Homeowners insurance protects your property and belongings from fire, theft, natural disasters and other unexpected events.
It can also pay for lodging and other expenses while your home is being repaired, and even cover medical bills and legal fees if someone is hurt on your property.
We've reviewed dozens of homeowners insurance companies based on cost, coverage options, customer satisfaction and more to find the best. (Read our methodology to learn how we made our selections.)
Offers in this section are from affiliate partners and selected based on a combination of engagement, product relevance, compensation, and consistent availability.
Amica offers two tiers of homeowners insurance: A standard policy and the brand's Platinum Choice plan, which covers more situations and has extended coverage for jewelry and liability. Add-on options include computer coverage, sump pump backup coverage, and dwelling replacement coverage.
Progressive doesn't underwrite its own insurance policies. Through its HomeQuote Explorer platform, however, it gathers multiple quotes from over a dozen top insurers to help you quickly compare and save.
Best for affordability: Amica
Who's this for? Amica's rates for homeowners insurance are the lowest we've found for policies available to the general public. With up to 30% off if you bundle home, auto, umbrella and life insurance, you can save even more.
Standout benefits: Amica's Platinum Choice policies come with lots of extras, including replacement cost value, 30% more dwelling replacement coverage and up to $5,000 for fraudulent credit card use. Dividend options can be added to both standard and Platinum Choice plans.
- Platinum Choice has higher 130% dwelling coverage
- Some policies pay dividends
- Doesn't restrict dog breeds
- Not offered in Hawaii or Alaska
- Dividend policies not available in every state
Best for new homeowners: Nationwide
Who's this for? Nationwide has some of the most affordable rates in the market, with a new home discount if you bought your house within the last 12 months.
Standout benefits: Additional rate reductions are available for installing security devices, staying claims-free and renovating plumbing, HVAC or electrical systems.
- Rates well below national average
- Discounts for bundling, new homes, staying claims-free and more
- Credit card fraud protection standard
- Less-than-stellar customer service reviews
- Not available in all states
- Can't purchase a policy online
Best for bad credit: Foremost
Who’s this for? Foremost works with homeowners who have been turned down or non-renewed, including those with bad credit or a high-risk home.
Standout benefits: Unlike many competitors, Foremost insures seasonal and vacant homes. Flood insurance is available through the National Flood Insurance Program.
- Covers homeowners who have been non-renewed or declined elsewhere
- Covers vacation homes and vacant properties
- Online quotes take 2 to 3 days and aren't available in all states
Best for speedy claims approval: Lemonade
Who's this for? Lemonade has earned a reputation for speed with an AI-powered interface that reportedly settles 40% of claims in just seconds.
Standout benefits: Claims payments are wired directly to your bank account.
- Speedy AI-driven claims process
- Can schedule coverage for expensive personal items like jewelry and cameras
- Ability to make payments through escrow or using a credit card
- Covers condos
- Only available in 29 states and Washington D.C.
- Cannot enroll over the phone
Best for high-value homes: Chubb
Who's this for? Chubb's Masterpiece policies come standard with benefits competitors charge extra for, including extended replacement cost, water backup, a cash settlement option and property management services for vacation homes in hurricane-prone areas.
Standout benefits: The limit on personal liability coverage is $100 million, far beyond most competitors. Chubb also offers flood insurance, with coverage limits of up to $15 million for property damage.
- Top-rated for customer satisfaction by J.D. Power
- Extended replacement cost available
- Complimentary home inspections and property services
- Cash settlement available if you decide not to rebuild
- Rates are higher than many competitors
- Online quotes are not available
Best for military members and veterans: USAA
Who's this for? USAA issues policies to current and former service members and their families. Replacement cost and identity theft coverage are included with all policies and deductibles are waived on covered losses for military gear and uniforms.
Standout benefits: Add-ons include home-sharing coverage, water backup and up to $10,000 coverage for laptops and other personal electronics.
- USAA Perks™ has discounts on moving and storage, home security and cleaning services
- Claims-free discount available
- Covers uniforms and equipment for active-duty members
- Coverage and discounts are not available in all states
- Must become a USAA member in order to get a quote
What does homeowners insurance cover?
Homeowners insurance will pay for repairs to your house, but there's a lot more to it.
Dwelling coverage: Pays for rebuilding or repairing your home, including the physical structure, permanent fixtures, appliances and attached structures (like a garage or fence).
Personal property coverage: Covers belongings damaged or lost due to fire, theft or other covered perils, including clothes, furniture and computers. You'll need to decide between a policy that covers the replacement cost value of your belongings or the actual cash value, which deducts depreciation.
