Wisconsin Homeowners Insurance Quotes (2023)

In Wisconsin, the average cost of homeowners insurance is $127 per month, Insurify data shows, with Amica Mutual and American Family among the best home insurance companies in the state.

State law in Wisconsin doesn’t require a homeowner to buy home insurance. But if you have a loan on your house, the mortgage lender will probably require you to carry home insurance. If you’re shopping for home insurance in Wisconsin, be aware that your area may be prone to natural disasters such as snowstorms, ice storms, tornadoes, floods, and wildfires.

Best home insurance companies in Wisconsin

A number of top-notch home insurers serve homeowners in Wisconsin. Ultimately, though, the best home insurance company depends on your unique needs.

Find Wisconsin Home Insurance

Enter your ZIP codeGet My Quotes

Secure. Free. Easy-to-use.

Based on 3,806+ reviews

4.8/5

Best large insurer: Nationwide

Nationwide traces its roots back to 1926. In 2022, the Ohio-based insurer posted sales of $57 billion and paid nearly $19 million in claims and benefits. In J.D. Power’s 2022 U.S. Home Insurance Study, Nationwide achieved a customer satisfaction score of 816 out of 1,000 points — just two spots below the overall average.^[1]

The average cost of home insurance for Nationwide in Wisconsin is $106 a month, which is below the state average of $127.

Best insurers for cheap rates: Integrity and Stillwater

At $69 a month, Integrity and Stillwater tie for the cheapest average rate for home insurance in Wisconsin.

Integrity offers home insurance through a network of insurance agents in three states: Iowa, Minnesota, and Wisconsin. Founded in 1933, Integrity is partnered with Ohio-based Grange Insurance.

Integrity pros and cons

Florida-based Stillwater Insurance Group launched in 2000 as Fidelity National Property and Casualty Insurance Group. In addition to standard home insurance coverage, it offers a variety of additional coverage options, such as animal liability and water backup coverage.

Stillwater pros and cons

Best for winter storm coverage: The Hartford

In the winter, it’s not uncommon for many parts of Wisconsin to get several feet of snow. However, snow itself isn’t the only wintertime concern for Wisconsin homeowners.

Snow buildup can create an ice dam on your roof as melting snow turns into ice. The dam may prevent proper water drainage, allowing water to seep below the roof’s surface and into a home, damaging walls, ceilings, and other interior elements. Most standard home insurance policies cover damage from ice dams.

If you’re in the market for insurance in Wisconsin that provides wintertime protection, you might consider The Hartford, which receives high marks for customer satisfaction.

Launched in 1810 as a fire insurance company, the Connecticut-based insurer posted more than $6 billion in revenue in 2022. The company earned a third-ranked score of 839 out of 1,000 points in the J.D. Power U.S. Home Insurance Study.

Check Out: Strategies for Ice Dam Removal

Best insurer for high-value homes: Chubb

In Wisconsin, Chubb is an insurer worth exploring if you’re seeking coverage for a high-value home. Specialties at Chubb, whose U.S. headquarters is in Whitehouse Station, New Jersey, include coverage of high-value homes. It earned a fifth-place ranking in the J.D. Power 2023 U.S. Property Claims Satisfaction Study, with a score of 880 out of 1,000 points.

Best regional insurance company: American Family

American Family, based in Madison, Wisconsin, sells home insurance and other types of coverage primarily through agents in 19 states. Founded in 1927, the company reported nearly $36.1 billion in assets in 2022 and revenue of more than $14.4 billion. American Family earned a second-ranked score of 842 out of 1,000 in the J.D. Power 2022 U.S. Home Insurance Study.

Methodology

Insurify’s team of data scientists analyze millions of home insurance quotes and weigh publicly available reviews, claims payout rates, complaint indexes, financial strength scores, company reputations, and proprietary quoting data. Our editorial team applies this insight to inform our unbiased reviews and recommendations.

How much is homeowners insurance in Wisconsin?

Several factors influence how much you pay for home insurance in Wisconsin, including the location of your home and the types of coverage you choose. With that in mind, your cost may be above or below the state’s average monthly quote of $127.

How your policy choices affect home insurance rates in Wisconsin

The type of policy you purchase carries a great impact when it comes to home insurance rates in Wisconsin. Generally, three types of policies are available in the Badger State: HO-2, HO-3, and HO-8.

Your policy form

The most common types of home insurance policies in Wisconsin are the broad form (HO-2), special form (HO-3), and modified coverage form (HO-8). Comprehensive form (HO-5) policies aren’t often sold, although some homes may be covered under old HO-5 policies.^[4]

Each type of policy covers different kinds of perils. A peril is an incident that causes property damage or destruction.

