How to Get Cheap Home Insurance Quotes

Getting a home insurance quote is the first step in shopping for a policy. You can find and compare quotes online, though you may also need to go through an agent, either via telephone or email.

Find the Cheapest Car Insurance Quotes in Your Area

Insurance Type Please select Auto Home Renters

ZIP code

Age 16-20 21-24 25-34 35-44 45-54 55-65 65+

Currently insured? Yes No

Find Insurers

It's free, simple and secure.

How do I get a homeowners insurance quote?

To get a homeowners insurance quote, you’ll start by choosing your coverage limits, deductible and policy add-ons. After that, you’ll want to find out which discounts you qualify for.

Step 1: Decide how much coverage you need

How much home insurance coverage you need depends mostly on the value of your home.

With a mortgage, lenders require you to insure your home at its replacement value, which is the estimated cost to rebuild it. You can insure your home for less than that if you have a low loan balance or no mortgage at all, but doing so is usually a bad idea.

If you already have home insurance, you can share your current policy’s declarations page with the companies you contact.

Your policy’s dwelling coverage pays to repair damage to your home, and policies usually have other standard coverages, such as:

• Personal property covers your belongings for theft or damage. To be sure that the default coverage amount is enough, you can create a list of your major personal property items and add up their combined value.
• Other structures coverage can pay to repair damage to a detached garage, a shed, fences and other structures not connected to your home. You may need to add more coverage if you have a cottage or a similar finished structure in your yard.
• Loss of use covers temporary living expenses if you can’t stay in your home while it’s being repaired. The default amount is usually enough.
• Personal liability covers injuries or property damage to others if you’re at fault. Ideally, your personal liability limit should be about the same as your net worth.
• Medical payments coverage pays for injuries a guest suffers in your home, regardless of fault. Default limits can range from $1,000 to $5,000 and are usually high enough.

Step 2: Think about your deductible

Your deductible is the amount you pay before insurance funds cover the rest of the claim. Higher deductibles are usually cheaper since the insurance company can pay you less for a claim.

If you need help choosing a deductible, ask for quotes showing your rates with two or three different deductible options. Just make sure the deductible you choose isn’t more than you can afford after a disaster.

Step 3: Choose your endorsements

In addition to standard coverages, most home insurance companies offer “endorsements” or extra coverage types that you can add to your policy.

Some of the most important endorsements to consider asking about for your quotes include:

• Scheduled personal property: Most policies only have limited coverage for valuables like jewelry and fine art. Personal property endorsements provide more protection for high-priced valuables you own.
• Water backup protection: Standard home insurance doesn’t typically cover damage from a backup in your home’s sewer or drainage system. This relatively cheap endorsement pays for cleanup and repairs from a failure of one of these systems.
• Extended replacement cost: Extended replacement cost coverage kicks in if the price of rebuilding your home after a total loss is higher than your policy’s limit.

Step 4: Look for discounts

Different insurance companies have their own collections of discounts. In fact, many of the questions on their quote request forms are designed to see which discounts you qualify for.

Sharing details about your home and personal background to get a discount may feel a little uncomfortable, but it can help you save money. Some of the most common home insurance discounts to look for are:

• Bundling: Most companies provide a generous discount if you get car insurance along with your homeowners insurance. This is known as “bundling insurance.”
• Home security discount: Several companies give discounts for having a home security system. Systems with third-party monitoring can usually save you the most.
• Smart home discounts: A few insurers have discounts for homes equipped with smartphone-monitored sensors that detect break-ins, fires and/or water leaks.
• Home renovations: You can sometimes get a discount for recent home renovations, such as roof replacement or upgrades to your plumbing, heating or electrical systems.
• Military discounts: Some insurance companies offer discounts to current and former members of the military.
• Affinity discounts: You might also find discounts for homeowners who work in certain professions or who belong to certain organizations.

Each quote you receive should show the discounts that have been applied to your rate. Don’t be shy about asking if others may be available.

Where do I find home insurance quotes?

The easiest way to get home insurance quotes is to request them online. Most large companies let you request quotes directly from their websites.

You can speed up the process by using a quote comparison site or checking out our own list of major homeowners insurance companies.

Some large home insurance companies provide instant quotes, while others will forward your information to an agent, who will follow up by phone or email.

Small and midsize company websites are more likely to give you links to agents in your area. You will usually need to contact these agents for a quote.

Likewise, if you don’t feel comfortable shopping for homeowners insurance online, most companies also provide quotes by phone or in person at an agent’s office.

Cheapest home insurance companies

Each state has distinct factors that will affect your home insurance quote.

Maine has the lowest home insurance quotes in the country, with an average of $1,863 a year. Oklahoma tends to have the highest quotes, at $6,133 a year on average, partly because of the danger from tornadoes there.

What information do I need for a quote?

No matter how you shop for home insurance, you’ll usually need the following information to get an accurate quote:

• Name and date of birth for you (and your spouse, if applicable)
• Address and general information about your home
• Specific home details, including whether you have a pool, a trampoline and/or pets

Insurance companies will also usually look at information on your home’s size and construction features from other sources, such as your county assessor’s website.

When you receive your quote, you’ll see the information the insurance company has about your home. Since this info helps determine your coverage and rates, make sure it’s accurate.