2024 State Farm Home Insurance Review (Coverage, Ratings, & Rates)
Free Home Insurance Comparison
Compare Quotes From Top Companies and Save
Secured with SHA-256 Encryption
Joel Ohman
Certified Financial Planner
Joel Ohman is the CEO of a private equity-backed digital media company. He is a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™, author, angel investor, and serial entrepreneur who loves creating new things, whether books or businesses. He has also previously served as the founder and resident CFP® of a national insurance agency, Real Time Health Quotes. He also has an MBA from the University of South Florida. ...
Certified Financial Planner
UPDATED: Jul 5, 2022
It’s all about you. We want to help you make the right coverage choices.
Advertiser Disclosure: We strive to help you make confident car insurance decisions. Comparison shopping should be easy. We are not affiliated with any one car insurance company and cannot guarantee quotes from any single company.
Our partnerships don’t influence our content. Our opinions are our own. To compare quotes from top car companies please enter your ZIP code above to use the free quote tool. The more quotes you compare, the more chances to save.
Editorial Guidelines: We are a free online resource for anyone interested in learning more about auto insurance. Our goal is to be an objective, third-party resource for everything auto insurance related. We update our site regularly, and all content is reviewed by auto insurance experts.
UPDATED: Jul 5, 2022
It’s all about you. We want to help you make the right coverage choices.
Advertiser Disclosure: We strive to help you make confident car insurance decisions. Comparison shopping should be easy. We are not affiliated with any one car insurance company and cannot guarantee quotes from any single company.
Our partnerships don’t influence our content. Our opinions are our own. To compare quotes from top car companies please enter your ZIP code above to use the free quote tool. The more quotes you compare, the more chances to save.
On This Page
State Farm | Details |
---|---|
Year Founded | 1922 |
Current Executives | Chairman, President, & CEO - Michael L. Tipsord |
Number of Employees | 56,788 |
HQ Address | 1 State Farm Plaza, Bloomington, IL, 61710 |
Phone Number | 1-800-782-8332 |
Company Website | www.statefarm.com |
Premiums Written | $18,177,462,000 |
Loss Ratio | 61.87% |
Best For | Personal service, older homes, bundling |
Your home is likely your biggest investment. Whether you’ve just made an offer on your first house or you’ve lived in the same place for decades, few things are as important to you as those walls and that roof. Who can you trust to protect it?
It’s for these reasons we’ve put together this comprehensive State Farm Home Insurance review. And we’re covering what matters most — including rates, coverages, discounts, financial ratings, and more.
After all, State Farm is the nation’s largest home insurer. In fact, more people put their trust in the “like a good neighbor, State Farm is there” promise than any other company. But is the insurance giant there for you when something happens to your home? Is State Farm Home Insurance the right choice?
Choosing home insurance is complicated, and there is more to it than big promises from a big company. But we are here to help you make that decision by providing all the tips for buying home insurance and details you need to determine how good a neighbor State Farm can be.
Stick with us for this State Farm Home Insurance review to learn more. And if you’re ready to look at rates specific to your home, enter your ZIP code in our free insurance comparison tool.
State Farm Home Insurance Review: The Ratings
When deciding on a purchase, you usually read reviews to find out what others think about the product you’re looking to buy. You also want to know you’re buying from a solid company that stands by its products.
It’s with this reasoning that the first part of our State Farm Home Insurance review focuses on ratings from some of the most well-known and well-respected independent organizations around. Take a look at the table below, and then we’ll break these ratings down for you.
Ratings Agency | Rating |
---|---|
A.M. Best | A++ |
Better Business Bureau (BBB) | A+ |
J.D. Power | 4/5 (Home Insurance Study) 3/5 (Property Claims Study) |
Moody's | Aa1 |
NAIC Complaint Index | 0.39 |
Standard & Poor's (S&P) | AA |
You can see we’re sourcing some of the most important ratings I issuers around, from A.M. Best to the Better Business Bureau. At first glance, these ratings look pretty good. Not sure what they mean? Keep reading as we dig deeper.
A.M. Best Ratings
A.M. Best measures the financial stability of a company and has a particular interest in insurance companies. It’s one of the best known and most trusted sources for insurance company financial information.