• An HO-2 policy covers an array of perils, such as fires, lightning strikes, hailstorms, windstorms, theft, vandalism, and falling objects.

• An HO-3 policy covers your dwelling and detached structures (such as a stand-alone garage) for any perils that aren’t specified in the policy as being excluded. It also covers damage to personal property caused by the perils listed in an HO-2 policy.

• An HO-8 policy offers coverage for owner-occupied homes that don’t meet requirements for other kinds of policies. HO-8 policies tend to feature more restrictions than other home insurance policies, making them a good option for a home whose value has dropped significantly.

The type of policy you choose influences how much you pay for coverage. Before buying coverage, check which perils the policy does and doesn’t cover.

Your coverage level

The amount of home insurance coverage you have will also affect your premium costs. The table below shows that doubling your amount of dwelling coverage, for example, will result in much higher annual home insurance premiums.

Your deductible

A deductible is the out-of-pocket amount that you must pay before your coverage kicks in. For example, if you have a $1,000 deductible and file a $7,500 claim for roof damage that’s covered by your policy, your claim payout would be $6,500.

Typically, the higher your deductible is, the lower your home insurance premium is.

Keep Reading: How Much to Make Your Homeowners Insurance Deductible

How location affects home insurance rates in Wisconsin

In Wisconsin, as is the case in other states, your location affects your home insurance rates.

For instance, a homeowner in one ZIP code might pay more than someone who owns a similar home in a neighboring ZIP code. Why? Because the average age of homes in the pricier ZIP code may be higher than in the less-pricey ZIP code. Insurers tend to view older homes as being a greater risk than newer homes, and therefore costlier to insure. Other factors that can affect home insurance rates where you live include:

• Proximity to a fire station: The closer your home is to a fire station, the less it might cost to insure.

• Crime rate: If you live in a neighborhood with a high crime rate, you might wind up paying more for home insurance than someone in a neighborhood with a low crime rate.

• Weather: The occurrence of natural disasters in your area can push up your home insurance rates. For example, if you live in a town that’s historically been prone to tornadoes, your home insurance might be higher than it is in a town elsewhere in Wisconsin.

Natural disasters don’t plague Wisconsin the way they do in states like California and Florida, however.

“Wisconsin is kind of a boring state for insurance. We don’t have earthquakes or hurricanes or anything like that,” says Marc Petersen, chairman of Independent Insurance Agents of Wisconsin and president of American Advantage Petersen Group. “We’re more of a consumer-friendly premium state.”

Still, Petersen says that a recent series of hailstorms in Wisconsin helped trigger a roughly 10% to 15% across-the-board increase in home insurance premiums in 2023. Even so, he adds that Wisconsin remains in the top one-third of states in terms of low home insurance premiums.

What are the cheapest home insurance companies in Wisconsin?

The three home insurers with the cheapest average monthly quotes for home insurance in Wisconsin are:

• Integrity

• Stillwater

• State Auto

Those quotes are a lot lower than the average statewide quote of $127 per month. A quote you obtain for your home may be higher or lower than these quotes, based on your coverage needs.

How much homeowners insurance do you need in Wisconsin?

State law in Wisconsin doesn’t require homeowners to purchase home insurance. But if you have a mortgage on your home, your lender will probably require you to buy a home insurance policy because it wants to protect your home — and its investment.

Regardless of whether you’re required to purchase home insurance, if you buy a policy, you should understand what the policy covers and whether the coverage meets your needs.

Find Wisconsin Home Insurance

Enter your ZIP codeGet My Quotes

Secure. Free. Easy-to-use.

Based on 3,806+ reviews

4.8/5

What home insurance coverage should you buy in Wisconsin?

In Wisconsin and other states, a standard homeowners policy features several components:^[5]

• Dwelling coverage: This coverage pays to fix or rebuild your home if a fire, hailstorm, windstorm, or another disaster causes damage or destruction. Standard home insurance policies typically don’t cover damage or destruction from a flood or earthquake.

• Personal belongings: This part of a home insurance policy covers possessions, such as electronics, clothes, and furniture if they’re stolen, damaged, or destroyed. If a disaster is responsible for the loss, it’s covered only if the disaster is listed in your policy.

• Personal liability protection: This coverage kicks in if someone sues you after being injured on your property in an accident caused by a policyholder or family member. Personal liability protection also applies to damage to someone else’s property or even damage caused by your pet. This portion of your policy covers legal fees, court costs, and court judgments.

• Additional living expenses: If you’re unable to live in your home while it’s being repaired or replaced after a disaster covered by your policy, the additional living expenses part of your policy may pay some of the costs, such as hotel stays and restaurant meals.

