If your renewal letter made you wince this year, you’re not imagining it. Home insurance costs rose about 12% across the country in 2025, and Insurify expects another increase by the end of 2026. Since 2021, premiums have climbed roughly 46%, nearly three times the rate of inflation over the same stretch.
It isn’t one or two unlucky states, either. The Consumer Federation of America found premiums went up in 95% of US ZIP codes between 2021 and 2024.
The same house can get very different prices from different insurers. Most people never find out, because they simply renew.
Why staying put can cost you
Every insurer weighs risk its own way. One might be cautious about roofs over 15 years old. Another might be trying to grow in your area and pricing aggressively to win new customers. Your current company has no reason to tell you that someone down the road would charge less.
That’s why the cheapest moment to save on home insurance is usually right before your renewal, when you can compare and switch without overlapping policies.
The catch has always been the hassle. Calling three or four companies, repeating your address, square footage and roof age each time, then trying to line up quotes that are worded differently. Comparison services exist to cut that down to one short form.
Do you own your home?
When did you last compare home insurance quotes?
Did your premium go up at your last renewal?
Comparing is worth a couple of minutes for you.
Based on your answers, there’s a good chance you haven’t seen what other insurers would charge for your home lately.
- Free to use, and you don’t have to switch
- One short form instead of calling insurers one by one
- See options from insurers that serve your ZIP code
Opens BestMoney.com’s free comparison form
How the comparison works
The service featured here is BestMoney.com, a comparison site that works with a network of home insurance partners. It isn’t an insurance company itself, so it doesn’t sell you a policy directly. It helps you see your options in one place.
- Enter your ZIP codePrices and available insurers vary a lot by location, so this comes first.
- Answer a few questions about your homeThings like the type of home, roughly when it was built, and what you need covered.
- Review your optionsCompare the quotes and coverage that come back, then decide whether any of them beat what you pay now.
Using it is free, and checking rates won’t affect your credit score. If nothing beats your current policy, you’ve lost a couple of minutes and gained some peace of mind.
Free · Takes about 2 minutes
What to compare besides the price
A lower premium only helps if the coverage holds up when you need it. Before you switch, put your current policy next to any new quote and check these:
| Dwelling coverage | Should be enough to rebuild your home at today’s construction costs, not what you paid for it. |
|---|---|
| Deductible | A higher deductible lowers your premium, but make sure you could pay it out of pocket after a claim. |
| Wind or hurricane deductible | In storm-prone areas this is often a percentage of your dwelling coverage, which can mean thousands of dollars. |
| Flood | Standard home policies generally don’t cover outside flooding. That’s a separate policy, often through the federal NFIP. |
| Personal property and liability | Check the limits for your belongings and for injuries that happen on your property. |
One tip from people who switch regularly: don’t cancel your old policy until the new one is active. A gap in coverage, even a day, can cause problems with your mortgage lender.
Common questions
Does it cost anything?
No. BestMoney is free for consumers. It earns money from its partners, which is also how sites like this one are funded.
Will this affect my credit score?
Checking and comparing rates through BestMoney won’t affect your credit score.
Do I have to switch if I get a quote?
No. A quote is just information. You can keep your current policy if it’s still the best fit.
Can I save money for sure?
Nobody can promise that. Savings depend on your home, your location, your claims history and what you pay today. The only way to know is to compare.
When is the best time to compare?
About 30 to 45 days before your renewal date is ideal, but any time your premium jumps is a good reason to look.