The Best Home Insurance in New York for 2024

Chubb and Erie are among the best home insurance companies in New York, according to our analysis.

We analyzed data from more than 30 insurance companies to help you find the best home insurance in New York. Below are the insurers that earned 4.5 stars or more in our analysis. Rates are based on a sample homeowner with good credit, $300,000 of dwelling coverage, $300,000 of liability coverage and a $1,000 deductible.

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.

» MORE: The best home insurance companies

The best home insurance companies in New York

Here's more information about the best homeowners insurance companies in New York.

Amica stands out for its customer service and broad range of coverage options. The company has drawn far fewer consumer complaints to state regulators than expected for an insurer of its size, according to the National Association of Insurance Commissioners.

You can customize your policy with extra coverage above your dwelling limit, in case your house costs more to rebuild than expected. You may also want to add coverage for damage from water backups or recovery from identity theft.

» READ MORE: Amica homeowners insurance review

Chubb caters to owners of high-value homes and draws far fewer consumer complaints than expected for a company of its size, according to the NAIC. Its home insurance policies come with some great perks, including extended replacement cost in case it costs more than your dwelling limit to rebuild your home after a disaster.

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.

» READ MORE: Chubb homeowners insurance review

Erie offers guaranteed replacement cost for the structure of your home. With this coverage, the company will pay to rebuild your home completely after a disaster, even if the amount exceeds your dwelling limit.

Got a car to insure, too? If you bundle your home and auto insurance with Erie, you could get a discount of 16% or more. You may also be able to save if your home has certain safety and security features such as smoke alarms or sprinkler systems.

» READ MORE: Erie homeowners insurance review

Allstate is one of the largest home insurance companies in the U.S. The company offers many ways to customize your policy, including replacement cost coverage for your personal property and coverage for water damage caused by backed-up drains. Other, less common options may include home-sharing coverage and reimbursement for replacing damaged items with energy-efficient versions.

You may also be able to upgrade your policy with the Enhanced Package. One benefit of this package is Deductible Rewards, which takes $100 off your deductible for signing up, plus an additional $100 off for each year you go claim-free. And if you do file a claim, your rates won’t go up.

» READ MORE: Allstate homeowners insurance review

The Andover Companies’ home insurance policies generally come with broader coverage for your belongings and more coverage for the structure of your home than a standard homeowners policy provides. (Note that most but not all homes qualify for this coverage.)

Most Andover policies also include a generous amount of ordinance or law coverage, which pays to upgrade your home to current building codes during repairs after a covered claim.

» READ MORE: Andover homeowners insurance review

Cincinnati Insurance sells homeowners policies through independent agents, with various options for standard and high-value homes. You may be able to add coverage for things like identity theft, personal cyber attacks or certain types of water damage.

Cincinnati may offer you a discount for bundling home and auto insurance, having a newer home or installing a centrally monitored alarm system.

» READ MORE: Cincinnati Insurance homeowners insurance review

Farmers stands out for its lengthy list of discounts, including ones for installing protective systems like fire alarms and sprinklers, not smoking for the past two years, and paying your premium on time.

You may be able to customize your policy with a declining deductible, which will reduce your deductible by $50 each year you have your policy. You can also add claims forgiveness, which means your rates won’t go up because of a claim if you’ve been claim-free for a certain amount of time.

» READ MORE: Farmers home insurance review

The Hanover gives homeowners lots of choices. You can opt for an auto/home package, a policy designed for high-value homes or a standalone policy for a standard house. You can further customize your policy with a range of options such as guaranteed replacement cost coverage, which will pay as much as it takes to rebuild your home after a disaster.

The Hanover sells policies exclusively through local independent agents. That means online quotes aren’t available, but you can get personal service to help you choose the right coverage.

» READ MORE: Hanover homeowners insurance review

Nationwide’s standard homeowners policies include ordinance or law coverage, which pays to bring your home up to the latest building codes after a covered claim. They also include coverage for unauthorized credit or debit transactions. For an extra cost, you may be able to add coverage for things like water backup, identity theft and stronger materials to replace your roof.

