Kin Home Insurance Review 2024
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Coverage options
Discounts
NAIC complaints
Kin
Coverage options
Discounts
NAIC complaints
Consider Kin home insurance if...
Kin home insurance review
Kin homeowners insurance earned 3 out of 5 stars for overall performance.
Founded in 2016, Kin Insurance seeks to lower costs for high-risk homes by relying on technology and selling directly to consumers instead of through agents. Unlike other companies that sell auto, boat, life and other types of insurance, Kin focuses on residential insurance for single-family homes, condos, manufactured homes and investment properties. Kin also sells flood insurance you can add to your policy.
What's new with Kin?
In 2024, Kin expanded its coverage area to Georgia, Texas and Tennessee. The company now offers homeowners insurance in 10 states.
How Kin home insurance stacks up
Includes generous coverage for personal belongings.
Easy online quotes.
Lots of useful insurance information on its website.
Limited state availability.
Pet liability coverage may cost extra.
No bundling discount.
Where Kin home insurance stands out
Kin stands out for its user-friendly website. You can get quotes, file claims and find information without having to work with an agent, though personalized assistance is available as well.
In certain states, the company also offers private flood insurance with more generous coverage limits and shorter waiting periods than policies from the federal government.
Where Kin home insurance falls short
The company's limited reach is the biggest drawback, as most Americans don't live in a state where they can buy a Kin policy. It’s also not ideal if you’re looking to bundle all your policies together — Kin doesn’t offer auto, boat or many other types of insurance. And the company draws far more consumer complaints than expected for an insurer of its size.
State availability
Kin currently offers new homeowners policies in Alabama, Arizona, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas and Virginia.
Standard Kin home insurance coverage
You can customize your homeowners policy with numerous add-ons, but below are the types of coverage that generally come standard:
Type of coverage | What it does |
|---|---|
Pays to repair or rebuild the structure of your home. | |
Covers damage to unattached structures such as sheds or fences. | |
Pays to repair or replace personal belongings such as furniture or clothing. | |
Pays for hotel stays, restaurant meals or other expenses if you have to live elsewhere while your home undergoes covered repairs. | |
Covers legal expenses and damages if you're responsible for injuries to other people or their property. | |
Covers injuries to guests in your home, regardless of fault. |
For more details, see What Does Homeowners Insurance Cover?
In addition to the basic coverage above, Kin’s policies also include replacement cost coverage for personal property. Many insurance companies cover your belongings on an “actual cash value” basis unless you choose otherwise. For example, if a fire destroys your 15-year-old sofa and you have actual cash value coverage, your insurer will pay out only enough to buy another 15-year-old sofa. With replacement cost coverage, you’d receive enough money to buy a brand-new sofa.
Kin’s policies also include ordinance or law coverage, which pays expenses associated with rebuilding your home to comply with the latest building codes.
Optional Kin home insurance coverage
Kin may also offer:
Extended dwelling coverage. If you select this option, Kin will pay more than your dwelling coverage limit if rebuilding your home after a disaster costs more than expected.
Animal liability coverage. If your dog bites someone outside your household, many insurance companies would pay for ensuing medical or legal expenses as part of their standard personal liability coverage. But with Kin, you may have to add this coverage to your policy as an endorsement if you need it.
A note for homeowners with pets
The fact that Kin doesn’t always include animal liability coverage in its homeowners policies is somewhat unusual in the industry. If you have a pet, especially a dog that might bite or injure someone else, you’ll want to check your policy and buy the extra coverage if it’s not included. Breed restrictions may apply.
Water backup coverage. This type of insurance pays for damage due to backed-up drains or sump pump failures.
Identity fraud insurance. This coverage pays for fees and lost income associated with recovering your identity.
Personal injury liability coverage. This endorsement expands your liability coverage to include scenarios such as libel or slander.
Hurricane screen enclosure coverage. This endorsement provides coverage for the frame of a swimming pool’s screen enclosure.
Our Nerds say...
“Make sure you understand how Kin will cover your roof. Many of its policies may offer limited coverage for damage from wind or hail, with potentially reduced claim payouts based on how old your roof is. Having this type of coverage means your premium will be lower — but if a hailstorm or hurricane destroys your roof, you may not get enough money to pay for a full replacement. Look for the ‘roof surfacing payment schedule’ in your quote and make sure you understand the option you’ve chosen.”
Caitlin Constantine, NerdWallet editor
What’s not covered
Like most home insurers, Kin doesn’t cover damage due to earthquakes, neglect or general wear and tear. If you’re running a business from your home, it won’t cover any liability claims related to your work either. (Learn more about business liability insurance.)
While Kin’s homeowners insurance policies don’t cover flood damage, the company offers flood insurance you may be able to buy separately.
Discounts
Discounts vary by state, but you may be able to save on your Kin premium by:
Having security or fire alarms.
Taking wind mitigation measures.
Being a new Kin customer.
Going without a claim for a set amount of time.
Opting to get your insurance documents electronically.
Having a water detection device.
Living in a neighborhood with a security guard.
Being a recent homebuyer.
Living in an area with a private fire company.
