Best Homeowners Insurance for Veterans and Military Members (2024)
With low rates, a robust menu of optional coverages, and a number of available discounts, Armed Forces Insurance is the best overall home insurance option for veterans and military members.
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Emily is a widely recognized expert on personal finance and has authored several personal finance books. She’s a frequent guest on national and regional media.
3+ years experience in insurance and personal finance editing
Katie uses her knowledge and expertise as a licensed property and casualty agent in Massachusetts to help readers understand the complexities of insurance shopping.
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Current or retired military service members may have different home insurance needs compared to their civilian neighbors. Active-duty military members need a homeowners insurance policy that will keep them covered during deployment, but they may also need special coverage to protect their personal belongings while in a war zone.
A number of homeowners insurance companies sell coverage exclusively to veterans and active-duty service members and their families. Many other insurers offer discount premiums to veteran and active-duty military members as an appreciation for their service.
USAA covers damage to military uniforms with no deductible under the personal property coverage of its standard homeowners insurance policy.
The occupancy clause of a standard homeowners insurance policy may void an active-duty service member’s coverage while deployed.
Veteran homeowners purchase about 90% of VA loans with no down payment.[1]
Best home insurance companies for veterans and military families
The following five home insurance companies offer some of the best policies and prices for veterans and military families.
See the average costs of policies with $300,000 in dwelling coverage and a $1,000 deductible below.
Insurance Company
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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.
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Average Annual Premium
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Best For
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Armed Forces Insurance
NR
$1,733
Overall
USAA
8
$2,041
Active-duty or deployed military
Farmers
8.4
$2,623
Customizable coverage
Westfield
NR
$1,080
Lowest rates
Nationwide
8.4
$2,223
Online tools
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.
Armed Forces Insurance: Best overall
Founded in 1887, Armed Forces Insurance (AFI) aims to cover veterans. AFI customers work with a dedicated insurance agent to create a customized homeowners policy that covers your unique needs. Some of the optional coverages AFI offers include earthquake, flood, water backup and sump overflow, and animal liability coverage.
The insurer also offers a number of insurance discounts and credits. You could save money by installing central station burglar and fire alarms, implementing windstorm-mitigation features, and living in a gated or guarded community.
Pros
Online resources and tools geared toward military members’ needs
Renters, auto, business, and pet insurance available
Cons
Higher-than-average number of homeowner complaints on the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) complaint index
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.
9.4/10
JD Power
J.D. Power data measures overall customer satisfaction and claims satisfaction based on a 1,000-point scale.
880
$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.
$137/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.
$190/mo
For more than 100 years, USAA has provided insurance and other financial products to members of the U.S. military community in all 50 states and Washington, D.C. As an insurer dedicated to military service members, USAA offers insurance products with unique features to meet the needs of the military community.
For example, USAA’s standard home insurance policy covers military uniforms with no deductible for deployed active-duty military members. Similarly, USAA waives its deductible for lost or damaged military equipment as well as personal property lost or damaged due to war.
Pros
AM Best financial strength rating of A++ (Superior)
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.
8.3/10
JD Power
J.D. Power data measures overall customer satisfaction and claims satisfaction based on a 1,000-point scale.
815
$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.
$147/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.
$239/mo
Though Farmers Insurance doesn’t exclusively sell coverage to military personnel, the insurance company offers a number of benefits to members of military organizations. Farmers offers an undisclosed military discount for active-duty service members and veterans, meaning your service could potentially help you save money with this insurer.
Homeowners can also customize home insurance policies with the Farmers Flex Personal Home policies. Several unique features of these customizable policies could be especially helpful for military homeowners — especially the home-sharing coverage, which can help deployed military members who rent out their homes while on duty.
Pros
Not specifically tailored to military members
Number of discounts for eco-friendly home improvements
Cons
Below-average J.D. Power customer satisfaction rating[2]
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.
$94/mo
Based out of Ohio, Westfield is a small regional insurance company with low rates. Serving Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, and West Virginia, Westfield ’s home insurance products offer great protection for your residence, personal belongings, and personal liability.
The company offers an excellent bundling option with Wespak. If you choose this coverage option of home and auto insurance bundled together, you’ll receive automatic inclusion of replacement cost coverage and roadside assistance as part of its perks.
Pros
AM Best financial strength rating of A (Excellent)
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.
8.7/10
JD Power
J.D. Power data measures overall customer satisfaction and claims satisfaction based on a 1,000-point scale.
815
$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.
$159/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.
$250/mo
Nationwide Mutual Insurance Company has a lot to offer the military community. Active-duty service members may prefer to take care of their insurance digitally since their location may change depending on deployment. Nationwide’s highly rated mobile app and user-friendly website make it a good fit for military homeowners who need online access.
While Nationwide does have local agents available to help in the 47 states where it operates, you can get a home insurance quote, start a claim, and manage your account entirely online or on the app.
Pros
Credit card fraud protection included in standard home insurance policy
Optional flood insurance available
Cons
Identity theft and water backup not included in standard policies
Not available in all 50 states
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What home insurance for veterans and military members covers
Standard homeowners insurance policies typically consist of several coverages. Before you buy a new policy, it’s a good idea to understand how each of these coverage options protects your home.
Dwelling insurance pays for damage to the structure of your home caused by a covered loss. For example, if a strong wind blows a tree onto your roof, your dwelling coverage will pay to repair the hole after you’ve met the policy deductible.
Other structures coverage
Other structures coverage will pay for the repair or replacement of unattached structures on your property, such as a garage, swimming pool, or tool shed.