Depending on how much personal assistance you need, you can get a quote for homeowners insurance on the Nationwide website or work with a local agent instead. You can also use the website to pay bills, file claims or check claim status.

» READ MORE: Nationwide homeowners insurance review

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.

» READ MORE: State Farm homeowners insurance review

Travelers offers a robust online experience. You can use the website to get a homeowners insurance quote, file and track claims, make payments, and learn about insurance basics.

Its coverage offerings are similarly strong. For example, you may be able to add extra coverage in case the dwelling limit on your home isn’t enough to rebuild your house after a disaster. One unique option is Travelers’ green home coverage, which pays extra if you want to use eco-friendly materials when repairing or rebuilding your home after a covered claim.

» READ MORE: Travelers homeowners insurance review

USAA sells homeowners insurance to veterans, active military members and their families. If that description fits you, you may want to consider a USAA policy. That’s because the company’s homeowners insurance has certain features that other insurers may charge extra for.

For example, USAA automatically covers your personal belongings on a replacement cost basis. Many companies pay out only what your items are worth at the time of the claim, which means you may not get much for older items. USAA pays enough for you to buy brand-new replacements for your stuff.

» READ MORE: USAA homeowners insurance review

How much does homeowners insurance cost in New York?

The average annual cost of home insurance in New York is $1,715. That’s 10% less than the national average of $1,915.

In most U.S. states, including New York, 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 New York, those with poor credit pay an average of $2,455 per year. That’s 43% more for homeowners insurance than those with good credit, according to NerdWallet’s rate analysis.

» MORE: Does your credit score affect home insurance rates?

Average cost of homeowners insurance in New York by city

How much you pay for home insurance in New York depends on where you live. For example, the average cost of homeowners insurance in New York City is $2,495 per year. In Buffalo, homeowners insurance costs about $1,100 per year, on average. 

Note: City names in the table below are based on the U.S. Postal Service’s preferred names for each ZIP code.

» MORE: What’s the average cost of homeowners insurance?

The cheapest home insurance in New York

Here are the insurers we found with average annual rates below the New York average of $1,715.

» MORE: The cheapest homeowners insurance

Common risks for New York homeowners

Here are a few things to keep in mind when evaluating home insurance in New York.

Winter weather

Homeowners insurance covers many problems caused by cold temperatures and weather storms, but not all of them. For example, it’ll generally pay to clean up water damage from a frozen pipe or repair your roof if a blizzard knocks a tree onto it. However, it won’t pay for flooding caused by melting snow unless you have flood insurance.

Flooding

A standard homeowners insurance policy won’t cover damage caused by flooding. If your home is in a high-risk flood zone as designated by the Federal Emergency Management Agency, your mortgage lender may require you to buy flood insurance. However, those in low- to moderate-risk areas can also get policies.

» MORE: Why you might need flood insurance — even if it's not required

To assess your flood risk, look up your address on the Federal Emergency Management Agency's flood maps. However, FEMA’s maps don’t always capture all types of flood risk, so you may also want to check the website of the nonprofit First Street Foundation, which models climate risks. Enter your address in the top left corner to see your home’s flood risk rating on a scale of 1 to 10.

Hurricanes and tropical storms

If you live in an area at risk of severe tropical weather, you should check whether your homeowners policy includes coverage for wind damage. Most policies do unless the home is in a high-risk area along the coast. You may also want to check whether you have a separate deductible for wind claims. If so, it may be higher than the deductible for all other types of damage. (A home insurance deductible is the amount of a claim you’re responsible for.) 

To be fully covered for tropical storms and hurricanes, you'll also need separate flood insurance. Learn more about hurricane insurance and deductibles.

New York insurance department

The New York State Department of Financial Services oversees New York’s insurance industry. You can check its website to learn about insurance basics or file a complaint. You can also email [email protected] or call the agency’s toll-free helpline at 800-342-3736. Translation services are available.