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The Best Home Insurance in Georgia
Whether you’re an Atlanta banker or Plains peanut farmer, you need to protect your digs with a homeowners policy. Home insurance companies, and their policies, aren’t created equal. Some offer great rates, while others pull ahead of the pack for their coverages, discounts or stellar customer service. That’s why we created the SimpleScore, which provides an apples-to-apples comparison of insurers to give you a head start in your homeowners insurance quest. So, pull up your boots and let’s get started.
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The best homeowners insurance companies in Georgia
- Best premium coverage: Amica Mutual
- Best optional coverages: Allstate
- Best for seniors: The Hartford
- Best overall coverage: Country Financial
- Best for coastal homeowners: UPC Insurance
Best premium coverage – Amica
Whether you’re an average homeowner who needs standard home insurance coverage or a deal-obsessed online shopper who wants added protection for your personal property, Amica has you covered.
Review: Amica Mutual consistently ranks among the best national home insurance companies in J.D. Power’s U.S. Home Insurance Study, earning the number two spot in the 2020 survey. We especially like Amica’s Platinum Choice Home plan, which includes all standard homeowners coverages, plus dwelling and personal property replacement cost, computer and business property, valuable items and water backup coverages. The package includes higher personal liability limits and up to $5,000 in credit card coverage. Amica also gives you the option to purchase a dividend home insurance policy, which can pay back 5% to 20% of your annual premium, according to the carrier. Amica also offers a wide range of other insurance products, as well as annuities and IRAs to plan for your golden years.
Best optional coverages – Allstate
Allstate provides quality coverage for your home, its contents and even your double contrabass flute.
Allstate operates local offices all over Georgia, with more than 50 agents available in Atlanta alone. You’d expect a major home insurance provider to offer all the coverages many homeowners need, but we’re particularly impressed with Allstate’s optional coverages. Allstate’s business property coverage provides added protection for home office equipment, but also covers inventory items. And if your computer crashes, electronic data recovery coverage can help retrieve your valuable files. Avid outdoor enthusiasts can purchase additional coverage for equipment such as bicycles and aspiring musicians can opt for added protection for instruments such as violins and grand pianos. Allstate’s yard and garden coverage may come in handy when spring storms arrive, and green improvement reimbursement can help restore your home using energy-efficient elements following a covered loss.
Best for seniors – The Hartford
This company offers a bundle of great benefits when you become an AARP member and protect your home with a homeowners policy from The Hartford.
The Harford ranked #5 in J.D. Power’s 2020 U.S. Home Insurance Study, earning an overall customer satisfaction index score of 832 out of 1,000, surpassing heavy hitters Allstate and State Farm. Through its partnership with AARP, The Hartford offers auto, business and home insurance for AARP members. Members who bundle car and homeowners policies can receive a discount of up to 5% on their auto policy and up to 20% on home insurance. The Hartford also extends a special homeowners credit for retirees and offers products designed for seniors, including group health insurance plans that integrate with Medicare Parts A and B and don’t require policyholders to commit to a medical network. AARP membership comes packed with benefits, including discounts on groceries, prescription drugs and travel, plus financial tools and fraud assistance.
Best overall – Country Financial
Country Financial provides excellent coverage and exceptional customer service, even if you don’t live in the country.
It comes as no surprise that Country Financial ranked #1 in J.D. Power’s 2020 U.S. Home Insurance Study. The insurer offers homeowners three levels of coverage. Basic policies cover the most common perils, like fire, glass breakage, theft and windstorms, while Country’s premier coverage offers additional protection against common losses such as damage to appliances caused by power surges, countertop burns and paint spillage. Or you can choose a combined coverage plan, which includes basic coverage for your personal belongings and premier coverage for your home. Qualified Country home insurance policies enable you to select from three levels of dwelling coverage, including actual cash value, replacement cost and extended replacement cost, which pays up to 120% of your policy’s dwelling limit to rebuild following a covered loss. The provider also offers personal liability limits up to $1 million and medical payments limits up to $25,000, higher than many carriers.
Best for coastal homeowners – UPC – Home Insurance
Don’t get blown away by inadequate coverage, turn to UPC to protect your coastal Georgia home.
UPC writes policies in just 12 states, including Georgia, and specializes in coastal regions, where homeowners can have a hard time getting coverage due to tropical storms and hurricanes. Beside standard policies, which include dwelling, loss of use, liability and personal property coverages, UPC also offers a premiere coverage package, which provides broader dwelling and loss of use coverages, $100,000 in home systems protection and $10,000 in service line coverage. UPC’s optional standard flood insurance provides up to $750,000 in dwelling coverage and $200,000 in personal property coverage for homeowners who live in a Flood Zone A area and its excess flood coverage offers up to $15 million in combined dwelling and contents coverage and up to $15 million in dwelling replacement cost coverage. UPC’s service line endorsement covers repair and replacement of electrical, gas and drainage systems and its optional home systems protection covers computers, dishwashers, home security systems, pools, refrigerators and more.
How much does homeowners insurance cost in Georgia?
Based on 2019 National Association of Insurance Commissioners data, Georgia homeowners paid an average annual home insurance premium of around $1,267, slightly more than the $1,211 national average. Their Alabama neighbors pay an average annual premium of about $1,433, while Floridians pay a whopping $1,951 for homeowners insurance. Factors that impact the cost of home insurance can include your:
- Claims history
- Credit score
- Deductible amount
- Home’s age and construction
- Location
- Neighborhood crime rates
- Policy’s coverages and coverage limits
- Proximity to a fire station
To determine your rebuilding costs, also consider the cost of materials and labor in your area. And if you own an older home, you may need to add an ordinance of law endorsement to your policy to bring your house up to current building code following a loss.
