The Best Home Insurance in Ohio for 2023

If you’re one of the roughly two-thirds of Ohioans who own their own home, you likely want to take good care of your investment. That means buying homeowners insurance that covers the most common disasters you’re likely to face in Ohio, such as winter weather and flooding. NerdWallet analyzed rates from companies across the state to find the best homeowners insurance options in Ohio.

Note: Due to underwriting practices and market volatility, some companies in this article may no longer write new policies in your area.

If you’re looking to buy homeowners insurance from a well-rated national brand, consider one of these insurers from NerdWallet’s list of Best Homeowners Insurance Companies.

See more details about each company to help you decide which is best.

America’s largest home insurer celebrated its 100th anniversary in 2022. One useful endorsement you can add to a State Farm policy is an inflation guard rider, which automatically increases your policy limits to ensure your coverage doesn’t fall short.

State Farm also offers a free Ting device as a perk for home insurance policyholders. Ting is a smart plug that monitors your home’s electrical network to help prevent fires.

Homeowners policies from Farmers may include two valuable types of insurance: extended dwelling and replacement cost coverage. Extended dwelling coverage gives you extra insurance for the structure of your house, while replacement cost coverage offers higher reimbursement for stolen or destroyed belongings.

Some Farmers policies also come with perks that can save you money. For example, with claim forgiveness, Farmers won’t raise your rate for a claim as long as you haven’t filed one within the past five years.

Based in Pennsylvania, Erie is a regional insurer that offers guaranteed replacement cost for the structure of your home. With this coverage, the company will pay to rebuild your home completely after a disaster, even if the amount exceeds your dwelling limit. 

Have you got a car to insure, too? If you bundle your home and auto insurance with Erie, you could get a discount of around 20%. You may also be able to save if your home has certain safety and security features, such as smoke alarms or sprinkler systems.

Cincinnati Insurance sells homeowners policies through independent agents, with various options for standard and high-value homes. You may be able to add coverage for things like identity theft, personal cyberattacks or certain types of water damage.

Cincinnati may offer you a discount for bundling home and auto insurance, having a newer home, installing a centrally monitored alarm system or going a certain amount of time without filing a claim.

Michigan-based Frankenmuth sells policies through local independent agents and has been in business since 1868.

You may save money on a Frankenmuth homeowners policy by bundling it with auto insurance, having protective devices in your home or going a certain amount of time without filing a claim. The company has two homeowners coverage packages — one for standard homes and one with extra features for higher-value houses.

Founded in Madison, Wisconsin, American Family receives fewer consumer complaints than expected for a company of its size, according to the NAIC. You may be able to customize your policy with optional add-ons such as identity theft, equipment breakdown or service line coverage, which pays for repairs to water, power or other underground lines that run to your house.

Homeowners may save on their premiums by installing smart-home devices, bundling multiple policies or setting up automatic payments.

We like Nationwide for its wide variety of coverage options. For example, its standard homeowners insurance policy generally includes ordinance or law coverage, which can help pay to bring your home up to current building codes after a covered claim. In addition, you can add other coverage for things like identity theft and damage from backed-up sewers and drains.

Depending on how much personal assistance you need, you can get a quote for homeowners insurance on the Nationwide website or work with a local agent instead. You can also use the website to pay bills, file claims or check claim status.

USAA sells homeowners insurance to veterans, active military and their families. If you fall into one of those groups, you might want to look into USAA’s offerings. The company’s homeowners policies include some unique perks, such as deductible-free coverage for military uniforms and coverage for identity theft.

Homeowners in Ohio can participate in the company’s Connected Home program, which gives you a discount on your policy if you buy and install approved smart-home devices. These include water leak sensors, cameras and thermostats.

The average annual cost of home insurance in Ohio is $1,140. That’s 37% less than the national average of $1,820.

In most U.S. states, including Ohio, many insurers use your credit-based insurance score to help set rates. Your insurance score is similar but not identical to your traditional credit score. 

In Ohio, those with poor credit pay an average of $2,775 per year for homeowners insurance, according to NerdWallet’s rate analysis. That’s 143% more than those with good credit.

How much you pay for home insurance in Ohio may vary slightly depending on where you live. For example, the average cost of homeowners insurance in Cincinnati is $1,170 per year. In Cleveland, homeowners insurance costs about $1,155 per year, on average. 

Here are the insurers we found with average annual rates below the Ohio average of $1,140.

With lake effect snow off Lake Erie, Ohio, homeowners are likely well aware of the perils of winter weather on their property. However, they may be less attuned to the risk of flooding, which homeowners insurance doesn’t typically cover. While uncommon, floods can be devastating, like the Ohio River flood of 2018.

Severe weather can cause serious damage to a home. Standard homeowners policies cover damage from problems you might encounter in the colder months, such as burst pipes or heavy snow and wind. 

However, your policy won’t cover everything. You may find, for example, that you need separate flood insurance for flooding caused by melting snow. Or if a tree falls on your property in a storm, your insurer may pay to fix your home and remove the tree but not to replace it. Check your policy or contact your agent if you’re unsure about your coverage.

Floods can wreak havoc on a home and rack up quite the bill and a standard homeowners policy won’t help you pay for it. Instead, you’ll need separate flood insurance. While your mortgage lender may require you to buy flood insurance if your home is in a high-risk area, even homes outside of traditional floodplains can experience flood damage.

To find out if you’re at risk, put your address into the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s flood maps or visit RiskFactor.com, a website from the nonprofit First Street Foundation. Even if you have a low risk, it may be worthwhile to purchase flood insurance to protect yourself financially.

While you can buy flood coverage anytime, there is typically a 30-day waiting period before the insurance takes effect.

Although tornadoes are relatively rare in Ohio, they can cause significant destruction when they blow through. Homeowners insurance covers tornado damage, but because a twister can destroy your home, you’ll want to ensure you have enough dwelling coverage to rebuild the structure of your house entirely. 

For example, if you have $200,000 of coverage and it costs $250,000 to rebuild due to inflation, you’ll be on the hook for that final $50,000. Call your insurance agent for help choosing the proper coverage limits.

In Ohio, the Department of Insurance oversees the insurance industry. It’s where you can learn more about insurance regulations in the state or file a complaint against your insurance company. For direct assistance, you can call the agency toll-free at 800-686-1526.