Homeowners Choice insurance review: Ideal for FL homeowners
Homeowners Choice specializes in home and private flood insurance coverage for homeowners in high-risk areas of Florida. Check rates & get quotes today.
By
Jessica OlivoJessica OlivoFreelance contributorJessica Olivo is a writer living in Connecticut. She specializes in web and blog content in a variety of topics such as parenting, business, and culture, as well as serialized and short fiction.After working in publishing and book publicity for many years, she transitioned to freelance writing full time.
Edited by
Jennifer GimbelJennifer GimbelSenior Managing Editor & Home Insurance ExpertJennifer Gimbel is a senior managing editor at Policygenius, where she oversees all of our insurance coverage. Previously, she was the managing editor at Finder.com and a content strategist at Babble.com.
Our proprietary ratings methodology takes multiple factors into account, including customer satisfaction, cost, financial strength, and policy offerings. See the “Ratings methodology” section for more details.
3.7
AM Best rating
AM Best is a global credit rating agency that scores the financial strength of insurance companies on a scale from A++ (Superior) to D (Poor).
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Cost
Using a mix of internal and external rate data, we grade the cost of each insurance company's premiums on a scale from least expensive ($) to most expensive ($$$$$).
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The bottom line
Homeowners Choice insurance is best for Florida homeowners who are looking to purchase both home and private flood insurance coverage. It’s one of few insurers willing to write policies in The Sunshine State due to the extreme weather that puts many homeowners at greater risk of filing a claim.
But buyer beware. Homeowners Choice scored terribly on our customer service rating scale; it received nearly six times the number of complaints than other insurers of its size in 2021.
Specializes in coverage for Florida homeowners in high-risk areas
Offers private flood insurance coverage
Earns an A (Exceptional) score with financial strength rating company Demotech
Cons
Receives nearly 6 times the number of complaints than other insurers of its size
Can’t bundle home and auto insurance
Website provides very little information and transparency about coverages it offers
Basic coverages offered
Homeowners Choice insurance policies include these six standard coverages to protect your home, belongings, and personal liability:
Dwelling coverage: Pays to repair or rebuild the structure of your home after a covered loss.
Other structures coverage: Pays to repair or rebuild other structures on your property not connected to your home, including detached garages, storage sheds, and fencing.
Personal property coverage: Pays to repair or replace your personal belongings after a covered loss, including furniture, clothing, tech gadgets, and other stuff you own.
Loss of use coverage: Pays for hotel stays, restaurant bills, pet boarding fees, and other temporary living expenses after a covered loss if you need to live elsewhere while your home is being rebuilt.
Personal liability coverage: Pays for legal and medical expenses if someone is injured or their belongings are damaged while at your home and you’re found legally responsible.
Medical payments coverage: Pays for small-dollar medical bills if someone is injured while at your home — regardless of who is at fault.
Additional coverages offered
You can add these additional coverages to your Homeowners Choice home insurance policy for even more protection:
Equipment breakdown: Pays for repairs to your refrigerator, washing machine, water heater, and other home appliances due to mechanical or electrical breakdown.
Screened enclosures: Covers damage to screened enclosures you might have around your pool, deck, or porch.
Private flood insurance: Covers damage to your home caused by flooding with higher coverage limits than those offered by the National Flood Insurance Program.
Condo insurance: Purchased as a supplement to your condo association’s master policy, condo insurance covers your personal belongings, the interior structure of your condo unit, and personal liability.
Golf cart coverage: Provides damage and liability protection for rented golf carts.
Ratings methodology
Price
2.9/5
Our price rating scale looks at home insurance rates for a policy with $300,000 in dwelling coverage, as well as the total number of discounts offered. Homeowners Choice’s average annual rate of $2,813 is 39% above the national average.
Customer experience
3.0/5
Our customer experience scale uses data from the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) complaint index. Homeowners Choice has a score of 5.82, which means it receives nearly six times more complaints than expected for a company of its size. (The expected number would be 1.0.)
Coverage options
3.9/5
Our coverage options rating is based on both the number and quality of additional coverage and policy options offered by the company. Homeowners Choice scores above average.
Financial strength
4.4/5
Our financial strength rating is a weighted combination of three industry-leading metrics to measure a company’s financial health: AM Best, Standard & Poor’s, and Moody’s. Since Homeowners Choice is not rated by any of these companies, we based its score on its A (exceptional) rating from Demotech, another rating firm that measures the financial strength and stability of insurance carriers.
How much does Homeowners Choice insurance cost?
The average cost of home insurance with Homeowners Choice is $2,813 per year for a policy with $300,000 in dwelling coverage. This makes Homeowners Choice 39% more expensive than the national average.
Here’s the average cost of home insurance with Homeowners Choice for five different levels of dwelling coverage:
Dwelling coverage limit
Average annual cost
$100,000
$965
$200,000
$1,862
$300,000
$2,813
$400,000
$3,834
$500,000
$4,854
Rates are based on our analysis of 2022 sample home insurance quotes from across the country provided by Quadrant Information Services. Actual rates will vary based on location, policy limits, coverages, claims history, and other factors.
Compare home insurance quotes with top insurers in minutes
What discounts does Homeowners Choice offer?
You can save on the cost of Homeowners Choice if you qualify for either of these two discounts:
Gated community: If you live in a guarded or gated community.
Senior or retiree: If you’re over the age of 60.
Homeowners Choice state availability
Homeowners Choice offers home insurance policies primarily in Florida, though some of its other property insurance policies are also available in Connecticut, Massachusetts, New Jersey, Rhode Island, and South Carolina.
What to expect with Homeowners Choice insurance
How to get a quote: You can get a Homeowners Choice insurance quote by contacting a local agent. To find one near you, call 888-210-5235.
Customer service options: You can get in touch with a Homeowners Choice customer service rep by calling 888-210-5235, emailing customerservice@hcpci.com, or by calling your local agent directly.
How to file a claim: You can file a Homeowners Choice insurance claim by calling 866-324-3138, emailing FNOL@hcpci.com, faxing 813-443-0830, or calling your agent directly.
How to cancel your policy: You can cancel your Homeowners Choice insurance policy by calling your local agent (their contact info should be on your policy declarations page) or visiting them in person.
Homeowners Choice insurance in the news
In October 2022, Homeowners Choice assured Floridians that it had the financial stability to pay claims from Hurricane Ian, thanks to the company’s reinsurance coverage. (The Capitolist)
Homeowners Choice vs. other home insurance companies
Compare Homeowners Choice to other insurers in the industry:
Homeowners Choice is owned by parent company HCI Group, Inc., which also does business in real estate, reinsurance, and information technology.
Does Homeowners Choice offer car insurance?
No, Homeowners Choice solely specializes in property insurance for homes, condos, rental properties, and landlords.
How do I make a claim with Homeowners Choice?
You can report a claim by calling 866-324-3138, faxing 813-443-0830, emailing FNOL@hcpci.com, or calling your local Homeowners Choice agent.
Is Homeowners Choice expensive?
While Homeowners Choice’s average annual rate is almost 40% higher than the national average, home insurance rates in Florida across the board are higher than the rest of the country due to the high risk of damage due to hurricanes, tropical storms, and lightning storms.
Jessica Olivo is a writer living in Connecticut. She specializes in web and blog content in a variety of topics such as parenting, business, and culture, as well as serialized and short fiction.
After working in publishing and book publicity for many years, she transitioned to freelance writing full time.
Jennifer Gimbel is a senior managing editor at Policygenius, where she oversees all of our insurance coverage. Previously, she was the managing editor at Finder.com and a content strategist at Babble.com.
