Penn National and Erie offer the cheapest home insurance in Pennsylvania, charging rates that average $58 and $69 a month, respectively. In addition to an affordable rate, your home insurance company needs to provide coverage that meets your needs and responsive customer service. Our guide to the best homeowners insurance companies in Pennsylvania helps you find the right coverage at the lowest price.
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Pennsylvania’s cheapest homeowners insurance companies
Our analysis of homeowners insurance quotes for a typical house in every Pennsylvania ZIP code shows that Penn National has the state’s cheapest average rate, $692 a month, or $58 a month.
The next-best rates are available from Erie, $69 a month, and USAA, $83 a month. USAA is only available to current and former members of the military and their families.
It’s always best to compare quotes from multiple companies when you shop for home insurance.
| Company | Annual rate | Monthly rate |
|---|---|---|
| Penn National | $692 | $58 |
| Erie | $827 | $69 |
| USAA | $990 | $83 |
| Nationwide | $1,037 | $86 |
| Allstate | $1,081 | $90 |
| State average | $1,128 | $94 |
| State Farm | $1,179 | $98 |
| Travelers | $1,261 | $105 |
| Farmers | $1,961 | $163 |
| Note: Average rates are based on non-binding estimates provided by Quadrant Information Services. Your rates may vary. | ||
Best homeowners insurance companies in Pennsylvania
Nationwide and USAA have the best customer service ratings among Pennsylvania homeowners insurance companies. Penn National is best for saving money, while Erie has the best coverage options.
Compare PA home insurance rates from top companies
Best customer service ratings: USAA and Nationwide
USAA has the highest overall satisfaction index ranking from J.D. Power among all Pennsylvania home insurance companies, while Nationwide has the best Complaint Index score from the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC).
J.D. Power’s overall satisfaction index rankings are based on customer surveys ranking insurance companies on key factors, including policy offerings, price and claims.
USAA’s overall satisfaction score of 884, on a 1,000-point scale, beats all other home insurance companies in the nation.
| Company | Satisfaction score |
|---|---|
| USAA | 884 |
| State Farm | 829 |
| Erie | 827 |
| Segment average | 819 |
| Nationwide | 816 |
| Allstate | 815 |
| Travelers | 794 |
| Farmers | 792 |
| Penn National | Not included |
| Source: J.D. Power 2022 U.S. Home Insurance Study | |
The NAIC’s Complaint Index compares insurance companies by confirmed complaints, which are those that lead to a finding of fault. A company with a 2.0 Complaint Index rating has twice as many complaints as expected for its size, while a company with a 0.5 rating has half as many.
Among Pennsylvania homeowners insurance companies, Nationwide has the lowest, or best, Complaint Index rating, 0.12, followed by Travelers, 0.13, and Penn National, 0.16.
| Company | Complaint Index score |
|---|---|
| Nationwide | 0.12 |
| Travelers | 0.13 |
| Penn National | 0.16 |
| Erie | 0.2 |
| USAA | 0.2 |
| State Farm | 0.32 |
| Allstate | 0.35 |
| Farmers | 0.38 |
| Source: National Association of Insurance Commissioners (2021 data) | |
Best for saving money: Penn National
With rates that are 39% less than the state average, Penn National is the best choice for saving money on homeowners insurance.
You can bring your rates down even more by taking advantage of the discounts Penn National offers for things such as having protective devices in your home or recent upgrades to your plumbing, heating and/or electrical systems.
Best coverage options: Erie
Guaranteed replacement cost coverage and optional sinkhole endorsements give Erie the edge for best policy features among Pennsylvania home insurance companies.
Guaranteed replacement cost generally covers the entire cost of rebuilding your home after a total loss, even if these costs exceed your policy’s dwelling limit.
Some companies offer a guaranteed replacement cost coverage endorsement as an optional add-on. Erie is one of the few that offers it as a standard policy feature.
Although sinkhole damage is not covered by standard home insurance, Erie offers an optional sinkhole endorsement you can add to your policy. The endorsement covers damage to your home and property from a naturally occurring sinkhole, but not one caused by mine subsidence.
Average homeowners insurance costs in Pennsylvania
The average cost of homeowners insurance in Pennsylvania is $1,128 a year, or $94 a month. The actual amount you pay depends on a variety of rate factors, including:
- The age, location and construction style of your home
- Your home’s estimated replacement cost value
- Risk factors in your neighborhood, including crime rates and exposure to severe weather
- Your credit and insurance history
- The coverages and limits you choose, as well as any endorsements you add to your policy
- Any discounts you may be eligible to receive
Since insurance companies place different weights on each of these factors, you may qualify for a significantly lower rate with one company than you do with others.
PA home insurance rates by deductible amounts
Increasing your home insurance deductible is one way to save on home insurance. In Pennsylvania, raising your deductible from $1,000 to $2,000 decreases your insurance rate by 13%.
Your deductible is the amount you pay to repair or replace property before insurance funds kick in. Your deductible should reflect the highest amount of money you could afford to spend out of your own pocket in the event of a disaster.
| Policy deductible | Annual rate | Monthly rate |
|---|---|---|
| $500 | $1,219 | $102 |
| $1,000 | $1,128 | $94 |
| $1,500 | $1,059 | $88 |
| $2,000 | $983 | $82 |
| Note: Average rates are based on non-binding estimates provided by Quadrant Information Services. Your rates may vary. | ||
PA home insurance rates by dwelling limit
Your dwelling limit also influences your insurance rate. Your dwelling limit is the maximum amount the insurance company will pay to repair or rebuild your home after damage from a covered peril, such as a fire, windstorm or falling tree.
