Best West Virginia Homeowners Insurance Quotes Online
Scouring the internet for affordable homeowners insurance in West Virginia?
At Insurance Geek, it’s our mission to find a suitable homeowners insurance policy and the best home insurance company for our customers.
Before you learn how to compare the quotes for home insurance in West Virginia, read on about all the insurance terms and features of your future policy that you should understand.
West Virginia Home Insurance: The Basics
There’s no doubt the mountain state is almost heaven – and that’s one of the state’s mottos for a reason! With breathtaking Appalachian mountain views, safe towns, and low crime rates, West Virginia is an incredible place to raise a family, chock-full of fantastic mountain imagery at every turn, and many natural lakes.
Crime and location also matter – the higher the crime rate, the more your homeowners insurance might cost. In West Virginia, you might find that cities like Charleston, Huntington, and Morgantown come with higher crime rates, which can always affect premiums. This is similar to its neighboring states of Maryland, Pennsylvania, Virginia, Kentucky, and Ohio.
That said, the average cost of homeowners insurance in West Virginia is a bit higher than the national average annual cost, similarly to that of North Carolina.
When it comes to West Virginia homeowners insurance, PERILS matter. If you’ve never spent a winter in West Virginia, you don’t know how miserable they can be. Cut power, snowdrifts and surprise ice can make mountain roads impassable.
Peril
So, what is a peril in your homeowners insurance policy?
It is a covered loss for which you can file a claim and receive compensation should any damage happen as a result of the peril.
Your policy’s declarations page will contain a brief summary of the covered perils.
To ensure that you get adequate protection in West Virginia, your insurance coverage should entail the most common perils in West Virginia:
- Snow
- Ice
- Hail
- Landslides
- Storms
- Floods
- Water backup
- Theft
- Vandalism
Deductible
Before you file a claim and receive money, you will need to pay the deductible that you have agreed upon with your insurance company.
Generally, a higher deductible translates to a lower premium and vice versa. If you can, try to balance the two so that you don’t have to pay a lot out of your pocket when required and so that the premium fits your budget.
How are Premiums Determined in West Virginia?
A variety of factors influence the cost of your homeowners insurance. Everything from your credit score to former property losses to the location to fire safety measures matter.
So, there isn’t a uniform answer to what precisely your homeowners insurance rates will be.
But here’s the description of the other factors that affect it:
Credit rating;
Home insurance companies will consider your credit rating or credit score when determining the insurance rates.
You could benefit from a positive credit score and get a lower premium, so keep an eye on paying out your loans and bills punctually.
Location;
Neighborhoods are zoned based on fire risk.
Proximity to a fire station matters, as does proximity to fireplugs. In many situations, more rural neighborhoods require fire trucks to come with water to put out a blaze, which, of course, runs the risk of the water on the truck running out.
Whether or not your local fire station is a volunteer station may also matter.
Value of your home;
Homeowners insurance rates largely depend on the replacement cost value of your home.
The replacement cost is determined based on the condition of your house and variables such as its age and the materials utilized in its construction.
Also, the replacement cost value (RCV) differs from its actual cash or market value. If you wish to learn more about the difference between the two and understand your RCV, check out our article on them.
Insurance company;
Not all insurance companies will offer you the same insurance rates. Some of the best providers we work with can offer you the lowest insurance rates on a wide assortment of insurance products and home coverage. Also, all of the carriers we are partners with go out of their way to achieve customer satisfaction.
Previous insurance claims on the property;
If there have already been filed claims, this may drive the rate up because it is a signal that the property is at a higher risk.
Discounts.
You can lower your insurance rates by obtaining various kinds of discounts.
One of the best ways to save up is to get multiple policies with the same home insurance company (for instance, home and life insurance).
Having safety alarms in your house or paying your policy upfront also enables you to earn discounts.
What is the Best Option for Home Insurance in West Virginia?
Finding the home insurance policy is no easy task, and Insurance Geek is there to help you out.
Keep in mind that such insurance product is the sole responsibility of the issuing insurance carrier (i.e., the insurer underwriting your policy). Policy obligations are determined based on the insurer’s then-current criteria for the applicable insurance policy.
What we do is find you the best homeowners insurance policies and coverage options for your particular case.
So, let’s start with the main kind of policies: a named and an all peril one.
NAMED Policy
A named homeowners insurance policy will protect you only against clearly stated (that is, named) perils.
So, we usually recommend it to homeowners who are looking to extend their coverage or patch some coverage gaps. If you share your policy with us, our expert agents can examine it and assess whether you are missing something.
ALL PERIL Policy
ALL PERIL homeowners insurance policies can help you ensure that during those rough winter months, or in the event of a catastrophic storm, you’re taken care of. Property damage due to ice or severe storms is no fun, so making sure you’re protected is important.
Therefore, all peril policies are the recommended option for West Virginia.
Get Home Insurance Quotes Today
With all the info taken into account, it seems difficult to estimate how much you’ll pay for home insurance in West Virginia.
However, we’ve decided to make it easy.
Insurance Geek is a licensed insurance producer resident in America working with home insurance companies to find you the most affordable home insurance rates.
We developed our quote tool on this page so you can get yourself matched with the best possible options and home insurance companies in West Virginia.
If you enter your ZIP code and full address, we will generate the cheapest quotes from our carriers.
They are all homeowners insurance companies with a proven record, impeccable customer satisfaction, and excellent J.D. Power financial strength ratings.
The tool is for comparative purposes and helps you approximate how much you will pay. If you decide to purchase home insurance, we will guide you through the shopping process and focus on the specificities of your particular situation.
