The best homeowners companies
Protecting your home and other assets starts with getting the right homeowners policy. Luckily, we've put together a list of the best homeowners insurance companies to help you find the company that works best for you. Take a look at our comprehensive reviews and ratings below, starting with the top three home insurance companies based on the results of The Zebra's Customer Satisfaction Survey.
- Best overall: USAA home insurance
USAA topped all categories in The Zebra's Customer Satisfaction Survey, including claims satisfaction, ease of interaction, the likelihood of recommendation, trust and online satisfaction.
- 2nd place: Erie home insurance
With an overall score of 4.5/5, Erie home insurance placed 2nd overall in the Zebra's Customer Satisfaction Survey, doing particularly well in ease of interaction, the likelihood of recommendation and trust.
- 3rd place: American Family home insurance
American Family home insurance placed 3rd overall with a score of 4.4/5, scoring particularly well in claims satisfaction, trust and online satisfaction.
The Zebra's customer satisfaction survey: full results
The Zebra recently conducted a survey to gauge overall customer satisfaction among the top auto and home insurance providers. We looked at claims satisfaction, ease of interaction, the likelihood of recommendation, trust and online satisfaction.
As mentioned above, USAA swept all categories, claiming the top position for homeowners insurance. The following is a rundown of our overall results for each of the 15 companies surveyed.
Survey methodology
Findings are based on an online quantitative survey of 4,134 current U.S. auto and home insurance customers, with Census-balanced sampling by age, gender and region. Categories with n=<20 responses are considered insufficient sample size and are not reported. This survey was developed by The Zebra and executed by independent research firm Maru/Blue in 2021.
| Rank | Company | Average Customer Satisfaction Rating (out of 5) |
|---|---|---|
| 1st | USAA | 4.6 |
| 2nd | Erie | 4.5 |
| 3rd | American Family | 4.4 |
| 4th | GEICO | 4.4 |
| 5th | State Farm | 4.4 |
| 6th | Auto-Owners | 4.4 |
| 7th | Farmers | 4.3 |
| 8th | Liberty Mutual | 4.3 |
| 9th | Allstate | 4.3 |
| 10th | Nationwide | 4.3 |
| 11th | Travelers | 4.3 |
| 12th | Progressive | 4.3 |
| 13th | National General | 4.2 |
| 14th | Auto Club (AAA) | 4.2 |
| 15th | Kemper | 4.0 |
Survey results by category
- Claims satisfaction
Customers who made a claim with the company in the past five years were asked to rate their overall satisfaction with the claims process.
- USAA
- National General
- American Family
- Ease of interaction
Customers were asked about the ease of interaction with the company, including paying bills, asking questions or renewing a policy.
- USAA
- Erie
- State Farm
- Likelihood of recommendation
Below are the top three companies that respondents rated as the most likely to recommend.
- USAA
- Erie
- GEICO
- Trust
Below are the top three most trustworthy home insurance carriers as rated by our survey respondents.
- USAA
- Erie
- American Family
- Online satisfaction
The following companies deliver the best online or mobile experience according to our survey results.
- USAA
- GEICO
- American Family
Other ratings
The last thing you want to deal with after a loss to your property is your insurance company giving you a hard time when you need them most. If you expect a smooth claims process and communicative customer service from the insurer of your choice, it's imperative you do some research before binding your insurance policy.
Let's first define what "best" means in the context of insurance companies. Using some of the same metrics used for our evaluation of auto insurance companies, we gathered ratings of the top home insurance companies in the U.S. The table below compiles each company's scores for customer satisfaction, financial strength and number of customer complaints. Each of these scores is gathered by reputable third-party organizations.