State Farm received a rating of A++, which is the highest rank possible, and means the company has a stable financial future and a superior ability to meet its ongoing financial obligations.
Better Business Bureau (BBB) Ratings
The Better Business Bureau, or BBB, rates companies based on 13 factors and provides a letter grade with a top possible score of A+, which is what State Farm is currently rated.
The BBB also collects customer complaints, and State Farm has a total of 1,397 closed in the past three years.
On the surface that’s a big number, but when you consider the size of State Farm, it’s not so big. This score is for all of State Farm’s operations, and the company had almost 90 million policies in force in the United States as of its 2018 report.
The BBB does report a recent lawsuit in the state of California against State Farm. In 2017, the company issued $13.3 million in overcharged auto insurance premiums to customers in that state. However, this doesn’t seem to have affected its BBB score.
Moody’s Ratings
Moody’s ratings look at how well a company can pay off its debts — in other words, its creditworthiness. Much in the same way lenders will review your credit score when you’re ready to buy a home, agencies like Moody’s do something similar for insurance companies like State Farm.
Moody’s is considered one of the “big three” credit ratings agencies, along with Standard & Poor’s and Fitch’s. This one-minute video explains their ratings:
The good news? Our State Farm Home Insurance review reveals that the insurer has a solid rating with Moody’s that indicates no concerns either now or in the foreseeable future.
In the same way Moody’s and other agencies monitor the creditworthiness of insurers, you should always monitor yours. Stay on top of your credit, and have an understanding of what happens if your home insurance score is poor.
Standard & Poor’s (S&P) Ratings
Standard and Poor’s, along with Moody’s, is considered one of the most prominent credit-reporting agencies in the world. S&P’s ratings range from a score of AAA (highest rating) to a D (lowest rating).
Again, these ratings measure the financial stability of a company. And in terms of State Farm’s financial stability, S&P is giving this company high marks. State Farm has earned an overall rating of AA, which to S&P standards is “a strong capacity to meet financial commitments.”
NAIC Complaint Index
Naturally, if you’re reading a review about State Farm Home Insurance, you’re going to want to know both the good and the bad — as in complaints. To get a better idea of how State Farm stacks up to other insurers in this category, we need to look no further than the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) and its Complaint Index.
Here’s what you need to know: the NAIC measures the number of complaints a company receives. The complaint index compares a company to a median of 1.00.
State Farm falls below the median complaint index at 0.39, meaning the company has fewer complaints on file than the average insurance company.
J.D. Power Ratings
J.D. Power is the name most people know best. This company runs annual surveys and scores companies, including insurance companies, on performance. The top company each year receives an award.
So, how does State Farm fare according to J.D. Power? State Farm has a score of four out of five on the 2019 U.S. Home Insurance Study and a three out of five on the Property Claims Study.
What’s more, is that according to the U.S. Home Insurance Study, State Farm is ranked in the top five for overall customer satisfaction. As for the Property Claims Study, State Farm is ranked as average in terms of claims satisfaction.
Now, we move on to the next portion of our State Farm Home Insurance review with a closer look at the company’s history.
Enter your zip code below to view companies that have cheap home insurance rates.
Secured with SHA-256 Encryption
State Farm Home Insurance Review: A History
State Farm was founded in 1922 by a retired insurance salesperson and farmer, George Jacob “G.J.” Mecherle. The company originally offered auto insurance for farmers, which isn’t surprising given the founder’s background. Still operating as a mutual company, State Farm expanded into home and life insurance and later added a host of other insurance products and financial services.
In 1940, the company introduced the famous red, triple-oval logo, which got a makeover in 2012. More famous than the logo is the company’s jingle, which features the “like a good neighbor, State Farm is there” slogan and was written in 1971 by Barry Manilow. The ever-popular song actually got a modern makeover with a cover by alt-rock band Weezer in 2011.
With its ongoing expansion has come a considerable amount of success. In fact, State Farm has been a Fortune 500 company for 25 years, even coming in at number 36 in 2019.
State Farm Home Insurance Market Share
According to the Insurance Information Institute (III) State Farm is by far the largest home and auto insurance company in the nation, and the second-largest life insurance company. We know this based upon State Farm’s market share.
