How to Get Cheap Homeowners Insurance With Bad Credit

You can lock in affordable home insurance coverage with bad credit, but you’ll need to shop around and explore your options.

Anna Baluch
Written byAnna Baluch
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Anna BaluchInsurance Writer
  • 4+ years writing insurance and personal finance content

  • MBA from Roosevelt University

Anna leverages her personal finance and insurance knowledge to create educational content that helps people make smart financial decisions.

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Chris Schafer
Edited byChris Schafer
Chris Schafer
Chris SchaferSenior Editor
  • 15+ years in content creation

  • 7+ years in business and financial services content

Chris is a seasoned writer/editor with past experience across myriad industries, including insurance, SAS, finance, Medicare, logistics, marketing/advertising, and many more.

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Updated August 7, 2024

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Your credit can be a great indicator of how likely you are to file a home insurance claim. That’s why home insurance companies often consider your credit history when setting your home insurance rates.

If you live in California, Maryland, or Massachusetts, your credit won’t be important, as these states ban the use of credit information as a home insurance rating factor.[1] If you’re in any other state and have a less-than-perfect credit history, you can still find affordable home insurance coverage by comparison shopping.

Here’s what you need to know to begin the search in your area.

Quick Facts
  • Allstate, Westfield, American Family, and AIG are some of the best insurers for homeowners with bad credit.

  • Most states allow insurers to review your credit history to create a credit-based insurance score. Lower scores can often lead to higher rates.

  • To lock in lower rates with a poor credit score, you can shop around for a better rate, improve your home, take advantage of discounts, and increase your credit score.

Cheapest homeowners insurance companies for bad credit

While it’s possible to secure a homeowners insurance policy with bad credit, you’ll likely have to pay more for it. But if you take the time to shop around and compare your options, you may be able to find an affordable coverage option for your unique situation.

To help you with your search, here’s a list of some of the cheapest home insurance companies for people with bad credit.

Insurance Company
IQ Score
The Insurify Quality (IQ) Score uses more than 15 criteria to objectively rate insurance companies on a one-to-ten scale. The Insurify editorial team researches insurer data to determine the final scores.
Average Annual Premium
Best For
Allstate4.1$1,999Best overall
WestfieldN/A$1,080Lowest rates
American Family4.3$1,657High-risk homes
AIG N/A$1,591High-value homes
  • Our editorial team spent more than 350 hours developing the Insurify Quality (IQ) Score and scoring insurance companies. The IQ Score objectively analyzes and calculates a score for insurers using more than 15 crucial criteria. The team weighted criteria by importance to the consumer — factors such as customer reviews and affordability influence the score more than availability and third-party ratings.

    We rate each company on a 1 to 10 scale based on five categories: financial ratings, customer satisfaction, affordability, customer support and transparency, and availability. Insurify updates ratings once a year or as more recent information becomes available.

    • Third-party financial ratings: Insurify uses data from AM Best, S&P, Moody’s, and more to compare insurance companies’ credit and ability to pay out future claims.
    • Customer satisfaction: To calculate this score, Insurify analyzed more than 28,000 customer reviews across 155 car insurance companies. We also consider third-party ratings from J.D. Power, the National Association of Insurance Commissioners, and Trustpilot.
    • Affordability: Our data scientists analyzed more than 90 million real-time auto insurance rates from our partners across the U.S., as well as available discounts, to calculate an affordability score.
    • Customer support and transparency: This measures coverage options, ease of claims filing, and the insurer's transparency surrounding discounts, coverages, and claims process.
    • Availability and reach: Insurify scores availability and reach by identifying the number of states in which insurers offer coverage and company size by market share.

Best overall home insurer for bad credit: Allstate

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IQ Score
The Insurify Quality (IQ) Score uses more than 15 criteria to objectively rate insurance companies on a one-to-ten scale. The Insurify editorial team researches insurer data to determine the final scores.
8.9/10
JD Power
J.D. Power data measures overall customer satisfaction and claims satisfaction based on a 1,000-point scale.
833
$300,000 Dwelling
A standard HO-3 home insurance policy typically includes dwelling, personal property, and liability coverage. The average rate displayed here reflects a policy with the following coverage limits: $300,000 dwelling; $25,000 personal property; $300,000 personal liability; $30,000 loss of use; and a $1,000 deductible for medical payments to others.
$134/mo
$500,000 Dwelling
A standard HO-3 home insurance policy typically includes dwelling, personal property, and liability coverage. The average rate displayed here reflects a policy with the following coverage limits: $500,000 dwelling; $25,000 personal property; $300,000 personal liability; $30,000 loss of use; and a $1,000 deductible for medical payments to others.
$192/mo

Allstate has been in the insurance industry since 1931. If you’re a homeowner with bad credit, it can be a solid choice for homeowners insurance due to its flexible coverage options, various discounts, and affordable premiums. You can request a quote online and bundle your policy with your auto insurance to lock in even more savings.

