6 Best Homeowners Insurance Companies in Florida of 2023

Florida is one of the most desirable states to live in due to the year-round warm climate and affordable home prices.

But everyone who lives in Florida knows that it can be expensive to own a home there, especially when it comes to potential damage from storms.

Florida is one of the country's most costly states for homeowners insurance.

That’s because the Sunshine State is prone to natural disasters like hurricanes and windstorms that can flood your home and rip its roof off.

In addition, homeowners need to be aware that they need to buy flood insurance separately from their home insurance policy.

Compare the coverage and cost of the best homeowners insurance providers in Florida picked by PropertyNest expert editors:

Compare Home Insurance Rates in FL

The Best Homeowners Insurance Companies in Florida

• Liberty Mutual: Best for Discounts that Lower Your Premium
• State Farm: Best for No-Fee Replacement Costs
• Travelers: Best for Unique Optional Coverage Add-Ons
• Nationwide: Best for Rebuilding or Repairing Your Home
• AIICFL: Best for Extra Flood Coverage
• Farmers: Best for Customer Service

Liberty Mutual: Best for Discounts that Low Premiums

Liberty Mutual is known as one of the lowest cost insurance companies in the nation. Now only do premium, generally, start low but you can get discounts that will lower your rate significantly.

Some of these include bundling if you haven’t filed a claim and are claims-free and getting a discount if you up the security in your home, such as posting cameras outside, having smoke detectors and smart home features, and adding multiple locks to your doors.

You can also get a discount if you opt for automatic payments linked to a bank account. These are just some of the discounts you can get. There’s more, making Liberty Mutual one of the best insurers that give back to its policyholders.

Read a full Liberty Mutual home insurance review.

State Farm: Best for No-Fee Replacement Costs

State Farm’s standard policy includes replacement cost without having to pay extra. This means you don’t need to buy a rider to get this feature. Typically, an insurer will offer ACV, but State Farm covers the current market value of lost or destroyed property regardless if your property items depreciate. In addition, if you insured your home up to its estimated replacement cost, State Farm will automatically extend your replacement cost coverage up to 20%

For example, a covered peril destroys your house that costs $200,000. If the cost to hire a contractor and the materials to rebuild your house goes up because of demand, the policy will pay you up to 20% more. So, you’ll get $240,000 to rebuild your home, which is great.

Travelers: Best for Unique Optional Coverage Add-Ons

Travelers Insurance has the cheapest Florida home insurance rate, $1,760, which is more than half the state average of $3,640. Travelers has some of the most unique customizable coverage compared to other insurances in the same league.

While these add-ons do add cost to your premium, they do offer notable options not offered by many insurance companies.

These include:

• Water backup coverage
• Equipment breakdown
• Personal property replacement
• Decreasing deductible
• Identity fraud expense
• Valuable item coverage
• Extended liability

Nationwide: Best for Rebuilding or Repairing Your Home

One of the ten largest U.S. insurers, Nationwide, stands out for offering you unique rebuilding or repairing costs for your home. One of those is ordinance and law coverage.

Ordinance or law coverage is offered with Nationwide’s standard policy and would cost you extra with other insurers. With this policy, Nationwide pays to rebuild your home up to current building codes with a limit of up to 10% of your dwelling coverage.

The second standout is their replacement cost coverage. If your home is destroyed and you need it rebuilt, Nationwide’s “replacement cost plus” coverage pays up to an additional 20% more than your policy limit if it costs more to rebuild your house.

American Integrity Insurance Company of Florida (AIICFL): Best for Extra Flood Coverage

American Integrity Insurance Company of Florida, or AIICFL, a subsidiary of AIIG, specializes in Florida homeowners insurance to cover Florida residents. You may know that flood damage is not covered by a standard homeowners insurance policy.

But in Florida's coastlines, with its catastrophic national disasters, you need to be protected by flood insurance, or else you may have to pay out-of-pocket to replace damaged belongings. That being said, flood insurance can be costly, so much so that many insurers don’t offer this as either part of their standard policy or else as an add-on.

