Universal North America's home insurance includes the six standard coverages that protect your dwelling, belongings and liability.
Universal North America Home Insurance Review
Updated: June 25, 2026
Advertising & Editorial Disclosure
Key Takeaways
Universal North America Insurance Company started in 2005 as a Texas-domiciled carrier and was acquired by 5B Alliance, LLC on January 1, 2025.
The company provides 16 optional coverage endorsements, including equipment breakdown and identity fraud expense protection.
Universal North America offers discounts for bundling multiple policies, and offers many endorsements to supplement coverage, like earthquake coverage, townhouse coverage, permitted incidental occupancy coverage and more.
What Does Universal North America Homeowners Insurance Cover?
Dwelling CoverageDwelling coverage covers repair or reconstruction costs for your home's main structure when events like fires, storms or vandalism cause damage.
Other Structures CoverageOther structures coverage handles damage to detached structures, including sheds, garages, swimming pools, privacy fences and standalone carports.
Personal Property CoveragePersonal property coverage pays to replace or repair your possessions including furniture, electronics, clothing and household items after covered loss events.
Personal Liability CoveragePersonal liability coverage handles legal costs and settlements if someone gets injured on your property or you accidentally damage another person's property.
Medical Payments CoverageMedical payments coverage handles medical bills for guests injured at your home without requiring a liability determination.
Loss of Use CoverageLoss of use coverage reimburses hotel costs, restaurant meals and other living expenses when you can't stay in your home during covered repairs. This coverage also pays for storage fees, laundry expenses and increased commuting costs while your home is uninhabitable.
Optional Home Insurance Coverages from Universal North America
Universal North America offers 16 optional endorsements to build on your standard homeowners policy, though availability varies by state. Standard coverage doesn't cover every risk, so endorsements let you fill gaps based on your home and situation. Review the table below to see which options apply to you.
Equipment Breakdown | Pays for damage to AC systems, electronics and pool pumps from electrical arcing, mechanical breakdown, short circuits, line surges, centrifugal force and owner error. |
Flood Insurance | Provides coverage through the National Flood Insurance Program with no loan repayment required, financial protection for personal belongings and immediate relief availability |
Earthquake Coverage | Covers your home, other structures, personal property and additional living expenses. A limited option for basic home protection only is also available |
Scheduled Personal Property | Covers specifically listed valuable items |
Water Damage | Extends financial protection for water-related damage beyond standard coverage |
Home Equipment Protection | Covers damage to home equipment and systems |
Personal Injury | Covers legal liability for non-physical harm such as defamation or false arrest |
Rental to Others | Covers your home when you rent part of it to tenants |
Increased Limit of Liability | Raises your liability coverage limits above standard policy amounts |
Increased Loss Assessment | Raises coverage for condo association assessments beyond base limits |
Personal Property Value Loss Settlement | Changes how your personal property gets valued after a loss |
Permitted Incidental Occupancies | Covers small business activities run from your home |
Townhouse/Rowhouse | Covers attached home structures with terms tailored to that property type |
Increased Other Structures | Raises coverage limits for detached structures on your property |
Seasonal or Unoccupied Property | Covers vacation homes or secondary properties not occupied year-round |
Identity Fraud Expense | Reimburses costs tied to identity theft recovery and restoration |
What Does Universal North America's Home Insurance Not Cover?
Universal North America's standard homeowners insurance excludes certain perils that require separate policies or endorsements, including flood and earthquake damage. It also won't cover intentionally caused damage, normal wear and tear or losses from neglected maintenance.
Certain Natural DisastersFloods and earthquakes need standalone coverage or specific endorsements since standard homeowners policies exclude these events. Universal North America offers both flood insurance through the National Flood Insurance Program and earthquake coverage as optional additions.
Intentional or Preventable DamageYour policy won't cover damage you cause deliberately or problems that result from poor maintenance and normal wear over time. This includes pest infestations, mold from neglected leaks and structural issues from deferred maintenance.
High Value ItemsBasic policies cap coverage for high-value belongings like fine jewelry, antiques and artwork at limited amounts per item. You need scheduled personal property coverage to insure these items at their full replacement value.
Universal North America Homeowners Insurance Discounts
Universal North America provides one way to get affordable homeowners insurance through policy bundling, with discount availability varying by state. Ask your agent about discount eligibility, as Universal North America's discounts vary by location.
How to Buy Universal North America’s Homeowners Insurance
You can buy home insurance from Universal North America by finding a local agent through the company's online search tool or calling 866-778-4462 for assistance. Universal North America works exclusively through independent agents who provide quotes and answer coverage questions.