Choosing your provider
Price is just one consideration when shopping for homeowners insurance. Also consider an insurer’s consumer ratings, discounts, financial strength and standard and optional coverages. Shop around, request quotes from local, regional and national providers and choose a carrier that offers the best combination of price and protection for your needs.
Local Carrier
Pros
- Excellent customer service
- Better coverage plans for specific locations
Cons
- Discount programs can be limited
- Limited availability
National Carrier
Pros
- Great discount options
- Multiple coverages available
- Operates nationwide
Cons
- Lack of personalization
- Customer satisfaction tends to be low
Things to know about homeowners insurance in Georgia
While Georgia homeowners enjoy home insurance rates just slightly higher than the national average, they face a higher risk of storm damage than folks living in other areas. Georgia ranks among the top 10 states most frequented by tornados, according to the Insurance Information Institute. The Peach State is often the target of tropical storms and hurricanes. Hurricanes Harvey and Katrina caused significant flooding throughout the southeast region resulting in more than $200 billion in losses.
Standard home insurance policies don’t cover structural or personal property losses caused by floods. Georgia homeowners who live in flood prone areas should purchase flood insurance, available through the National Flood Insurance Program. Consider fortifying your home with an impact-resistant roof to prevent or reduce damage caused by seasonal storms. Promptly remove dead or diseased trees that could fall on your house and secure outdoor furniture that could blow into your dwelling in a windstorm.
Georgia’s minimum homeowners insurance requirements
Georgia law doesn’t require homeowners to purchase home insurance. But, if you finance your house, the lender will likely require you to carry a homeowners policy until you’ve paid off the mortgage.
While it pays to shop around when buying home insurance, don’t skimp on coverages. If you’re concerned that your dwelling coverage limit won’t fully pay the cost of rebuilding your home, purchase a replacement cost rider to cover extra expenses. Since most standard policies only pay the depreciated value of personal property such as computers and furniture, also consider adding a personal property replacement cost endorsement to your policy.
Typically, basic homeowners policies include $100,000 to $300,000 in personal liability coverage. However, that might not provide enough protection for people who entertain often or have kids who like to host playdates and sleepovers. Features of your property such as swimming pools and tall trees may also increase your risk of a lawsuit. Always choose a personal liability limit that fits your lifestyle and property.
Georgia homeowners insurance FAQs
Your home insurance policy should provide enough dwelling coverage to rebuild your home after a total loss. The actual cost to rebuild your home will depend on local building costs, your home’s age and construction and local building codes. Whenever you make home improvements, contact your insurance carrier to update your home’s dwelling coverage.
It depends. Standard home insurance policies limit the amount they’ll pay for certain types of personal property. If your home office includes expensive equipment, you might need to purchase a business equipment endorsement or a small business policy. Also consider the limitations of your policy’s personal liability coverage, which may not cover legal expenses related to a lawsuit brought by a client or business associate.
Most homeowners policies only pay the depreciated value of your personal items, so consider purchasing personal property replacement cost coverage, which will help pay to replace your belongings at current market prices. Also consider purchasing water backup coverage, which may pay to repair or replace damaged sewer lines, and service line coverage, which covers elements such as home networks and electrical systems.
Too long, didn’t read?
Choose a Georgia home insurance company based on your needs, considering the type and location of home you want to insure, optional coverages and discounts available.
Georgia law doesn’t require you to buy homeowners insurance, but you should purchase enough coverage to rebuild your home and replace your personal belongings.
Hurricanes, tornadoes and tropical storms are common in Georgia, so some homeowners may need to carry flood insurance.
We welcome your feedback on this article and would love to hear about your experience with the home insurance providers we recommend. Contact us at inquiries@thesimpledollar.com with comments or questions.
Methodology
The SimpleScore is a proprietary scoring metric we use to objectively compare products and services at The Simple Dollar.
For every review, our editorial team:
- Identifies five measurable aspects to compare across each brand
- Determines the rating criteria for each aspect score
- Averages the five aspect scores to produce a single SimpleScore
Here’s a breakdown of the five aspect scores and their rating criteria for our reviews on home insurance.
Why do some brands have different SimpleScores on different pages?
To ensure the SimpleScore is as helpful and accurate as possible, we developed unique criteria for every category we compare at The Simple Dollar. Since most brands offer a variety of financial solutions, their products and services will score differently depending on what we’re scoring on a given page.
However, it’s also possible for the same product from the same brand to have multiple SimpleScores. For instance, if we compare State Farm’s home insurance according to our criteria for the best home insurance, it scores a 3.8 out of 5. But when we compare State Farm according to the criteria for the best auto insurance, it scores higher, since the features the company offers can vary by the type of insurance.
Discounts
We looked at the number of discounts each company offers – more discounts mean a higher score.
Coverage Options
We awarded higher scores to the companies that offer more coverage options.
Support
We awarded higher scores to companies with the most channels for customer support.
Customer Satisfaction
We leveraged the J.D. Power 2019 Home Insurance Satisfaction Study℠ to see how customers rated their experience with each company. (If a company wasn’t included in J.D. Power’s study, we skipped this aspect and averaged the four remaining aspect scores.)
Accessibility
We looked at the level of accessibility of each company – the more resources they have the higher their score