American Family Home Insurance Review (2026)

With more than 90 years in business, American Family is one of the more established regional home insurance providers in the country, serving over 12 million customers in 19 states across the Midwest and West. It functions as a traditional carrier, both writing and underwriting its own home insurance policies, which means policyholders have one company to contact for coverage, billing and claims. New customers can start a quote online or request help from a local agent through AmFam's agent finder.

16 optional endorsements are available, ranging from flash flood protection and equipment breakdown to identity theft restoration and short-term rental coverage. These endorsements fill in what a standard policy leaves out. Eight discounts span how you pay, how long you’ve been a customer and what devices you’ve installed at home. Claims can be filed around the clock through the MyAmFam app, online account or by calling 1-800-692-6326.

American Family offers homeowners insurance in 19 states, concentrated in the Midwest and Western United States. It operates as a regional carrier rather than a nationwide option. Homeowners in the following states cannot get a policy through American Family:

• Alabama
• Alaska
• Arkansas
• California
• Connecticut
• Delaware
• Florida
• Hawaii
• Kentucky
• Louisiana
• Maine
• Maryland
• Massachusetts
• Michigan
• Mississippi
• Montana
• New Hampshire
• New Jersey
• New Mexico
• New York
• North Carolina
• Oklahoma
• Pennsylvania
• Rhode Island
• South Carolina
• Tennessee
• Texas
• Vermont
• Virginia
• West Virginia
• Wyoming

Coverage options, available endorsements and eligible discounts can vary within the 19 states where American Family does write policies, so checking with a local agent or getting a direct quote is the best way to confirm what's available in your area.

For a profile with $250,000 in dwelling coverage, a $1,000 deductible and a middle-aged home, American Family's home insurance costs an average of $235 monthly ($2,830 annually). It's $102 per month below the national average of $338 for the same profile. Beyond coverage limits, home age, location, credit history and claims record all affect the final rate.

Home age affects American Family’s rates, mostly for newer homes. With $250,000 in dwelling coverage, a newer home costs an average of $162 a month ($1,946 a year). Middle-aged and older homes cost about the same as each other, $234 to $235 a month. To find out what you would pay, get a quote from American Family for your property and location.

American Family’s monthly rates differ by $385 across the 17 states in our analysis. The difference comes from local disaster risk and from how American Family’s prices compare with other insurers in each state.

Idaho has the lowest rate at $82 a month ($980 a year), which is 41% under the state average. American Family is a good value there. South Dakota has the highest rate at $467 a month ($5,602 a year). The state has a high risk of hail, tornadoes and blizzards. American Family's price there is 55% above the state average. Homeowners there may find better rates with other insurers.

American Family offers eight discounts on homeowners insurance, spanning how you pay, what devices you've installed and how long you've been a customer.

• Multi-Policy (Bundle and Save): Bundling home and auto insurance with American Family can lower the combined cost by up to 40%. The discount ranks among the most impactful available, and it applies across policies beyond home and auto.
• Early Bird: Homeowners who request a quote at least seven days before their current policy expires qualify for this discount. Planning ahead earns a discount instead of scrambling for coverage at renewal.
• Age of Home: Homes under 15 years old are less likely to have certain claims, and American Family factors that into the rate. Eligibility and savings vary by state.
• Renovated Home: If you've replaced your plumbing, electrical and heating systems within the last 15 years, you may qualify for a discount. Updated systems reduce the risk of certain covered losses, and American Family prices that into the premium.
• Insurance Payment: Enrolling in AutoPay, paying your premium in full or going paperless can each earn a discount on your policy. These stack easily with other discounts.
• Loyalty: Customers who have been with American Family for at least one year may see a lower premium as a result. The discount is passive and doesn't require any action beyond staying with the carrier.
• Generational: Homeowners between the ages of 18 and 30 whose parent or guardian has an active American Family home or auto policy may qualify for a discount. Younger homeowners new to buying insurance independently should ask about this discount.
• Safe, Secure, Smart Home: Installing qualifying smart home security devices, such as a monitored alarm system, can earn a rate reduction. Eligible devices and the size of the discount vary by state.

American Family's standard homeowners policy includes six core coverage types, each addressing a different area of financial exposure for a homeowner.

• Dwelling Coverage (Coverage A): Covers the structure of your home, including the roof, walls, floors, siding and windows, against damage from covered events such as fire, hail, lightning, windstorms, theft and vandalism. If a storm sends a tree through your roof, dwelling coverage pays for repairs up to your coverage limit.
• Other Structures Coverage (Coverage B): Protects detached structures on your property, such as a garage, shed, fence or swimming pool, when damaged by a covered event. Homeowners with outbuildings benefit from this coverage since rebuilding them out of pocket can be costly.
• Personal Property Coverage (Coverage C): Covers belongings such as clothing, furniture, appliances, electronics and jewelry if they're damaged or destroyed in a covered event. The base policy includes up to $2,000 combined for jewelry, gemstones, watches and furs, so homeowners with high-value items in those categories may want to look at the Itemized Personal Property endorsement.
• Loss of Use Coverage (Coverage D): If your home becomes uninhabitable due to a covered event, loss of use coverage helps pay for temporary living expenses such as hotel stays and meals while repairs are underway. The coverage keeps those costs from falling entirely on the homeowner during an already stressful situation.
• Personal Liability Coverage (Coverage E): Provides financial protection if someone is injured on your property or if you accidentally damage someone else’s property. The coverage pays legal defense and settlement costs up to your policy limit, and applies if a guest falls and is injured at your home and pursues a claim against you.
• Medical Expenses Coverage: Pays for a guest's medical costs if they're injured on your property, regardless of whether you're found legally liable. The coverage can resolve minor injury claims quickly without triggering a full liability dispute.

