score84Farmers Home Insurance Review: Service, Cost, & More (2023)
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By , Content Director
Updated: Mar 6, 2023
score844/5
satisfaction
5/5
affordability
4/5
stability
pros
Highly affordable
Offers various discounts and coverage options for home insurance
Tools that make claims and account management easy
cons
Customer satisfaction needs improvement
Not available in Hawaii and Alaska
Verdict
MoneyGeek gives Farmers an 84 out of 100. Farmers is an inexpensive homeowners insurance provider with average scores in financial stability. Their weakest category is customer satisfaction.
Farmers offers various coverages and unique discounts — such as Energy Efficiency Upgrade coverage and Earthquake discount — which can supplement policies and make them more affordable.
Does Farmers Have Good Customer Service?
Farmers earned a MoneyGeek score of 84 out of 100 for their overall customer service. This rating reflects MoneyGeek’s combined analysis of a company’s customer satisfaction, financial stability and affordability. Although affordability is one of the company’s strengths, shoppers may find better customer service elsewhere.
Customer Satisfaction Rating
Customer satisfaction scores can indicate the difference between a positive claims experience and a stressful one. MoneyGeek gave Farmers a 3.77 out of 5 for their customer satisfaction, based on studies from J.D. Power and NAIC complaint scores. The J.D. Power 2021 U.S. Home Insurance Study ranks Farmers within the top 15 homeowners insurance providers, earning 813 out of 1,000.
Customer Complaint Index
Farmers
The National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) Customer Complaint Index also provides a helpful look into a company’s customer satisfaction. According to the NAIC, Farmers has a complaint index of 0.56, meaning it received significantly fewer complaints than the average insurance provider.
Financial Stability Rating
Financial stability ratings indicate whether a company can support and pay for your claim, which is essential when choosing an insurance provider. Farmers received an A on financial stability from AM Best, an organization that rates insurance providers. This means that Farmers is excellent at meeting its insurance obligations.
What to Expect From Farmers Homeowners Insurance
Applying for a Farmers homeowners insurance policy can be confusing for anyone who hasn’t done it before. Review the steps below to learn what to expect from this process.
1
Getting a quote
MoneyGeek has already collected quotes for this company which you can see below. Otherwise, Farmers offers instant quotes for their homeowners insurance policies online. If you have specific requests, you can also reach out to them via phone.
2
Customer support
Farmers offers customer support via live online chat or by phone at 1-888-327-6335. Their customer support hotline is available Monday through Friday from 7 a.m. to 11 p.m. CST and Saturday and Sunday between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m. CST.
3
Filing a claim
Farmers lets you file a claim through its online portal, mobile application or claims services hotline at 1-800-435-7764 (available 24 hours a day, seven days a week).
4
Canceling your policy
To cancel your Farmers homeowners insurance policy, call their customer service hotline at 1-888-327-6335 and have your account details ready.
MAKING A HOMEOWNERS INSURANCE CLAIM WITH FARMERS
Filing a claim with Farmers is easy. You can use their 24/7 claims hotline at 1-800-435-7764, their mobile application or their online portal.
STATE AVAILABILITY
Farmers homeowners insurance policies are available across most U.S. states, except for:
- Hawaii
- Alaska
Note, however, that not all coverage options may be available in your state.
How Much Does Farmers Homeowners Insurance Cost?
To find out how much a Farmers homeowners insurance policy will cost you, talk to an agent or get a quote from their website. Homeowners insurance typically costs $1,979 per year, but this can change depending on your home’s location, age, construction type and more.
Several factors determine the cost of a Farmers homeowners insurance policy. These include location, dwelling coverage, personal coverage and deductible amounts.
A good starting point for dwelling coverage is $250K, but the actual amount of home insurance coverage you need will depend on the value of your home. Other coverage levels, such as for personal property, must also be considered.
If you have specific limits in mind, use our home insurance calculator below to estimate how much you may need to pay based on those limits.
Home Insurance Calculator
State
Alabama
Dwelling Coverage
$100,000
Deductible
$500
Liability
$300,000
Personal Property
$20,000
Credit Score
Excellent
low end
on average
high end
These are annual estimates. Get a personalized quote to determine your costs.
MONEYGEEK EXPERT TIP
Rebuilding is expensive. Although it can be tempting to opt for smaller coverage limits that reduce your monthly premiums, your costs will soar when you need the reimbursement money. Invest in your peace of mind and purchase enough coverage to rebuild your home when you need it.
What Discounts Does Farmers Offer?
Farmers offers 13 homeowners insurance discounts to their policyholders, significantly more than the industry average of seven. The majority of these discounts are also somewhat uncommon among providers.
