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Hey community memebers, about to be a first-time homeowner and drowning in insurance options! Everyone’s got an opinion, but I’m looking for some real talk. Which homeowners insurance companies have actually come through for you when it mattered? Did they pay out smoothly? Were their rates reasonable over time? Share your experiences – good, bad, and ugly!
After being with Travelers for 15 years with no issues and having a smooth experience with a hurricane claim, my experience with them after a major gas explosion at my house was terrible. It took a long time to get things resolved, and this made me realize that even companies with a good track record can have issues with complex or large claims. This taught me the importance of reading reviews about specific claim types, not just overall satisfaction.
I’ve heard from a roofing contractor that State Farm and Allstate are “by far the worst” when it comes to handling claims, often requiring a lot of hassle and even needing a full-time arbitrator to deal with them. The same contractor recommended Amica and Progressive based on their clients’ positive claims experiences. This expert opinion makes me lean towards considering Amica or Progressive when I make my final decision.
I highly recommend going with an independent insurance broker. They can shop around with multiple companies to find you the best rate and coverage. When I bought my first house, the quotes I got on my own were around $1,200 a year, but my broker found me a policy with better coverage for only $900. Plus, my broker reviews my policy yearly to see if there are any cheaper options out there.
My neighbor pays almost double for Erie compared to what I pay for Allstate. While some people rave about Erie’s service, it just doesn’t fit my budget. I haven’t had any major homeowners claims with Allstate yet, but their auto insurance rates have been reasonable for me, so I’m hoping for a similar experience if I ever need to use my home policy.
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