Pros
  • No restrictions on dog breeds or home insurance

  • HostAdvantage coverage for home-sharing hosts

Cons
  • New policies not available in California

  • Extended or guaranteed replacement cost coverage not available

Best insurer for low rates with bad credit: Westfield

Compare personalized, real-time quotes
IQ Score
The Insurify Quality (IQ) Score uses more than 15 criteria to objectively rate insurance companies on a one-to-ten scale. The Insurify editorial team researches insurer data to determine the final scores.
NR
$300,000 Dwelling
A standard HO-3 home insurance policy typically includes dwelling, personal property, and liability coverage. The average rate displayed here reflects a policy with the following coverage limits: $300,000 dwelling; $25,000 personal property; $300,000 personal liability; $30,000 loss of use; and a $1,000 deductible for medical payments to others.
$79/mo
$500,000 Dwelling
A standard HO-3 home insurance policy typically includes dwelling, personal property, and liability coverage. The average rate displayed here reflects a policy with the following coverage limits: $500,000 dwelling; $25,000 personal property; $300,000 personal liability; $30,000 loss of use; and a $1,000 deductible for medical payments to others.
$93/mo

While Westfield was originally founded to provide insurance products to farmers, it now offers cheap homeowner’s insurance. You may secure affordable coverage with bad credit by taking advantage of Westfield’s Wespak package bundles, which combine your auto and home insurance coverage into a single policy with one bill and deductible.

Pros
  • Lowest rates among other home insurers

  • Local home insurance agents available

Cons
  • Available in only 10 states

  • Restrictions on dog breeds for home insurance

Best insurer for high-risk homes: American Family

Compare personalized, real-time quotes
IQ Score
The Insurify Quality (IQ) Score uses more than 15 criteria to objectively rate insurance companies on a one-to-ten scale. The Insurify editorial team researches insurer data to determine the final scores.
9.1/10
JD Power
J.D. Power data measures overall customer satisfaction and claims satisfaction based on a 1,000-point scale.
840
$300,000 Dwelling
A standard HO-3 home insurance policy typically includes dwelling, personal property, and liability coverage. The average rate displayed here reflects a policy with the following coverage limits: $300,000 dwelling; $25,000 personal property; $300,000 personal liability; $30,000 loss of use; and a $1,000 deductible for medical payments to others.
$113/mo
$500,000 Dwelling
A standard HO-3 home insurance policy typically includes dwelling, personal property, and liability coverage. The average rate displayed here reflects a policy with the following coverage limits: $500,000 dwelling; $25,000 personal property; $300,000 personal liability; $30,000 loss of use; and a $1,000 deductible for medical payments to others.
$156/mo

American Family made its debut in 1927 and now sells homeowners insurance policies to homeowners of all types, including those with high-risk properties. It covers vacant homes, which insurers consider higher-risk, and offers a plethora of add-on coverage options for flash flooding, appliances, identity protection, and more.

Pros
  • Quotes available online

  • 24/7 support

Cons
  • Limited state availability

  • Must work with a home insurance agent to purchase a policy

Best insurer for high-value homes: AIG

Compare personalized, real-time quotes
IQ Score
The Insurify Quality (IQ) Score uses more than 15 criteria to objectively rate insurance companies on a one-to-ten scale. The Insurify editorial team researches insurer data to determine the final scores.
NR
$300,000 Dwelling
A standard HO-3 home insurance policy typically includes dwelling, personal property, and liability coverage. The average rate displayed here reflects a policy with the following coverage limits: $300,000 dwelling; $25,000 personal property; $300,000 personal liability; $30,000 loss of use; and a $1,000 deductible for medical payments to others.
$118/mo
$500,000 Dwelling
A standard HO-3 home insurance policy typically includes dwelling, personal property, and liability coverage. The average rate displayed here reflects a policy with the following coverage limits: $500,000 dwelling; $25,000 personal property; $300,000 personal liability; $30,000 loss of use; and a $1,000 deductible for medical payments to others.
$183/mo

AIG Private Client Group, or AIG, was established in 1999 and offers home insurance coverage for high-value homes. Its policies are only available for homes with insured values of greater than $750,000 in most states and $1 million in New York. Its complimentary proactive loss prevention can protect your home from water damage and its costly consequences.

