Homeowners insurance is the best way to protect your home and belongings from losses. However, it can be challenging to find home insurance if your house is considered high risk. Not all companies sell high-risk homeowners insurance, and the providers that do tend to require more expensive premiums and may limit coverages. Learning more about what makes your home high risk and which companies offer at-risk home insurance can help you find the best, most affordable options available.
High-Risk Home Insurance Companies for 2024
Although it can be challenging to find high-risk home insurance, you still have options. Explore what makes your home high risk and find the best companies offering coverage.
Updated: October 30, 2024
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Table of Contents
Key Takeaways
High-risk home insurance is harder to get and more expensive than a standard homeowners policy. It may also include fewer coverages than traditional insurance.
While some national insurance companies offer high-risk homeowners insurance, regional insurers may offer better rates with more coverage options.
If your home is high risk and you can’t get home insurance, you can look into your state’s FAIR plan or shop around to find the best deal on high-risk homeowners insurance.
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What Is High-Risk Homeowners Insurance?
High-risk homeowners insurance is coverage for a home or insurer that has been deemed high risk. There are several reasons your home could be considered at-risk, including your location, home characteristics or personal criteria.
Not all carriers offer high-risk home insurance, and it can be more expensive than standard coverage. Depending on the insurance company, you could be limited in the types of claims you can file with high-risk homeowners insurance.
What Makes a Home High Risk?
A home may be considered high risk for several reasons. The location could make it high risk, especially if the area has high crime rates or higher-than-average homeowners claims because of weather. A high-risk home could also be a vacation rental or a second home you don’t live in year-round.
Other factors could also make an insurance company consider your home higher risk, including:
- Historical or architecturally significant homes
- Structural issues
- Unrepaired damage
Personal factors can also lead insurance companies to consider your home high risk. These include owning aggressive dog breeds, filing a large number of claims, having a criminal record or having a low credit score.
States commonly affected by natural disasters — like those on the Gulf Coast and California — may require high-risk home insurance. This type of home insurance is more expensive than standard home insurance costs.
High-Risk Home Insurance Companies
Though not all well-known insurance companies offer high-risk homeowners insurance, some do. However, it’s important to keep in mind that policies available to you will vary depending on your location and the unique situation surrounding your “at risk” insurance status. Insurance providers reserve the right to deny coverage for at-risk homes, so it’s crucial that you contact each prospective provider to see if they will cover you.
Depending on your circumstances, you may be able to purchase at-risk home insurance coverage from the following providers:
- Liberty Mutual
- Allstate
- Amica
- American Family Insurance
The table below outlines the possible coverages you may be eligible to receive with these major companies. However, keep in mind that the coverage available to you may vary.
Potential Options for High-Risk Home Insurance Companies
Even though all companies don’t offer high-risk home insurance coverage, some providers have this type of coverage available. If you have tried but can’t get home insurance with other carriers, know that alternatives are available, like
Even though all companies don’t offer high-risk home insurance coverage, some providers have this type of coverage available. If you have tried but can’t get a policy with other carriers, know that homeowners insurance alternatives are available, like FAIR plans.
Liberty Mutual
Liberty Mutual homeowners insurance is available nationwide, with a few options high-risk homeowners can use to customize their insurance. If you have a sump pump, water backup and sump overflow coverage may be a worthwhile investment. Homeowners in hurricane-prone areas like Florida and Louisiana should consider hurricane coverage to protect their homes during these weather events.
You can get a high-risk homeowners insurance quote online, over the phone or through an agent with Liberty Mutual.
Liberty Mutual High-Risk Home Insurance Coverage Options
- Water backup and sump overflow damage
- Scheduled items
- Wind and hail damage
- Hurricane damage
- Personal property replacement cost
Allstate
Allstate offers a long list of add-on coverages you can use to customize your high-risk homeowners insurance. You can restore precious memories from lost computer data with electronic data recovery and receive monitoring and support to restore your identity with identity theft restoration coverage.