TOP HOME INSURANCE COMPANIES
| Company | J.D. Power Property Claims Satisfaction Study (2021) | J.D. Power Home Customer Satisfaction Index (2020) | NAIC | AM Best |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| USAA | 905 (Excellent) | 889 (Excellent) | Excellent | A++ (Superior) |
| Erie | 869 (Poor) | 839 (Above Average) | Above Average | A+ (Superior |
| American Family | 890 (Above Average) | 821 (Average) | Below Average | A (Excellent) |
| GEICO | Not rated | Not rated | Average | A++ (Superior) |
| State Farm | 880 (Below Average) | 829 (Above Average) | Excellent | A++ (Superior) |
| Auto-Owners | 900 (Excellent) | 843 (Excellent) | Excellent | A++ (Superior) |
| Farmers | 884 (Average) | 814 (Average) | Below Average | A- (Excellent) |
| Liberty Mutual | 881 (Average) | 805 (Below Average) | Below Average | B++ (Good) |
| Allstate | 882 (Average) | 829 (Above Average) | Excellent | A+ (Superior) |
| Nationwide | 892 (Above Average) | 808 (Below Average) | Average | A+ (Superior) |
| Travelers | 881 (Average) | 803 (Below Average) | Above Average | A+ (Superior) |
| Progressive | 879 (Below Average) | 797 (Poor) | Excellent | A (Excellent) |
| National General | Not rated | Not rated | Above Average | A (Excellent) |
| Auto Club (AAA) | 865 (Poor) | 820 (Average) | Below Average | A- (Excellent) |
| Kemper | Not rated | Not rated | Below Average | B-- (Fair) |
Homeowners insurance companies by cost
Along with customer satisfaction, cost is another important factor when looking for a homeowners policy. Below we've broken down costs for a number of popular homeowners insurance companies to give you an idea what you can expect to pay for a policy.
USAA
USAA has the third-largest market share in homeowners insurance and is highly regarded with top marks for customer satisfaction and financial strength. The company's policies are also well-priced, costing an average of about $103 per month. However, USAA only provides coverage for military members and their families.
| Average Annual Premium | Cost vs. Average |
|---|---|
| $1,231 | $175 less |
Amica
Amica earns consistently positive reviews from J.D. Power and has an average monthly rate of just $91.
| Average Annual Premium | Cost vs. Average |
|---|---|
| $1,089 | $317 less |
Country Financial
Country Financial is a smaller, Illinois-based insurance company that offers insurance in 19 states. Though it costs a tad more ($130/month) than average, this insurer has a decent customer complaint ratio, a good financial outlook and was ranked as a top company by J.D. Power in 2020.
| Average Annual Premium | Cost vs. Average |
|---|---|
| $1,560 | $154 more |
Erie
Erie also gets positive reviews from J.D. Power but offers coverage in just 12 states and Washington, D.C. According to our data, it also tends to have affordable premiums.
| Average Annual Premium | Cost vs. Average |
|---|---|
| $1,208 | $198 less |
State Farm
With almost 18% market share in home insurance, State Farm is a familiar name for many as it also dominates the auto insurance space. State Farm's homeowners insurance is generally regarded positively, complete with a strong financial footing for paying out claims. With an average monthly premium of $113, State Farm sits squarely middle-of-the-road in terms of insurance costs but is slightly more expensive than USAA.
| Average Annual Premium | Cost vs. Average |
|---|---|
| $1,356 | $50 less |
Auto-Owners
Auto-Owners' home insurance has overall favorable ratings in customer satisfaction and financial strength. It also ranked as one of the more inexpensive insurance companies, costing about $109 per month.
| Average Annual Premium | Cost vs. Average |
|---|---|
| $1,309 | $97 less |
Allstate
Another popular name in insurance, Allstate has the second-highest market share in home insurance — a little over 8% — but is pricier than State Farm. Its customer satisfaction was reviewed favorably but the company's customer complaint ratings, however, are just average.
| Average Annual Premium | Cost vs. Average |
|---|---|
| $1,594 | $188 more |
American Family
American Family has a better customer complaint score than Progressive but its financial strength is not as robust. Coverage costs about $188 per month, making it more expensive than other top companies.
| Average Annual Premium | Cost vs. Average |
|---|---|
| $2,261 | $855 more |
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Farmers
Farmers comes with middling scores for customer service and financial strength though it currently holds fifth-place in market share for homeowners insurance. On average, it costs about $121 per month, making it comparable to State Farm and Allstate.
