How To Get Health Insurance In Ohio

Cincinnati Insurance is the cheapest Ohio home insurance company, among carriers surveyed. Its average rate for Ohio homeowners is $1,323 a year, or $110 a month. That's $784 less than the state average, and about $980 less than the national average.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

Ohio is the 24th least expensive state in the country for home insurance and the average cost of home insurance in Ohio is $2,107.
Cincinnati Insurance is the cheapest home insurance company in Ohio with an average rate of $110 per month.
Ohio homeowners can save up to 19% if they bundle auto and home insurance from the same company.
Get at least three price quotes when shopping for coverage. Doing so can save you up to hundreds of dollars annually, suggests Insurance.com's Senior Consumer Analyst Penny Gusner.

5 Best homeowners insurance companies in Ohio

Cincinnati Insurance: Best for price
Erie: Best for customer service
Liberty Mutual: Best for claims
Farmers: Best for discounts
Grange: Best for auto/home bundle rates

Methodology: We used consumer survey data to identify the five best homeowners insurance companies in Ohio. To further narrow the list down to four carriers, we looked at:

A.M. Best financial ratings for an insurer's ability to meet its financial obligations
J.D. Powers annual study for customer satisfaction ratings
Size of carrier based on number of policies written
Insurance.com rate analysis based on homeowners insurance quotes in Ohio
Carrier policy offerings, discounts available, and special coverages

Best for price: Cincinnati Insurance

Cincinnati Insurance was the cheapest Ohio homeowners insurance company among those surveyed, with an average rate of $1,323 for $300,000 dwelling and liability coverage. In addition to standard coverage and discounts, it offers:

Enhanced Replacement Cost and Guaranteed Replacement Cost that covers you in case the cost to rebuild your home exceeds your policy limits.
An Executive Capstone policy offers tailored coverage for high-value homes.
You can also get personal cyber protection and identity theft coverage.
Golf cart coverage is also available as an add-on.
Cincinnati Insurance also sells earthquake insurance.

Best for customer service: Erie

Erie excels in treating its customers right, and as a result, has a super low complaint ratio filed with Ohio state regulators. It also received a four-star rating for customer service in the 2021 Best Homeowners Insurance Companies ranking. Erie had the highest percentage of customers who said they'd recommend it (89%). Ninety-one percent said they'd renew their coverage with Erie. The trade-off is Erie's somewhat higher pricing ($2,247) for Ohio homeowners. Also, Erie is only available in 12 states, and you can't apply or manage claims online, you have to do it over the phone. In addition to standard coverage and discounts, it offers:

Guaranteed replacement cost, which means your home will be repaired or rebuilt, without any deduction for "wear and tear," or depreciation
Pets are covered up to $5,000
Theft or loss of your belongings

Endorsements, or add-on coverage you can add to your policy include:

Coverage for hard-to-replace items, such as deeds and passports
Jewelry, art and high-end valuables coverage
Identity theft recovery
Water backup and sump overflow coverage
Coverage for underground utility lines and pipes

Best for claims: Liberty Mutual

Liberty Mutual received the highest score for claims handling in the Best Home Insurance Companies 2021 rankings for the Midwest. Its average Ohio home insurance rate is high ($3,160), compared to most major carriers, but it offers some specialty coverages and you can file and manage claims online. In addition to standard coverage and discounts, it offers:

Optional replacement cost for your belongings, which means you paid the actual cash value for items at the time of loss, then up to the full amount of the cost in today's market.
Covers your property for damage caused by wind and hail, in a standard policy, and is designated specifically for wind and hail damage, not just weather damage. (Your state may require a separate deductible for this coverage.)
Optional hurricane coverage, designated specifically for hurricane damage, not just weather damage. (Your state may require a separate deductible for this coverage.)

Add-on coverages:

Inflation protection -- automatically adjust your coverage limits at your policy's renewal to keep pace with inflation and you will also receive a discount on your policy premium.
Water, sump pump and sewer backup damage
Jewelry protection that replaces your jewelry if it is lost or stolen, with no deductible or up-front appraisal necessary.

Best for discounts: Farmers

Farmers had the most home insurance discounts among carriers surveyed – 17 price breaks, with five of those available only in some states. Its average Ohio home insurance rate ($2,442) is a bit higher than most major carriers surveyed, but it received four stars (out of five) for customer service and claims among Midwest homeowners. It also has flexible coverage plans for three homeowner profiles.

In addition to standard coverages, Farmers offers:

Vanishing deductible
Being able to file a claim without a rate increase if you've had no claims in five years as a policyholder.
Having cosmetic damage paid for when you file a claim for functional damage.
Price breaks on an ADT Security system, which partners with Farmers to provide two types of systems.
Farmers' Smart Home Plan policies offer standard, enhanced and premiere policies, each designed to meet the needs of homeowners in different life stages. Within each of these packages you can raise or lower coverage limits, and add or change coverage.