Market share is defined as just how much of a particular market is dominated by any given company or product. In State Farm’s case, the insurer has a market share that far surpasses its competitors.
Market share is always given as a percentage, with 100% being the highest. We’ve put together a table illustrating State Farm’s market share over the past few years:
Year | Market Share (%) |
---|---|
2016 | 19.26% |
2017 | 18.63% |
2018 | 18.40% |
As you can see in the table provided, State Farm’s market share went down slightly from 2016-2018. However, this is not a cause for alarm for the company. After all, State Farm’s company’s market share more than doubles that of Allstate, its closest competitor.
State Farm Home Insurance’s Position for the Future
It’s hard to understate what a powerhouse State Farm is in the home insurance industry, which means there’s no doubt about the company’s future. It’s hard to imagine a situation that could cause financial problems for a company of this size. State Farm has done well moving into the modern age, combining agent setup with many online tools for current and prospective customers.
Another indicator of the insurer’s success? State Farm’s profits increased by a whopping 298.3 percent from 2017 to 2018.
Although the company market share has crept down over the past three years, direct premiums written have increased. With more competition in the insurance industry than ever before, the share of the market is spread out more, but State Farm is still making more money every year.
Now,
State Farm’s Online Presence
State Farm is one of the few insurance companies that operate using a captive agent system, which means that only agents working directly for State Farm can sell company products. State Farm agents aren’t permitted to sell products from any competitors.
Although they sell through agents, State Farm has a solid online presence. The company website provides a wealth of information, including online quoting. We’ll go into much more depth about the company’s website and quotes further down in our State Farm Home Insurance review.
State Farm Insurance Commercials
State Farm’s most recent commercials feature NFL players Aaron Rodgers and Patrick Mahomes, pitting the players’ sports agents against their State Farm agents with the latter coming out on top. This video below captures some of the most memorable commercials out now:
State Farm uses other famous names in their advertising, as well, including American Idol contestant and country singer Lauren Alaina, NBA player Chris Paul, and actor Oscar Nunez. While most are meant to be amusing, Alaina’s Neighborhood of Good® series includes longer videos with a more inspirational tone, promoting community programs.
State Farm in the Community
State Farm is involved in a number of community and charitable programs, including grants and volunteering by employees. The company also sponsors home and auto safety programs to help reduce risk.
The State Farm Companies Foundation® supports scholarship programs, charitable donation matching, and grants. The Good Neighbor Grant® Program provides financial support including grants for nonprofits where State Farm associates volunteer their time.
Good Neighbor Citizenship® Company Grants are also available, which focus on nonprofits in the areas of safety, education, and community development.
As we have already mentioned, State Farm also sponsors the Neighborhood of Good® program. This program focuses on a wide variety of community involvement projects across the country.
State Farm Employees
Happy employees make for a good customer experience and reflect on a company’s values. Therefore, as part of our State Farm Home Insurance review, we want to take a look at how State Farm employees feel about their workplace and the culture the company promotes.
Age of State Farm Insurance Employees and Tenure
The average age of the company’s employees is 36, according to Payscale, which provides employer information including demographics and salary. That fits with what we found on employee tenure.
On average, State Farm employees have been with the company for three years. About 37 percent are in the early stages of their career, another 7.5 percent are entry-level, and the remainder of the employees are mid-career and above.
State Farm Insurance Employee Experience
There are 9,000 employee reviews of State Farm on Glassdoor and an overall star rating from those reviews of 3.1 out of five.
Only 46 percent said that they would recommend State Farm to a friend, and only 37 percent said they approved of the CEO. That said, there are many positive comments in the reviews including a good work/life balance and benefits. On the negative, employees referred to outdated systems and resistance to change.
State Farm Insurance Awards and Accolades
State Farm has many awards and honors for its efforts to create a positive and inclusive workplace. These include:
- 2019 Top 100 Most Military Friendly® Employer (listed since 2005) — G.I. Jobs Magazine
- 2019 World’s Most Admired Companies (listed since 2009) — Fortune
- 2019 Corporate Equality Index Perfect Score (100) — Human Rights Campaign
- 2019 Top Companies for Executive Women (listed since 2008) — The National Association of Female Executives (NAFE)
Perhaps what is most telling about these particular awards, is that they speak to the insurer as an employer, and also to its reputation. For some, having this kind of information on hand will be key in determining whether State Farm is the right company.