Pros
  • Complimentary proactive loss protection

  • Offers guaranteed and extended replacement cost coverage

Cons
  • Only high-value homes qualify

  • No stand-alone home insurance policies

  • Insurify’s team of data scientists analyzes millions of home insurance quotes and weighs 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.

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How bad credit affects homeowners insurance rates

Credit plays a major role in how home insurance companies determine premiums. If you have bad credit, your insurer may perceive you as a high-risk customer. As a result, you might face more expensive rates than someone with a good-to-excellent credit history who may be less likely to file a claim.

Average homeowners insurance rates by credit tier

Here’s a look at how different credit scores can affect home insurance rates.

Dwelling Coverage Limit
Excellent Credit
Good Credit
Poor Credit
$250,000$1,955$2,080$2,246
$300,000$2,234$2,377$2,567
$500,000$3,387$3,603$3,891

What to know about credit-based insurance scores

Credit-based insurance scores aim to predict the likelihood that you’ll file a home insurance claim. A poor score can position you as a risky consumer.

Insurers consider a number of factors when creating your credit-based insurance score, including your payment history, the age of your credit accounts, the types of credit you have, your credit card balances and credit limits, and any accounts in collections.

If your credit-based insurance score includes a history of late payments, high credit usage, collections on accounts, and several recent credit applications, you can expect higher homeowners insurance rates than a low-risk person with a higher credit score.[2]

Find Cheap Home Insurance with Poor Credit

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How to get cheap home insurance with bad credit

If you have bad credit, these tips may help you land more affordable home insurance coverage.

  • Shop around. Take the time to explore different companies to find the one that best matches your particular budget and preferences. You can use an online comparison platform to review several different insurance offerings quickly.

  • Look into discounts. Many home insurance companies offer discounts to help policyholders save money on their insurance. Find out if you qualify for any discounts, such as a new home discount, bundling discount, or loyalty discount. You may even qualify for a discount you didn’t know existed.

  • Improve your home. Adding safety features can often lower your home insurance rates. This is particularly true if you live in an older home that costs more to insure. Ask your insurer if there are any applicable discounts for the installation of new safety features.

  • Review your coverage. Make sure you only invest in the home insurance coverage you need. If you find that you have an add-on you don’t need, for example, drop it.

  • Boost your credit score. Pay your bills on time, don’t rack up too much debt, and only apply for new credit when you absolutely need to. All of this will improve your credit history and your credit-based insurance score.

Can you get homeowners insurance without a credit check?

It’s possible to get home insurance without a credit check. But this isn’t guaranteed if you live in a state other than California, Maryland, or Massachusetts. Most home insurers outside these states will consider your credit history, so you should work to improve it and be wary of any insurer who claims to not check your history.[3]

Bad credit homeowners insurance FAQs

If you want to learn more about your options, check out this additional information about home insurance policies for people with bad credit.

  • What’s a good credit score for homeowners insurance?

    A good credit score for a home insurance policy starts at around 690. If you have a lower credit score, you’ll likely pay higher rates for coverage.

  • Which homeowners insurance companies are cheapest for people with poor credit?

    Allstate, Westfield, American Family, and AIG offer the most competitive rates for homeowners with bad credit. Keep in mind that the rates you receive will depend on your specific credit history, ZIP code, preferred deductible, home’s age, available discounts, and other factors.

  • Which companies offer cheap homeowners insurance without a credit check?

    Most reputable home insurance companies consider your credit history when determining your rates. It can be difficult to find a home insurer that skips a credit check during the underwriting process.

  • Can an insurance company deny you coverage because of your credit?

    Yes, a home insurance company can deny coverage due to your credit. The exception to this is if you live in California, Maryland, or Massachusetts, where an insurer can’t deny you coverage because of your credit.

Sources

  1. Maryland Insurance Administration. "USE OF CREDIT HISTORY FOR HOMEOWNERS INSURANCE."
  2. DISB. "How an Insurance Company Can Use Your Credit Score to Determine Your Premium."
  3. NAIC. "Credit-based Insurance Scores."
Anna Baluch
Anna BaluchInsurance Writer

Anna Baluch is a Cleveland-based personal finance and insurance expert. With an MBA from Roosevelt University, she enjoys writing educational content that helps people make smart financial decisions. Her work can be seen across the internet on many publications, including Freedom Debt Relief, Credit Karma, RateGenius, and the Balance. Connect with Anna on LinkedIn.

Chris Schafer
Edited byChris SchaferSenior Editor
Chris Schafer
Chris SchaferSenior Editor
  • 15+ years in content creation

  • 7+ years in business and financial services content

Chris is a seasoned writer/editor with past experience across myriad industries, including insurance, SAS, finance, Medicare, logistics, marketing/advertising, and many more.

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