Additional living expenses: Also known as loss of use coverage, this benefit provides reimbursement for hotel rooms, meals and other expenses if you need to temporarily relocate after a covered loss.
Personal liability coverage: Pays for legal fees, medical costs or repairs if you're held liable for someone else's injuries on your property or if you cause damage to someone else's property.
Standard homeowners insurance doesn't cover everything — most policies don't pay for damage caused by flooding, earthquakes or normal wear and tear, for example. Some perils can be covered by purchasing additional coverage, known as an endorsement.
How much is homeowners insurance?
In July 2025, homeowners policies averaged $2,802 a year nationwide, according to data from insurance marketplace The Zebra. Rates were the highest in Nebraska ($7,920), Oklahoma ($7,426) and Kansas ($5,303).
Individual premiums vary greatly, however, depending on the neighborhood, the age and size of the house, the choice of coverage and deductibles, and many other factors.
How much homeowners insurance do I need?
Experts recommend insuring your home for at least 80% of its replacement cost, or the dollar amount it would cost to rebuild, based on its size, location and custom features. Less than that and your insurer may not approve the full amount of your claim.
That figure accounts for the amount of dwelling coverage you need. Personal property, personal liability and additional expenses coverage are usually a percentage of the dwelling amount. Your personal property limit may be set at 50% or 70% of your dwelling amount, for example, but you can adjust that based on the value of your belongings.
If you live in a flood-prone area or have lots of valuable or hard-to-replace possessions, you may need additional coverage.
Homeowners insurance FAQs
What does homeowners insurance cover?
A basic homeowners insurance policy usually covers damage to the structure of your home and surrounding structures, stolen or damaged personal property and bodily injuries suffered by a visitor on your property. You can buy additional coverage for high-value items like jewelry and fine art.
What's the difference between renters insurance and homeowners insurance?
Renters insurance covers the tenant's belongings, while a homeowners policy insures the actual building and associated structures. Mortgage lenders usually require a homeowners policy but a landlord may not insist on renters insurance.
How do you file a homeowners insurance claim?
The process for filing an insurance claim varies by company but, typically, it starts with documenting the damage and making emergency repairs. You'll then submit a claim to your insurer, who will assign a claims adjuster to your case. If your claim is approved, you should receive one or more checks to cover the cost of repairs.
Does homeowners insurance cover mold?
Homeowners insurance won't cover mold if it's due to negligence, like a pipe that's been dripping for months. Your policy may cover it, however, if it's the result of a sudden, accidental event, like a burst pipe or water heater.
Why trust CNBC Select?
At CNBC Select, our mission is to provide our readers with high-quality service journalism and comprehensive consumer advice so they can make informed decisions with their money. Every homeowners insurance review is based on rigorous reporting by our team of expert writers and editors with extensive knowledge of insurance products. While CNBC Select earns a commission from affiliate partners on many offers and links, we create all our content without input from our commercial team or any outside third parties, and we pride ourselves on our journalistic standards and ethics.
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Our methodology
CNBC Select analyzed dozens of homeowners insurance companies to pick the best ones, focusing on the following features:
- Cost: While premiums depend on the amount of coverage, your location and other factors, we favored insurers with lower average nationwide costs.
- Coverage types: Standard policies tend to include coverage for structural damage, personal property loss or damage, personal liability and medical payments to others. We favored companies that offered additional protections, such as coverage for high-value items and water damage, and that offered replacement cost value policies.
- Coverage amount: Whenever possible, we noted maximum coverage amounts for liability, collision and comprehensive coverage.
- Discounts: Insurance companies with more opportunities for rate reductions were weighed more heavily, as were ones with sizable discounts for bundling.
- Availability: We considered how many states a provider operated in and if discounts were widely available.
- Claim filing: Insurers with an easy-to-follow claims process were weighed more heavily, as were ones that reimbursed drivers faster than the industry average.
- Digital experience: We considered whether an insurer offered rate quotes and the opportunity to
apply online. We also weighed providers more heavily if they had online chat via mobile app or website. - Customer service: We incorporated results from J.D. Power's auto insurance surveys, as well as complaint volume from the National Association of Insurance Commissioners' complaint index and grades issued by the Better Business Bureau.
We also considered CNBC Select audience data when available, such as general demographics and engagement with our content and tools.
Based on these criteria, our picks for the best homeowners insurance are:
Best for affordability: Amica
Best for new homeowners: Nationwide
Best for speedy claim approval: Lemonade
Best for bad credit: Foremost
Best for high-value homes: Chubb
Best for active duty military and veterans: USAA
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