Insurance for Florida homes in 2022
Homeowners insurance can protect one of your biggest financial investments, but not all policies are created equal. With the help of our list of the Best Homeowners Insurance Companies in Florida, you can evaluate options and select the best service provider for your requirements.
A Floridian who wants to purchase a home or apartment is required to have homeowners insurance. In fact, when you buy a house, the majority of lenders will require you to buy a policy. By getting homeowners insurance or home insurance, you can protect your finances in case of a disaster.
Due to significant increases in homeowner insurance, cancellation of policies, and insurance companies going out of business, many Floridians are being forced to look for new homeowner insurance. The Florida state legislature is meeting in special session to try to find solutions.
Does Florida have a requirement for homeowners insurance?
You still need to purchase insurance even though Florida doesn't have a state statute requiring homeowners insurance. Homeowners insurance is most likely a requirement of the loan if you have a mortgage on your residence. Furthermore, you might find that specific circumstances, such as owning a pool or a particular breed of pet, are covered by city and county ordinances that require insurance.
Why Is Home Insurance Necessary?
If a disaster like a fire, storm, or even a break-in occurs in your neighborhood, having home insurance allows you to have a backup plan.
Although it might seem pricey, Florida homeowners insurance is necessary. Numerous natural disasters that can seriously harm homes occur every year in Florida.
In addition, Florida was ranked fifth among the states in terms of disaster susceptibility, which ought to persuade you to buy home insurance. The state is well-suited for storms, especially hurricanes, because it is a peninsula along the Atlantic.
What Sorts of Home Insurance Policies Are Available in Florida?
Dwelling.
"Dwelling coverage" insurance protects the house's structure, including the floors, walls, ceilings, and built-in appliances. Additionally, it will cover rebuilding or repairing your home if damage arises from certain qualifying events like theft, vandalism, fire, or strong winds.
Personal belongings.
Personal property insurance will cover any belongings you have inside your home. For instance, if a qualifying event damages or destroys personal items like jewelry, clothing, and furniture, the insurance will cover the cost of replacement.
Individual Liability
Homeowners' personal liability insurance protects them from lawsuits alleging bodily harm.
Wind damage.
High winds caused by storms and hurricanes are one of the most frequent and costly sources of property damage in Florida. Fortunately, wind damage is almost always covered by homeowners insurance policies. However, some coastal home owners who are more susceptible to wind damage may have to pay more for a wind endorsement.
Flood damage.
Flood damage is one of the most frequent risks that Florida homeowners must deal with. Unfortunately, water damage caused by rain or flooding is rarely covered by standard homeowner insurance policies. If you live in an area with a high risk of flooding, such as one that is low in elevation or close to the coast, you should think about . Depending on where you live, you might need flood insurance in order to get your mortgage approved.
Factors Affecting the Price of Homeowners Insurance
The price of homeowners insurance is influenced by the type and amount of coverage you need, as well as the age, size, and value of your home. Your limits, or the maximum amount your insurer will pay for damages, and your deductible, or the amount you have to pay out-of-pocket after filing a claim, will both have an impact on how much you pay in premiums for your policy.
Your ability to locate inexpensive home insurance in Florida will be influenced by a number of variables, such as:
The house's age.
The components of your house.
The price of rebuilding the house.
Your location's fire rating.
Your location's history of claims.
Your individual claim history.
Deductibles and coverage limits.
Your praise.
Top Homeowners Insurance Companies in Florida for 2022
Lighthouse Property Insurance
Since its founding in 2008, Lighthouse Property Insurance has expanded its list of protected properties to include 170,000 homes in the five states it serves.
After Hurricane Florence hit in 2018, Lighthouse paid more than $92 million toward more than 6,000 claims, which is a lot for a small provider. Over a dozen reinsurance partners who all have financial strength ratings of at least A- from AM Best also support Lighthouse.
Security First
Security First is only available in Florida, and it is dedicated to providing protection against calamities like hurricanes and flooding that frequently affect the Sunshine State. Despite being smaller than some of the suppliers in this review, Security First has an A+ rating from the Better Business Bureau (BBB) and an A rating for financial strength from Demotech.
Residents of Florida can get specialized home insurance coverage and attentive local customer service thanks to the company's exclusive service in Florida. Security First offers a hurricane deductible of 2%, 5%, or 10% of your dwelling coverage. A benefit for many Floridians is the additional flood insurance that Security First provides.
State Farm
State Farm is the leading provider of home insurance for the majority of Florida homeowners. State Farm charges only $1,871 more yearly than the typical Florida home insurance company, which is a savings of 16%.
For homeowners, State Farm provides options for earthquake, sewer backup, and flood insurance. In addition, State Farm has a strong financial position, which could be very important in the event of a hurricane or other significant natural disaster. Many home insurance companies have stopped selling policies to Florida homeowners due to the state's increased risk of tropical storms, among other factors, but this is typically less likely with larger national firms like State Farm.
Kin Insurance
Regional carrier Kin only travels to and from the risky states of Louisiana and Florida. The carrier was founded in 2016, making it more recent, but it has a unique approach to rating policies and handling claims. Kin evaluates your policy by taking into account a number of variables, such as property records, permit information, aerial photography, and details about the size and characteristics of your home. After a claim, Kin has technology that uses weather reports to identify homes that may have damage. The company could proactively get in touch with policyholders and ask them to assess their property in order to inform them of damage they were unaware of.
Allstate
Allstate is one of our top overall recommendations for home insurance in Florida because of its excellent customer service, coverage, and discounts. In a number of specialized insurance markets, including renters and homeowners insurance, Allstate has made a name for itself since its founding in 1931. It has a BBB rating of A- for customer satisfaction and an AM Best rating of A+ for financial sturdiness.
Local insurance agents offer 24/7 customer service to policyholders, and there is a helpful online portal for handling claims and policies.
Allstate provides extras like a discount for green home improvements in addition to standard coverage for your home, personal property, liability, and visitors' medical costs.
Conclusion
Security First, a regional company dedicated to fulfilling Florida's unique requirements, stood out as the clear winner for the state after carefully evaluating dozens of home insurance companies and policies. You can learn more about Florida home insurance by reading this article, though.
