Secured with SHA-256 Encryption6 Best Home Insurance Companies for Veterans & Military
As a member of the military or a veteran, you’ve given your time and effort to your country, making great contributions to safeguarding the land you love.
When it comes to protecting your important investments, such as your house, you may find companies that are eager to acknowledge your contributions through specialized homeowners insurance for veterans.
Finding insurance that suits your needs is an essential part of owning a home. An incident such as a fire, storm, or other damaging events could cause severe damage to your house, leaving you in a difficult position as a homeowner.
Lack of insurance in the wake of such an occurrence can add difficult expenses and considerable debt to the overall damage. Once you’ve come home safely from your tour of duty, insurance helps to ensure that your home remains safe and sound.
The National Association of Insurance Commissioners pointed out a few of the additional points service members should be aware of around home coverage.
For instance, some companies’ policies may lose coverage if the homeowner is away for an extended period – this may take effect while you’re on active duty, leading to serious problems if damage occurs while you’re away.
The NAIC also recommended checking and verifying the details and coverage limits of your policy before leaving for active duty. It’s worth making these checks periodically, and it’s unlikely you’ll check in while you’re away.
6 Leading Home Insurers for Military Personnel and Veterans
Here are the 6 best home insurance providers for veterans & military personnel:
1. USAA
In addition to being one of the top direct insurers in the U.S., the United Services Automobile Association is the go-to name for coverage created with a military audience in mind.
The company was founded in 1922 by 25 U.S. Army officers and has maintained its armed forces focus down through the years. USAA possesses high financial strength ratings, with an A from Standard & Poor’s, an A2 from Moody’s and an A from A.M. Best. According to the NAIC, USAA is the No. 8 property and casualty insurer in the country.
Coverage from USAA covers the major types of damage, risk, and liability associated with owning a home. Fire, theft, vandalism, many kinds of weather, and even identity theft are all among the incidents named in its homeowners policies.
As implied by the “Automobile” in the company’s name, USAA began as an auto insurer, and you can receive a discount on your coverage when you bundle home and car coverage.
USAA’s policies have several features catering to military needs, starting with the pricing structure based on service. Customized elements of homeowners policies include personal property coverage for uniforms owned by active-duty or deployed service members.
There are also coverage options for home sharing, in case you rent out your property while you are away from home. If you bank with USAA, claims can be paid directly to your account.
2. Farmers Insurance
The Farmers Insurance Group is the No. 9 property and casualty insurer in the U.S., a large and long-tenured company with the financial strength to match.
With an A+ financial strength rating from both Standard & Poor’s and A.M. Best and an A2 from Moody’s, Farmers can provide its policyholders with peace of mind.
The company has also fared well in consumer metrics, with its 0.54 NAIC complaint ratio showing that it receives fewer upheld customer complaints than the median insurer per capita. Plus, its A+ from its local Better Business Bureau indicates Farmers Insurance responds attentively to clients.
Farmers offers home policies that come in multiple levels. What this means for you is that you can select policy limits and features that suit you.
If you are interested in extra roof coverage and personal possessions, for instance, you can opt for the Enhanced offering instead of the default Standard version. The Premier tier is higher still, with higher limits on reimbursement and replacement costs.
One of the major discounts associated with Farmers is based on the professions of its policyholders. This career discount includes military personnel as well as other jobs: Teachers, firefighters, police officers, doctors, n
urses, dentists, engineers, and more are part of this program. Once you’ve locked in your armed forces savings, you can investigate other types of discounts, with everything from home security system bonuses to savings for buying multiple Farmers policies. There is even a discount for nonsmokers, due to the reduced fire risk.
3. Allstate
Allstate, the company that famously claims to put its customers “in good hands,” is another of the major insurers in the U.S. On the list of top U.S. Insurers by total premium amount, Allstate ranks No. 4, good for a 4.88% market share.
Allstate underwrites its own policies and has a financial strength rating of AA- from Standard & Poor’s, along with an A+ from A.M. Best. Sporting an 0.47 NAIC compliant ratio and an A+ from the BBB, its customer scores are roughly level with Farmers’.
According to Allstate, the company has had a strong military connection and character from its beginning. Allstate’s founder, General Robert E. Wood, served in World War I before starting the company in 1931.
The company boasts that many members of its leadership team have served in the armed forces and cites this as underlying its commitment to helping service members.
While Allstate does not make it clear whether military service will earn a discount, it does offer a wide selection of savings opportunities which may apply to you, based on numerous other personal factors.
