Finding the Best Homeowners Insurance in Pennsylvania
From Gettysburg to the Great Lakes and gorgeous mountain scenery to cheesesteaks, Pennsylvania is a state packed with history, culture, and natural and human-made landmarks. So, it's little wonder that many have chosen to settle in the Keystone State. However, regardless of where you call home, the peace of mind afforded by a homeowners insurance policy that's both comprehensive and affordable is a luxury worth investing in. Moreover, like most other states, Pennsylvania falls victim to a fair share of natural disasters and has experienced upwards of 60 major disasters between 1953 and 2019 alone — nearly one every year! The most common natural disasters to befall this otherwise gorgeous state include floods, severe rainstorms, snowstorms, landslides, wildfires, and earthquakes. However, according to FEMA's information, Pennsylvanians are most at risk of floods and severe storms. With all this in mind and considering that roughly 69% of Pennsylvanians own their own homes, homeowners insurance seems more like a necessity than a luxury in Pennsylvania for those who want to ensure that their homes are well-protected. On the other hand, finding cheap homeowners insurance often isn't as simple as it sounds, and there's a myriad of factors to take into account. To make life easier for you, we've put together a list of important information and answered some common questions on finding the best homeowners insurance in Pennsylvania.
| Pennsylvania Homeowners Insurance Cost Broken Down | Price |
|---|---|
| Yearly Cost of Homeowners Insurance in Pennsylvania | $1,163.00 |
| Costs Per Month for Homeowners Insurance in Pennsylvania | $96.92 |
How Much is Homeowners Insurance in Pennsylvania
With a staggering 84% of Pennsylvanians feeling the brunt of federally declared natural weather disasters over the past decade alone, you’d assume that homeowners insurance rates in Pennsylvania are some of the highest in the country. However, despite the severe weather events experienced by residents of the Keystone State each year, the average cost of homeowners insurance in Pennsylvania works out to around $931 per year, according to data published by the NAIC. That’s well below the national average and ranks it as the 40th most expensive state for homeowners insurance nationwide. So, not only is homeowners insurance in Pennsylvania essential, but it’s also affordable. Nevertheless, it’s hard to provide an exact estimate of how much you should expect to pay for your homeowner's insurance since reputable insurance providers generally issue quotes on a case-by-case basis and take several factors into account when determining how much to charge you. First and foremost, how much you pay for your homeowner's insurance in Pennsylvania depends on the type and amount of coverage you need. Next, insurance companies consider factors like your credit score, zip code, the overall value of your home, and anything else they deem appropriate. Last but not least, you might also want to go for additional coverage or purchase endorsements for events not covered under your insurer’s standard policy. With all of these and more influencing your homeowner's insurance price, you might just be tempted to pick the cheapest homeowners insurance plan you can find, but this could prove to be a costly mistake. Like all the best things in life, finding a homeowners insurance policy takes patience and effort, and we’ll be covering the most effective way to find the best homeowners insurance in Pennsylvania in a later section.
