchase any insurance policy through Farm Bureau Financial Services, you’ll first need to be a member of your state’s Farm Bureau. Membership is open to anyone — you don’t need to own or work on a farm or ranch — and annual dues vary by state.
What to expect with Farm Bureau home insurance
How to get a quote: You can get a Farm Bureau home insurance quote by reaching out to a local agent through the Find an Agent tool on its website or by filling out an online form to have an agent contact you with next steps.
Customer service options: You can get in touch with a Farm Bureau customer service rep by calling 866-399-3237, sending an email through its website, or reaching out to your local agent.
How to file a claim: You can file a Farm Bureau home insurance claim by logging into your online account, calling 800-226-6383, or contacting your local agent.
How to cancel your policy: You can cancel your Farm Bureau home insurance policy by calling your local agent (their contact info should be on your policy declarations page).
Farm Bureau vs. other home insurance companies
Compare Farm Bureau to other popular home insurance companies in the industry:
Farm Bureau homeowners insurance covers your home and other structures on your property as well as your personal belongings if they’re damaged by a covered peril. It also covers additional living expenses if you have to live elsewhere while your home is being repaired, as well as medical and legal bills if you’re found liable for damage or injury to another person or their belongings.
How good is Farm Bureau insurance?
Farm Bureau insurance is a good option if you’re looking for an insurer with few customer complaints and strong financial stability. However, it might not be a great choice if price is your biggest concern: It’s average rates are $1,400 higher than the national average.
How do I cancel my Farm Bureau insurance policy?
You can cancel your Farm Bureau insurance policy by getting in touch with your local agent — they’re contact information should be listed on the declarations page of your home insurance policy.
Jennifer Gimbel is a senior managing editor and home insurance expert at Policygenius, where she oversees our homeowners insurance coverage. Previously, she was the managing editor at Finder.com and a content strategist at Babble.com.