State Farm Home Insurance Review: Home Insurance Rates
We’ve talked a lot about State Farm as a company, but what about their rates? After all, we can’t claim to have an in-depth State Farm Home Insurance review without some discussion of what you might pay. You’re likely wondering how a huge company like State Farm stacks up in terms of the cost of products.
State Farm doesn’t have a reputation as a cheap home insurance company and has never tried to cultivate that image, instead of focusing on advertising exemplary customer service and quality products instead. Does that mean the company doesn’t have competitive rates? You might be surprised.
In this section, we’ll take a look at the coverage State Farm offers with sample rates and discount information.
State Farm Home Insurance Availability
We get it. You want to know if State Farm is even available where you live. The answer? As long as you live in the United States, it is.
State Farm’s home insurance policies are available in all 50 states as well as Washington, D.C.
The details of the policy may vary depending on the state, including coverage limits and options. There are State Farm agents in all states.
State Farm Compared to the Top 10 Companies by Market Share
As we have already noted, State Farm is the largest home insurance company in the nation with 18.5 percent of the home insurance market. Below you’ll see how that compares to the rest of the top 10.
Company | Direct Premiums Written ($) | % Market Share |
---|---|---|
State Farm | 18,177,462 | 18.50% |
Allstate | 8,262,445 | 8.36% |
Liberty Mutual | 6,655,452 | 6.74% |
USAA | 6,170,558 | 6.24% |
Farmers Insurance Group | 5,795,044 | 5.86% |
Travelers | 3,766,277 | 3.81% |
American Family Insurance | 3,276,280 | 3.32% |
Nationwide | 3,184,627 | 3.22% |
Chubb Ltd Group | 2,832,082 | 2.87% |
Erie Insurance Group | 1,675,976 | 1.70% |
State Farm is well ahead of the rest of the pack. The next two largest combined – that is, Allstate and Liberty Mutual at 8.36 and 6.74 percent, respectively – don’t even add up to State Farm’s share. Certainly impressive, if not anything.
State Farm Home Insurance Review: Sample Rates
These sample rates from the California Department of Insurance (CDOT) offer a snapshot of State Farm’s rates for home insurance. The rates are for a home of one to three years old located in Pasadena and were calculated using a $1,000 deductible.
Dwelling Coverage Amount | $200,000 | $350,000 | $500,000 |
---|---|---|---|
State Farm Rate | $427 | $690 | $972 |
This table clearly illustrates that home insurance rates steadily increase along with the dwelling coverage. At $200,000, the average is $427 annually. With a dwelling coverage of $500,000, the average is $972 annually.
Based on NAIC data, here’s what else we know:
- The average rate for a home insurance rate in California with a dwelling coverage of $200,000–$299,000 in 2018 was $695.
- For a policy with coverage of $400,000–$499,000, the average rate was $1,021.
Remember: house insurance costs vary by state. So, specifics of location and the home itself make a big difference in rates, but at a glance, State Farm’s rates appear reasonable.
State Farm Home Insurance Review: Coverage Offered
There are various types of home insurance policies designed to cover many different types of homes. Policies include standard homeowners, condo owners, mobile home insurance, and even policies for older homes and vacation homes.
The most common type of home insurance for a single-family detached home is what is known as an HO3, or special form, homeowners policy. This is a package policy that covers the home and other structures, personal property, and liability. Optional endorsements and add-on options are also available.
The Insurance Information Institute offers a look at a sample HO3 policy that will give you an idea of what is covered.
For the next portion of our State Farm Home Insurance review, let’s take a look at the coverage options available from State Farm.
State Farm’s Home Insurance Policy Types
State Farm is a full-service insurance company and writes a wide variety of different home insurance types. Here’s a breakdown of the various home insurance policies available.
Homeowners Policies
Standard homeowners policies available from State Farm are a solid package policy and available in several form types, including the popular HO3. State Farm is known for insuring older homes, particularly those that have special historic value.
We’ll take a closer look at State Farms homeowner’s policy in a moment.