| City in Pennsylvania | Monthly Costs | Yearly Costs |
|---|---|---|
| Aliquippa, PA | $76.75 | $921.00 |
| Allentown, PA | $73.50 | $882.00 |
| Altoona, PA | $74.50 | $894.00 |
| Arnold, PA | $71.67 | $860.00 |
| Beaver Falls, PA | $76.67 | $920.00 |
| Bellevue, PA | $72.58 | $871.00 |
| Bethel Park, PA | $70.67 | $848.00 |
| Bethlehem, PA | $72.67 | $872.00 |
| Northampton, PA | $72.67 | $872.00 |
| Bloomsburg, PA | $74.83 | $898.00 |
| Bradford, PA | $78.67 | $944.00 |
| Butler, PA | $74.33 | $892.00 |
| Carbondale, PA | $77.67 | $932.00 |
| Chester, PA | $100.33 | $1,204.00 |
| Clairton, PA | $73.25 | $879.00 |
| Coatesville, PA | $81.08 | $973.00 |
| Connellsville, PA | $80.50 | $966.00 |
| Corry, PA | $78.58 | $943.00 |
| DuBois, PA | $76.25 | $915.00 |
| Duquesne, PA | $73.75 | $885.00 |
| Easton, PA | $72.58 | $871.00 |
| Erie, PA | $76.67 | $920.00 |
| Farrell, PA | $80.00 | $960.00 |
| Franklin, PA | $77.83 | $934.00 |
| Greensburg, PA | $73.75 | $885.00 |
| Harrisburg, PA | $71.75 | $861.00 |
| Hazleton, PA | $75.75 | $909.00 |
| Hermitage, PA | $80.33 | $964.00 |
| Jeannette, PA | $73.42 | $881.00 |
| Johnstown, PA | $74.00 | $888.00 |
| Lancaster, PA | $65.25 | $783.00 |
| Latrobe, PA | $74.50 | $894.00 |
| Lebanon, PA | $70.83 | $850.00 |
| Lock Haven, PA | $76.00 | $912.00 |
| Lower Burrell, PA | $70.92 | $851.00 |
| McKeesport, PA | $72.83 | $874.00 |
| Meadville, PA | $80.33 | $964.00 |
| Monessen, PA | $72.58 | $871.00 |
| Monongahela, PA | $73.33 | $880.00 |
| Nanticoke, PA | $75.33 | $904.00 |
| New Castle, PA | $80.75 | $969.00 |
| New Kensington, PA | $71.42 | $857.00 |
| Oil City, PA | $75.92 | $911.00 |
| Parker, PA | $79.17 | $950.00 |
| Philadelphia, PA | $117.58 | $1,411.00 |
| Pittsburgh, PA | $75.33 | $904.00 |
| Pittston, PA | $75.50 | $906.00 |
| Pottsville, PA | $77.00 | $924.00 |
| Reading, PA | $71.58 | $859.00 |
| St. Marys, PA | $76.00 | $912.00 |
| Scranton, PA | $76.92 | $923.00 |
| Shamokin, PA | $77.42 | $929.00 |
| Sharon, PA | $80.08 | $961.00 |
| Sunbury, PA | $77.67 | $932.00 |
| Titusville, PA | $80.08 | $961.00 |
| Uniontown, PA | $79.83 | $958.00 |
| Warren, PA | $74.92 | $899.00 |
| Washington, PA | $75.75 | $909.00 |
| Wilkes-Barre, PA | $74.58 | $895.00 |
| Williamsport, PA | $71.67 | $860.00 |
| York, PA | $68.92 | $827.00 |
Pennsylvania Homeowners Insurance Laws
Carrying homeowners insurance is not a mandatory legal requirement for Pennsylvania homeowners; however, most banks or mortgage lenders will usually require you to take out a policy that covers the mortgage amount for the mortgage duration. Regardless, taking out homeowners insurance in Pennsylvania ensures your home, personal property, and liability are protected during or following a covered event and comes highly recommended by most industry experts. Purchasing homeowners insurance is particularly wise if you live in an area prone to flooding or vulnerable to any of the natural disasters mentioned earlier, though you might have to opt for additional coverage on top of what’s offered in a standard policy — more on what homeowners insurance in Pennsylvania covers later. In terms of legal requirements for homeowners insurance companies themselves, like all other states, Pennsylvania law requires insurers to base their coverage plans on one of the standard homeowner's policy forms, the most common being the HO-3 policy. This ensures that minimum coverage for homeowners insurance across the state is standardized, and anyone who takes out a policy is protected, to a certain extent, against up to 16 named perils, including fire and smoke damage, lightning strikes, storms, theft, falling objects, and water damage.
