Homeowners insurance in Florida is a type of property insurance that will cover the cost to repair your home or replace your personal belongings after an unexpected event, like a fire or water damage, destroys them. This type of protection is especially important in a state like Florida, where natural disasters are more likely to occur.
To help you find the right amount of home insurance coverage at an affordable price, the This Old House Reviews Team created this guide. Keep reading our review to learn how to get the best homeowners insurance in Florida.
5 Best Homeowners Insurance Companies in Florida
Here are the top providers of homeowners insurance in Florida:
- State Farm: Best Endorsements
- Liberty Mutual: Best Discounts
- Allstate: Best Coverage Options
- Travelers: Most Experience
- Security First: Best for South Florida Residents
State Farm: Best Endorsements
State Farm is a trusted provider in the industry with 18% of market share. The largest home insurance provider in the country, State Farm also has a massive network of agents across Florida. The company has the highest J.D. Power score in this review and is backed by a high financial strength rating.
Whether you’re looking for a company with bundling options for both your home and auto insurance policies or just want to select a trusted and stable brand with almost 100 years of experience serving happy customers, State Farm might be a good place to start.
While it has fewer discounts than competitors like Allstate and Liberty Mutual, State Farm offers flexible coverage options and add-ons.
Pros and Cons of State Farm Homeowners Insurance
✓ Provides numerous user-friendly online resources for customers
✓ Is the largest homeowners insurance company in the country
✓ Is backed by superior financial strength ratings
✘ Has limited discounts in comparison to Allstate or Liberty Mutual
✘ May require you to contact an agent directly to get a quote
Additional Coverage Options
State Farm offers the following extra coverage options:
- Loss assessment coverage for HOA charges
- Earthquake coverage
- Home systems protection
- Water backup coverage
- Flood policies (through the National Flood Insurance Program)
- Identity theft protection.
Available Discounts
State Farm has five discounts to help customers save on their premiums, but their availability can vary depending on your property and personal information:
- Multi-policy
- Home alert protection
- Claims-free
- Roofing materials
- Lower premiums on higher deductibles
Get Free Quote: Call 1-360-262-2561
Learn More: State Farm Home Insurance Review
*A.M. Best ratings accurate as of January 2023
Liberty Mutual: Best Discounts
Liberty Mutual has more than 100 years of experience providing insurance products and services like renters, life, homeowners, and car insurance.
Similar to State Farm and Allstate, Liberty Mutual offers six standard areas of coverage—dwelling, other structures, liability, medical payments to others, loss of use, and personal property.
It stands out for offering a range of savings opportunities, with some discounts that reward you for replacing your roof or renovating your home. While Liberty Mutual has a lower customer satisfaction score from J.D. Power than some competitors in this review, it has A-level ratings from the BBB and AM Best.
Pros and Cons of Liberty Mutual Home Insurance
✓ Typically offers more discounts than Allstate and State Farm
✓ Offers a hurricane damage endorsement that is particularly useful for Florida residents
✓ Allows customers to file a claim from their mobile device
✘ Doesn’t provide liability coverage for certain dog breeds
✘ Coverage may vary by state
Additional Coverage Options
Liberty Mutual provides a range of policy endorsements, including added hurricane coverage, total replacement cost, water backup, sump pump overflow, fine jewelry coverage, and inflation protection.
Available Discounts
Liberty Mutual offers the discounts below to home insurance shoppers:
- Claims-free
- Safe homeowner
- Early shopper
- Newly purchased home
- New/renovated home
- New roof
- Multi-policy
- Insured to value
- Preferred payment
- Paperless policy
Get Your Free Home Insurance Quote: Liberty Mutual Quote
Learn More: Liberty Mutual Home Insurance Review
Allstate: Best Coverage Options
Allstate is our top pick for Florida home insurance due to its reputation, extensive coverage options, and customer experience. It is the only provider in this review that provides 24/7 customer service. While State Farm and Liberty Mutual have a claims center that’s open around the clock, Allstate has 24/7 departments for sales, billing, claims, and policy questions as well.
Customers also have access to a mobile app and customer portal. It also offers unique online resources such as the common and costly claims tool, which flags the leading causes of claims in your area.
While Allstate can be more expensive than competitors based on our secret shopping process, it offers some of the most extensive coverage and discounts of any provider in this review and offers an unmatched level of customer service.
Pros and Cons of Allstate Home Insurance
✓ Gives customers the choice of 60% or 75% of dwelling coverage for personal property
✓ Offers more endorsements than State Farm and Liberty Mutual
✓ Has endorsements for valuable items, like musical instruments and sports equipment
✘ Provided the most expensive quote out of the providers in this review
✘ Deductibles start at $2,500
Additional Coverage Options
Allstate offers a long lineup of endorsements, including scheduled personal property coverage, manufactured and mobile homes, green improvement restoration, home-sharing coverage, water backup protection, and yard and garden coverage.
