Homesite Insurance Review: Home and Renters Insurance
Homesite’s rates are more expensive than most other home insurance providers, and the quality of its customer service is subpar.
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Editor's Rating
Homesite home and renters insurance rates are expensive. It offers practical coverage options, including protection against mold damage. But Homesite's customer service isn't great. It may take Homesite longer to fix your home or replace your stuff after an accident.
Alternatives to Homesite
Pros and cons
Pros
Offers mold protection
Cons
Expensive home insurance rates
Poor customer service
Can’t manage your policy on an app
Homesite Insurance: Our thoughts
Homesite Insurance is much more expensive than its competitors. However, its home and renters policies include protection against mold. Most major companies don’t cover mold in their base policies.
Homesite’s coverage add-ons are very practical. You can add protection for valuable items and replacement cost coverage for your home’s structure and your things.
If you have homeowners or renters insurance through Progressive or Geico, you may already have coverage from Homesite. The company underwrites policies for both insurers.
Unfortunately, Homesite also has poor customer service ratings, which cite a slow, unresponsive claims process and low claim payouts.
Compare Homesite to other top home insurers | |
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Bottom line: Home and renters insurance policies from Homesite are expensive, and customer service is subpar. Unless you put a high value on mold coverage, you can likely find better prices and service elsewhere.
Homesite home insurance
Homesite home insurance rates
Homesite’s homeowners insurance rates are 91% more expensive than the average of its competitors’ rates. The company only offers only a few discounts to help lower the cost of a policy, making it unlikely that you’ll save enough to make its prices competitive.
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Homesite home insurance rates vs. competitors
Company | $150,000 | $250,000 | $350,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Allstate | $513 | $705 | $1,057 |
| State Farm | $542 | $736 | $899 |
| Travelers | $632 | $822 | $1,098 |
| Homesite | $1,529 | $2,051 | $2,800 |
Homesite’s online quote tool is quick and easy to use because it pulls in information about your home using public records. However, the system makes it difficult to customize some coverages. When you input your home’s address, Homesite automatically estimates its value.
While you can add extra coverage based on the value of your home, you cannot lower your desired amount of dwelling coverage — even if Homesite’s estimate isn’t correct.
Homesite home insurance coverages
Homesite home insurance comes with coverage that’s mostly in line with the industry’s standard protections.
The main difference between Homesite and other homeowners insurance companies is the way its liability protection works. Typically, personal liability covers expenses from lawsuits brought against you for injury or property damage, including libel and slander.
Although Homesite insurance includes personal liability in its regular policies, you must purchase an extra endorsement to receive protection against libel and slander.
Homesite also includes mold protection for your home’s structure and mold liability in its base policy. While these coverages could be useful for some homeowners, they contribute to Homesite’s high insurance costs, making it a poor choice for homeowners looking for the cheapest rates.
What’s covered by a Homesite home insurance policy?
Coverage | Description |
|---|---|
| Dwelling coverage | Covers you for damage or loss of your home’s structure if it’s caused by a covered peril |
| Personal property coverage | Covers damage, destruction and theft of possessions |
| Loss of use coverage | Reimburses you for expenses associated with being unable to stay in your home due to a covered loss |
| Personal liability coverage | Covers your expenses if you’re sued by another person for injury or property damage |
| Medical payments to others | Covers medical bills if someone suffers an injury on your property |
Even though many of the upgrades available with Homesite insurance aren’t unique, each endorsement is practical, and most homeowners will find them to be useful forms of extra protection. Homesite’s extra coverages include:
- Identity theft protection: Covers up to $15,000 of expenses incurred due to identity theft, such as legal fees and fraudulent credit card charges. You could also be reimbursed for legal fees and lost work time.
- Personal injury protection: Provides protection from claims of slander, libel and invasion of privacy. Although this protection often comes standard from other providers, you must extend the limit of liability on your Homesite home insurance policy if you want this coverage.
- Extended replacement cost coverage: If the cost to replace your home is greater than your policy limits, extended replacement cost coverage would provide you with additional coverage of up to 25% or 50% of your dwelling coverage.
- Coverage for valuables: Offers extra protection for valuable items like jewelry, artwork, musical instruments and sporting equipment.
- Equipment breakdown: Covers the cost to repair or replace household appliances damaged by mechanical or electrical breakdowns.
- Service lines coverage: Covers the cost to repair or replace underground wiring or piping that supplies your utilities.