With AIICFL by your side, its comprehensive flood insurance endorsement has rates that are as much as 15% lower compared to other comparable insurers. AIICFL’s flood insurance covers your property against storm surges and flooding during torrential rains, hurricanes, and tropical storms.

This endorsement is truly comprehensive. It has no waiting period and offers up to $5M in coverage for building limits.

Farmers: Best Homeowners Insurance for Customer Service

Customer service is ranked high for Farmers because you can call a live agent to buy a policy or make a claim. Using a website or app for homeowners insurance is undoubtedly convenient, but customers in the older range or who are technically challenged would rather consult with an agent. Also, policyholders value building a relationship with an agent over time, so when it’s time to speak with a customer service rep, they get personalized coverage.

Coverage that Stands Out

With optional coverage, if you need to replace large-item possessions such as a TV or an appliance, your policy with cover the current prices without depreciation.

Read a full Farmers homeowners insurance review.

How We Ranked and Picked the Best Homeowners Insurance Companies in Florida

When it came to determining the best homeowners insurance in Florida, certain items were taken into consideration to help narrow down the choices.

Coverage and Discounts

We looked at homeowners insurance policies based on how much coverage they offered.

Did an insurer offer more coverage options than others?

If the standard insurance policy didn’t offer enough coverage, did it at least have ways to broaden the scope of what it offered? As such, we focused on insurers that had the best add-ons or endorsements.

What mattered most to us, however, are the discounts that each insurer offered. With an eye on keeping costs down (this was also the occasion in which we considered the price of a policy and whether or not it was affordable), we looked at those insurers that had the most discounts that would lower your premium.

Finding many for each insurer, we narrowed down our focus on those that had the most unique or easy-to-qualify discounts. Some insurers won’t take you if you live in a natural disaster area or if your dog is of a certain breed.

Technology

By now, every customer looking for an insurer knows how easy it is to get a quote through a company’s website and app.

Since the tech side of an insurer makes it more convenient for potential customers and existing policyholders, it also helps them save time, so they don’t have to reach a live agent and wait for him or her to answer.

In addition, we took to customer reviews for accessibility and how easy it is to use a website or app. If many consumers had a rough time navigating a company’s site and app, we removed that company from our list.

Customer Reviews

Customer reviews were used to narrow down the options. The reviews also helped determine each category.

Using customer reviews allowed us to see how customers chose a company based on affordable cost, accessibility, and overall coverage.

Locations

We surveyed insurance coverage prices in Jacksonville, Miami, Tampa, Orlando, and St. Petersburg.

Let’s take a look at what you need to know about homeowners insurance in Florida, such as what’s covered and what’s not, average costs, and how to stay protected from national disasters.

Is It Mandatory to Buy Home Insurance in Florida?

Homeowners insurance isn't mandatory by law. However, if you have a home mortgage, the lender will likely require it to protect its investment.

Even if you own your home outright, homeowners insurance can spare you from spending a lot of money on out-of-pocket costs to rebuild your home if it gets damaged due to a covered peril.

What Homeowners Insurance Covers in Florida

Homeowners insurance covers four main categories. These are liability, personal property, loss of use, and medical coverage.

Liability

If your neighbor comes over to your home and your floor is wet because you just mopped it, and they slip and fall, sustaining injuries, they might seek compensation from you. Liability protects you against lawsuits from people who have bodily injuries or property damages that you or your family caused to them. Furthermore, if your neighbor seeks other damages because their injuries caused them to lose work or business, your liability will cover your legal defense, and a standard policy includes up to $100,000 in liability coverage.

Personal Property

This policy protects your personal property in the event there’s a covered peril. A covered peril is a damaging event that’s covered in your policy, such as theft, vandalism, fire, and smoke damage, to name a few.