Discounts beyond the standard include those for:

Green-certified homes
Connected homes
Discount for those with a Farmers renters policy who switch to homeowner coverage

Best for home/auto bundle rates: Grange

Grange's average bundle rate saved Ohio homeowners 33%, or about $725 a year, on their coverage, more than other major carriers surveyed in Insurance.com's 2020 home auto bundle rate analysis. It's based in Columbus, Ohio and offers personalized, local service through a network of independent agents.

In addition to standard coverages, it offers:

Assisted living care adds protection for a loved one's personal belongings while they're in an assisted living facility.
Equipment breakdown coverage pays for items such as heating, cooling, or ventilation systems if there's a sudden, accidental breakdown, and also covers items such as backup generators and pool equipment.
Identity theft and home cybersecurity coverage.
Sewer, drain and sump pump backup coverage.
Coverage for underground service lines from your house to the street for water, waste, heating, cable and Internet connections.

Discounts beyond the standard include:

DIY home inspection
Home maintenance
Smart fire alarm

Cheapest homeowners insurance companies in Ohio

Cincinnati Insurance, USAA, Allstate, Garrison, Travelers and Nationwide are the cheapest homeowners insurance companies in Ohio, based on a rate analysis by Insurance.com. These rates were fielded from major companies for nearly every ZIP code in the state and averaged by company and coverage level.

It's crucial to shop around for the best home insurance rate because prices for the same coverage vary by hundreds of dollars. That means, if you don't compare rates, you may wind up overpaying.

Each carrier uses its own method for deciding what you pay, which is why prices differ so much. Insurance.com Senior Consumer Analyst Penny Gusner suggests getting at least three price quotes when shopping for coverage and says that doing so can save you up to hundreds of dollars annually.

Below are average home insurance rates, ranked by the company for a policy with $300,000 in dwelling and liability coverage with a $1,000 deductible.

Cheapest Home Insurance Companies in Ohio
Company	Average rate	Difference from overall average state rate of $2,107	Difference from national average of $2,305
Cincinnati Insurance	$1,323	$784 less	$982 less
USAA	$1,521	$586 less	$784 less
Allstate	$1,556	$551 less	$749 less
Garrison	$1,642	$465 less	$663 less
Travelers	$1,707	$400 less	$598 less
American Family	$1,712	$395 less	$593 less
Nationwide	$1,823	$284 less	$482 less
Erie	$2,247	$140 more	$58 less
State Farm	$2,371	$264 more	$66 more
Farmers	$2,442	$335 more	$137 more
Safeco	$2,725	$618 more	$420 more
Foremost	$2,836	$729 more	$531 more
Liberty Mutual	$3,160	$1,053 more	$855 more
Farmers	$3,671	$1,564 more	$1,366 more

Ohio homeowners insurance rates by ZIP code

The most expensive ZIP code for home insurance in Ohio is 45623, home to Crown City, where the average rate is $2,532. The cheapest ($1,748) is Cleveland ZIP code 44124.

Many factors affect home insurance rates. Chief among them is where you live, which is why rates vary a great deal depending on your ZIP code. In addition to location, what you pay is also influenced by the following:

Your home's square footage
Building costs in your area, and your own home's construction, materials and features
Local crime rates
The likelihood of certain types of disasters, such as hurricanes

Ohio homeowners insurance calculator

By entering your ZIP code in the search box, you'll see the average home insurance rate for that area, as well as the highest and lowest premium fielded from major insurers. This will give you an idea of how much you can save by comparing home insurance rates. The difference between the highest rate and the lowest rate is how much you can save by shopping your policy.

What is the average home insurance cost in Ohio?

The average home insurance cost in Ohio is $2,107. That puts it in the middle of the pack, compared to the average rates for homeowners insurance by state. Ohio is the 24th least expensive state in the country for home insurance. Its average cost is $198, or 9%, less than the national average of $2,305, for the coverage level of:

$300,000 dwelling coverage
$1,000 deductible
$300,000 liability

Homeowners insurance rates in Ohio by city

Though you can see how much coverage costs for your neighborhood by using our average rates tool above, you may want to know the cost of a policy in your city, and how it compares to others. Below we provide rates for Cincinnati homeowners insurance, as well as Columbus and eight other large cities in Ohio.