Personal property coverage
Your personal property coverage pays to replace personal items lost or damaged because of a covered loss. These personal items can include anything from furniture and appliances to clothing, jewelry, sports equipment, and electronics.
Additional living expenses coverage
You may see this coverage described as loss of use coverage because it pays for your additional living expenses if you can’t live in your home or parts of the home are unusable after the damage or loss. The additional living expenses coverage will typically pay for things like temporary lodging, restaurant meals, and moving expenses.
Personal liability coverage
If you or another resident of your home is legally responsible for injury or property damage to a third party, personal liability coverage will pay for their damages and will even cover the cost of a lawsuit, up to your coverage limits.
Optional coverages to consider
While a standard homeowners policy includes the above coverages, you can also add endorsements to protect against other potential perils.
Here are some of the most common optional coverages:
Medical payments to others: If a visitor incurs an accidental injury on your property, this will cover their medical expenses.
Flood insurance: Standard coverage almost never includes flood damage. If you live in an area prone to flooding, you need to get a separate flood insurance policy.
Scheduled personal property: If you have very valuable items, you may need to purchase scheduled personal property coverage to protect your expensive belongings.
Average cost of home insurance for veterans by state
The cost of homeowners insurance can vary a great deal based on location. That’s partially because several factors important to insurance underwriting depend on your location. For example, the crime rates and frequency of accidents in your ZIP code can affect your premium costs, as can the weather in your area.
Find the average annual cost of home insurance for veterans in your state in the table below. Rates shown are for policies with a $1,000 deductible and $300,000 in dwelling coverage.
Homeowners insurance can be more complicated for active-duty and reserve military members deployed overseas. Most policies include an occupancy clause that voids coverage on homes that sit vacant for a specified period of time, such as 30 or 60 days.[3] You’ll need to discuss a vacancy permit endorsement with your insurer to make certain your home remains covered during deployment if you live alone.
Deployed service members may also need to request information about any war zone exemptions for their personal property coverage. Homeowners insurance policies will cover your personal possessions wherever you are, but they typically exclude damage or destruction of any property brought into a war zone.
Take the time to find a policy that covers your personal items, even in a war zone. For example, USAA covers uniforms and other personal property for deployed active-duty members, and it waives the deductible if you need to file a claim.
If you get a Veterans Administration (VA) loan, you’ll take out a mortgage with a regular bank or lender, but the federal government will guarantee your loan. This benefits military families by allowing them to access lower-cost loans and even purchase homes without a down payment. But even though VA loans can help you avoid certain costs, your lender will still require you to purchase homeowners insurance.
Home insurance requirements for VA loans don’t differ from conventional home loans for civilian homeowners. But military families buying a home with a VA loan should be aware of any gaps in coverage that may occur because of their military affiliation. It can be helpful to get your homeowners insurance from an insurer specifically tailored to military personnel.
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Other ways to save on home insurance for military families and veterans
You can use additional strategies to save money on homeowners insurance, including:
Get multiple quotes. Comparison shopping among several insurers is the best way to make certain that you have the lowest available price.
Bundle your coverage. Most insurance companies offer discounts to customers who purchase more than one policy. Consider purchasing your auto insurance, umbrella insurance, personal liability coverage, life insurance, or other needed insurance coverage from the same insurance company as your home insurance policy.
Increase your deductible. An easy way to lower your premium is to raise your deductible — although you’ll need to have enough money in reserve to pay the higher deductible if you have to make a claim.
Ask for discounts. Military discounts are only the beginning. You can also lower your premium costs with discounts for paying in full, enrolling in automatic payments, or being a loyal customer.
Mitigate your risks. Investing in safety equipment in your home can help reduce your risk of loss — and your insurance costs. Installing burglar alarms and fire extinguishers will often get you a discount from your insurer because it means you’re less likely to file a claim.
Homeowners insurance for veterans FAQs
The following information helps answer some of the most common questions about homeowners insurance for veterans and military service members.
Is USAA homeowners insurance only for veterans?
USAA homeowners insurance is available to veterans, military members, pre-commissioned officers, and eligible spouses and children. Civilians unrelated to military members aren’t eligible for USAA membership and insurance.
How much is USAA home insurance?
The average annual cost of USAA home insurance for a policy with $300,000 in dwelling coverage and a $1,000 deductible is $2,041 annually, according to Insurify data.
How much homeowners insurance do you need?
The insurance industry recommends insuring your home for at least 80% of its replacement cost. Many homeowners choose to insure their homes for more.
What’s the best home insurance for veterans?
The best home insurance for any specific veteran depends on a number of factors, including the value and location of the home. But veterans may want to check out insurance companies that work exclusively with military homeowners in addition to insurers that serve the general public to find the best policy for their specific needs.
Emily Guy Birken is a former educator, lifelong money nerd, and a Plutus Award-winning freelance writer who specializes in the scientific research behind irrational money behaviors. Her background in education allows her to make complex financial topics relatable and easily understood by the layperson.
Her work has appeared on The Huffington Post, Business Insider, Kiplinger's, MSN Money, and The Washington Post online.
She is the author of several books, including The 5 Years Before You Retire, End Financial Stress Now, and the brand new book Stacked: Your Super Serious Guide to Modern Money Management, written with Joe Saul-Sehy.
Edited byKatie PowersAuto and Life Insurance Editor
Katie PowersAuto and Life Insurance Editor
Licensed auto and home insurance agent
3+ years experience in insurance and personal finance editing
Katie uses her knowledge and expertise as a licensed property and casualty agent in Massachusetts to help readers understand the complexities of insurance shopping.
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USAA
Farmers
Westfield
Nationwide
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