The best way to find an affordable policy without sacrificing coverage is by comparing home insurance quotes from multiple insurers.
The price for similar homeowners insurance coverage can vary drastically among insurers and the same insurer doesn’t have the cheapest rates in every instance. That’s why it’s vital to shop around and get quotes.
Where To Get Home Insurance Quotes
You have multiple avenues to get home insurance quotes.
Get Quotes Online
Many home insurance companies offer free quotes online.
You can visit these companies’ websites and use their quote tools. You’ll enter your information and the coverage you want, and the site provides quotes.
Another option is comparison websites, which provide quotes from multiple companies. Going this route may save you time and allow you to compare your options on one webpage.
Regardless of how you get an online quote, you should never pay for home insurance quotes.
From Captive Insurance Agents
Home insurance agents can be “captive” or “independent.”
A captive agent works only for one insurance company and only gives you quotes from the insurer. That person is an expert on that insurance company, but going through a captive agent limits your choices.
From Independent Insurance Agents and Brokers
An independent agent or broker isn’t tied to one insurance company. Instead, the professional can collect quotes from multiple companies for you.
Going this route gives you more options and allows you to easily compare prices, though you may sacrifice the depth of company knowledge that a captive agent possesses.
Home Insurance Quotes to Compare
What Information Do I Need to Get Homeowners Insurance Quotes?
To make the home insurance quote gathering process go as smoothly as possible, have this information on hand:
- Your address.
- Purchase date of your home.
- The year the house was built.
- Approximate size of your living area.
- Number of stories.
- Number of full and half bathrooms.
- Distance to a fire hydrant.
- The age of your roof.
- The shape of your roof (like gable or hip).
- Exterior type (like stone, wood or stucco).
- Type of foundation (like slab or concrete basement).
- If you have a garage (attached or unattached).
- Members of your household.
- Any dogs in your home.
- Information on your plumbing, electrical and heating systems.
- Any protective devices, like smoke alarms, burglar alarms or water-leak detection systems.
- Information if you are running a home-based business.
- Personal information, such as your date of birth and marital status.
- Your recent history of home insurance claims.
- The amount of your mortgage.
- Your net worth (this will help determine your liability insurance need).
An Example of How To Compare Home Insurance Quotes
When comparing home insurance quotes, you’ll want to request quotes for the same level of coverage. That means the same:
- Dwelling coverage
- Personal property coverage
- Liability insurance
- Deductible
Let’s say you request a quote for $500,000 dwelling coverage with 50% personal property coverage ($250.000), a $300,000 liability insurance limit and a $1,000 deductible, and you get these results.
| Companies | Annual quote without discounts | Bundling discount | Annual quote with bundling discount |
|---|---|---|---|
| Company A | $1,500 | 5% | $1,425 |
| Company B | $1,700 | 10% | $1,530 |
| Company C | $1,800 | 20% | $1,440 |
If you don’t plan to bundle your home and auto insurance and strictly want the cheapest home insurance, Company A would likely be your choice. But if you wanted to bundle policies and receive a discount, Company A and Company C would be the ones to focus on.
You also want to ensure that you maximize home insurance discounts. Discounts include things like having a new roof, alarm system, paying in full, insuring more than one home with the same company and not having any recent home insurance claims. Find out about those discounts so the quote can include those cost-saving factors.
If you’re interested in coverage that goes beyond standard home insurance, you may want to buy these types of policy add-ons:
- Extended or guaranteed replacement coverage: You can add extended replacement coverage or guaranteed replacement coverage to your policy. Extended replacement coverage increases your dwelling coverage limit. This enhancement is a percentage, such as 25%. That means if you have $500,000 dwelling coverage and have extended replacement coverage, your policy will cover up to $625,000 if you need to rebuild your home. Guaranteed replacement coverage, which is more expensive and not as common, reimburses you for the cost of rebuilding your home regardless of cost.
- Replacement cost coverage for personal property: You can usually choose between actual cash value or replacement cost coverage for your personal property, such as furniture, clothing and appliances. Home insurance typically provides actual cash value for personal property coverage. Actual cash value factors in depreciation when reimbursing for damaged or stolen items, while replacement cost coverage, which is more expensive, pays to replace the property with new items.