In a busy city like Miami, there are two items specific to its location to look out for--theft and climate change. Miami’s crime rate is higher than the national average. Climate change-related weather events frequently happen in Florida since it’s on the coast and is susceptible to not just hurricanes but also windstorms, lightning, and other natural disasters.

If climate change damages your personal belongings, you’ll also be covered as long as it is not damaged by flooding.

Loss of Use

If there’s a covered peril in your home, such as fire and smoke that makes it difficult for you to breathe and makes your house unlivable, loss of use will reimburse you for any hotel stays, as well as for any meals you have at restaurants.

Learn more about the homeowners fire insurance coverage.

Medical Payments

Medical payments pay for medical care expenses if, say like in the earlier example where your neighbor fell and got injured, that occurs in your home, regardless of fault. It’s important to remember that if medical care exceeds your coverage limits, you will be held responsible for paying the costs that aren’t covered.

So you should consider adding a rider to your insurance to increase your policy limits so you don’t pay for a thing. Dwelling coverage in your standard policy covers damage to your house and attached structures like a porch. The insurance will pay enough to rebuild your house or structure.

Will Your Standard Homeowners Insurance Cover National Disasters?

In a word, no. Floods, earthquakes, and landslides aren’t covered by home insurance. For example, say your roof starts leaking due to a hurricane. Your standard policy will cover the water damage, but it won’t cover flood damage from the same hurricane. For coverage, you need special policies such as flood insurance or earthquake insurance.

How Much Does Homeowners Insurance Cost in Florida?

The average cost of basic or standard homeowners insurance in Florida is $3,643 per year, which is $1,338 more than the national average of $2,305 for the coverage level of:

• $300,000 dwelling coverage
• $1,000 deductible
• $300,000 liability

The average flood insurance premium in the nation is $642.

The average amount of flood coverage per policy in the U.S. is $257,000.

These figures are according to the Insurance Information Institute. However, your rate will go up astronomically if you live near the coast. And several factors can affect your insurance premium.

If there’s an increased likelihood of experiencing wind damage, your property will make it riskier to insure. The location of your home is what ultimately impacts your premium. If you choose to move inland where there is no proximity to a body of water, your rate will decrease. Insurers who decide on your rate also take into consideration your age, gender, marital status, credit score, and claims history.

Coverage for Property Crime

Safety is also a big factor when it comes to calculating premiums for home insurance. That's why where you live is important to consider. For example, property theft in Miami is about 70% higher than the national average. So, if you live near a densely populated beach with a high crime rate, your insurance rate will likely be high. But your rate will be lower if you own a home that’s a little farther from Miami and is a suburb known for its safe neighborhood.

What’s Not Covered in Homeowners Insurance in Florida?

Water damage caused by flooding from a hurricane that ruins your personal belongings is usually not included in a standard policy. A standard policy will only cover a limited expense that’s not up to the full value of your most prized possessions. Many things that aren't covered under your standard policy stem from neglect and a failure to maintain your property. For example, termites and insect damage, bird or rodent damage, rust, rot, mold, and general wear and tear are not covered.

How You Can Protect Your Home and Your Personal Belongings

Since Florida—particularly in Miami, Cape Coral, Tampa, Jacksonville, Fort Lauderdale, and St. Petersburg—has hurricane seasons and frequent wind storms, your home is more susceptible to damage than homes elsewhere in the country.

To ensure you are protected, before purchasing additional or supplemental insurance, it’s wise to talk to your homeowners insurance agent to properly identify what coverage you need. While it depends on your home insurance company, you can get added coverage to your standard policy.

Flood and sinkhole insurance and hurricane coverage are policies you can get from your homeowners insurance as a supplemental add-on, which will raise the price of your premium but give you peace of mind that your belongings will be covered. This includes additional liability protection or added personal belongings coverage for valuables like jewelry and artwork.

For Florida residents, here are the essential coverages that you should not do without.

Flood Insurance

Flood insurance covers flood-related water damage to your home and all your personal belongings within. It is not covered in a standard policy and has to be purchased separately from your homeowners insurance as an add-on.