| Average Annual Premium | Cost vs. Average |
|---|---|
| $1,455 | $49 more |
CSAA Insurance
CSAA is an AAA affiliate that primarily serves northern California, Nevada and Utah. This insurer ranked as the most affordable provider of home insurance — if you live in one of the states in which it's active — but has just-average scores for financial stability and customer service.
| Average Annual Premium | Cost vs. Average |
|---|---|
| $865 | $541 less |
Automobile Club (AAA)
AAA is mostly known for roadside assistance programs, but it also offers a host of insurance products for its members. Homeowners insurance from AAA typically costs an average of $87 per month — making it one of the cheaper top companies.
| Average Annual Premium | Cost vs. Average |
|---|---|
| $1,049 | $357 less |
Auto Club of Southern California
The largest regional subsidiary of AAA, the Auto Club of Southern California offers numerous lines of insurance, including homeowners insurance. You must be an AAA member to be eligible for their insurance. On average, this company's pricing is on the higher side — about $139 a month.
| Average Annual Premium | Cost vs. Average |
|---|---|
| $1,670 | $264 higher |
Nationwide
The eighth-largest provider of home insurance by market share, Nationwide has passable scores for customer service, financial strength and customer complaint ratio. In terms of the cost of coverage, it's on the cheaper side — $103 a month.
| Average Annual Premium | Cost vs. Average |
|---|---|
| $1,236 | $170 less |
Travelers
Travelers received top marks for financial strength, but its customer satisfaction rating is mediocre despite its standing as the sixth most popular company by market share. The cost of Travelers home insurance is close to the overall group average and comparable to Farmers and State Farm.
| Average Annual Premium | Cost vs. Average |
|---|---|
| $1,444 | $38 more |
AIG Insurance
American International Group (AIG) specializes in insuring high-value properties and is considered a premier insurance company. These insurance providers typically offer additional benefits, like expanded coverage options and coverage limits, add-ons and other perks. Though it was given a good customer complaint rating by the NAIC, AIG's customer satisfaction score was subpar.
| Average Annual Premium | Cost vs. Average |
|---|---|
| $687 | $719 less |
Liberty Mutual
Liberty Mutual is the fourth-largest provider of home insurance by market share and is generally well-priced compared to other top companies of similar size. It numbers among the cheaper insurance companies out of all surveyed — costing an average of $117 per month. However, it's worth noting that Liberty Mutual received inferior scores for customer service and the number of complaints.
| Average Annual Premium | Cost vs. Average |
|---|---|
| $1,414 | $8 more |
MetLife
Home insurance policies with MetLife cost about $85 a month. Its customer service may not be stellar but coverage tends to be cheaper than many top insurers.
| Average Annual Premium | Cost vs. Average |
|---|---|
| $1,016 | $390 less |
Chubb
Chubb is another premier insurance company that provides home insurance for high-worth properties and those with many assets. The company has a very positive financial outlook but not the best customer satisfaction rating.
| Average Annual Premium | Cost vs. Average |
|---|---|
| $1,029 | $377 less |
Progressive
According to Progressive, bundling homeowners and car insurance can yield a savings of 12%. Its customer complaint score is poor compared to other companies of its size, but it's monthly cost is very affordable at $113 a month.
| Average Annual Premium | Cost vs. Average |
|---|---|
| $1,355 | $51 less |
UPC Insurance
UPC's homeowners insurance is decently priced at only $61 per month, but its financial status — which impacts a company's ability to pay out insurance claims — was the shakiest of the insurers we surveyed. The company's customer complaint ratio was also substandard.
| Average Annual Premium | Cost vs. Average |
|---|---|
| $729 | $677 less |
The most popular home insurance companies in America
Nearly half of the homeowners insurance premiums written in America are generated by only 10 companies.
| Home Insurance Company | $ Premiums Written (2020) | Market Share |
|---|---|---|
| State Farm | $66,153,063 | 9.1% |
| GEICO | $46,358,896 | 6.4% |
| Progressive | $41,737,283 | 5.7% |
| Allstate | $39,210,020 | 5.4% |
| Liberty Mutual | $36,172,570 | 5.0% |
| Travelers | $28,786,741 | 4.0% |
| USAA | $24,621,246 | 3.4% |
| Chubb | $24,199,582 | 3.3% |
| Farmers | $20,083,339 | 2.8% |
| Nationwide | $18,499,967 | 2.5% |
*Insurance premiums data comes from the Insurance Information Institute.