What Does Homeowners Insurance Cover in Pennsylvania
With nearly 80% of insured American homeowners covered by an HO-3 policy, it’s safe to say that most homeowners insurance companies base their standard policies on the HO-3 policy form. This means that the typical homeowner's insurance plan in Pennsylvania protects you against damage to your house and personal property, personal liability exposure, and any additional living expenses you may experience after a covered event. Structural damage to your home includes any damage caused by a covered event to the building, permanent fixtures and fittings, and sometimes even other structures on your lot. Damage coverage limits are usually based on a percentage of your home’s value, as calculated by the homeowner's insurance company, or, in some cases, can be any reasonable amount you choose. Coverage for the personal property includes any financial losses incurred due to belongings being lost or damaged in a covered event, and coverage limits will typically be capped up to a certain percentage of your home’s overall value. As the name implies, personal liability exposure covers any personal injuries or damages suffered by third parties while visiting your home. Insurers will generally cover up to $100,000 in liability as standard, and you’ll be expected to pay for any extra costs beyond the policy limits. On top of the standard coverage offered by your homeowner's insurance provider, you might even want to consider purchasing additional coverage or separate endorsements that offer additional protection against perils not covered by the standard plan, such as extra coverage for flood damage or a specialized fire endorsement that covers damage caused by wildfires.
| Costs of Home Insurance in Pennsylvania by County | Monthly Average Costs | Yearly Average Costs |
|---|---|---|
| Adams County, PA | $73.00 | $876.00 |
| Allegheny County, PA | $74.50 | $894.00 |
| Armstrong County, PA | $75.75 | $909.00 |
| Beaver County, PA | $76.33 | $916.00 |
| Bedford County, PA | $77.75 | $933.00 |
| Berks County, PA | $74.25 | $891.00 |
| Blair County, PA | $75.92 | $911.00 |
| Bradford County, PA | $76.17 | $914.00 |
| Bucks County, PA | $93.17 | $1,118.00 |
| Butler County, PA | $75.58 | $907.00 |
| Cambria County, PA | $75.58 | $907.00 |
| Cameron County, PA | $78.50 | $942.00 |
| Carbon County, PA | $79.50 | $954.00 |
| Centre County, PA | $74.25 | $891.00 |
| Chester County, PA | $82.50 | $990.00 |
| Clarion County, PA | $79.42 | $953.00 |
| Clearfield County, PA | $78.33 | $940.00 |
| Clinton County, PA | $75.58 | $907.00 |
| Columbia County, PA | $76.83 | $922.00 |
| Crawford County, PA | $80.92 | $971.00 |
| Cumberland County, PA | $73.50 | $882.00 |
| Dauphin County, PA | $74.50 | $894.00 |
| Delaware County, PA | $98.33 | $1,180.00 |
| Elk County, PA | $79.33 | $952.00 |
| Erie County, PA | $77.17 | $926.00 |
| Fayette County, PA | $81.17 | $974.00 |
| Forest County, PA | $80.83 | $970.00 |
| Franklin County, PA | $74.00 | $888.00 |
| Fulton County, PA | $77.50 | $930.00 |
| Greene County, PA | $80.67 | $968.00 |
| Huntingdon County, PA | $77.83 | $934.00 |
| Indiana County, PA | $77.50 | $930.00 |
| Jefferson County, PA | $77.25 | $927.00 |
| Juniata County, PA | $78.83 | $946.00 |
| Lackawanna County, PA | $78.25 | $939.00 |
| Lancaster County, PA | $70.33 | $844.00 |
| Lawrence County, PA | $81.67 | $980.00 |
| Lebanon County, PA | $73.17 | $878.00 |
| Lehigh County, PA | $76.00 | $912.00 |
| Luzerne County, PA | $76.17 | $914.00 |
| Lycoming County, PA | $74.17 | $890.00 |
| McKean County, PA | $78.08 | $937.00 |
| Mercer County, PA | $80.08 | $961.00 |
| Mifflin County, PA | $77.25 | $927.00 |
| Monroe County, PA | $81.33 | $976.00 |
| Montgomery County, PA | $87.50 | $1,050.00 |
| Montour County, PA | $76.42 | $917.00 |
| Northampton County, PA | $75.42 | $905.00 |
| Northumberland County, PA | $77.42 | $929.00 |
| Perry County, PA | $77.92 | $935.00 |
| Philadelphia County, PA | $124.33 | $1,492.00 |
| Pike County, PA | $79.33 | $952.00 |
| Potter County, PA | $77.00 | $924.00 |
| Schuylkill County, PA | $79.58 | $955.00 |
| Snyder County, PA | $77.33 | $928.00 |
| Somerset County, PA | $77.83 | $934.00 |
| Sullivan County, PA | $76.83 | $922.00 |
| Susquehanna County, PA | $78.83 | $946.00 |
| Tioga County, PA | $74.75 | $897.00 |
| Union County, PA | $76.58 | $919.00 |
| Venango County, PA | $78.17 | $938.00 |