It also provides protection for electronic data recovery, business property, musical instruments, identity theft restoration, sports equipment, and personal umbrella insurance.
Available Discounts
To help Florida customers save money on their policy, Allstate offers the following homeowner discounts:
- Multi-policy
- Easy pay
- Claims-free
- Protective device
- Early signing
- Welcome and loyalty
- Home buyer
- 55 and retired
Allstate also lists a category for “additional benefits” on its website, which encompasses smaller discounts, like ones for having a new roof or for not smoking.
Get Your Free Home Insurance Quote: Allstate Quote
Learn More: Allstate Home Insurance Review
Travelers: Most Experience
Travelers is one of our top choices for homeowners in Florida due to its sterling reputation and experience. The company was founded in 1864 and carries an A++ (Superior) financial strength rating from AM Best.
It also stands out for offering rewarding policy endorsements, such as a green home policy rider that will pay to replace or rebuild your home with environmentally friendly alternatives after a covered incident. Travelers also offers an advantageous decreasing deductible, which gives you a $100 deductible credit each year, regardless of whether you file a claim.
Moreover, Travelers features highly customizable insurance coverage, with a wide range of deductibles and coverage levels. If you’re looking for an experienced insurer with flexible coverage, Travelers is worth considering.
Pros and Cons of Travelers Home Insurance
✓ Extends nine deductible options, allowing you to customize your coverage and rates
✓ Has the longest history in the industry of any provider in this review
✓ Provides a wide range of endorsements, including extensive identity theft protection
✘ Has a lower J.D. Power score than competitors in this review
✘ Offers fewer discounts than providers like Allstate and Liberty Mutual
Additional Coverage Options
Travelers offers a handful of extended coverages, including extra replacement cost coverage, all-risk coverage for personal property, loss assessment coverage for homeowners with an HOA, personal injury coverage, and refrigerated property coverage.
It also offers optional endorsements such as water backup and sump pump coverage, green home replacement coverage, roofing and siding matching coverage, equipment breakdown coverage, and identity theft protection.
Available Discounts
Travelers offers discounts to new home-buyers, individuals who bundle their home and auto, homeowners with a claim-free history, and applicants with protective devices and “green home” certification via the LEED organization.
Get Your Free Home Insurance Quote: Travelers Quote
Learn More: Travelers Homeowners Insurance Review
Security First: Best for South Florida Residents
- J.D. Power Rating: NR
- AM Best Rating: NR
A relative newcomer to the homeowners insurance industry, Security First opened its doors in 2005. Unique from competitors in this review, the company offers coverage exclusively to Florida residents.
This Florida focus allows the company to tailor its coverage and endorsements to customers in the state and offer hands-on customer service. Security First offers unique policy add-ons such as golf cart protection and liability coverage and screened porch and carport coverage, along with a reasonable hurricane deductible that can be ideal for South Florida residents.
The company is BBB-accredited and holds an A+ rating. It also has a mobile app, but customer service hours are limited. Overall, Security First could be a suitable choice if you’re looking to deal with a local provider with a range of policy endorsements.
Pros and Cons of Security First Home Insurance
✓ Offers an affordable hurricane deductible
✓ Can help Florida residents purchase a flood insurance policy
✓ Provides more discounts and unique endorsements than many competitors
✘ Isn’t rated in the J.D. Power Home Insurance survey
✘ Doesn’t offer 24/7 customer support, while some providers do
Additional Coverage Options
Security First offers flood coverage through the NFIP, identity theft protection, equipment breakdown protection, dog liability coverage, water backup and sump overflow, enhanced replacement cost, scheduled personal property protection, golf cart physical damage and liability coverage, and screened enclosure and carport coverage.
Available Discounts
Security First offers these discounts to Florida homeowners:
- Age of construction
- Policyholder 55+
- Secured community
- Indoor sprinkler system
- Roof shape
- Wind-resistant home features
- Central burglar alarm/central fire alarm
Learn More: Security First Homeowners Insurance Review
What Is the Average Cost of Home Insurance in Florida?
The average cost of homeowners insurance coverage in Florida is $1,988 per year, according to the most recent report released by the Insurance Information Institute (III).
The III states the national average cost of home insurance is $1,272 per year, which is a good deal lower than the cost of coverage in Florida. In fact, Florida’s homeowners insurance rates are the second highest in the nation, on average, coming in behind Louisiana.