Condo Insurance Policies
Condominium insurance from State Farm is designed for the specific needs of condo owners. In most cases, the condo association has a policy that covers the structure itself, and the owner is responsible for everything else on the inside.
Condo policies comprise many of the same coverages as a homeowners policy, with the exception of a difference in dwelling coverage and the addition of loss assessment coverage, which is a coverage specific to condos covering an assessment that is levied against all owners in the event of a loss where coverage exceeds what is available from the association policy.
An example of this is major storm damage to common buildings where the cost of repairs is not entirely covered by the association policy. In that case, loss assessment will kick in to pay the difference.
Renters Insurance Policies
Renters insurance is designed specifically for those who rent a home, whether it’s a house or an apartment. The owner of the home is responsible for covering the structure but not for your personal liability or personal property. And when it comes to personal property, you can ensure that your policy includes much of what’s important to you, ranging from furniture and appliances, sentimental items, and even makeup and beauty items that you hold dear.
Essentially, renters insurance covers everything a homeowners policy would, minus the structure itself.
Have questions about home rental? Now is the time to get the lowdown on the truth about rental house insurance by doing your research by checking around, and seeking reviews. Speaking of reviews, State Farm offers a comprehensive renters policy and boasts a five out of five rating for renters insurance customer satisfaction on J.D. Power’s survey.
Mobile Home Insurance Policies
Many major insurance companies don’t offer manufactured home (mobile home) insurance or prefer to send customers over to an affiliate. However, mobile homeowners have good news — State Farm does offer this specialized coverage.
Rental Property Insurance Policies
Rental property insurance, or landlord insurance, is also available from State Farm. This policy covers the dwelling and the landlord’s liability and interests but not the renter’s personal property.
Landlord insurance also provides coverage for loss of rents, meaning if your home can’t be lived in during claim repairs, State Farm will provide a benefit to make up for the loss of income during the time it can’t be rented.
In addition to those listed above, State Farm also offers a farm and ranch policy designed for homes that also include farming or ranching operations.
State Farm’s Standard Homeowners Policy
State Farm offers little information on the standard homeowner’s policy on the company website. General information and an overview are offered, but not much past that.
Since State Farm leans on agents to sell policies and close the deal, it’s not entirely surprising that the company wants new customers to contact an agent for policy information. Online shopping for insurance is growing in popularity, especially when it comes to auto insurance, but in the home market it’s still not quite as big.
Remember: there are still ways to learn how to get house insurance quotes online; but the information won’t be quite as accessible as for other options, like car insurance. The top five insurance companies in the home market all use agents.
Still, in today’s insurance market it’s common for insurance shoppers to do their research online prior to narrowing down choices and reaching out for quotes. We expect to see more information, even from agent-driven companies.
A State Farm home insurance policy will cover all of the basics:
- Dwelling coverage, which covers the house itself
- Other structures coverage, which covers buildings not attached to the house, like a shed
- Personal property coverage, which protects the contents of your house
- Personal liability coverage, which pays for damages you owe due to negligence
- Additional Living Expenses (ALE), which pays for living expenses like a hotel or meals when you can’t live at home during a covered claim
In addition, a range of options can be added on including floaters for personal items and flood insurance through the National Flood Insurance Program.
State Farm’s Bundling Options
One of the biggest benefits of selecting State Farm for your home insurance is the availability of bundle offers with auto and life insurance policies.
The website states that the average savings in 2018 for bundling home and auto was $854.
State Farm doesn’t say what the percentage of the discount actually is, but on the car insurance page, a savings of up to 17 percent is listed. That is probably the total number with the discount split between the two policies, but it’s not made clear.
State Farm Home Insurance Discounts
Aside from the multi-policy discount for bundling auto, home, and life insurance, State Farm doesn’t list many discounts for home insurance online, but does state an agent can provide a list of discounts available based on the location. Once again, visitors are pushed toward contacting an agent.
There are two discounts specifically listed on the site, other than bundling. The home alert protection discount is available to those that install a qualifying security system in their home. These include discounts for fire, smoke, and burglar alarms and other types of home security.
The roofing discount is offered for homes that install impact-resistant roofing materials. State Farm has a list of which types of roofing qualify for the discount complete with brands and codes. There is a form that must be filled out in order to qualify.