Another way to lower your premium is to raise your homeowners insurance deductible, the amount that will be subtracted from your payout if you ever file a claim. Just be sure to choose an amount you’d feel comfortable covering out of your own pocket.
» MORE: The cheapest home insurance
Consumer complaints
Kin received far more home insurance complaints to state regulators than expected for a company of its size, according to NerdWallet's analysis of data from the National Association of Insurance Commissioners. (NAIC home insurance complaints also cover other home policy types, including mobile home, renters and condo insurance.)
What Reddit users say about Kin
Reddit is an online forum where users share their thoughts in “threads” on various topics. The popular site includes plenty of discussion on financial subjects like home insurance, so we sifted through Reddit forums to get a pulse check on how users feel about insurers. People post anonymously, so we cannot confirm their individual experiences or circumstances.
Reddit commenters have mixed feelings about Kin. One of the most frequent points of discussion is the cost of Kin homeowners insurance, especially in Florida, where many people complain about huge rate increases at renewal. But other commenters note that switching to Kin saved them money. As some Redditors point out, Florida’s home insurance market is particularly volatile, so it’s a good idea to shop around regularly. A few Reddit posters also report being unsatisfied with how Kin handled their home insurance claims.
Questions from Reddit: Our experts answer
Why is my Kin homeowners insurance premium going up so much?
Home insurance rates have been rising across the U.S. over the past few years, especially in higher-risk states like the ones where Kin operates. One reason is inflation. When building materials and labor get more expensive, it costs more to repair or rebuild homes after a claim, and insurance rates go up accordingly. Increasingly frequent disasters such as hurricanes and hailstorms have also led to higher claim payouts. Learn more about how to protect your home from climate change.
Will Kin insure homes with solar panels?
Many factors determine whether Kin will insure your home, but in general, the company is willing to consider writing policies for houses with solar panels.
Digital and consumer experience
Kin’s website is easy to use and offers a wealth of information about homeowners insurance. It takes only a couple of minutes to get a quote on the Kin website. You can also make payments, file claims and view policy information.
When we called the customer service line, we waited five minutes before speaking to a live agent. They were able to answer questions we had about Kin’s personal property and water backup coverage.
We also tried Kin’s live chat function. It started us out with a chatbot, but we were connected with a human within four minutes. The chat agent provided relatively consistent answers to those of the person we spoke with on the phone.
Kin doesn't currently have a mobile app.
How to file a claim with Kin
You can file a Kin homeowners claim online or by phone. If you choose the online option, you can upload damage photos and other documentation. Kin says an adjuster will typically contact you within 24 hours.
You can check the status of your claim by logging into your online account. If your claim is approved, Kin can reimburse you via direct deposit or check.
Learn more about how to file a home insurance claim.
How to contact Kin customer service
You can get help from Kin's support staff by submitting an email through the website, calling 855-216-7674 or using the site's chat feature. Customer service is available every day but Sunday.
Current Product
|  |  |
|---|---|---|
NerdWallet rating 3.0 /5 | NerdWallet rating 4.5 /5 | NerdWallet rating 4.5 /5 |
Complaints to NAIC Far more than expected | Complaints to NAIC Fewer than expected | Complaints to NAIC Close to expected |
Coverage About average | Coverage More than average | Coverage About average |
Discounts Average set of discounts | Discounts Average set of discounts | Discounts Great set of discounts |
Bottom line Provides homeowners insurance in high-risk states. | Bottom line Well-established insurer with a lengthy list of coverage options. | Bottom line Widely available across the U.S. with lots of ways to customize your policy. |
Other home insurance companies to consider
Not ready to make a decision? You may be interested in these other homeowners insurance companies:
How we rate homeowners insurance
NerdWallet’s star ratings reward companies for consumer-first features and practices. We evaluate factors such as financial strength, consumer complaints, coverage, discounts and customer experience.
In our research, we analyzed:
More than 270 million homeowners insurance rates.
More than 50 insurance companies.
Nearly 200 homeowner profiles.
View our complete homeowners insurance rating methodology.
Methodology
Homeowners insurance star ratings methodology
NerdWallet’s homeowners insurance ratings reward companies for customer-first features and practices. Ratings are based on weighted averages of scores in several categories, including financial strength, consumer complaints, coverage, discounts and online experience. These ratings are a guide, but we encourage you to shop around and compare several insurance quotes to find the best rate for you. NerdWallet does not receive compensation for any reviews. Read our full ratings methodology for home insurance.
Insurer complaints methodology
NerdWallet examined complaints received by state insurance regulators and reported to the National Association of Insurance Commissioners in 2021-2023. To assess how insurers compare to one another, the NAIC calculates a complaint index each year for each subsidiary, measuring its share of total complaints relative to its size, or share of total premiums in the industry. To evaluate a company’s complaint history, NerdWallet calculated a similar index for each insurer, weighted by market shares of each subsidiary, over the three-year period. NerdWallet conducts its data analysis and reaches conclusions independently and without the endorsement of the NAIC. Ratios are determined separately for auto, home (including renters and condo) and life insurance.
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