For instance, if you are over 55 and retired, there is a discount plan aimed at you. There is also a discount of up to 25% if you buy auto and home policies from Allstate. Additionally, there is a discount of up to 10% for switching to the company and a rolling increase in the discount amount every year you stay in.
4. Liberty Mutual
Continuing a survey of some of the largest property and casualty insurers, you may want to consider Liberty Mutual for your next homeowners policy.
This company holds third place on the NAIC list of top insurers in the country. Liberty Mutual underwrites its own premiums, and it wrote 38 million of them in 2017.
The organization has high financial strength ratings, with an A from Standard & Poor’s, an A2 from Moody’s and an A from A.M. Best.
One slightly unfavorable comparison with Liberty Mutual’s fellow insurance giants comes from its consumer satisfaction scores. Its 13.177 NAIC complaint rating indicates it has received more upheld complaints than the industry median in recent months, as a score of exactly 1.0 corresponds to the national median.
The company’s B+ rating from the local BBB appears to be lowered by two government actions facing Liberty Mutual. It settled with the District Attorney of San Diego and the Attorney General of Massachusetts, the latter relating to homeowners policy errors. (For more information, read our “5 Best Homeowners Insurance Companies in Massachusetts“).
Liberty Mutual lists a military discount clearly among its multiple offers. While the company doesn’t state the exact amount of money vets can save, it does specify that the program is open to both present and former armed forces personnel.
Other savings offers include a discount if you have recently replaced your roof, as well as a multi-policy discount for individuals who buy both their home and auto coverage through Liberty Mutual.
Read more: Liberty Mutual Home Insurance Review
5. Navy Federal Credit Union
Navy Federal Credit Union is a bank membership-based credit union which has been active since 1933 and focuses on military personnel, Department of Defense employees and others with federal ties. (For more information, read our “Best Car Insurance for Veterans and Military Personnel“).
Founded in 2000, the Navy Federal Financial Group is a subsidiary of Navy Federal Credit union and is licensed to provide financial services for its members.
Through an alliance with Geico, the credit union enables its members to purchase discounted homeowners coverage. It should be noted, however, that Geico itself offers its home coverage through other insurers and does not underwrite them.
The credit union’s lineup of insurance products includes standard homeowners coverage options, including funds for repair or replacement of the home in the case of damage, as well as considerations for the property stored within the house.
These standard considerations also include liability coverage, which is designed to mitigate your legal expenses in case someone is hurt while on your property.
Geico and Navy Federal Credit Union include an online tool to determine an estimated quote for policy costs, which can help you determine whether their combined discounts make them your best option for home coverage.
In addition to the discount gained through being a Navy Federal Credit Union member, you may qualify for other types of savings offered through Geico. For instance, Geico discounts its popular and widely advertised auto coverage if policyholders also buy a homeowners policy.
Since the Navy Federal Credit Union program includes both home and auto coverage, you may end up increasing your savings as a credit union member and double Geico policyholder.
6. Geico
If you aren’t a Navy Federal Credit Union member, you may still qualify for military-specific savings through Geico.
The insurer notes that in addition to Navy Federal Credit Union, it has partnerships with other organizations including the Association of the United States Army, the Armed Forces Benefit Association, the Fleet Reserve Association, the Navy League of the United States and the American Society of Military Comptrollers.
While these many partnerships may prove helpful, there are some caveats associated with using Geico – namely, it doesn’t underwrite its own home policies, remaining an auto insurer primarily.
The NAIC notes that Geico is a part of the Berkshire Hathaway group, one of the top property and casualty insurers in the U.S. While it does not underwrite its policies directly and therefore doesn’t rely on its own financial strength, it can be reassuring to deal with such a large-scale business with a national profile.
Depending on your state of residence, you may be able to use a detailed online quote tool to determine whether Geico can connect you with a homeowners policy.
When it comes to Geico’s military offerings and discounts, the company points potential policyholders to a hotline, 800-MILITARY. Since Geico is primarily a car insurer, you may find your way to the company’s products through an auto policy.
With that policy in hand, coupled with discounts such as up to 15% off for military personnel, as well as membership savings for members of its partner credit unions, you may also qualify for multi-policy discounts combining home and car coverage.
Shop Around with These Insurers and More
The one constant when you’re shopping for insurance is that you should always compare offers. The first insurer you speak to may not offer you an ideal policy at an optimal price, and comparing various homeowners insurance competitors is the best way to get the coverage you need.