- Other endorsements: Home insurance companies may offer multiple types of endorsements, which allow you to add coverage beyond standard home insurance. Endorsements include identity theft coverage, inflation guard, personal cyber insurance, sewer and sump pump backup coverage and earthquake insurance. Adding policy endorsements usually increases your quotes.
How To Compare Homeowners Insurance Quotes
Andrew Biscay
Home Insurance Expert
Les Masterson
Insurance Editor
Amy Danise
Insurance Managing Editor
Jason Metz
Insurance Lead Editor
Michelle Megna
Insurance Lead Editor
See If You Can Reduce Sub Limits
Some carriers allow for a la carte policies with sub coverage sub-limits like personal property, loss of use and detached structures. If limits seem high, it is worth asking if they can be decreased in exchange for a lower premium. Let your broker also know if you’ve made recent improvements, especially on the roof as they may not show up in reports.
Home Insurance Expert
Determine Rebuilding Costs
To get accurate quotes, you’ll want to figure out how much it would cost to rebuild your house. Talk to the insurer about estimating your dwelling coverage amount. The insurer will use cost information, including building costs in your area, and give you the rebuilding cost estimate. You want the dwelling coverage to equal the cost of rebuilding the house.
Insurance Editor
Assess How Much Liability Coverage You Need
Liability insurance pays others if you accidentally damage property or injure someone. When you’re comparing quotes, I suggest using a liability insurance amount that matches the value of what could be taken from you in a lawsuit, or at least $300,000. If your liability need is greater than $500,000, you can buy an umbrella insurance policy.
Insurance Managing Editor
Consider Adding Coverage for Expensive Belongings
Home insurance policies typically have coverage limits for your belongings. If you have high-value items, ask for a quote that includes scheduling personal property for certain pricey possessions, so that they’re properly covered.
Insurance Lead Editor
Check Into a Company’s Reputation
There are many online sources for finding out what others think about a company. Resources like Forbes Advisor’s best home insurance companies rankings, the National Association of Insurance Commissioners’ complaint index and financial strength rating services like AM Best can offer perspectives on a company.
Insurance Lead Editor
Compare Home Insurance Rates by Company
Home insurance costs can vary by hundreds or even thousands of dollars, depending on the company. For instance, our research found that the cheapest average rate for $350,000 dwelling coverage is about $2,500 more annually than the company with the highest average cost.
That’s one reason why it’s important to get quotes from multiple companies when buying coverage.
| Company | Average annual cost for $350,000 coverage | Average annual cost for $500,000 coverage | Average annual cost for $750,000 coverage |
|---|---|---|---|
| $1,808 | $2,287 | $3,091 | |
| $2,109 | $2,658 | $3,362 | |
| $1,982 | $2,576 | $3,578 | |
| $2,082 | $2,883 | $4,179 | |
| $2,052 | $2,747 | $3,883 | |
| $1,610 | $2,143 | $2,978 | |
| $2,389 | $3,314 | $4,447 | |
| $1,468 | $2,018 | $2,961 | |
| $967 | $1,285 | $1,821 | |
| Shelter | $3,057 | $4,210 | $6,057 |
| $1,471 | $1,910 | $2,552 | |
| $3,441 | $4,285 | $5,779 | |
| * | $1,548 | $1,938 | $2,561 |
| $1,333 | $1,486 | $1,701 | |
| Average | $1,951 | $2,553 | $3,496 |
*USAA home insurance is available only for military members, veterans and their families.
