Texas Home Insurance Quotes: Compare and Save
Looking for homeowners insurance in Texas?
It doesn’t matter whether you are located in El Paso, San Antonio, Houston, Austin, or in the suburbs – If you want to protect your home but don’t know where to get started, you are in the right place.
The information provided in this guide contains everything about the homeowners insurance rate, coverage options, and personalized calculations of quotes, for every ZIP code there is in Texas.
At Insurance Geek, we get homeowners acquainted with the best possible homeowners insurance policy on the market. We connect customers with a variety of quotes to secure the cheapest rate and offer the best protection that’s available for your property.
Let’s dig deeper into how a Texas homeowners insurance policy can help keep you protected and things you need to know before you choose an insurance company and your plan.
Texas Home Insurance: The Basics
Texas is the largest state in the continental US, spanning almost the entire midsection of the country in width and length. This means the state itself also covers many different types of terrain – from desert to mountain to ocean to aquifers like Austin, there’s much to cover.
62% of home dwellers in Texas own their homes, which is slightly lower than the national average. The population of Texas is now right around 27.4 million, increasing exponentially with each passing decade.
Insurance companies in Texas provide varied insurance products. Homeowners insurance in Texas may be more expensive compared to other states, given that this area often faces extreme weather conditions and natural disasters. Consequently, this can drive homeowners insurance rates in Texas up, but what is important is that you can find the most favorable quotes and the insurance company that suits your need here. Just keep scrolling!
How are Home Insurance Premiums in Texas Determined?
As noted above, Texas is amongst the US states characterized by extreme weather seasons.
While not as significant a number of tornadoes in states such as Kansas or Oklahoma, Texas IS still in tornado alley. An average of 132 tornadoes touches down in Texas every year. There are other types of claims that are more common for Texas than for other states. For instance, you also may recall some of the devastating hurricanes that have swept the Texas coast over the past few years, causing millions of dollars in damage for the cities of Houston and Galveston.
In fact, an average of $14 billion in property damage has been estimated for Texas from 2015 onwards. The record was 2017 when the property damage reached dizzying heights with 63.4 billion dollars.
Having this information in mind, it becomes clear why Texas homeowners insurance rates substantially rise, as well as why it is necessary to have an insurance policy for your home in Texas.
The significance of home insurance is augmented when you compare the costs you would have to shell out without insurance claims. That said, it’s vital to go for high-quality home insurance companies that won’t give you migraines with unpained claims and dishonest policies. That’s where our agents – Geeks – step in because we save time and find you the best insurance carriers in Texas.
What is the Best Option for Home Insurance in Texas?
Homeowners insurance companies will offer you insurance products that may seem intimidating at times. There are many factors you need to count in – home insurance rate, deductible level, the success of claims, coverage levels, among others – and it can get surprisingly overwhelming.
Therefore, choosing an insurance company is not an easy task, but you don’t have to do all the research yourself! The information in this Insurance Geeks guide, along with the quotes we can find for you, equals long-term peace of mind.
An Important Notion for Home Insurance: Peril
In the world of homeowners insurance companies, a PERIL is anything that could cause a loss to your home or property.
Some notable perils to mention in Texas include the following:
- Indoor flooding due to sewer and drain
- Tornado damage
- Lightning
- Hail & wind damage
- Vandalism
- Theft
Of course, these perils by no means constitute an exhaustive list – it just gives you an idea about what are the most frequent claims carried out by insurance companies in Texas and what you should have in mind should you want to protect your property.
What Kind of Policy do You Need in Texas?
Home insurance coverage may vary based on homeowners insurance policies that you get.
For instance, home insurance companies will not offer flood insurance, but you can add coverage for water-related issues for drain backups. Considering that this is one of the most common claims in Texas, it is advised to add this endorsement to your policy.
If you really want to protect yourself from all types of perils, the ALL PERIL (also known as “All Risks”) policy can help. This type of insurance will protect you from any of the situations noted above. It is convenient because it has virtually impossible coverage options unless a peril is specifically omitted from it.
On the other hand, NAMED PERIL insurance will cover claims only on losses that are named – aka, stated – on the plan for your policy. It is also possible to purchase named perils for hazards you are most worried about (e.g., a named fire insurance if you’re in a high-risk zone, without coverage for burglary if that does not concern you).
For the conditions mentioned above, an ALL PERIL insurance homeowners policy is preferred for house owners in Texas. A NAMED policy is usually used to cover a gap you may have in existing coverage against perils.
What is the Cost of Texas Homeowners Insurance?
Homeowners coverage and cost can be affected by any number of factors, including:
#1 – The credit score of an individual
Your credit score affects your home insurance rates and coverage because it shows the financial report of you working with other people. A home insurance company uses it to help determine your insurance, and a positive credit score can help you get premiums at a lower rate, but this isn’t a decisive factor. To bolster your credit score and improve your qualifications for lower insurance premiums, focus on paying out debts and bills punctually.
