Home insurance premiums have risen faster than any other household bill in the last five years — up an average of 34% nationally, and over 100% in coastal Florida, wildfire-prone California, and hail-prone Colorado and Texas. Carriers are still repricing. Loyalty is genuinely being punished right now.
Re-shop every renewal cycle. What used to be a 'once every 3 years' habit is now annual. Prices are moving fast enough that yesterday's best carrier may not be today's — and the only way to know is to get quotes.
The carriers to compare. Amica, USAA (military), State Farm, Allstate, Erie (regional), Nationwide, Liberty Mutual, and independent agents representing multiple carriers. Independent agents are underrated — they can shop 10+ carriers in one call.
Match coverage before matching price. Dwelling coverage should equal the rebuild cost (not the market value or purchase price) — a rebuild estimator on any carrier's site gets you close. Personal property at 50–70% of dwelling. Liability at $300K minimum. Loss of use for temporary housing.
Deductibles have gotten weird. Standard deductibles used to be $500–$1,000. Now many policies default to $2,500–$5,000, with separate percentage deductibles for wind, hail, and hurricane. Read the declarations page carefully — a 2% hurricane deductible on a $400K home is $8,000 out of pocket, not the $1,000 you may remember.
Bundle for real savings. Auto + home with the same carrier typically saves 10–20% on both. If you're already re-shopping auto, get home quotes at the same time.
Discounts to ask about. Monitored alarm, roof under 10 years old, updated electrical/plumbing/HVAC, no claims in 5 years, and loyalty discounts (yes, some carriers still give them). Ask each quoting carrier which discounts they offer and apply them all.
The specific pitfall in high-risk areas. In Florida, Louisiana, California, and parts of the Southeast/Southwest, many national carriers have stopped writing new policies. The remaining carriers may be state insurers of last resort (Citizens in Florida, FAIR Plan in California) with limited coverage and higher premiums. If you're in one of these areas, a local independent agent is essential.
Renters insurance is genuinely cheap and worth it. Full renters coverage runs $12–$25/month for $30K of personal property plus liability. Most landlords now require it. It also covers theft, water damage, and temporary hotel costs if your unit becomes unlivable — worth it at any price.
Read the exclusions. Flood is never covered under standard home policies (need separate NFIP or private flood). Earthquake is a separate policy. Sewer backup is optional. Roof damage from wear-and-tear (versus a storm) is often excluded. Know what you have before you file a claim.
Filing small claims can cost you the policy. Any claim, paid or not, stays on your CLUE report for 7 years and can raise premiums or make you non-renewable. Rule of thumb: don't file a claim for anything within about 2× your deductible — pay out of pocket and keep the clean history.
Umbrella insurance is the cheapest big lever. A $1M umbrella policy typically runs $150–$300/year and sits on top of your home and auto liability limits. If you have real assets or income to protect, it's usually the highest-value insurance dollar you'll spend.
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