6 Best Homeowners Insurance Companies in Idaho 2023

Achieving the dream of homeownership is essential for many Americans and is part of their definition of success.

Idaho homeowners must protect themselves by purchasing a homeowners insurance policy to protect them from the state’s storms, harsh weather, natural disasters, wildfires, and other events.

Whether your home is in a major city such as Boise or Coeur d’Alene or one of Idaho’s many small towns such as Fruitland or Soda Springs, purchasing a homeowners insurance policy can provide you with the peace of mind you need.

Here at PropertyNest, we want every homeowner in the Gem State to have a smooth experience shopping for and buying homeowners insurance, and that’s why we have researched for you and chosen the best homeowners insurance companies in Idaho.

While there’s no Idaho law requiring the purchase of homeowners insurance, all home lenders require proof of insurance before the closing can take place.

The average cost of homeowners insurance in Idaho is $1,200 per year, which works out to $100 per month.

The Best Homeowners Insurance Companies in Idaho

• State Farm: Best for Inflation Protection
• Allstate: Best for FEMA Coordination of Flood Claims
• Travelers: Best for Green Homes
• Nationwide: Best for Discounts
• American Family: Best for Add-Ons
• Mutual of Enumclaw: Best for Affordable Coverage

State Farm: Best for Inflation Protection

State Farm is one of the best-known and most respected insurance companies in the US.

State Farm stands out for its top-notch customer service, and we also like that homeowners with expensive properties can purchase high policy limits to protect themselves.

We chose State Farm for our list because they are the best choice for homeowners who want to protect themselves against the risk of high inflation.

The average annual premium for State Farm homeowners coverage in Idaho is $1,415, slightly higher than the state average; however, you can reduce your costs by bundling.

State Farm Homeowners Insurance Discounts

State Farm provides three homeowners insurance discounts, including two that most Idaho homeowners can take advantage of.

• Bundling: State Farm says you can save up to $1,130 yearly if you purchase auto and home insurance.
• Home security: You can qualify for this discount if you have installed burglar or fire alarms, smoke detectors, or a home monitoring system.
• Roofing: You’ll get a break on your premium if you replace your roof with impact-resistant materials.

Read a full State Farm homeowners insurance review.

Allstate: Best for FEMA Coordination of Flood Claims

Allstate Insurance is one of the largest insurance companies in the United States, with decades of experience helping homeowners.

Since flooding is a concern for any Idaho resident who lives near a body of water, we chose them for our list because they can help you facilitate a flood claim with FEMA.

We also want to point out Allstate’s user-friendly website, which makes filing and tracking claims easy and hassle-free.

Allstate’s average monthly cost for homeowners insurance is $1,345, slightly higher than the Idaho state average.

Most Idaho homeowners can reduce their premiums by layering two or more discounts.

Allstate Homeowners Insurance Discounts

Allstate provides eight discounts on homeowners insurance, many of which are easy for Idahoans to qualify for.

• Bundling: Save money by purchasing two or more Allstate insurance policies.
• Claims-free: You'll get a discount if you have had no recent homeowners insurance claims.
• Early signing: You’ll get a discount if you sign your new Allstate policy at least a week before your old policy expires.
• New homeowner: Any new homebuyer or homeowner who purchased a newly constructed home can get this discount.
• New roof: Install a new roof to get a discount.
• Protective devices. Install theft or fire prevention devices to get this discount.
• Responsible payer: You’ll get this discount if you pay your premium on time.
• Welcome: If you switch your insurance to Allstate from another carrier, you can claim a 10% discount.

Read a full Allstate homeowners insurance review.

Travelers: Best for Green Homes

Travelers Insurance is the oldest company on our list, issuing its first policy 165 years ago.

We like Travelers for its solid ratings and excellent customer service.

We chose them for our list because, in addition to providing affordable coverage, they also offer some unique benefits for people interested in green housing or sustainable buildings.

The average cost of Travelers homeowners insurance in Iowa is just $760 per year, making it one of the most affordable companies on our list.