- 1Calculate Coverage
Figure out how much you need by checking your home's replacement cost, personal property value and liability exposure. Make a home inventory of your belongings to set accurate personal property coverage limits.
- 2Find an Agent
Use Universal North America's online agent search to find an independent agent in your area or call 866-778-4462 for referrals. Your agent will gather details about your property and coverage needs to put together personalized quotes.
- 3Compare Options
Review the coverage levels, deductible amounts and optional endorsements available through Universal North America with your agent. Ask how each option affects your premium so you can find the right balance between cost and coverage.
- 4Get Discounts
Ask your agent about Universal North America's bundling discount for buying multiple policies together. Confirm which discounts you qualify for before finalizing your policy.
- 5Lock In Your Policy
Review your policy documents to confirm the coverage limits, deductibles and exclusions match your needs. Sign your application and pay your first premium to activate your Universal North America homeowners insurance.
Universal North America Home Insurance: Quick History
Universal North America Insurance Company was established in June 2005 as a Texas-domiciled carrier under Universal Insurance Holdings of North America.
The company merged with its Florida counterpart, Universal Insurance Company of North America, in June 2021. 5B Alliance, LLC acquired Universal North America on January 1, 2025, with Rafael Cedeño serving as CEO and Chair.
Other Universal North America Products
Universal North America offers insurance beyond traditional home policies for different customer segments. The insurer covers rental properties, condo units and commercial operations. Not all coverages are available in all states.
Property Insurance | Universal North America insures renters through personal property and liability coverage, condo unit owners with protection beyond association policies, and landlords with dwelling fire coverage for rental properties including liability and loss of income coverage. |
Flood Insurance | Universal North America partners with the National Flood Insurance Program to offer federally backed flood coverage with no loan repayment and protection for personal belongings. |
Earthquake Insurance | Universal North America offers earthquake coverage including dwelling, other structures, personal property and additional living expenses, or limited earthquake policies with basic home protection only. |
Businessowner Insurance | Universal North America covers small retail businesses like barber shops, beauty salons, florists and pet shops with building coverage up to $5 million, business property coverage up to $1 million and liability coverage from $300,000 to $2 million per occurrence. |
Universal North America Home Insurance Review: Bottom Line
Universal North America offers comprehensive homeowners insurance with 16 additional coverage options like scheduled personal property and water damage protection. Policyholders save through the company's bundling discount when combining multiple insurance products.
Universal North America extends its insurance portfolio to renters, condo owners and landlords with property-specific policies, plus flood insurance backed by the National Flood Insurance Program. The insurer also provides dwelling fire coverage for landlords, condo unit owner policies and business owner insurance for small retail establishments.
Universal North America Home Insurance: FAQ
We answer common questions about Universal North America's home insurance policies, available discounts and coverage options below.
What types of homeowners insurance does Universal North America offer?
Universal North America provides standard homeowners policies covering dwelling, personal property, liability and loss of use, plus dwelling fire coverage for rental properties. The company also offers condo unit owner policies, renters insurance and 16 optional endorsements including equipment breakdown, identity fraud expense and scheduled personal property coverage.
Does Universal North America offer flood and earthquake coverage?
It sells flood insurance through a partnership with the National Flood Insurance Program, providing federally backed coverage with no loan repayment requirement. The company also offers earthquake coverage in two forms: comprehensive policies covering your home, other structures, personal property and additional living expenses, or limited policies protecting only your home structure.
Universal North America Home Insurance: Related Pages
About Mark Fitzpatrick
Mark Fitzpatrick, a Licensed Property and Casualty (P&C) Insurance Producer in Connecticut, is MoneyGeek's resident insurance expert. He has spent nearly a decade analyzing the market, first at LendingTree and now at MoneyGeek, where he produces original research on hundreds of carriers and millions of rates across auto, home, renters, health and life insurance.
He covers economics and insurance at MoneyGeek, and his work has been featured in The Washington Post, The New York Times and NPR, among other outlets.
Like all MoneyGeek analysts, he draws on independent cost and consumer experience data. No insurance company partnership influences his recommendations.
Fitzpatrick earned his degrees from Johns Hopkins University (M.A. Economics and International Relations) and Boston College (B.A.). His career began in financial risk management at State Street. He's also a five-time “Jeopardy!” champion.
Sources
- Universal North America. "Homeowners." Accessed June 26, 2026.
- Universal North America. "Homepage." Accessed June 26, 2026.
- Universal North America. "Flood Insurance." Accessed June 26, 2026.
- Universal North America. "Equipment Breakdown." Accessed June 26, 2026.
- Universal North America. "Earthquake Insurance." Accessed June 26, 2026.