American Family offers 16 optional endorsements that let homeowners fill in coverage a standard policy doesn't include or expand protection in specific areas. These range from flash flood and water damage coverage to protections for rental activity, renovation projects and personal identity.

• Equipment Breakdown: Covers appliances, home systems and smart home devices against sudden mechanical or electrical failures, which a standard policy doesn't address. A separate $500 deductible applies to this endorsement.
• Inland Flood: Provides protection against flash flooding for homeowners not located in a high-risk flood zone. This endorsement doesn't satisfy mandatory flood insurance requirements from a federally regulated lender.
• Hidden Water: Extends coverage to water leaks occurring inside walls, floors, ceilings, cabinets or other concealed spaces, areas a standard policy typically excludes. Some restrictions apply for seasonal and manufactured homes.
• Home Renovation: Covers foundation collapse and protects against damage or theft of construction materials during a renovation or remodeling project. The endorsement matters most during major improvement work when standard coverage may not apply to materials on-site.
• Matching Undamaged Siding: If a covered loss damages part of your siding, this endorsement pays for replacing the remaining undamaged siding so the exterior matches. Without it, a homeowner may be left with mismatched repairs after a covered loss.
• Roof Damage: A standard policy reimburses for a damaged roof based on its current depreciated value, which can leave a large cost difference. This endorsement covers the full replacement cost instead, so the payout reflects what a new roof actually costs.
• Service Line: Pays for the repair or replacement of damaged underground service lines, such as electrical, natural gas or heating pipes. Lines that are not underground are not covered under this endorsement.
• Water Back-up (Sewer/Septic Backup and Sump Overflow): Covers damage caused by a backed-up sewer or septic system or an overflowing sump pump, a common and expensive problem that standard policies exclude. Coverage applies after your regular policy deductible is met.
• Home Business: Adds limited liability, medical expense and property protection for a small business operated out of the home. Designed for incidental home-based work rather than a full commercial operation.
• Short-Term Rental: Protects against damage to the home and its contents when a renter occupies it for a limited period while you're away. Standard homeowners policies typically don't cover rental activity.
• Vacant Home: Provides coverage for an unoccupied home with policy terms of three, six or 12 months. Standard policies often restrict or exclude coverage after a home has been vacant for an extended period.
• Vacation Home: Covers the structure and contents of a secondary or vacation property. An add-on to the primary homeowners policy rather than a standalone product.
• Credit Monitoring: Provides protection and reimbursement for events that could damage your credit, such as unauthorized hard inquiries or new accounts opened in your name.
• Identity Protection: Reimburses up to $25,000 for expenses tied to identity theft restoration, including costs related to reclaiming your identity and disputing fraudulent activity. Covers a broader set of theft scenarios than credit monitoring alone.
• Itemized Personal Property (Scheduled Personal Property): Raises coverage beyond the base policy's $2,000 combined limit for jewelry, gemstones, watches and furs, and expands the range of covered events for those items. The right add-on for homeowners with high-value pieces in those categories.
• Senior Living Protection: Extends personal property coverage to belongings owned by or in the care of a senior family member, even if those belongings are kept outside the primary home. Can be added to an existing policy rather than requiring a separate product.

A standard American Family homeowners policy doesn't cover every type of damage or loss.

• Earthquake
• Flood
• Hidden water damage
• Home appliances (mechanical or electrical breakdown)
• Home-based business activities
• Identity theft
• Service lines
• Sewer/septic backup and sump overflow

Exclusions vary by state due to local regulations and carrier rules specific to each market. Several of the items above can be addressed through American Family's optional endorsements.

American Family offers two ways to buy home insurance. The self-service online option at amfam.com lets homeowners enter their property details and get pricing without speaking with anyone. Homeowners who want guidance on coverage levels or endorsements before committing can use the local agent route instead.

Before starting, gather your home's basic details, including square footage, year built, construction type and your current coverage limits if you're switching from another policy. These details affect what options and rates are available to you. American Family also lets homeowners save a quote and return to it later, useful for homeowners who want time to weigh their options before deciding.

If you're switching from another carrier, requesting your quote at least seven days before your current policy expires qualifies you for the Early Bird discount. Once a quote is in hand, coverage can be purchased online or finalized through an agent, depending on how you started. A local agent can also confirm which endorsements and discounts are available in your state, since not all options are offered in every market.

American Family offers 24/7 home insurance claim filing through the MyAmFam mobile app, through the online portal at My Account on amfam.com, or by calling 1-800-692-6326. Before filing, gather the date and time of the incident, a description of what happened, photos of any damage and the contact and insurance information of any other parties involved, if applicable. Having these on hand speeds up the initial filing and helps avoid back-and-forth once a representative picks up the claim.

After a claim is submitted, American Family's representatives review it. A property representative then reaches out to assess the damage, gather additional information and explain the next steps in the resolution process. Homeowners can track claim status in real time through the MyAmFam app or the online account, cutting down on the need to call in for updates. Timelines vary based on claim complexity and local contractor availability, and American Family's claims team works to move the process forward.

We used the following base profile to determine American Family's rates and judge their affordability:

• Middle-aged homeowner (41 to 60)
• 2,500-square-foot house
• $250,000 dwelling coverage
• $125,000 personal property coverage
• $200,000 liability coverage
• Good credit
• No claims in the past 5+ years

Our ratings system for American Family consisted of the following scoring mechanisms:

• Affordability (55%): Using our base profile as a guide, we compared American Family's costs relative to the national average and competition.
• Customer experience (35%): We considered forum ratings from American Family customers, industry studies from J.D. Power and AM Best Financial Strength scores.
• Coverage (10%): This score considers American Family's add-on coverage selections relative to the average and the uniqueness of selections available.

Learn more by reading through MoneyGeek's home insurance methodology.