Travelers Homeowners Insurance Discounts

Travelers provides five discounts to help Idaho homeowners reduce their costs.

• Bundling: Save up to 12% if you buy four or more policies from Travelers.
• Green home: Buy or build a certified green home to save money on your policy.
• Home buyer: Anybody who buys a home within a year of switching to Travelers can get this discount.
• Loss-free: You’ll get a break on your premium if you have never filed a homeowners insurance claim.
• Protective devices: If your home has installed sprinklers, smoke detectors, smart devices, or burglar alarms, you can get this discount.

American Family: Best for Add-Ons

American Family may not have the same name recognition as some other companies on our list, but they have a long history of providing reliable coverage in 44 states, including Idaho.

We like American Family for its well-designed mobile app that can be used to compare or change coverage or to file and monitor claims.

We chose them for our list because they offer a wide array of add-on coverages, making it easy to customize your policy to suit your needs.

If you want to customize your policy, you’ll need to work with a designated agent since some customization options aren’t available with online quoting.

The average cost of homeowners insurance in Idaho for American Family is just $1,110, below the state average.

American Family Homeowners Insurance Discounts

In addition to offering unique add-on coverage, American Family provides policyholders nine potential discounts to save money.

• Autopay: Sign up to pay your premium automatically to save.
• Bundling: Get this discount by buying two or more policies from the American Family.
• Full pay: Pay your annual premium in advance to get a discount.
• Generational: Get a break if your parents are American Family customers.
• Loyalty: Keep your policy with the American Family for two years or more to save.
• New home: Get this discount if your home is less than 15 years old.
• Paperless: Sign up to get paperless billing to get this discount.
• Renovation: You’ll get this discount if you renovate your home’s HVAC, electrical, or plumbing system.
• Security: You'll get a discount if you install a smart home security system.

Nationwide: Best for Discounts

Nationwide Insurance is one of the largest insurance companies in the United States, having gotten its start in 1925, offering car insurance to Ohio farmers.

We chose Nationwide for our list of the best insurance companies in Idaho because of its impressive list of available discounts that help reduce homeowners insurance costs.

We also appreciate that Nationwide offers discounts that aren’t offered by any other company on our list, including discounts for people who buy fixer-uppers or flip houses.

In Idaho, Nationwide’s average cost of homeowners insurance is just $815, which is about 30% less than the overall state average.

Nationwide Homeowners Insurance Discounts

Nationwide offers nine potential discounts to help you save on your homeowners insurance.

• Bundling: You’ll save if you buy two or more Nationwide policies.
• Claims free: Get a break on your premium if you’ve never filed a homeowners insurance claim.
• Gated community: You can get this discount if you live in a gated community.
• Home renovation: You can get this discount if you update your home’s electrical, HVAC, or plumbing system.
• New home purchase: Get this discount if you bought your home within one year of buying your policy.
• Prior insurance: You can get a discount based on how long you’ve been with your previous carrier.
• Protective devices: Any homeowner with installed smoke detectors, fire alarms, or burglar alarms can get this discount.
• Roof rating: Some homeowners can get a discount based on the condition and age of their roof.
• Smart home: You can get this discount if you install smart home technology.

Mutual of Enumclaw: Best for Affordable Coverage

Mutual of Enumclaw is a regional insurance company in the Pacific Northwest, serving customers in Washington and Idaho, among other states.

While their coverage area is not as broad as other companies on our list, we included them because they have the lowest average premium.

We also like that they offer a unique membership program that offers Idaho residents savings on everything from takeout food to online learning.

Mutual of Enumclaw Homeowners Insurance Discounts

Unlike the other companies on our list, Mutual of Enumclaw doesn’t offer traditional discounts. However, they do offer low prices and some unique savings.

• A low-cost combination Member’s Best policy that combines auto and home insurance.
• The Perks program offers an array of discounts on goods and services.

What Factors Impact the Cost of Homeowners Insurance?