Homeowners Insurance Rates by City
City	Average rate	$ Difference from state average
Cincinnati	$2,102	$5 less
Akron	$1,595	$512 less
Canton	$2,000	$107 less
Cleveland	$2,025	$82 less
Columbus	$2,077	$30 less
Dayton	$2,200	$93 more
Toledo	$2,236	$129 more
Youngstown	$2,235	$128 more

Homeowners insurance rates in Ohio by company

Below are average yearly and monthly home insurance rates, ranked by the company for a policy with $300,000 in dwelling and liability coverage with a $1,000 deductible. You'll see Cincinnati Insurance is the cheapest, among carriers surveyed.

USAA, is the second cheapest, but on Feb. 5 announced it would cut rates in response to people being inside their homes more due to COVID-19.

USAA is reducing homeowners insurance rates in Ohio by as much as 4.9%, with active-duty military members potentially getting up to a 14% decrease, according to a company statement. Those with an existing policy will see the savings upon renewal, and those who buy a new policy will get a discount when they purchase.

Homeowners Insurance Rates by Company
Company	Average yearly rate	Monthly rate
Cincinnati Insurance	$1,323	$110
USAA	$1,521	$127
Allstate	$1,556	$130
Garrison	$1,642	$137
Travelers	$1,707	$142
American Family	$1,712	$143
Nationwide	$1,823	$152
Erie	$2,247	$187
State Farm	$2,371	$198
Farmers	$2,442	$204
Safeco	$2,725	$227
Foremost	$2,836	$236
First Liberty	$3,160	$263
Liberty Mutual	$3,160	$263
Farmers Insurance of Columbus	$3,671	$306

Homeowners insurance rates in Ohio by coverage level

Below we show the average cost of Ohio homeowners insurance for 10 coverage levels, based on a rate analysis by Insurance.com. As you can see, the difference in price between low liability limits and the recommended higher amount is negligible, less than $20.

Homeowners Insurance Rates by Coverage Level
Coverage Set	Average rate
$200,000 with $100,000 Liability	$1,599
$200,000 with $300,000 Liability	$1,612
$300,000 with $100,000 Liability	$2,093
$300,000 with $300,000 Liability	$2,107
$400,000 with $100,000 Liability	$2,564
$400,000 with $300,000 Liability	$2,496
$500,000 with $100,000 Liability	$2,830
$500,000 with $300,000 Liability	$2,843
$600,000 with $100,000 Liability	$3,211
$600,000 with $300,000 Liability	$3,220

Homeowners insurance discounts in Ohio

There are several ways to reduce your Ohio home insurance costs. Many insurers will lower your bill if you purchase more than one type of insurance policy from them. This process – known as "bundling" – is one of the highest homeowners insurance discounts you can get. In Ohio, the average bundle savings is 19% but can be up to 33% depending on your insurance company.

You can also cut your costs by making your home more disaster-resistant. Installing hurricane glass or accordion shutters might net you a discount.

Other possible home insurance discounts include:

Installing smoke detectors, a burglar alarm or dead-bolt locks -- 5% each
Installing a sprinkler system, and a fire and burglar alarm -- 15% to 20%
Loyalty discounts – about 4% on average, after three to five years, and 6% for six years or more

Home-auto discount bundle in Ohio

Ohio homeowners who buy coverage for both home and auto from the same company can save an average of about $340 a year, or 19%, based on Insurance.com's rate 2021 bundle analysis. But some carriers offer more than that, some less. Here's how companies compare for home-auto bundles in Ohio:

Home-Auto Discount Bundle in Ohio
Company	Bundle $ saving	Bundle discount
Grange	$725	33%
Nationwide	$593	33%
State Farm	$584	33%
Allstate	$441	24%
Erie	$378	22%
Cincinnati	$230	18%
Farmers	$281	15%
Auto Owners	$223	14%
Westfield	$131	7%
American Select	$77	7%

FAQs by Ohio homeowners

Does homeowners insurance cover floods in Ohio?

Flood insurance is not part of a normal home insurance policy. Instead, you need to buy a separate home insurance policy through the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) or an insurer that works with NFIP.

Flood insurance rates are standard, so you don't have to shop around. You'll pay the same amount for flood insurance for your property regardless of company. Nationally, the average flood insurance premium was $642 in 2018, according to the Insurance Information Institute.

The average amount of flood coverage per policy in the U.S. was $257,000 in 2018, according to the Insurance Information Institute.

The average flood claim in 2018 in the U.S. was $42,580. That was down significantly from $91,735 in 2017, a year of several significant hurricane strikes in the U.S.

You might think that you don't need flood insurance because you don't leave near a major river and you're not in a flood zone. But your home may still be at risk.

As of 2019, 28,759 flood insurance policies were active in Ohio, representing $5.7 billion in coverage.

That included 5,296 direct NFIP flood insurance policies representing $844 million, and 23,463 write-your-own policies representing $4.8 billion.