Allstate High-Risk Home Insurance Coverage Options
- Water backup
- Green improvement reimbursement
- Identity theft restoration
- Yard and garden
- Scheduled personal property
- Electronic data recovery
- Business property
- Musical instruments
- Sports equipment
Amica
Amica is one of the oldest insurers in the country, and it also has the highest customer satisfaction score on the J.D. Power 2021 Home Insurance Study. If your high-risk home is in an area prone to floods and earthquakes, Amica offers add-on coverage to protect it.
Do you run a home business or work from home for an employer? Amica offers business equipment and work liability coverage as an endorsement to your home insurance. You can also get coverage for valuables and additional liability insurance to further protect yourself and your high-value items.
Amica High-Risk Home Insurance Coverage Options
- Water backup and sump overflow
- Identity fraud
- Business property at home
- Catastrophic (earthquake, flood)
- Increased liability coverage
American Family Insurance
American Family is another option for high-risk home insurance. This insurer offers several options to customize your at-risk home insurance, including coverage for sump pumps and equipment breakdown. This provider also simplifies water damage coverage by covering the cost of damage caused by water leaks that you can’t see within your home's walls, ceilings, floors, and cabinets.
American Family Insurance High-Risk Home Insurance Coverage Options
- Sump pump and water backup
- Equipment breakdown
- Matching siding protection
- Credit theft protection and monitoring
- Hidden water damage
Regional High-Risk Insurance Options
If you can’t get coverage with a national carrier, consider a regional high-risk house insurance company instead. Regional companies can offer even more tailored homeowners coverage based on your area's most common claim losses. Depending on why you need at-risk home insurance, you could have better luck locally when you can’t get coverage elsewhere. However, keep in mind that any of these carriers may deny you coverage, so it’s important to reach out to each directly.
In particular, Florida, Texas and California residents have unique needs to protect their homes. Several coverage options are available in each state if you’re finding it hard to get homeowners insurance.
Florida High-Risk Insurance Options
The Sunshine State is prone to hurricanes and high winds, which can do significant damage to your home. There are several options for regional insurers with dedicated agents to help you find the best high-risk homeowners insurance coverage to meet your needs, including:
- Universal Direct: When you get a quote online with Universal Direct, coverages and limits will automatically be recommended based on your home needs. Work with a local agent to tailor your policy with optional coverages like water backup, mechanical breakdown and debris removal.
- Tower Hill Insurance: Tower Hill works with homeowners on all levels, with specific coverage and risk management programs for high-value homes. Your dedicated agent will ensure your home is covered with an annual review.
- United Home Insurance Company: United Home is located in five states, including Florida. You can insure your high-risk home from losses, including hail, windstorms and hurricanes. Purchase your auto and personal liability umbrella policies from this company for additional discounts.
- Citizens Property Insurance Corporation: If you can't get home insurance elsewhere, Citizens works with high-risk homeowners to cover their property outside the private market.
Texas High-Risk Insurance Options
As the largest state geographically and second-largest in population density, Texas residents are at risk for all types of natural disasters. Homes on the Gulf Coast are especially susceptible to hurricanes and flooding, which aren’t covered under a standard home insurance policy. If you need high-risk home insurance in Texas, consider these regional insurers:
- Texas Farm Bureau Insurance: Offered only in the state of Texas, the Texas Farm Bureau Insurance Company can work with you to get coverage anywhere in the Lone Star State. You can save money on your high-risk home insurance with discounts for alarm systems, dry fire hydrants, impact-resistant roofing and more.
- Texas Windstorm Insurance Association (TWIA): If you need coverage for hail and windstorms in coastal counties, TWIA is where to go in Texas. You have to meet certain eligibility criteria to qualify, but qualifying means you won’t have to do without this essential coverage.
- Chubb Lloyds Insurance Company of Texas: Chubb homeowners insurance offers Texans standard coverages, plus several extras to customize their high-risk homeowners insurance. Get coverage for tree removal, electronic data restoration and lock replacement. As a bonus, the company’s HomeScan program uses infrared technology to locate hidden damage like faulty electrical connections, leaks and missing insulation for free.
