In This Review: Pros and Cons | Cost & Discounts | Coverage | State Availability | Filing a Claim | Customer Reviews | Conclusion | Comparison | Company Information | FAQ | Methodology
QBE is an international insurance company that has been providing homeowners insurance in the United States for 40 years. The company offers standard coverage for structural, personal property, and liability claims. To learn more about the specifics of QBE and its policies, read our review of the company below and decide if it’s the best homeowners insurance company for you.
Pros & Cons
Discover the costs and benefits of insuring your home with QBE:
How Much Does QBE Home Insurance Cost?
The price of your QBE policy will depend on factors like your credit score and claims history, the square footage of your home, and your proximity to a fire station. To give you an idea of how much a QBE policy costs, we requested a quote for a one-story home in Raleigh, North Carolina.
QBE Sample Policy Cost
| Type of Coverage | Amount of Coverage |
|---|---|
| Dwelling | $285,000 |
| Other structures | $28,500 |
| Personal property | $199,500 |
| Loss of use | $85,500 |
| Liability | $300,000 |
| Medical payments to others | $1,000 per person |
| Deductible | $1,000 |
| Monthly cost | $82.92 |
QBE Discounts
QBE offers discounts for the following situations:
- Installing protective devices in your home, such as security systems and fire alarms
- Maintaining a claims-free record
- Having continuous coverage on your home
- Bundling home and auto insurance
QBE Coverage
QBE policies are HO-3 policies that protect against the following 16 events:
- Fire and lightning
- Windstorm and hail
- Explosion
- Riot or civil commotion
- Vehicles
- Aircrafts
- Smoke
- Theft
- Vandalism
- Falling objects
- Weight of snow, sleet, or ice
- Accidental discharge or overflow of water or steam
- Frozen plumbing
- Sudden and accidental tearing apart, cracking, burning, or bulging
- Volcanic eruption
- Sudden and accidental damage from an artificially generated electrical current
Within a QBE policy, there are six areas of coverage:
- Dwelling—Dwelling coverage covers the built-in elements of your home like the cabinetry, walls, and HVAC system. If an event destroys your home, QBE will pay to rebuild your home and include all of these elements.
- Other structures—This covers detached structures on your property, like fences and sheds.
- Personal property—If a covered event damages your personal belongings in your home or on a trip, your policy will pay to replace them.
- Loss of use—If you have to leave your home because of major repairs, QBE will pay for additional living expenses during that time. This includes the cost of a hotel room and the cost of eating out for every meal.
- Liability—If you’re responsible for injuring someone or damaging their personal property, your policy will cover their medical bills or repair and replacement costs. It will even cover legal fees if you’re sued.
- Medical payments to others—If a guest is injured in your home, QBE will pay for their medical bills.
Here are the QBE coverage amounts based on North Carolina availability:
Available QBE Coverage in North Carolina
| Type of Coverage | Coverage Options |
|---|---|
| Dwelling | 100% of rebuilding cost |
| Other structures | 10% of dwelling |
| Personal property | 70% of dwelling |
| Loss of use | 30% of dwelling |
Note: To see what your options are for liability and medical payments to others coverage, talk to your local QBE agent.
QBE Additional Coverage
QBE only offers home insurance products to independent agents. Depending on the independent agent you work with and the QBE home insurance program he or she signed up for, you’ll have access to some or all of the following endorsements:
- Assisted living care
- Student away at school
- Personal security
- High-value items
- Reward coverage
- Fire extinguishers
- Increased daycare expense
- Personal injury
- Replacement cost
- Extended replacement cost
QBE Home Insurance State Availability
QBE is available in 37 countries and the 47 states listed below within the USA. This means that if you plan on moving and don’t want to deal with the hassle of switching insurance providers every time, QBE is a great option for you! Click on your home state below to find the best providers in your state:
Alabama | Arizona | Arkansas | California | Colorado | Connecticut | Delaware | Georgia | Idaho | Illinois | Indiana | Iowa | Kansas | Kentucky | Louisiana | Maine | Maryland | Massachusetts | Michigan | Minnesota | Mississippi | Missouri | Montana | Nebraska | Nevada | New Hampshire | New Jersey | New Mexico | New York | North Carolina | North Dakota | Ohio | Oklahoma | Oregon | Pennsylvania | Rhode Island | South Carolina | South Dakota | Tennessee | Texas | Utah | Vermont | Virginia | Washington | West Virginia | Wisconsin | Wyoming
Customer Service and Claims Support
You can manage your policy and claims on the QBE online portal. You can also call 800-362-5448 Monday through Friday, from 7 am to 7 pm for general customer service questions or 866-318-2016 for claims questions.
QBE Home Insurance Reviews
QBE North America is not accredited by the Better Business Bureau (BBB), but has been given an A+ rating by the organization. The reviews for the company are negative overall due to poor customer service experiences and a slow claims process. Here’s what customers have said about the company:
Tuan P said:
“I tried to file a hail claim and was told immediately that I would be dinged and my insurance rates would go up. The representative told me my deductible is 1% and if the adjuster comes out, they will assess the damage even if it comes in less than the 1% deductible I would get dinged because I had them come out. I was basically pushed not to file a claim at all. They warned me that if I did look at other insurance companies to replace them, they will see the claim filed if they have to send someone out. It took me a few days and after talking to some other professionals, I decided to resubmit the claim.”
Review User said:
“Awful customer service & incredibly rude and uncommunicative claim representatives. We had one simple claim, which they have been dragging out for over a year (then try to blame the customer)- they try to make following through with a claim as difficult as possible, arguing every step of the way. Their soulless tactics put our home in jeopardy. Stay far away from this company.”
Our Conclusion
QBE offers six main types of home insurance coverage along with a long list of endorsements, including unique ones for daycare expenses and assisted living care. A QBE policy is also cheaper than most and costs almost $20 less per month than the national average.
However, you can’t get a QBE policy without talking to an insurance agent, and the company has a history of poor customer service, especially when it comes to its claims processes.
If you’re already working with an independent insurance agent who sells QBE insurance, QBE will likely be your most affordable option. However, we would not recommend seeking out a QBE policy otherwise.
To see what other home insurance providers are available in your area, input your zip code into the tool below.
QBE Home Insurance vs. The Competition
See how QBE stacks up against other highly rated providers in the home insurance space:
*QBE is not available in AK, HI, or FL
**Lemonade is available in AZ, AR, CA, CO, CT, GA, IL, IN, IA, MD, MA, MI, MO, NV, NJ, NM, NY, OH, OK, OR, PA, RI, TN, TX, VA, WA, and WI
Company Information
- Company name: QBE Insurance
- CEO: Todd Jones
- Years in business: 40
- State availability: 47
- Address: 88 Pine Street
- City/State: New York, NY
- Zipcode: 10005
- BBB rating: N/A
Other Homeowners Insurance Resources
Frequently Asked Questions About QBE Home Insurance
Our Methodology
The This Old House Reviews Team values accuracy, transparency, and trust. With that in mind, we created a thorough, objective rating system to score each home insurance company based on the following six factors:
- Coverage (30)
- State availability (7.5)
- Customer service (15)
- Technology (12.5)
- Reputation (20)
- Additional benefits (15)
Our 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. Read more on our methodology here.
To share feedback or ask a question about this article, send a note to our Reviews Team at reviews@thisoldhousereviews.com.