State Farm also recommends looking at a higher deductible in order to reduce rates. In other words, in choosing between home insurance $500 or $1,000 deductible, you may go for $1,000. That doesn’t really qualify as a discount, but it can definitely save money.
State Farm Insurance Programs
As part of our comprehensive State Farm home insurance review, we want to shine a light on some of the company’s special programs.
State Farm’s Simple Insights® is a program that offers a variety of articles providing information and answering questions about insurance. It covers all of the various areas of coverage, including home insurance.
Specifically for homeowners, State Farm offers a personal items inventory designed to help customers make a list of their property to assist with claims in the future.
There are a series of videos offering a range of helpful tips on topics including home buying, home maintenance (this includes landscaping tips, a strategy that can ultimately increase your home value), and safety.
The company also provides calculators to help those trying to save up to buy a home, which is, of course, a prerequisite for buying homeowners insurance.
Enter your zip code below to view companies that have cheap home insurance rates.
Secured with SHA-256 Encryption
Canceling Your State Farm Home Insurance Policy
There are three ways to cancel a State Farm policy. It can be done over the phone, by mail, or in person. Of these two, only one can be done without contacting your agent.
The cancellation instructions begin with information on advice aimed at preventing cancellation, with suggestions for how to change billing to monthly or to talk to your agent in order to adjust your policy.
Most of the cancellation information seems focused on auto insurance, but the approach should be the same for a home policy.
Cancellation Fee
The State Farm website doesn’t list any cancellation fees, and as a general rule, there are not usually fees associated with canceling a policy. It’s best to contact your agent, however, to confirm whether or not fees are involved.
Is there a refund?
Unless you cancel on your renewal date, you should receive a refund of any premiums paid in advance that aren’t used. Where this refund comes from depends on how you pay your home insurance.
If you pay directly, you should receive a refund directly. If your home insurance is paid through an escrow account that is rolled into your mortgage, the company will refund the escrow account. From there the refund will be issued to you if appropriate.
How to Cancel
You can cancel your State Farm policy in one of these three ways.
Over the phone by contacting your State Farm agent directly. You will need to provide your policy number, name, date of birth, and Social Security Number.
By mail by sending a written request to:
Corporate Headquarters
State Farm Insurance
One State Farm Plaza
Bloomington, IL 61710
The written request should include your name, address, and phone number as well as the policy number and the date you would like the cancellation to be effective. If you are switching insurance companies, you should also include the name of the new company, policy number, and effective date.
In-person at your agent’s office. Bring along all of the same information required to cancel over the phone.
When can I cancel?
You can cancel your State Farm policy at any time. Bear in mind that if you cancel by mail you should allow at least two weeks for the mail to arrive and the cancellation to be processed.
Make sure that you have a new policy, if necessary, ready to begin on the cancellation date so that your home is not uninsured. The policy will be canceled on the date you request, and there will be no coverage after that.
How To Make a Claim with State Farm Insurance
Claims are where an insurance company really shows its true colors. You purchase insurance for this eventuality — that something goes wrong and you need help. A good insurance company should make the process as painless and smooth as possible.
State Farm makes finding claims information on their website easy, and of course, you can always contact your agent for assistance. Claims can be filed in a number of ways, including options for after-hours help. Keep reading our review to learn more:
Ease of Making a Claim
There are four ways to file a State Farm home insurance claim. During business hours, you can contact your agent directly. Your agent can gather information from you, provide advice, and arrange for any immediate assistance that is needed.
After hours, or if you don’t want to or can’t get a hold of your agent, you have several options. First, you can call the State Farm toll-free claims line at 1-800-SF-CLAIM (1-800-732-5246). This line is available 24/7 and is the quickest method of getting help. It should be your first call if the situation is an emergency and you need assistance right away.
In an emergency situation, always call 911 first, and do what you can to mitigate further damage before calling State Farm.
You can also file electronically in one of two ways. You can file online on the State Farm website, or you can file through the mobile app. Both of these methods can be used at any time of day, but there may be a delay in between submitting the claim and hearing back from the company. These methods are best for claims where you can wait for a response.