| Warren County, PA | $77.67 | $932.00 |
| Washington County, PA | $75.67 | $908.00 |
| Wayne County, PA | $81.83 | $982.00 |
| Westmoreland County, PA | $74.58 | $895.00 |
| Wyoming County, PA | $80.17 | $962.00 |
| York County, PA | $72.50 | $870.00 |
Top Rated Homeowners Insurance Companies in Pennsylvania Based on Ratings
Now that you have a basic idea of how much homeowners insurance in Pennsylvania costs and what it covers, it’s time to start building up a shortlist of potential insurance providers. Sure, this can be achieved by simply looking up insurers online. Still, a far more effective and quicker way to find the best homeowners insurance companies in Pennsylvania is to go by what reputable local organizations and other consumers are saying. To give you a better idea of what we mean and to make this process even quicker, we’ve compiled a list of the leading homeowner's insurance companies based on ratings by two prominent organizations — JD Power and the NAIC. The companies in the table below have been sorted based on their JD Power rating, a rating out of 5 based on overall consumer satisfaction, and the NAIC complaint index, which is a metric used to show how many complaints an insurer receives compared to what the NAIC estimates they should be receiving based on their size. Based on consumer ratings and the NAIC complaint index, the top-rated homeowner's insurance company in Pennsylvania is State Farm, with a JD Power rating of 4 out of 5 and an NAIC complaint index of 0.20. On the other side of the coin, Liberty Mutual fared the worst out of all homeowners insurance companies, scoring a JD Power rating of just 2 out of 5 and an NAIC complaint index of 0.53, ranking it as one of the worst homeowners insurance providers in Pennsylvania based on consumer ratings.
How to Lower Homeowners Insurance in Pennsylvania
As property prices continued to rise well into 2020, so did homeowners insurance rates. In general, the price for homeowners insurance will always be relative to property values since the more a house costs, the more it will cost an insurance company to insure, and these price increases are typically reflected in homeowners insurance rates. As a whole, owning a home comes with many unexpected expenses on top of the mortgage payment, so it’s only reasonable that homeowners would be looking to save money on their homeowner's insurance premiums. Saving on your homeowner's insurance doesn’t necessarily mean compromising coverage, however, so if you find a homeowners insurance company and plan that you’d feel comfortable with, it’s always worth asking the provider whether they offer any discounts. Virtually all insurance providers should be willing to offer you a discount, such as a multi-policy or paid-in-full discount, and if they aren’t, then move on to the next provider on your list. Choosing a higher policy deductible could also help lower your homeowner's insurance premiums but make sure you can afford to pay for any damages below the deductible. For example, if you opt for a deductible of $2,000 and your home suffers damages that cost $6,000 to repair, you would be responsible for paying the first $2,000 of your claim.
Compare Homeowners Insurance in Pennsylvania Before Buying
The secret to finding the best and most affordable homeowners insurance in Pennsylvania is that there is none. Comparing insurance plans, quotes, and providers before making your choice is by far the most important step in the entire insurance purchasing process. Yet, it’s, unfortunately, often overlooked. Comparing different homeowners insurance plans ensures that any plan you decide upon meets all or most of your coverage requirements and, most importantly, is affordable. Shopping around for and comparing different types of homeowners insurance takes time and effort; there’s simply no way around it. While there are a few things you can do to make the process quicker, like having important information such as your past claims history with other insurers, your credit rating, and the total value of your home and possessions ready when requesting quotes, there’s simply nothing that can replace the time and effort you’ll need to put in initially. You’ve worked so hard for your home, so don’t throw it all away by neglecting to choose the right company. Feel free to reach out to us if you need help comparing insurance companies or finding the best homeowners insurance in Pennsylvania, and we’ve got your back.