Read more: Best Flood Insurance Companies

Wind Damage

Wind damage is covered in a standard policy. However, consider your risk if you live in a coastal city like Miami or Fort Lauderdale, where wind may be more hazardous and can wreak havoc on your home. If your standard insurance policy may not fully cover you, you may have to pay out-of-pocket. That’s why wind damage as a special add-on is wise to have.

Guaranteed Replacement Cost

If your home is destroyed, you should have enough homeowners insurance to rebuild your house back to the way it was before the damage. However, the money needed to repair or replace your home may go beyond your coverage limits, and you may have to pay out of pocket. And when there’s widespread damage in Florida, policyholders will try to get their homes repaired as soon as possible to avoid a long evacuation period. In this sense, then, contractors and their materials will be in short supply.

To fully protect your home, you should get a guaranteed replacement cost as a rider on your homeowners insurance policy. Guaranteed replacement cost is a dwelling coverage offered by some homeowners insurance companies. Check with your insurance agent to see if it’s covered or available, as the coverage can be invaluable to you after a disaster strikes. So, if you have guaranteed replacement cost and your home is seriously damaged, the policy will pay all the costs needed to reconstruct it regardless of your coverage limits. The best part is that the policy doesn’t factor depreciation in your claim settlement.

So, if you have this policy, you can rest assured that you are fully covered regardless of how much the rebuild costs.

In Florida, because it is home to recurring natural disasters, your add-on will be very expensive.

Water Backup Coverage

Some types of water damage are covered by a standard policy, but water backup is not. Water backup coverage is good to have because it covers flooding due to a broken sump pump or a sewer backup.

Sinkhole Coverage

A standard homeowners insurance policy does not include sinkhole coverage. A sinkhole happens when the ground below the land surface gets overflowed with groundwater and eventually collapses inwards.

If you want protection, you can get sinkhole coverage as an add-on policy to cover your house and your personal property from sinkhole damage. Sinkhole insurance can be invaluable, as it also pays to stabilize your home’s land and covers the cost of repairing your foundation.

Identity Theft Protection

As we suggested, because Miami has a high crime rate, you have more of a chance of becoming a victim of identity theft. An example can be the fraudulent use of your credit cards or your social security number. This add-on will help you pay legal fees, any associated bills, and other costs to recover your identity.

What Are the Types of Homeowners Insurance?

There are two primary types of homeowners insurance policies: actual cash value (ACV) and replacement cost. If your home is damaged, the replacement cost will pay the actual cost of rebuilding your home even if there are increases in inflation, zoning updates, labor, materials, or other expenses.

For this reason, replacement cost coverage is more favorable to customers than ACV. That’s because ACV will pay for repairs up to the preset limits of your policy and no more. You're responsible for the difference if that limit is $300,000 and repairs cost $400,000. ACV costs lower than replacement cost.

Replacement cost is generally more expensive than an ACV because you don’t have to pay the difference.

What Homeowners Insurance Discounts Are Available in Florida?

Homeowners insurance, regardless of the city it covers, often offers discounts that can lower your premium. However, discounts, or the type of discounts, vary per insurer but can add up to many savings.

Do your research to find a policy that has the most favorable discounts that apply to you. The most popular discount that all the insurance companies we looked at have is a multi-policy discount. If you bundle your homeowners insurance with your car insurance, you’ll save more each year. The following discounts are offered by most insurance companies in Florida and are the most popular.

Safety

If you install a home security system or security devices like smoke and motion detectors or if you add on more locks to doors that lead to outside, you’ll get a discount.

New Home/Remodeling

If your home is new or if you remodel it (like getting a new roof), you’ll also get a discount.

Going Paperless

You’ll get a discount if you choose to go paperless and instead get your coverage details and information about your policy electronically.

Auto-Pay

If you set up a direct deposit, that will also save you money.

Loyalty Discount

If you stay with your insurance company for a while, you will earn a loyalty discount.