What optional home insurance coverage should you buy in Wisconsin?

In Wisconsin, you may want to consider buying optional home insurance coverage, such as:

• Flood insurance: Standard home insurance policies normally don’t cover flood damage. But you may be able to purchase separate coverage from the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) or a private insurer.

• Insurance for valuables: In some cases, a standard home insurance policy might not adequately cover valuables such as jewelry, antiques, and artwork. So you may want to explore a scheduled personal property endorsement. Also known as a personal articles floater, this add-on typically offers higher coverage limits than a standard policy does.

• Umbrella or excess liability coverage: Umbrella or excess liability coverage goes beyond the liability coverage limits included in a standard home insurance policy. It kicks in after you’ve exhausted the regular liability coverage.

• Water backup coverage: A standard home insurance policy generally doesn’t cover damage from a water backup in your home caused by a backed-up drain, failed sump pump, or clogged sewer line. But you can purchase an add-on, or rider, to help cover water backup damage.

How much home insurance coverage should you have in Wisconsin?

How much home insurance you should maintain in Wisconsin depends on several factors, such as:

• Natural disasters: Home insurance policies generally cover many, but not all, natural disasters. For example, a standard policy often covers damage from tornadoes and snowstorms. But a typical policy usually doesn’t cover certain natural disasters, such as floods. If you’re in a flood-prone area, you may want to look into optional flood insurance.

• Replacement cost: Insurers generally require a policyholder to buy coverage that would pay for at least 80% of the home’s replacement cost. But what if that coverage is inadequate? You may want to add what’s known as extended replacement cost coverage. This add-on extends your dwelling coverage by 10% to 50% of the cost to rebuild your home.

• Crime rate: If you live in an area that’s prone to property crimes, like break-ins, you may want to investigate extra coverage for your personal belongings. The value of your belongings may exceed the coverage limits under your standard policy. To ensure you’ve got sufficient coverage for your possessions, you might consider a rider to bump up the coverage limits for high-value items.

The same home insurance policy won’t work for all homeowners, primarily because every home presents different risks. Whatever coverage you settle on, be sure to obtain quotes from at least three home insurers. This way, you can get the best deal in terms of price and coverage.

What are some of the biggest risks when owning a home in Wisconsin?

Some of the biggest risks when owning a home in Wisconsin are:

• Floods: Standard home insurance policies typically don’t cover flood damage. But you can purchase flood insurance through the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) or from a private insurer. The state’s Risk Factor tool shows that 14% of properties in Wisconsin run a 26% chance of being severely affected by flooding over the next 30 years.

• Tornadoes: Standard home insurance policies typically cover tornado damage. But if you suspect your normal coverage wouldn’t be enough, you might look into extra coverage for your home and belongings. While Wisconsin isn’t in the country’s Tornado Alley, it experiences an average of 23 tornadoes per year.^[6]

• Snowstorms: Generally, standard home insurance policies cover damage caused by fallen trees or branches, along with damage caused by wind. However, water damage triggered by a snowstorm may or may not be covered, depending on the circumstances. While big blizzards aren’t common in Wisconsin, a large slice of the state experiences three to five winter storms per year.^[7]

How can you save money on homeowners insurance in Wisconsin?

Here are four common ways to save money on homeowners insurance in Wisconsin.

Bundle home and auto insurance

If you bundle your home and auto insurance, meaning you buy both policies from the same company, you can typically score a discount on your premiums. A bundling discount may range from 5% to 25%, depending on the insurer.

Explore discounts

Aside from a bundling discount, you may qualify for other discounts. These may include discounts for improving your home security or remaining with the same insurance company for a certain period of time.

Raise your deductible

Raising your deductible can reduce your home insurance premium. For example, if you increase the deductible from $500 to $1,000, you should see your premium go down. Just make sure to set your deductible to an amount you can afford to pay out of pocket if you need to file a claim.

Comparison shop

The Insurance Information Institute recommends obtaining home insurance quotes from at least three insurers. This allows you to shop for the best coverage at the best price.

Find Wisconsin Home Insurance

Enter your ZIP codeGet My Quotes

Secure. Free. Easy-to-use.

Based on 3,806+ reviews

4.8/5

Average home replacement cost in Wisconsin

Replacement cost refers to the amount it would cost at current prices for construction materials to rebuild your home. By contrast, actual cash value refers to the amount it would cost to rebuild your home, minus the depreciated value due to your home’s age or wear and tear.

In Wisconsin, the average cost to rebuild a home is $378,006, Insurify data shows. As you shop for home insurance, be sure to consider whether you need coverage for replacement cost or actual cash value.

Wisconsin home insurance FAQs