Related: Estimate Your Homeowners Insurance Cost
Compare Home Insurance Costs by State
Where you live can play a key factor in the cost of homeowners insurance. We found that Hawaii, Vermont and Nevada have the cheapest average home insurance, while homeowners in Nebraska, Oklahoma and Arkansas pay the most for coverage.
| State | Average annual cost for $350,000 in dwelling coverage |
|---|---|
| $2,355 | |
| Alaska | $1,142 |
| $1,516 | |
| $3,310 | |
| $1,193 | |
| $3,063 | |
| $1,376 | |
| $1,017 | |
| $2,164 | |
| $1,874 | |
| Hawaii | $389 |
| Idaho | $1,176 |
| $1,736 | |
| $1,677 | |
| Iowa | $1,955 |
| Kansas | $2,959 |
| $2,221 | |
| $2,916 | |
| $1,183 | |
| $1,479 | |
| $1,319 | |
| $1,793 | |
| $2,114 | |
| $2,614 | |
| Missouri | $2,865 |
| Montana | $2,384 |
| Nebraska | $4,254 |
| Nevada | $975 |
| $1,008 | |
| $1,015 | |
| $1,599 | |
| $1,347 | |
| $2,081 | |
| North Dakota | $2,085 |
| $1,259 | |
| $4,188 | |
| $1,069 | |
| $1,138 | |
| $1,623 | |
| $1,507 | |
| South Dakota | $2,382 |
| $2,095 | |
| $2,293 | |
| Utah | $1,037 |
| $927 | |
| Virginia | $1,224 |
| $1,191 | |
| West Virginia | $1,211 |
| $1,200 | |
| Wyoming | $1,400 |
What Factors Influence Homeowners Insurance Quotes?
Home insurance companies use many factors when setting rates.
Other Factors to Consider When Comparing Home Insurance
Other things to consider when shopping for home insurance include:
- Face-to-face interaction: Some home insurers have local agents, who you can visit with any issues or concerns. If you prefer to call someone locally to help with insurance issues, going with a company with local locations may work better for you.
- A company’s digital experience: On the flip side of face-to-face interaction, you may instead want an insurance company that has a robust digital experience. That may include a company’s app, live chat functionality, the ability to pay premiums online and the option to file claims online.
Find the Best Home Insurance Companies Of 2025
Looking for Homeowners Insurance?
Compare Homeowners Insurance Quotes Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is a home insurance quote?
A home insurance quote is a free estimate of how much you will pay for a home insurance policy.
Each insurer has its own formula for calculating quotes, which is why it’s advantageous to compare home insurance quotes from multiple companies. If you skip this crucial step, you could miss out on significant savings.
Is homeowners insurance required?
Home insurance is not required by law, but if you have a mortgage, your lender will likely require you to have home insurance.
Even if you don’t have a mortgage, home insurance is a good idea. If you are without insurance and your home is hit by a disaster, such as a fire or tornado, you will have to pay out of pocket to repair or rebuild your home and replace your belongings.
How can I lower my home insurance quotes?
The best way to lower your home insurance costs is to compare quotes among insurance companies. Not all insurers price their policies the same, so make sure you get quotes from multiple insurers so you can see a range of prices.
You can also ask about home insurance discounts. For example, you might qualify for home safety discounts if your home has smoke detectors, deadbolts on all exterior doors, and fire and burglar alarms that alert local police and fire departments. Another common discount is a multi-line discount for bundling your auto and home insurance.
Should I compare quotes if I already have homeowners insurance?
Yes, it’s worth your time to compare quotes even if you already have homeowners insurance. If you don’t, you could be missing out on savings for similar coverage with another insurance company.
A good time to compare home insurance quotes is when you review your policy before your annual renewal. You’ll want to make sure your current policy fits your coverage needs. For example, you can create a home inventory to ensure your personal belongings are adequately covered. Or you can look into increased dwelling coverage (such as guaranteed replacement cost).
Does homeowners insurance cover condos and apartments?
No, a standard home insurance (HO-3) policy does not cover condominiums or rental units.
If you want coverage for a condo, you’ll need to buy a condo insurance policy, also known as an HO-6 insurance policy. Condo insurance is similar to home insurance in that it covers repairs to the interior of your condo unit, your personal belongings, liability, medical payments to others and additional living expenses. The exterior of the building is covered by the homeowner association’s master policy.
If you rent your home, you may want a renters insurance policy, which covers your belongings and also includes essential coverage types such as liability, medical payments to others and additional living expenses. A landlord’s insurance will cover damage to the building (but it won’t cover your personal items).