Ohio ranked 11th among all states and the District of Columbia in flood damage claims paid out during 2020. Claims totaled $13.3 million, according to the Federal Emergency Management Agency. While the federal government underwrites the majority of flood insurance policies in the U.S. under NFIP, a handful of private insurers also offer flood policies. In 2019, the top three private companies nationally in terms of providing flood insurance were:

Assurant Inc.
Zurich Insurance Group
Swiss Re Ltd

If you want flood insurance, you will need to have it for 30 days before it takes effect. This means you can't wait until potential flooding is on the way to take out a policy.

Does homeowners insurance cover earthquakes in Ohio?

Earthquakes are not usually synonymous with the Buckeye State. In fact, a major quake hasn't hit Ohio in more than a century.

Ohio does get hit by smaller earthquakes though. Homeowners insurance does not cover earthquake damage. However, you can often get earthquake coverage through an endorsement to your homeowners policy, or as a separate policy. Most home insurance companies serving Ohio offer earthquake insurance.

Premiums are low, but nationally, earthquake deductibles typically range between 5% and 15% of the policy limit, according to III.

How can I keep insurance rates low in Ohio?

In addition to comparing rates at least once a year and maintaining good credit, you want to maintain your home to decrease the chance of filing a claim. Of course you're paying for insurance to help repair or replace your home should the worst happen, say a fire or severe storm does major damage, and in those cases you should file a claim. But if you have minor damage, say under $1,000, it doesn't make financial sense to do so because your rates will go up, so in the long run, you'll pay more than if you pay for the repairs yourself.

Raising your deductible also can help you save money. For example, taking on a $1,000 can cut your insurance costs by 25%, according to the Insurance Information Institute. However, do not raise your deductible unless you are sure you will have enough cash handy to meet the deductible should you need to file a claim.

Why isn't wear-and-tear on my home covered by insurance?

Ohio winters are rough and your home may take the brunt of it. Winter is a common time when Ohio homeowners need to file a home insurance claim.

Winter-time problems that your home insurance covers include:

Roof damage and collapse
Ice dams
Water damage from burst pipes
Burner blowbacks
Damage caused by animals

Though insurance companies will likely help you repair damage from the events above, they might think differently if it's an ongoing trend. Insurers expect you to correct problems. So if you have a leaky roof, they presume you will repair it and not file more claims in a year.

If you don't correct an ongoing problem, they will likely increase your rates and may even drop you. Insurance companies don't like taking on risk. If you file too many claims, an insurer will feel you're too risky and look to offset that risk either by increasing rates or not renewing your policy.

What if no insurer will cover me?

If you can't find home insurance, the Ohio FAIR Plan Underwriting Association will help you. But make sure it's the last resort.

The FAIR Plan is similar to any other home insurance policy. A FAIR Plan covers you for fire, vandalism and other damages.

The FAIR Plan may cover your home when no one else will, but it's not a guarantee. The association will inspect your home to determine whether you're eligible for coverage.

One word of warning: FAIR Plans usually cost a lot more than standard home insurance, and may not offer coverage that is as robust as you can get with most insurance companies. So, make sure you do all you can to get a plan through a regular home insurance company before inquiring about a FAIR Plan.

How do I file a home insurance claim in Ohio?

There comes the point in every homeowner's life when you have to file a claim. Your house may have caught fire, your burner may have filled your home with smoke or a tree may have crashed through your roof. Whatever the case, you need to take similar steps to file a claim.

First, notify your insurer as soon as you can. If the home is damaged, make temporary repairs that protect against further damage. For instance, if there's a hole in your roof, patch your roof, but don't completely redo the roof.

Keep all damaged property so the insurance adjuster can review. Also, take photos of the damage and write down what happened, so you're prepared when you need to offer that detail to your insurance company.

An insurance adjuster will visit the property and check out the damage.

How do I file a complaint against my insurance company in Ohio?

If you need to file a complaint, contact the Ohio Department of Insurance Consumer Services Division at 1-800-686-1526. A representative will discuss your insurance rights and how to file a complaint.

If you prefer, you can file a complaint online. If you prefer to file by mail, call the number above and request a hard copy of the complaint form.

Mail complaints to:

Ohio Department of Insurance

Consumer Services Division

50 West Town Street

Third Floor/Suite 300

Columbus, OH, 43215

Before you contact the state, make sure you have the insurance company's name, policy number, claim number and any other documents, such as letters and photos. The state representative may ask questions about that information, so it's important you're prepared and don't have to call back.

Once you file a complaint, you should hear back from the state within a couple of weeks. The Department of Insurance says it will "strive to keep you informed" of progress in the case. Investigations usually take about 30 days.

How long does the home insurance company have to settle a claim in Ohio?

The insurance company has 15 days to acknowledge receipt of your claim, another 21 days to approve. or reject the claim, and then another 10 days to make issue payment on an approved claim.