- Water backup or sump pump overflow coverage: Pays to repair damage due to flooding caused by backed-up pipes or a faulty sump pump.
Homesite flood insurance
Homesite also offers separate flood insurance policies for homeowners who live in a flood zone. The company has a number of different coverage levels available, including building-only coverage, contents-only coverage, combined coverage and coverage for businesses.
Homesite homeowners insurance discounts
Homesite offers a number of discounts, including:
- Home purchase discount
- Bundle your homeowners insurance with auto coverage from CONNECT by American Family for a 10% discount
- Receive a discount if you’re an elderly homeowner
- Own a home with safety equipment installed, such as centrally monitored burglar alarms and fire sprinkler systems
Your available discounts may differ depending on where you live. In any case, if you’re eligible for discounts, Homesite will automatically apply them to your home insurance premium.
Homesite home insurance
Homesite home insurance rates
Homesite’s homeowners insurance rates are 91% more expensive than the average of its competitors’ rates. Unfortunately, Homesite doesn’t offer very many discounts to make its rates more competitive.
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Homesite home insurance annual rates vs. competitors
Company | $150,000 | $250,000 | $350,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Allstate | $513 | $705 | $1,057 |
| State Farm | $542 | $736 | $899** |
| Travelers | $632 | $822 | $1,098 |
| Homesite | $1,529 | $2,051 | $2,800 |
Homesite’s online quote tool is quick and easy to use. It pulls info about your home from public records. However, the system makes it difficult to customize some coverages. When you enter your home’s address, Homesite automatically estimates its value.
The quote tool allows you to add extra coverage to your quote. However, you can’t reduce your dwelling coverage if the system overvalues your home.
Homesite home insurance coverages
Homesite includes mold protection for your home’s structure and mold liability in its base policy.
Most other companies charge extra for mold protection, or don’t offer it at all. Mold coverage could be useful for some homeowners. But it also contributes to the high costs that make Homesite a poor choice when you’re looking for the cheapest rates.
The upgrades Homesite offers are not unique. However, each add-on is practical and provides valuable protection.
- Identity theft protection: Provides up to $15,000 for expenses resulting from identity theft.
- Personal injury protection: Provides protection from claims of slander, libel and invasion of privacy. Other companies offer this as standard coverage. Homesite makes you pay extra to get it.
- Extended replacement cost: Covers costs above your policy’s dwelling limit to repair or rebuild your home. It essentially extends your dwelling coverage by 25% or 50%, depending on the amount you choose.
- Coverage for valuables: Offers extra protection for valuable items like jewelry, artwork, musical instruments and sporting equipment.
- Equipment breakdown: Covers the cost to repair or replace household appliances damaged by mechanical or electrical breakdowns.
- Service lines coverage: Covers the cost to repair or replace underground wiring or piping that supplies your utilities.
- Water backup or sump pump overflow coverage: Pays to repair damage due to flooding caused by backed-up pipes or a faulty sump pump.
Homesite flood insurance
Homesite also offers separate flood insurance policies for homeowners who live in a flood zone. The company has a number of different coverage levels available, including building-only coverage, contents-only coverage, combined coverage and coverage for businesses.
What does a Homesite home insurance policy cover?
Homesite home insurance comes with standard home insurance protections like coverage for your home’s structure and your belongings.
Coverage | Description |
|---|---|
| Dwelling coverage | Pays for damage to your home’s structure due to a covered event, like a fire |
| Personal property coverage | Covers damage, destruction or theft of your belongings |
| Loss of use | Covers rent and other living expenses if damage to your home requires you to temporarily relocate |
| Personal liability coverage | Pays for injuries and damage you cause to others; also applies to your legal fees if someone sues you |
| Medical payments to others | Covers medical bills if someone suffers an injury on your property |
Homesite’s base policy also includes mold protection for your home’s structure as well as mold liability coverage.
Homesite homeowners insurance discounts
Homesite offers a number of discounts, including:
- Home purchase discount
- 10% discount for bundling your homeowners insurance with auto coverage from Connect by American Family
- Elderly homeowner discount
- Discount for home safety equipment, such as centrally monitored burglar alarms and fire sprinkler systems
Your available discounts may differ depending on where you live. In any case, if you’re eligible for discounts, Homesite will automatically apply them to your rate.