State Farm Premiums Written
A company’s ability to pay its claims is an important part of the picture. Here’s a look at how much State Farm has taken in over the past three years in premiums.
Year | Direct Premiums Written |
---|---|
2016 | $17,613,109,000 |
2017 | $17,556,871,000 |
2018 | $18,177,462,000 |
This is half of the picture. The other half is how much is paid out on claims. The next section will cover that and explain what it means to you.
State Farm Loss Ratio
Loss ratios are a measure of how much a company pays out in claims compared to how much it has taken in from premiums. Now let’s look at three years of loss ratios for State Farm.
Year | Loss Ratio % |
---|---|
2016 | 54.25% |
2017 | 80.99% |
2018 | 61.87% |
A loss ratio that is too high, over about 75 percent, is a sign that the company is paying out too much based on what it has taken in. High loss ratios can point to an upcoming increase in rates. A really high loss ratio over several years may signal financial problems.
If the ratio is too low, on the other hand, under 40 percent, the company may be charging too much for its policies based on what it pays out in claims.
We can see from the numbers above that State Farm is generally in the healthy range, with the exception of a spike in 2017.
Sometimes a spike can be explained. In this case, 2017 was the most expensive hurricane season in history. Three major hurricanes made landfall and caused a lot of damage, and insurance companies paid out a lot of claims.
State Farm got back on track in 2018, which signals that they were able to level out after a rough year. That’s a good sign of financial stability.
How to Get a State Farm Home Insurance Quote Online
You’ve reached the part of our State Farm home insurance review where we dig deeper into obtaining quotes. Although State Farm does rely on agents to sell products, they do offer online quotes for home insurance.
Step 1: Select Home and Enter Your ZIP Code
On the front page of the State Farm website, you can simply select the product for which you want a. quote (home), and enter your ZIP code to get started.
Step 2: Enter Basic Information
In this step, you will be asked to enter some basic personal information, including contact details and your home’s address. You’ll also need to provide a start date for the coverage.
Step 3: Enter Contact Information
This step requires that you provide either an email address or phone number and select your preferred method of contact. Once you submit this page, your contact information will be sent to a State Farm agent. The agent will then contact you regarding your quote.
Step 4: Enter Home Details
Once you have provided contact information, you can move on to entering details about your home that will help State Farm to calculate a quote. These things include:
- Square footage
- Age of the home
- Construction type
- Number of bedrooms and bathrooms
- Details of the interior, such as flooring and countertop materials
- Renovations and updates that have been completed
- Other features like decks, sunrooms, pools, and garages
State Farm will also gather information about you and your lifestyle. They’ll want to know about pets in the home, the number of residents, and whether smokers live in the house. For instance, some breeds of dog, like pitbulls, as well as exotic animals, may increase rates or even result in a denial of coverage.
When you’ve filled it all out to the best of your ability, you can submit it for a quote. You can then expect a State Farm agent to follow up with you.
In order to apply, you will need to provide information that is optional in the quoting process. This includes:
- Full contact information
- Social Security Number
- Information regarding your mortgage company
Your State Farm agent will walk you through this process. That’s one of the benefits of having an agent. At any point in the process, you can save the quote and have it sent to your appointed agent for help with the rest of the quote or application.
Enter your zip code below to view companies that have cheap home insurance rates.
Secured with SHA-256 Encryption
Design of State Farm Insurance Website/App
Our State Farm home insurance review wouldn’t be complete with more about the company’s website and app. State Farm’s website is as professional as you would expect from the top insurance company in the U.S. The front page offers clear and easy to locate links to all of the major areas of the site.
The site is easy to navigate and it’s not difficult to find the information you’re seeking, whether it’s product details or how to file a claim. Front and center on the site is a large quote box where a quote for the main types of insurance can be started.
State Farm also has an app through which customers can accomplish a variety of tasks. Insurance policy information can be viewed along with billing details. You can also file a claim and track the progress of an existing claim.
The app is highly rated, with a 4.8-star rating on the Apple store and a 4.2-star rating on the Google Play store. Users praise the app for its modern updates and ease of use. The main complaints appear to be related to State Farm’s usage-based driving app, which only applies to car insurance.