California High-Risk Insurance Options
Wildfires, earthquakes and other natural disasters can make it hard to get homeowners insurance in the Golden State. If you can’t get home insurance in California, consider these regional options:
- Grange Insurance Association: Tailor your home insurance with Grange with optional coverages for refrigerated property, lock replacement, extra replacement cost and watercraft liability for certain recreational vehicles.
- American Modern: This California insurer offers a named peril high-risk home insurance policy. You can opt for its Enhanced Coverage endorsement to expand your coverage.
- Capital Insurance Group (CIG): With CIG, you can get at-risk home insurance with optional coverages to better protect your home. Choose from add-ons like sports and home equipment, equipment breakdown and service line coverage, and identity theft insurance based on your needs.
- Guard Insurance Companies: Part of Berkshire Hathaway, Guard offers high-risk homeowners insurance with a variety of deductibles and discounts to keep rates affordable. Policyholders have the option to include coverages such as identity fraud, service line and home systems coverage.
What Is a FAIR Plan for High-Risk Home Insurance?
If you can’t get home insurance in the voluntary market, MoneyGeek recommends considering a Fair Access to Insurance Requirements (FAIR) Plan.
FAIR plans are run by local governments in most states and offer high-risk homeowners insurance coverage against fires, riots, vandalism and windstorms. Coverage is limited, so this option should be a last resort. To qualify, you may have to make home improvements — like upgrading your electrical or plumbing system if you live in an older house. If you don’t limit your home’s loss exposure, you could be denied coverage by a FAIR Plan administrator.
How to Get High-Risk Home Insurance
If you’re shopping for high-risk homeowners insurance, you might have a hard time obtaining coverage. These steps can help you get at-risk home insurance:
Ask your neighbors about their insurance coverage.
If your home is high-risk because of your location, your neighbors may be able to help you find a high-risk house insurance company that will cover you.
Reach out to your home insurance company.
If you’re buying a new home that’s considered high risk, ask your current agent if they can cover it or know a company that can.
Shop around for high-risk home insurance companies.
Though it’s hard to get homeowners insurance in high-risk areas, you can find an insurer for your at-risk home by shopping around and asking for quotes.
Consider a FAIR plan.
If you can’t get home insurance in the voluntary market, a FAIR plan in your state might be a good option for coverage.
Look into surplus carriers.
Surplus lines insurance carriers specialize in high-risk and high-value homes other insurers won’t insure. However, keep in mind that this type of coverage may be relatively expensive.
Improve your home.
If your home needs repairs, making home improvements could be all you need to remove it from the “high risk” category, making it much easier to insure.
Frequently Asked Questions About High-Risk Home Insurance
It can be hard to get homeowners insurance in areas with high rates of crime and natural disasters. Homeowners insurance companies base their rates on risk, and when they pay out large claims repeatedly in an area, they are less likely to offer coverage there.
If you’ve exhausted your options for high-risk home insurance and can’t find coverage, you may still be able to get at-risk home insurance coverage. Be sure to check with your state to see if there is a FAIR plan option near you or a nearby nonprofit that can help you get coverage.
The best way to save money on high-risk homeowners insurance is to shop around for quotes. Only purchase the coverages you need, ask about discounts and compare rates from several providers to get the best deal.
About Mandy Sleight
Mandy Sleight is a licensed property, casualty, life and health insurance agent with 20 years of experience in the industry. She has worked for major insurance companies like State Farm and Nationwide, and most recently as the Operations Coordinator for a startup employee benefits company.
Sleight holds a business administration and management degree from the University of Baltimore and a master's in business administration from Southern New Hampshire University. She uses her vast knowledge of insurance and personal finance to create easy-to-understand and engaging content to help readers make smarter choices with their budgets and finances.
sources
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- Texas Windstorm Insurance Association. "Texas Windstorm Insurance Association." Accessed October 30, 2024.
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