The Best Homeowners Insurance in Kansas for 2023 – NerdWallet

The average cost of homeowners insurance in Kansas is $2,955 per year, or about $246 per month, according to a NerdWallet analysis. That’s more than the national average of $1,820 per year.

Note: Some insurance companies included in this article may have made changes in their underwriting practices and no longer issue new policies in your state. Even if an insurer serves your state, it may not write policies for all homes in all areas.

If you’re looking to buy homeowners insurance from a well-rated national brand, consider one of these insurers from NerdWallet’s list of the best homeowners insurance companies.

State Farm is a great choice for homeowners who like to work directly with a representative, as the company sells policies through a wide network of agents. And its attention to customer service has paid off; the company has fewer customer complaints to state regulators than expected for a company of its size.

State Farm offers a free Ting device as a perk for home insurance policyholders. Ting is a smart plug that monitors your home’s electrical network to help prevent fires.

Chubb generally serves affluent policyholders with high-value homes, offering lofty coverage limits and plenty of perks. For example, the company covers water damage from backed-up sewers and drains, and it pays to bring your home up to the latest building codes during reconstruction after a claim. (Many insurers charge more for these types of coverage.)

Chubb policyholders may also be able to take advantage of the company’s HomeScan service, which uses infrared cameras to look for problems behind the walls of your home.

Homeowners policies from Farmers may include two valuable types of insurance: extended dwelling and replacement cost coverage. Extended dwelling coverage gives you extra insurance for the structure of your house, while replacement cost coverage offers higher reimbursement for stolen or destroyed belongings.

Some Farmers policies also come with perks that can save you money. For example, with claim forgiveness, Farmers won’t raise your rate for a claim as long as you haven’t filed one within the past five years.

Founded in Madison, Wisconsin, American Family receives fewer consumer complaints than expected for a company of its size. You may be able to customize your policy with optional add-ons such as identity theft, equipment breakdown or service line coverage, which pays for repairs to water, power or other underground lines that run to your house.

Homeowners may be able to save on their premiums by installing smart-home devices, bundling multiple policies or setting up automatic payments.

USAA sells homeowners insurance to veterans, active-duty military members and their families. If you fall into one of those groups, you might want to look into USAA’s offerings. The company’s homeowners policies include some unique perks such as deductible-free coverage for military uniforms and coverage for identity theft.

Homeowners in Kansas can take part in the company’s Connected Home program, which gives you a discount on your policy if you buy and install approved smart-home devices. These include water leak sensors, cameras and thermostats.

The average annual cost of home insurance in Kansas is $2,955. That’s 62% more than the national average of $1,820.

In most states, including Kansas, many insurers use your credit-based insurance score to help set rates. Your insurance score is similar but not identical to your traditional credit score.

In Kansas, those with poor credit pay an average of $5,195 per year for homeowners insurance, according to NerdWallet’s rate analysis. That’s 76% more than those with good credit.

How much you pay for homeowners insurance in Kansas depends on where you live. For instance, the average cost of home insurance in Wichita is $3,250 per year, while homeowners in Topeka pay $2,605 per year, on average.

Here are the insurers we found with average annual rates below the Kansas average of $2,955.

When shopping for the best home insurance in Kansas, make sure to consider the potential for severe weather, including tornadoes, hailstorms, snowstorms, earthquakes and flooding. Read your policy carefully so you understand what’s covered and what isn’t.

As part of Tornado Alley, Kansas gets more tornadoes than most states, seeing 68 tornadoes in 2022^[0]

Most home insurance will cover damage caused by strong winds. However, Kansans may have a separate wind and hail deductible, typically 1% to 2% of the dwelling coverage limit, which is the amount your insurer will pay to rebuild your house. So if your wind deductible is 1% and your house has $250,000 of dwelling coverage, you’d have to pay for the first $2,500 of wind damage yourself.

Another factor to consider is the cost of rebuilding your home if it’s destroyed. Talk to your insurer to make sure you have enough dwelling coverage to rebuild should that happen.

Flooding is a concern for homeowners throughout Kansas because of heavy rain or rapid snowmelt. Standard homeowners insurance policies typically do not cover flood damage, so homeowners in flood-prone areas may need to buy separate flood insurance to protect their property from water damage.

To find out your risk, check out the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s flood maps and RiskFactor.com, a website from the nonprofit First Street Foundation. Even if your property is deemed low-risk, it may be worthwhile to buy flood insurance for extra peace of mind.

Remember that while you can buy flood coverage at any time, there’s typically a 30-day waiting period before the insurance takes effect. Here’s more information about flood insurance and waiting periods.

Kansas is no stranger to spring storms, including punishing hailstorms bringing softball-sized hail that can damage your home. As with tornadoes, you may have a separate wind/hail deductible, typically 1% to 2% of your dwelling coverage.

Kansas can see harsh winter conditions, from freezing temperatures to blustering blizzards. A chilly winter wonderland can cause problems for Kansas homeowners, including frozen pipes or roof collapse under the weight of snow.

Homeowners insurance generally covers winter-related damage, but some types of damage may require extra coverage. For instance, you’ll typically need a separate flood insurance policy to cover flood damage caused by snowmelt.

While not a massive risk for Kansas, the prevalence of earthquakes has increased over recent years, especially along the state’s southern border. However, standard homeowners insurance policies do not typically cover structural damage caused by earthquakes. You’d need to buy additional earthquake insurance.

Earthquake insurance often has a separate deductible, which can be between 5% and 25% of your dwelling coverage limit. If you have a 5% deductible on $200,000 of coverage, you’d need to pay $10,000 to repair earthquake damage before your insurance covers anything.

The Kansas Insurance Department regulates the state’s insurance industry and provides consumer education on insurance and securities. The department’s staff can answer your questions about insurance by email at [email protected] or by phone at 800-432-2484.

Additionally, if you have a complaint about your insurer, the Kansas Insurance Department serves as an advocate. You can file a complaint online or can send in the consumer complaint form via mail or email.

Amanda Shapland contributed to this story.