Discount | Description |
|---|---|
Claim Forgiveness | After five years of no claims with Farmers, this benefit prevents your premium from increasing. |
Claims-free | Farmers will give you a discount if you have gone three consecutive years without filing a claim with them (or your former insurer). |
New Home | Save money if your house is less than 14 years old. |
Paperless | Receive a discount for enrolling in ePolicy and accepting the Go Paperless terms and conditions. |
Deductible Reward | For every year your policy is active, you'll earn $50 toward your deductible. (Note that this is not available for homeowners in California and Florida.) |
Bundle | Bundling your home and auto insurance can help you save money. Farmers also offers life, business, umbrella and pet insurance policies for bundling. |
Protective Device | Farmers offers discounts for select home protection devices — e.g., a deadbolt or strong lock, sprinkler system, security system, fire alarm. Additionally, smart homes and connected homes can be rewarded with discounts if they offer remote monitoring. |
Affinity | If you’re a member, employee or retiree of certain businesses, occupational groups or professional associations, Farmers can offer you a discount. |
Roofing Material | Get a discount for having Underwriting Laboratories-approved asphalt or fiberglass shingles. |
Pay-in-full | If you pay your entire annual premium at once, Farmers will give you a discount. |
Automatic Payment | Get a discount for enrolling in a monthly payment plan that includes recurring electronic fund transfers. |
Responsible Payment | A discount to reward your payment habits if you pay your bills on time. |
Earthquake Discount | Farmers offers a discount to homeowners with a policy from the California Earthquake Authority if they are purchasing insurance for the same residence. |
MONEYGEEK EXPERT TIP
Bundling Farmers homeowners insurance with their auto insurance or other policies can help you save money. Farmers also gives you the option to bundle later if you already have an existing auto or life insurance policy with a different provider. Renew with Farmers when your previous policy ends to save money.
Which Coverage Types Does Farmers Offer?
Farmers homeowners insurance includes the standard dwelling, personal property and liability coverages. The company also offers seven optional coverages, more than the industry average of five.
One of their more unique coverages is energy efficiency upgrade, which covers up to $25,000 toward the cost of replacing materials and appliances with eco-friendly alternatives. Note, however, that earthquake and flood insurance are optional and must be purchased separately.
Review each endorsement Farmers homeowners insurance policyholders can get below.
1
Building Ordinance or Law
Farmers covers the property value lost and increased costs when some municipal ordinances regulate building construction. Add building ordinance or law coverage from 10% to 50% of your dwelling coverage amount.
2
Matching Coverage
If you need to replace any damaged part of your home, Farmers will pay up to $30,000 to replace undamaged property with the same materials to keep the appearance of the area uniform.
3
Scheduled Personal Property
Increase your standard coverage limits for certain valuables or personal property:
- Jewelry, watches and furs ($5,000)
- Firearms ($3,000)
- Business property ($5,000)
- Computer equipment ($5,000)
- Silverware and flatware ($5,000)
4
Contents Replacement Cost
You can choose to have Farmers cover personal property at replacement cost, ignoring depreciation.
5
Extended Reimbursement
Extended guaranteed replacement cost coverage applies to up to 10% more than the dwelling limits. In the event of a covered loss on the same premises, Farmers will reimburse the total cost of rebuilding, no matter the policy limit.
6
Energy Efficiency Upgrade
Receive up to $25,000 from Farmers to replace materials and appliances with eco-friendly alternatives.
7
Cyber Event/ID Theft
Farmers Identity Shield can help with losses and expenses in case of stolen identity. It can also aid in resolving the crime and replacing certain documents.
When shopping for homeowners insurance, you’ll want to assess more than the cost. Comparing homeowners insurance quotes for coverage is the best way to fully protect your home
For example, insurance coverage for earthquake, pest and flood damage is not usually included in standard policies and must be purchased as an add-on or separate policy. Farmers does have earthquake and flood insurance but doesn’t offer insect or pest insurance.
Whatever additional insurance your home may require, make sure your policy has at least these standard coverages:
What Online Homeowners Insurance Tools Does Farmers Offer?
Farmers home insurance policyholders can use the company’s online portal and mobile app to manage their accounts, make claims and pay bills. We list these free tools and additional features below.
Other Farmers Insurance Products
For homeowners with additional needs, Farmers also offers auto insurance, life insurance, business insurance, umbrella insurance and even pet insurance. Most of these can be bundled together for a discounted price.
Type of Product | Description |
|---|---|
Auto | Farmers auto insurance offers different types of coverage across most states, including some rarer add-ons like custom parts coverage. |
Life | Farmers offers term, whole and universal life insurance to help you safeguard your loved ones’ financial futures. |
Business | If you own a small business, this can help you pay for any damages or injuries on your business premises. |
Umbrella | Umbrella insurance from Farmers adds a layer of liability protection beyond your existing policies. |
Pet | Reimburse up to 90% of the cost of eligible veterinary treatments if your pet is injured, gets sick or needs surgery. |
Methodology
To assess Farmers as a homeowners insurance company, MoneyGeek analyzed the Farmers website, manually collected quotes and consulted consumer intelligence organizations including J.D. Power, the NAIC and AM Best.
About Mark Fitzpatrick
sources
- Farmers. "Pet Insurance." Accessed April 19, 2022.
- J.D. Power. "Home Insurers Struggle with Customer Loyalty as Boomers Flock to Rental Market, J.D. Power Finds." Accessed April 19, 2022.