Florida residents tend to face steeper home insurance premiums to offset the elevated risk of weather-related claims, which we’ll cover below.
While the average cost estimate above is a helpful point of reference, your actual home insurance rates will vary based on some of the following factors:
- Your location
- The size, build, and age of your home
- Your credit score and claims history
- Security features such as fire and burglar alarms
- Replacement cost of your home
- Deductible amounts you choose
What Risks Do Homeowners in Florida Face the Most?
Because of its location and landscape, Florida is home to a lot of high risks for homeowners.
Let’s take a look at some of Florida’s most common causes of home insurance claims:
- Wind damage: Florida sees more tornadoes than most states, averaging 66 twisters per year. It also has the highest number of homes at risk of damage by a wind storm surge, according to III data. Fortunately, home insurance covers wind damage, and insurers in Florida are required to offer additional hurricane coverage.
- Flooding: As a coastal state that’s mostly at or below sea level, Florida faces significant amounts of flooding each year. Flood damage is typically excluded from standard home insurance policies but can be purchased separately.
- Fire: Fire damage is a typical cause of home insurance claims in Florida and across the country. Lightning storms, wind, and hurricanes can lead to devastating electrical fires, putting Florida residents at an increased risk. Fire is one of the 16 named perils covered by standard homeowners insurance policies.
- Burglary: According to a 2020 Statista report, Florida has one of the nation’s highest number of reported robbery cases. If you live in a major city such as Orlando or Miami, you could be at a higher risk of personal property theft and vandalism than if you live in a rural town.
Comparing Homeowners Insurance Companies in Florida
Quickly compare the top-rated home insurance companies:
Which Is the Best Homeowners Insurance Provider in Florida for You?
We recommend Allstate as the best overall homeowners insurance provider in Florida. It offers robust home insurance policies and endorsements, with a range of discounts to help you save on coverage. Moreover, Allstate gives you access to a network of dedicated local home insurance agents who understand your pain points as a Florida homeowner.
However, home insurance is far from a one-size-fits-all product. We recommend each of the providers in this review based on their advantages for Floridians. Before you purchase a policy, take a few minutes to compare coverage, discounts, and costs. We recommend obtaining quotes from at least three providers to ensure you get the right coverage and company for your needs.
Frequently Asked Questions About Homeowners Insurance in Florida
Other Homeowners Insurance Resources
- What is Homeowners Insurance?
- Is Homeowners Insurance Required?
- How Much Does Homeowners Insurance Do I Need?
- How Can I Lower My Homeowners Insurance?
- Which Insurance Company is Best at Paying Claims?
- What Does Homeowners Insurance Cover?
- What is Loss of Use Coverage?
- Homeowners Insurance in Fire Prone Areas
- Is Earthquake Insurance Worth It?
Our Rating Methodology
The This Old House Reviews Team is committed to providing comprehensive and unbiased reviews to our readers. This means earning your trust through transparency and having the data to back up our ratings and recommendations.
With that in mind, we created an objective rating system to score each home insurance company. Here’s what that review process looked like:
- We analyze the information on each company’s website. This allows us to determine what products and services are offered by each home insurance provider.
- We get a sample quote from the companies by either talking to a sales representative or by using the online quote tool. This tells us what a policy looks like and costs.
- We test customer service by talking to a company representative, finding out their hours of operation, and determining what technological features are available for customers.
- We update all of this information on a continuous basis, storing it in a proprietary database that allows us to compare dozens of home insurance companies against each other.
With this data, we created a rating methodology to score each home insurance company. Our rating system is a weighted, 100-point scale based on the following factors:
- Coverage (30): We rated home insurance companies higher if they offered the six main types of homeowner protection—dwelling, other structures, personal property, loss of use, liability, and medical payments to others coverage.
- State availability (7.5): Companies scored higher if they covered more states than their competitors.
- Customer service (15): This factor is based on our communications with the company representatives, as well as the companies’ claims and quotes processes, availability throughout the week, and customer service information found on their websites.
- Technology (12.5): Technology can increase the efficiency of filing and tracking home insurance claims. Companies scored higher if they had technology options like mobile apps and online chat functions.
- Reputation (20): We gauged trustworthiness based on years of experience and Better Business Bureau ratings.
- Additional benefits (15): Companies that offered optional features, like discounts and endorsements, scored higher than competitors that didn’t.
The This Old House Reviews Team has a full-time researcher who collects and regularly updates data points from every company to help us compare them on key factors such as coverage, service, and dependability.
To share feedback or ask a question about this article, send a note to our Reviews Team at reviews@thisoldhousereviews.com.