Coverage options
All of the essential home insurance coverages should already be outlined in your home insurance policy. This comprises protection for your dwelling and other structures (at replacement cost), personal property, liability coverage, additional living expenses and medical payments to others.
The best insurance companies will offer some additional coverages — also known as endorsements — that bolster or expand your coverage in your homeowners insurance policy. A useful one to consider is upgrading to replacement cost coverage for your personal property; with a standard policy, losses to home contents are typically based on actual cash value, which deducts depreciation. This will ensure you receive the full amount required to replace your property.
Bundling
If you already have auto insurance with Company A, it would be worth looking into bundling a new homeowners policy with the same company. Bundling discounts number as one of the most common discounts found at most insurance companies — and home and auto, in particular, is a popular bundling option.
However, keep in mind that even with a bundling discount, your rate could be better elsewhere; some insurance providers are just more expensive than others, even if your risk profile remains unchanged. Shopping and comparing quotes before the end of every policy period is one of the best ways to secure the cheapest rates. Don't be afraid to switch companies — if you receive a better quote from Company B midway through your policy with Company A, paying the initial cancellation fee could be worth the future savings.
Discounts
The discounts offered by most insurance companies tend to be quite small, and the range of discounts also varies widely by company. But this doesn't mean they're not worth inquiring about.
Some discounts are automatically built into your insurance premium when you get a quote and can turn into sizable savings over time.
Popular discounts for home insurance
- Payment methods: EFT, paperless, automatic, or pay in full
- New home construction
- Senior discount
- Occupational
- Home security systems
- Fire prevention systems
- Roof upgrades
- Smoke-free
FAQs
What is the best home insurance company?
USAA was the highest rated homeowners insurance company, according to The Zebra’s Customer Satisfaction survey. Erie Insurance and American Family also ranked highly, coming in at number two and three respectively.
What company has the best home and auto insurance bundle?
The best rates for home and auto bundles come from USAA and State Farm. While these companies tend to offer the cheapest bundling rates, other insurers typically offer a steep discount for pairing your home and auto policies together.
What is the cheapest homeowners insurance?
The Zebra found that Amica, AAA and MetLife home insurance were the cheapest overall, ranging from $86 to $91 per month. USAA is also a great option for veterans and active duty service members looking for good homeowners rates.
How much homeowners insurance do I need?
The amount of homeowners coverage you need depends on your personal situation. Your dwelling coverage limit should be enough to cover the full cost of rebuilding your home should disaster strike. Rebuilding costs can differ depending on location, so check with a local real estate agent or insurance rep if you need help coming up with that number.
You’ll also want to factor in the value of your personal property and set a reasonable limit for your loss of use coverage should you be unable to live in your home for a period of time. Your home insurance company will be able to help answer questions and determine how much coverage that you will need.
Compare quotes to find a homeowners policy with the best value.
About The Zebra
The Zebra is not an insurance company. We publish data-backed, expert-reviewed resources to help consumers make more informed insurance decisions.
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The Zebra’s insurance content is written and reviewed for accuracy by licensed insurance agents.
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The Zebra’s insurance content is not subject to review or alteration by insurance companies or partners.
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The Zebra’s editorial team operates independently of the company’s partnerships and commercialization interests, publishing unbiased information for consumer benefit.
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The auto insurance rates published on The Zebra’s pages are based on a comprehensive analysis of car insurance pricing data, evaluating more than 83 million insurance rates from across the United States.