#2 – The total value of the home
When calculating the value of your home, building costs, materials, age, and the current state of the property are all being taken into account. They contribute to calculating the risks and vulnerability when your property is faced with a potential hazard.
#3 – If a claim has been filed before
Home insurance rates can go higher in the event that claims have been filed before. The reason behind this is that frequent claims signal that your home is at risk.
#4 – Multiple lines in the household
Households with multiple lines of insurance may enjoy lower home insurance rates and premiums, depending on the carriers.
#5 – Auto credit and other discounts
If you choose to combine your insurance policies, it’s one of the easiest ways to get discounts and save on your insurance. Some of the options are auto insurance, life insurance, and disability insurance, all of which are covered by our reliable carriers. You may ask yourself: But what is the benefit that an insurance company gets with such deals? Well, bundled policies mitigate future payout and also create a stronger relationship between the customer and the insurance company carrier.
Get Home Insurance Quotes Today
As you can see, multiple interrelated factors affect how much you’ll pay for homeowners insurance.
Your dwelling, construction type and year, foundation, mortgagee, belongings, insurance credit score, state and ZIP code, and marital status all influence the premium. Add to the equation the growing number of insurance companies, the deductible, and the type of coverage, and it seems next to impossible to find an estimate of how much homeowners insurance will cost you.
Does all of this sound too complicated?
Worry not, Insurance Geeks have got you covered. We’ve devised a quick pathway for you to get a quote that saves you on the cost of your premium!
All you need to do is use our quote calculator below and tell us some basic info about your home. It doesn’t take too long, and you are required to enter your data only one time. Then, we will send the data you’ve provided to the best home insurance carriers that will determine your cost.
What are the Benefits of Generating Your Quotes Here?
- You only have to tell us your data ONCE, and we’ll provide you with the info you are looking for. No additional calls and inquiries will come from our side.
- It’s fast and straightforward (read: 60 seconds or so). We don’t ask you unnecessary questions or dwell on unimportant stuff.
- No commitment! We are there to find you the best offers, but you always have the final word.
- The quotes you will get are real-time, meaning they won’t vary if you choose to obtain your insurance.
- We collaborate only with the most reputable carriers in the country. You’ll get the best quotes in one place, and you can compare them side-by-side.
Our carriers for homeowners insurance are Nationwide and Safeco. Oh, and we love helping you save through bundling, which could allow you to get a lower premium rate!
Top Cities & Metro Suburbs in Texas for Homeowners
Homeowners policies are not popular only in Houston, Austen, Dallas, San Antonio, and such.
Our clients who are Texas homeowners come from all over Texas, including:
- El Paso
- Fort Worth
- Pearland
- Coppell
- Richardson
- Arlington
- Brownsville
- Sienna Plantation, Sugar Land
- Woodbranch
- Amarillo
- Brookside Village
- Atascocita
- Woodlands
- Katy
- McAllen
- Seabrook
Who Needs TX Homeowners Insurance?
If you are here looking up information about home insurance, it’s already a good sign that you need one!
It doesn’t matter if you are an existing or a new homeowner; you will need homeowners insurance.
Why?
It goes without saying: Your house is one of your most valuable assets, and it ought to be protected.
Also, some mortgage companies will ask you to provide proof of property insurance. But even without that precondition, home insurance can save you a tremendous amount of money in the long run.
Not every homeowner we work with is a new homeowner looking for a policy – plenty of our customers are looking for a policy upgrade and coverage extension.
What Does TX Home Coverage Include?
Before you get your policy, you should be aware of the home insurance coverage options.
The structure is not always clear-cut, but these are the most common types of coverage that homeowners policies have:
Coverage A – Dwelling Coverage
Dwelling coverage refers to the physical structure of the home – meaning that if anything happens to it, your may file a claim and cover replacement cost on the damage. Generally, it covers the rebuilding in case your property is damaged by a hazard that your policy covers.
The most common hazards are perils discussed earlier – fire, hail, wind, tornadoes, theft, etc.
Sometimes, this type of insurance coverage does not include flood insurance, meaning you’ll have to add coverage plans to the policies to protect your house against floods that are common in Texas.
The dwelling coverage limit is the amount that you choose when buying insurance. You should base it on the replacement cost of your home (how much it would take to rebuild it considering the age and materials, and not necessarily the market value).
Coverage B – Separate Structures
Separate structures are all of those parts of your property that aren’t included in the actual physical structure of your home.
People often tend to overlook these, but they can also get damaged. Think: a tree falls on your garage. And oftentimes, these structures aren’t really cheap to repair!
They include:
- Mailboxes,
- Attached garages,
- Fences,
- Sheds,
- Gazebo,
- Swimming pools, etc.
The typical amount of this coverage is around 10% of dwelling coverage. It’s a common occurrence that our customers want to review insurance to include these structures when they are upgrading their homes.
Coverage C – Personal Property
So far, we’ve covered physical structures, both your home and the outside of it – but what about the personal belongings inside?