In Pennsylvania, the average price of home insurance for a home with a $350,000 dwelling limit is 18% higher than the cost of a policy with a $275,000 dwelling limit.
| Dwelling limit | Annual rate | Monthly rate |
|---|---|---|
| $200,000 | $922 | $77 |
| $275,000 | $1,128 | $94 |
| $350,000 | $1,347 | $112 |
| $425,000 | $1,587 | $132 |
| $500,000 | $1,850 | $154 |
| Note: Average rates are based on non-binding estimates provided by Quadrant Information Services. Your rates may vary. | ||
Unlike your deductible, you generally don’t have very much flexibility when it comes to changing your policy’s dwelling limit.
Most lenders require you to insure your home at its replacement value, which is the estimated cost of rebuilding it from the ground up, in the event of a total loss.
If you have a low mortgage balance or no mortgage at all, you may be able to insure your home at a lower amount, but doing so is rarely advised.
Most insurance companies rely on software to calculate your home’s replacement cost value, based on its specifications and quality grade.
Pennsylvania homeowners insurance rates by city
Among Pennsylvania’s largest cities, home insurance rates range from $85 a month in Reading to $154 a month in Philadelphia.
| City | Annual rate | Monthly rate |
|---|---|---|
| Abington | $1,286 | $107 |
| Allentown | $1,070 | $89 |
| Bensalem | $1,561 | $130 |
| Erie | $1,123 | $94 |
| Philadelphia | $1,846 | $154 |
| Pittsburgh | $1,126 | $94 |
| Reading city | $1,023 | $85 |
| Scranton | $1,144 | $95 |
| Upper Darby | $1,518 | $127 |
| Note: Average rates are based on non-binding estimates provided by Quadrant Information Services. Your rates may vary. | ||
Pennsylvania homeowners insurance rates by county
Among the state’s largest counties, homeowners insurance rates range from $83 a month in Lancaster County to $154 a month in Philadelphia county.
| County | Annual rate | Monthly rate |
|---|---|---|
| Allegheny County | $1,095 | $91 |
| Bucks County | $1,302 | $109 |
| Chester County | $1,155 | $96 |
| Delaware County | $1,392 | $116 |
| Lancaster County | $999 | $83 |
| Montgomery County | $1,237 | $103 |
| Philadelphia County | $1,851 | $154 |
| York County | $1,037 | $86 |
| Note: Average rates are based on non-binding estimates provided by Quadrant Information Services. Your rates may vary. | ||
Pennsylvania home insurance for floods and other disasters
Standard homeowners insurance in Pennsylvania does not cover damage from floods, sinkholes or mine subsidence, but separate insurance is available for each of these risks.
Pennsylvania flood insurance
Most flood insurance in Pennsylvania is purchased through the government-backed National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP), but certain private insurance companies also offer it.
If you apply for a mortgage on a home in a high-risk flood zone, your lender is likely to require flood insurance, in addition to normal home insurance.
Flood insurance is also available on an optional basis if you own your home outright and/or your home is in a low- to moderate-risk area. More than one in five flood insurance claims are for homes outside of high-risk areas.
If you’re not sure of your home’s flood risk, or the flood risk of a home you plan to buy, you can look it up online. Just visit the Flood Map Service Center on the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) website.
NFIP flood insurance provides up to $250,000 in coverage for your home and up to $100,000 in coverage for your belongings. Private flood insurance companies often offer higher limits and/or additional coverages.
The average price of NFIP flood insurance in Pennsylvania is $1,210 a year, or $101 a month.
Flood insurance is widely available from local insurance agencies throughout Pennsylvania. You can find an NFIP-authorized agent near you on FEMA’s online provider directory.
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Insurance for mine subsidence and sinkholes
Although there are similarities between mine subsidence and naturally occurring sinkholes, for insurance purposes, each is a different peril that requires different insurance.
- Mine subsidence occurs when abandoned underground mines collapse, compromising the land above and any homes built atop them.
- Natural sinkholes, which are known to occur in eastern and central Pennsylvania, form when groundwater dissolves limestone or dolomite bedrock. This creates an underground void that can eventually collapse.
Mine subsidence insurance is only available from the Pennsylvania’s Department of Environmental Protection (DEP). The agency also offers an online map that lets you see if your home may be above an abandoned mine.
Policies cost 27 cents per every $1,000 of coverage, or $41 for a $150,000 policy. Those over 65 get a 10% discount.
Some home insurers, including Erie, offer sinkhole insurance as an optional add-on to an existing home insurance policy. It is also available as stand-alone insurance from companies that specialize in this risk.
PA homeowners insurance: frequently asked questions
The average cost of homeowners insurance in Pennsylvania is $1,128 a year, or $94 a month. Rates range from $77 a month for a home with a $200,000 replacement value to $154 a month for a home valued at $500,000.
The average cost of flood insurance in Pennsylvania is $1,210 a year, or $101 a month, for policies issued through the government-backed National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP).
Bundling your home and auto insurance with the same company and choosing higher policy deductibles are effective ways to lower your homeowners insurance costs in Pennsylvania. It’s also best to compare quotes from multiple companies to make sure you are getting the lowest rate.
Methodology
The rates shown in this article are based on an analysis of more than 30,000 quotes on standard HO-3 insurance for a typical detached home in every Pennsylvania ZIP code. Unless otherwise noted, prices reflect the estimated cost for a homeowners insurance policy offering the following coverages, limits and deductibles:
- Dwelling: $275,000
- Other structures: $27,500
- Personal property: $137,500
- Loss of use: $55,000
- Personal liability: $100,000
- Guest medical payments: $5,000
- Deductible: $1,000
Sources:
Home insurance by city
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