Best Homeowners Insurance in Minnesota

Minnesota boasts abundant natural beauty, with forests and lakes covering most of the state. The scenery does come at a price: severe winter weather. Potential blizzards, along with heavy ice and snow, can cause serious damage to houses no matter where you are in the state. 

The best way to protect your property from the elements and other acts out of your control, like theft and fires, is with a homeowners insurance policy.

Getting the right home insurance plan is easier said than done, so we made this comprehensive guide to homeowners insurance in Minnesota.

Keep reading to learn all you need to know when looking for coverage in the land of 10,000 lakes, including the average home insurance cost in Minnesota and the carriers with the cheapest homeowners insurance in Minnesota.

The average home insurance cost in Minnesota is about $1,783 per year for $250,000 of dwelling coverage. This is about on par with the rates in the neighboring states of Michigan and nearby Illinois. 

This number is just an average, and your premium will vary based on many factors. For instance, if you have a larger, more expensive house, you’ll most likely pay more for insurance. Larger houses have higher replacement costs, which determines your dwelling coverage.

Look at the table below for average premiums in Minnesota at two different coverage levels and how it affects the average cost of homeowners insurance in Minnesota.

Although the price of homeowners insurance in Minnesota will vary from house to house, the coverages you receive in your policy – no matter your provider – should largely stay the same. The most common type of homeowners insurance is the HO3 policy form, an open peril policy. The coverages in an HO3 form are:

The best homeowners insurance in Minnesota will have the coverage you need at a price that works for you. As of 2020, there are 150 companies writing homeowners insurance policies in the state. To find a good carrier at the right price, you must shop around for the best homeowners insurance in Minnesota for you.

The insurance companies with the most homeowners policies in Minnesota are:

These insurers comprise over 75% of the Minnesota homeowners insurance market. These companies are a good place to start comparing quotes from, but it’s a good idea to get quotes from some smaller regional insurers as well.

Ask your friends, neighbors, and relatives for insurance company recommendations. You can also look up company reviews and financial strength ratings. You can also get the help of an independent insurance agent to help in your search and compare policies for you.

Some more tips for getting and maintaining the best homeowners insurance in Minnesota are:

Reassess your coverage periodically, such as every year: After you get a policy, you can’t quite set it and forget it. Your coverage needs can change over time. Renovations can increase your replacement cost and render you underinsured if you don’t adjust your coverages to reflect the changes. 

Inflation and increased construction costs can also leave you short if you need to rebuild. Inquire about adding an inflation guard or ordinance or law coverage to your policy to avoid unexpected shortcomings during a claim.

Watch for exclusions: In Minnesota, many homeowners are surprised that their policy doesn’t cover property damage from sump pump backups by default. Your policy also won’t cover flood damage. 

Know your policy exclusions, and opt for additional Minnesota home insurance coverage if you want. For example, you may purchase water backup coverage for sump pump, septic tank, and sewer failures. 

If you have especially high-value items, like art, jewelry, or memorabilia, consider looking into scheduled personal property coverage to insure them fully. The best homeowners insurance companies in Minnesota will be able to accommodate your needs.

American Family, Travelers, and Farmers offer some of the cheapest homeowners insurance in Minnesota, based on our table below. Premiums are typically one of the most critical factors when comparing policies.

The table below shows which of the state’s well-known insurers have cheap homeowners insurance in Minnesota.

Remember that the exact price of these plans from Minnesota homeowners insurance companies will vary. There’s no guarantee that a plan will be a certain price until you get your quote. 

Several factors affect the average home insurance cost in Minnesota. Insurance companies analyze potential policyholders and their properties intently to verify that offering coverage is a good business decision on their part. They take many variables into account.

Some of the most important factors that affect the average home insurance cost in Minnesota include:

The location of your home is a primary consideration in how much you pay for insurance. If your house is in an area with a lot of theft or property insurance claims from nearby properties, you’ll likely have higher premiums. Insurers also take into account your distance from a fire hydrant, the presence of flood zones, and more.

The age of your house is also crucial to carriers. Older houses often have more issues that can lead to claims from wear and tear over time. Everything has a lifespan. Older roofs, wiring, piping, siding, and more can weather, chip, crack and fade over time. Insurance companies are aware of these red flags and may want to inspect your property before giving you a policy.

The way your house was built influences your Minnesota home insurance premiums as well. For instance, frame homes tend to have higher premiums than masonry houses because wooden frame homes are more prone to weather damage, fire damage, and even dry rot. The size of your house is also a factor, as bigger, more expensive houses will need more coverage than small, simple homes.

Insurance companies will also look at your claims history before giving you home insurance in Minnesota. During the quoting process, carriers will ask if you’ve filed home insurance claims in the last three to five years. 

They believe that someone who has filed one (or several) claims in the past is more likely to file another than someone who has never filed before. As a result, people with a colorful claims history tend to have higher premiums.

Every state has an insurance department that governs and works with the insurance companies in their area. The industry is monitored and inspected like all major industries are. Some relevant Minnesota insurance regulations relate to carriers’ communication and coverage procedures.

For instance, once a policy has been in place for over 60 days, it can’t be canceled unless:

A policy cancellation is different than a policy renewal. A nonrenewal comes at the end of your policy term, while a cancellation would cut your policy short. If your insurer decides to non-renew your policy, they must give written notice at least 30 days before the end date. They may provide a 20-day notice if you haven’t been paying your premiums.

Minnesota homeowners insurance laws prohibit a carrier from overinsuring your house, which prevents you from paying higher premiums than necessary. But, you must typically cover your home for at least 80% of its replacement value. Thus, you can’t knowingly underinsure your house, either.

How long a claim takes will vary case by case since severity and complexity will vary depending on the damage and many other variables. But, Minnesota home insurance claim laws state that a carrier must acknowledge your claim within ten business days after receiving it. 

No, there is no overarching matching law in Minnesota. Matching is included in some policies, but insurance regulations in Minnesota don’t always require it. Your policy language will determine the extent of matching in most cases.

When a policyholder suffers property damage, an insurance company typically fulfills its repairing duty by replacing damaged parts with new parts. But, when it comes to shingles or siding, sometimes an insurer may be unable to match the replacements with the undamaged, existing ones. 

Since an insurer’s duty is to repair things to how they were – not improve or upgrade property – the issue of getting new siding or shingles to match existing ones has come under scrutiny. Sometimes, a company will go the extra mile to match, even if it means replacing a whole roof or siding area when only one area is damaged, but it depends on your company.

You will need to look at your policy language to see a carrier’s procedures for matching. Ask your agent or provider directly early on so you’re not surprised if you need to file a claim.

If you’re looking for Minnesota home insurance quotes, Clovered can help. Clovered is an independent insurance agency born from the desire to help simplify the insurance process for all. Our quoting platform can help you get Minnesota home insurance quotes entirely online whenever you want from the comfort of your home.

If you need help or would rather speak with a trained professional to help you get a quote, you can reach our team of licensed agents during business hours at 833-255-4117. You can also email us at any time at [email protected].

We’ve helped over 30,000 policyholders with their coverage needs, and we’d love to help you with your home insurance quotes in Minnesota, also.