Personal property coverage accounts for this. This kind of insurance enables you to make claims for situations where your personal property is destroyed or even stolen. Of course, in the event that you lose any of your precious belongings, insurance will not cover expenses.
It encompasses everything that you own in terms of furniture, electronics, dishes, clothing, etc.
If you want your policy to cover additional items, such as valuable art, precious jewelry you have inherited, and other heirlooms, make sure to specify that to your Insurance Geek – and s/he’ll do everything to help you ensure those items that you wish.
Coverage D – Loss of Use Coverage
This part of your insurance covers costs incurred if you’re unable to use your home for a period of time.
To put it in context, say that your house is being repaired and is temporarily uninhabitable. You need a place to stay during that period, extra meals for your family, or transportation. All of these living expenses can add up, and this part of your insurance will reimburse them.
Coverage E – Personal Liability Insurance
Liability protection kicks in if you’re found liable for damages or a suit is brought against you due to a covered occurrence.
In other words, in case you injure someone unintentionally or destroy their belongings (unfortunately, accidents can happen), this kind of insurance coverage can help. Additionally, you can extend this insurance to include slander and libel, as well as damage that is caused by your pets.
The portion of your policy that is accounted for liability insurance covers the cost of defending you in court.
Coverage F – Medical Payments Coverage
Finally, this portion of your insurance pays for medical bills for anyone injured on your property.
As mentioned before – accidents of all sorts happen – so it’s vital to anticipate them and have your insurance company cover these, too.
What Does a Texas Homeowners Insurance Policy not Include?
Most often, your home insurance will not cover the following:
Flood Insurance or Back Up of Sewer and Drain.
Flood insurance is generally not covered by any homeowners insurance policy.
But that is not to say that you cannot protect yourself from it; quite the contrary!
You just need to add coverage for damage caused by drain backups and water overflow to your policy.
For instance, one of our carriers for home insurance – Nationwide – offers sewer and drain backup with their Nationwide Private Client homeowners policy.
Similarly, our carrier, Safeco, offers a policy extension for water damage such as an overflow of water from a drain, sump, and sump pump on the area that is covered by insurance (including the pipes in the walls).
If we take into account the piece of information that these are the most common cause of damage in Texas, it is advisable that you include this coverage in your insurance, too.
Car Insurance or Auto Insurance
It might seem obvious that car insurance (or auto insurance) is not covered by a home insurance policy, but it should not be taken for granted.
Just think about it: Auto insurance is not vital just for accidents and collisions. In 99% of the cases, your vehicle is parked somewhere near your home. Whatever natural disaster occurs, it’s likely to strike both your home and vehicle, so it might be useful to consider car insurance, too.
Understand Your Policy’s Deductible
When contemplating your insurance and all of its aspects, you should consider the deductible, too.
The term deductible refers to the portion of your coverage that will not be covered by the insurance company.
If you get a higher deductible, you’ll pay less monthly. Then, if you receive a payout for a certain claim, you need to make sure that you cover your deductible. It’s also possible to opt for a special deductible, such as wind/hail, which can prove to be useful in Texas.
The typical amount for a deductible is usually $1 000, $2 500, and $5 000.
In other words – getting a lower deductible proposes that your insurance will pay out sooner, but it also means you will pay higher premiums.
Home Insurance in Texas: FAQ
Q: Who has the cheapest homeowners insurance in Texas?
A: Insurance companies in Texas offer different premiums, and they won’t worry significantly in terms of the price most of the time. The real question is: Who offers the best money-to-value ratio? Insurance Geeks have chosen the most reputable carriers for homeowners insurance – Nationwide and Safeco.
Q: How much is home insurance in Texas per month?
A: The cost of home insurance in Texas will vary with your assets and needs, but it averages from $1 000 to $3 000 a month and can go as high up as $ 5 000.
Q: How can I get homeowners insurance in Texas?
A: Our agents – or, as we like to call them, our Insurance Geeks – will help you pick amongst the best insurance companies and carriers in Texas, regardless of your ZIP code. All that is we ask you to do is give us your basic info using the tool above, and you’ll get quotes. Then, it’s your decision which ones you want to get. You can rest assured that we will assist you in the process.
Texas Home Insurance Discounts
Really want to save? Check out our easy-to-use quote tool above. With a simple online process, you’ll compare all quotes. We work with homeowners of all kinds to get them the best possible insurance at affordable rates!
Are you aware you could also save up if you bundle your policies? Life and car insurance are the most common types of policies that homeowners also get!
Oh, and in case you already own a policy, contact us and share any concerns you may have. One of our Geeks will review it for any potential gaps and extensions you could get.
Final Words
Getting Texas home insurance is one of the crucial life decisions you can make to ensure you and your beloved ones are protected under any circumstances.
At Insurance Geek, we will go out of our way to ensure you get tailored home insurance for your needs. We won’t settle for less than a policy that will serve you in any situation that may arise!