Homesite renters insurance
Homesite renters insurance rates
Homesite renters insurance is more costly than its competitors. A policy from Homesite costs $24 per month, which is 54% more expensive than average.
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Company | Monthly rate | Annual rate |
|---|---|---|
| Lemonade | $8 | $94 |
| State Farm | $11 | $127 |
| Travelers | $18 | $215 |
| Allstate | $19 | $222 |
| Homesite | $24 | $293 |
One reason Homesite’s rates are high is its mold coverage. Homesite’s base policy includes mold protection for your belongings and mold liability. Neither coverage comes standard with most major insurance companies. Some offer mold protection as an additional coverage, while others exclude mold damage altogether.
The additional coverage could be useful if you’re concerned about mold. But if you’re looking for the best rates, you can probably find cheaper coverage elsewhere.
Homesite renters insurance coverages
Homesite offers all of the standard coverage options you would expect from a renters policy.
Additionally, Homesite includes mold protection as a standard coverage, something that most insurers do not offer.
Renters can customize their insurance policy with the following optional coverages:
- Identity theft protection for costs resulting from stolen identity.
- Extra coverage for valuables like jewelry, cameras or computers.
- Water backup and sump pump coverage for belongings damaged by a sewer, sump-pump or drainage failure.
- Refrigerated property coverage, which replaces spoiled food in the event of a power outage.
- High-risk animal liability coverage, which extends your liability insurance to cover specific dog and exotic animal breeds.
Homesite renters insurance discounts
Renters insurance discounts with Homesite are very limited. It offers:
- A safety discount for installing centrally monitored fire or burglar alarm systems
- A 10% discount for bundling your renters insurance with a car insurance policy from Connect by American Family
- A discount for older, retired renters
Homesite customer service ratings and reviews
Industry reviewer | Score |
|---|---|
| AM Best | A (Excellent) |
| J.D. Power | Customer satisfaction: 779, claims satisfaction: 862 |
| NAIC | 3.28 |
Homesite Insurance gets poor ratings for customer service.
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J.D. Power ranked Homesite in last place out of 22 companies for its overall customer satisfaction. It also landed at the bottom in J.D. Power’s property claims satisfaction survey.
The study measures satisfaction with settlements, claims servicing, estimation and repair processes.
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Homesite also has a poor complaint rating from the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC).
In 2022, Homesite had three times as many confirmed complaints as expected for its size, according to NAIC records. The majority of Homesite’s complaints were for substandard claim settlements, policy cancellations and claim handling delays.
On the plus side, AM Best gives Homesite an A rating for financial strength. The agency evaluates insurers for their ability to pay claims and meet other financial obligations.
Homesite Insurance claims
You can file a claim with Homesite through its online customer portal, My Policy. You can also file a claim over the phone by calling the Homesite claims phone number at 866-621-4823.
Frequently asked questions
Who owns Homesite Insurance?
American Family Insurance, also known as AmFam, owns Homesite.
What insurance products does Homesite offer?
Homesite offers home, renters, condo, flood and commercial insurance. It also offers life insurance underwritten by American Family. In addition, Homesite customers can get car insurance through Connect by American Family Insurance.
Does Homesite underwrite policies for other insurance companies?
Yes, Homesite underwrites home, renters and small business insurance for both Progressive and
Methodology
To compare Homesite’s home insurance rates, we collected quotes for $150,000, $250,000 and $350,000 of dwelling coverage. Our sample homeowner is a 45-year-old married man living in a home built in 1977 in New Jersey with no prior claims. The policy also included the following coverages:
Coverage | Limit |
|---|---|
| Personal liability | $100,000 |
| Medical payments | $5,000 |
| Deductible | $1,000 |
Quadrant Information Services supplied the rate data for this home insurance analysis. ValuePenguin sources rates from insurance company filings and provides them for comparative purposes only. Your own quotes may differ.
To compare renters insurance rates, we collected quotes based on a 30-year-old single man living in New Jersey. The policy included the following coverages:
Coverage | Limit |
|---|---|
| Personal property | $30,000 |
| Personal liability | $100,000 |
| Medical payments | $1,000 |
| Deductible | $500 |
Homesite quotes also include $10,000 of mold protection and $50,000 of mold liability, which is the minimum included in its policies. Other insurers did not offer this coverage to compare rates.
Editorial Note: The content of this article is based on the author’s opinions and recommendations alone. It has not been previewed, commissioned or otherwise endorsed by any of our network partners.