Don’t hesitate to check us out! You’ll only need to fill in your information once, and we will generate quotes instantly.
Discount Types
You can definitely get a discount!
Bundling is the fastest and most efficient way to save and can get you connected with several types of insurance you can pay one lump sum for. Insurance carriers want to make sure they’re going to get paid, so giving them more business through bundling policies is one way to do that.
You can also opt to pay for your policy in full, which can help you save. Paying in full ensures you won’t miss any monthly premiums, so carriers always like to see premiums paid in full if possible.
Top Cities & Metro Suburbs in West Virginia for Homeowners
Our customers seeking West Virginia home insurance come from all around the state, including the biggest cities such as:
- Charleston
- Morgantown
- Parkersburg
- Huntington
- Wheeling
- Fairmont
- Weirton
That said, insurance premiums are usually lower in the suburbs.
Here are the top suburbs in West Virginia:
- Oak Hill
- Fayetteville
- Barboursville
- Pea Ridge
- Kenova
- Ceredo
- Lavalette
- Beckley
- Summersville
- Martinsburg
The top insurance providers for the best homeowners insurance in West Virginia include Safeco and Nationwide. Their customer satisfaction, affordable options, and outstanding financial strength record are a testimony of their quality.
Who Should Get West Virginia Homeowners Insurance?
One of the most frequently asked questions we get is:
Is homeowners insurance required in West Virginia?
While it is not required by the state laws, it is a fact – Any homeowner needs insurance.
Many homeowners are actually looking for better rates and aren’t changing a home or property situation. And then again, new homeowners definitely need adequate protection for their newly purchased property.
Also, bear in mind that your mortgage lender will require proof that you have a homeowners insurance policy because it’s in their interest to make sure that it can be completely rebuilt.
What Does Home Insurance Coverage Include?
Coverage options vary, and there is no uniform answer to what your policy features, but most of them follow a certain pattern.
The structure of a policy includes coverage listings, such as:
- Coverage A – Dwelling Coverage
Dwelling coverage, commonly referred to as the dwelling amount, is the part of your policy that accounts for the actual physical structure of your house. Most often, dwelling coverage limits are based on the replacement cost of the home so that it can be completely repaired or rebuilt.
- Coverage B – Separate Structures
As separate structures such as fences, mailboxes, pools, garages, and so on, are not included in the dwelling portion, Coverage B will protect them. These can get quite costly to repair, so it’s nice knowing that they are included, too.
- Coverage C – Personal Property Coverage
Personal property coverage is of the utmost importance for your personal belongings located inside your house, such as electronic appliances, clothes, dishes, books, etc. It also has its separate limits.
If the following coverage limits in your personal property insurance aren’t enough, insurance providers can offer you separate limits for your valuables. For example, Safeco has Valuable Articles Coverage, and Nationwide has the Valuables Plus add-on.
- Coverage D – Loss of Use
Loss of use or Coverage D covers the living expenses you face while you are not able to live in your house for a period of time (for instance, if it’s being repaired after damage due to a peril). The most frequent claims include housing, laundry, grocery and restaurant bills, and transportation.
- Coverage E – Personal Liability
Personal liability coverage kicks in if you or your family members are found legally responsible for bodily injury or property damage to others. It can cover legal and defense fees, such as the attorney fee.
- Coverage F – Medical Payments
Medical payments coverage will reimburse hospital and medical bills in case an individual gets injured while on your property. Unlike with personal liability coverage, you need not be found guilty of the accident. Both options often get overlooked, but they can really come in handy to know that you and your family are protected under any circumstances.
What Isn’t Included in Your Home Insurance Policy?
Your home insurance policy might not always include all the protection you need.
Here is an overview of the most popular insurance products and additional coverages you can get from insurance companies in West Virginia.
Auto Insurance (Car Insurance)
Car or auto insurance is the only adequate protection for your vehicle, your passengers, and you. We can generate cheap auto insurance quotes if you use our tool.
Flood Insurance
Flood insurance is not a part of your standard home policy and has to be purchased separately.
However, both Safeco and Nationwide offer water damage protection, which is similar and provides protection against sewer and drain backup and sump pump failure.
This is a great coverage to get, considering that water backup makes up about 22% of all insurance claims, according to the Insurance Information Insitute.
Life Insurance
Life insurance is another product that guarantees financial stability in the long run. Our insurance carriers provide a wide range of policies, whole & term being the most frequent ones. Insurance Geek can also generate life insurance quotes for you!
Other
Many providers have other, less expensive options, such as identity theft protection, equipment breakdown coverage, and credit card insurance, that we would recommend to everyone.
Make sure to talk to one of our insurance agents, and they will find the most suitable types of coverage for you!
Home Insurance in West Virginia: FAQ
Q: How much is homeowners insurance in West Virginia?
A: The average cost of homeowners insurance in West Virginia is about $1,583, which is a bit higher than the national average cost. That said, your premium will be affected by multiple interrelated factors such as the replacement cost of your home, your credit score, multiple lines in the household, etc. To get an estimate of the price, you can use our comparison quote tool on this page.
Q: What are the best homeowners insurance companies in West Virginia?
A: The best homeowners insurance companies in West Virginia are Safeco and Nationwide. Aside from the competitive pricing and a myriad of insurance products, they have earned great customer satisfaction and our trust.
Final Words
At Insurance Geek, we connect homeowners to the cheapest homeowners insurance rates.
If you are wondering what’s the best homeowners insurance company for you, please enter your West Virginia ZIP code and address into our quote tool so that we can help you compare the quotes!
For any additional inquiries, feel free to reach out to an Insurance Geek – as we like to call our agents – and s/he will gladly help you out!