We can’t tell you how much you’ll pay for homeowners insurance because we don’t know the details of your home; that’s why we have used state averages for comparison.

Some factors can impact how much you pay for your homeowners insurance policy.

Deductible

One of the most important choices you’ll make buying homeowners insurance is how much your deductible is

You’ll pay more if you choose a low deductible policy than you would if you opted for a high deductible because a high deductible increases the insurer’s risk.

Policy Limits

Your homeowners insurance should have a policy limit high enough to rebuild your home if it’s destroyed, and some people also purchase additional protection.

If you own a high-value home or want a high limit for personal liability, your costs are likely higher than the Idaho state average.

Endorsements and Riders

A standard homeowners insurance policy protects your house and other structures on your property and protects your personal liability.

If you decide to augment your coverage with endorsements and riders, you should know that each addition will add to your total cost.

Location

Finally, the location of your home may impact your cost because the location may affect the insurer’s risk.

For example, homes far from a firehouse, close to water, or in an area with a high crime rate cost more to insure than homes with less risk.

How Much Homeowners Insurance Do You Need?

One of the most common questions about homeowners insurance is the amount of coverage to buy.

You can determine how much coverage you need by using the estimated cost to rebuild your home as a guide.

• Dwelling coverage represents the bulk of your coverage and needs to be high enough to pay to completely rebuild your home from the ground up if it is destroyed.
• Other structures coverage pays for the damage or destruction of outbuildings and other structures on your property, including fences and detached garages, and should be about 10% of your dwelling coverage.
• Personal property coverage pays to replace your personal belongings in the event that they’re stolen or destroyed in a covered event and should total between 50% and 70% of your dwelling coverage.
• Liability coverage protects you if a guest in your home is hurt or their property is damaged, and your total coverage should be a minimum of $100,000 to $500,000.
• Guest medical payments coverage pays for a portion of medical expenses if a guest is injured on your property, and most policies provide between $1,000 and $5,000 per guest.
• Additional living expenses coverage pays for you and other household members to stay in a hotel or make alternative living arrangements if your home becomes uninhabitable.

Adding up these numbers, you can see that you will need about twice the replacement value of your home as a total coverage limit, which does not include the limits for personal liability and guest medical coverage.

Please note that these figures do not include coverage for endorsements and riders, such as scheduled high-value items or add-on coverage.

What’s Covered by Homeowners Insurance (and What Isn’t)

While your homeowners insurance policy protects you against many of the risks associated with owning a home, it doesn’t cover everything.

These are the things you should expect to be covered by a standard homeowners policy.

1. Your house and all other structures on your property include detached garages, fences, sheds, and barns.
2. All personal belongings for you and other occupants of the home, whether the belongings are in your home when they are destroyed or stolen or not.
3. Damage to your property caused by events covered by the policy.
4. Your personal liability related to guest injuries or damage to guests’ property.
5. Guest medical expenses.

Each coverage will be paid according to your policy’s deductible and chosen coverage limits.

Here are some things that are not usually covered by homeowners insurance.

• Earthquake damage
• Flood damage
• Pest infestation and damage
• Power failure
• Neglect
• Government action
• Nuclear hazard

The first four items on this list may be remedied by adding a rider to your policy or purchasing an additional one, such as buying flood insurance from FEMA.

The last three items may not be remedied because neglect is within your control, and the final two items are extremely unlikely but listed as exceptions to protect the insurance company.

Synopsis

At PropertyNest, we want every Idaho homeowner to be armed with the information and guidance they need to protect themselves and their families if their home or their personal belongings should be damaged or destroyed.

When you shop for insurance, keep in mind the factors we’ve mentioned here that can impact your cost, including the cost to rebuild your home, the value of your personal belongings, and the location of your home.

We recommend getting at least three quotes from three different homeowners insurance carriers to compare your costs and coverage before committing to a policy.

You should also ask about any available discounts and take advantage of any that apply to you to help reduce the premium you’re required to pay.