State Farm Home Insurance Review: Pros and Cons
State Farm is the home insurance choice for a lot of people, so they must be doing something right. But as with all insurance companies, there are both pros and cons to choosing State Farm to cover your home.
Here’s a look at some of the big ones.
Pros | Cons |
---|---|
Large, financially stable company | You will be assigned an agent even if you don't want one |
Personal service of an agent | Lack of policy details on the website |
Highly rated with a good reputation | Best rates are for those that bundle coverage |
First, let’s talk about some of the pros.
The fact that State Farm is a large, financially table company should be reassuring. This is a good indicator that at the end of the day, the insurer can handle and pay off claims. Also, having the personal service of an agent ensures that you’ll always work with someone knowledgeable. Finally, State Farm Insurance is ranked highly when it comes to overall satisfaction and complaints.
Now, the cons.
For those who may want more flexibility and options, being assigned an agent may not be their favorite aspect of their home insurance experience. In terms of finding policy details online, well, there isn’t a whole lot of it. Finally, State Farm’s rates aren’t always known to be the cheapest. If you want lower rates, you may need to bundle — which won’t be everyone’s preference.
Frequently Asked Questions: State Farm Home Insurance Review
Still have questions? As we wrap up our State Farm home insurance review, we leave with you with answers to some of the most frequently asked questions.
#1 — How do I find a State Farm agent?
State Farm’s website offers an agent search where you can find agents near you. You can enter special requirements including languages spoken, products offered, and proximity to your house. You can also search for an agent by name if you’re seeking someone in particular.
#2 — Is State Farm home insurance expensive?
Home insurance rates vary a lot. The price depends on things like location, factors about your home, factors about you, and the amount of coverage. State Farm’s rates will be calculated based on all of these things.
They may well be the cheapest option for some while on the more expensive end for others. In general, our rate sampling has shown State Farm to be competitively priced.
#3 — Does State Farm home insurance cover mold?
Most home insurance policies, including State Farm, have a list of exclusions. When it comes to home insurance and mold coverage, mold is generally excluded from coverage.
However, in order to find out what your specific policy covers, it’s important to read the fine print. Every policy is different, and you may be able to add endorsements to cover some exclusions.
#4 – What does State Farm homeowners insurance not cover?
Generally speaking, you can count on most homeowners insurance policies on having some exclusions. Known as “policy exclusions,” these items are not covered under most standard policies. In some cases, you may be able to get the coverage through a rider or endorsement, which costs more money.
According to State Farm’s website, here are some examples of policy exclusions:
- Earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, landslides
- Water damage as a result of sewer or drain backups, or seeping through walls
- Flood damage
- Mold damage
Take the time to speak to a State Farm Home Insurance agent to see what your options are, and what is excluded from their standard home insurance policies.
Enter your zip code below to view companies that have cheap home insurance rates.
Secured with SHA-256 Encryption
State Farm Home Insurance Review: The Bottom Line
We’ve officially reached the end of our State Farm home insurance review. Here’s what we can tell you:
If you want a company you can count on while still getting an affordable rate, State Farm needs to be on your shopping list. They’ve proven themselves over nearly 100 years in business and are the biggest name in home insurance.
State Farm isn’t the most progressive company out there and they will likely continue to stick with their agent model for the long haul. That said, they do offer most of the modern tools you’d expect, and once the policy is in place you can handle most day-to-day things online or with the app.
Now that you’ve finished our in-depth review of State Farm home insurance, comparing rates will be a natural next step. Find the best home insurance rates in your area now by entering your ZIP code in our free insurance comparison tool.
Enter your zip code below to view companies that have cheap home insurance rates.
Secured with SHA-256 Encryption
Joel Ohman
Certified Financial Planner
Joel Ohman is the CEO of a private equity-backed digital media company. He is a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™, author, angel investor, and serial entrepreneur who loves creating new things, whether books or businesses. He has also previously served as the founder and resident CFP® of a national insurance agency, Real Time Health Quotes. He also has an MBA from the University of South Florida. ...
Certified Financial Planner
Editorial Guidelines: We are a free online resource for anyone interested in learning more about auto insurance. Our goal is to be an objective, third-party resource for everything auto insurance related. We update our site regularly, and all content is reviewed by auto insurance experts.