The Best Homeowners Insurance Companies in Kansas
Kansas is associated with plenty of monikers. Breadbasket of the World and the Sunflower State are both nods to the state’s lush agriculture. Then there’s Tornado Alley, which conjures up a less attractive (but no less realistic) image of the destructive cyclones that tear through the area each year.
Unfortunately, that’s not the only severe weather condition residents face. They must also contend with wildfires, which burned more than 700,000 acres of land across Kansas in 2017 alone. Both events cause costly damage and contribute to the state’s high homeowner’s insurance premiums.
That said, insurance premiums fluctuate based on a number of factors, including your home’s geography, age, construction materials, and the value of its contents. That’s why we suggest reaching out to several insurance companies for price quotes before you make a decision.
How We Found the Best Kansas Homeowners Insurance Companies
Our method was similar to the one we used in our national review of homeowners insurance providers. We started with a list of the five largest homeowners insurance companies in the state by total market share. Then, we evaluated those five insurers based on several factors, including financial strength, coverage options, available discounts, and customer service, with particular attention to claims management. Once we aggregated the data, we ranked providers based on their performance in each category. Here’s how they stack up.
The 5 Best Kansas Homeowners Insurance Companies
Kansas Homeowners Insurance Reviews
State Farm
State Farm writes the lion’s share of homeowner’s insurance policies in the Sunflower State, and with good reason. Of the state’s top five insurers, State Farm received the highest positive financial ratings from A.M. Best, Moody’s, and Standard & Poor’s. The company’s customer service also impressed us. State Farm received strong scores in Consumer Reports’ homeowners insurance survey (a key rating based on input from 90,000 Consumer Reports subscribers), scoring well above average in claims experience, timely payments, and the ease of reaching an agent.
Additionally, State Farm offers an easy-to-edit online quote tool that allows you to quickly update your coverage and see the effect on your annual premium. Beyond receiving an online quote, the website is replete with helpful articles and infographics such as “The United States of Severe Weather,” which rounds up of the most common inclement weather conditions by region and how to protect your home against them.
And State Farm does more than inform policyholders about protection against inclement weather: It rewards customers with discounts, including savings for smoke alarms, sprinkler systems, and new and certified roofs that can better withstand strong Kansas winds.
State Farm didn’t offer the most discounts (that was Liberty Mutual) or endorsements (Farmers). However, what State Farm lacks in savings and optional coverage it makes up for in customer service and economic stability. Those factors are more important for customers in the long term because, while saving money on premiums is nice, having responsive customer service and the financial depth to cover losses are more important if something goes wrong.
Read our full State Farm review.Liberty Mutual
Although State Farm was our top choice, Liberty Mutual was a close second. While its financial strength ratings aren’t as high as State Farm’s, Liberty Mutual boasts above-average customer satisfaction scores from J.D. Power and Consumer Reports alike.
Furthermore, the Kansas Insurance Department shows that Liberty Mutual has a statewide complaint ratio of 0.25 — the lowest of any major provider in the state. That low complaint ratio may be due in part to the insurer’s website, which clearly spells out the coverage available and provides step-by-step details on how to file and track a homeowner’s insurance claim.
Liberty Mutual makes claims easier in other ways, too. For example, through RealTime Review, claim representatives utilize FaceTime or Skype to view your property and complete an on-the-spot damage estimate for eligible claims. Likewise, its 24/7 Emergency Home Repairs service means that if a tornado hits overnight — which is all too common in Tornado Alley — you can receive assistance quickly.
Read our full Liberty Mutual review.Farmers
Farmers website is by far our favorite, and not just because of its Hall of Claims which details the insurer’s most outlandish claims. The Clickable House walks you through a virtual home where you can click on common household items for information on potential insurance claims and coverage options. The site also includes an online quote tool, which offers details on three levels of coverage — Standard, Enhanced, and Premier — along with the pros and cons of purchasing each.
Homeowners can also purchase unique endorsements, including coverage for trees and shrubs and an Eco-Rebuild endorsement, which provides policyholders with up to $25,000 coverage for extra costs to repair, replace, or rebuild with eco-friendly contents and materials.
Farmers’ emphasis on eco-friendliness also extends to many of its discounts. However, it was the Underwriters Laboratories discount for approved roofing materials, fire-protection sprinkler systems and discounts for other weather defenses that caught our eye for Kansas homeowners.
Despite these benefits, Farmers fell from the top of our list due to a number of economic issues. Of the five insurers we examined, Farmers had the lowest financial strength ratings of the companies we compared.
While these ratings were still adequate, Farmers didn’t stack up next to the other four insurance companies. Similarly, when examining premiums across the state (see below), Farmers’ were significantly more expensive—in some cases upwards of $1,000 higher—than policies from other Kansas insurers.
Read our full Farmers review.American Family
American Family Insurance had some of the lowest premiums across the state, as well as several opportunities for discounts. While it’s not our top pick, it’s still a good insurance company to request quotes from.
The good: The insurer received average customer satisfaction ratings nationwide. And American Family’s online offerings are above average. We appreciate that the site includes lots of educational information and tools, like this easy nine-step list for creating a home inventory.
The less good: Statistics from the Kansas Insurance Department show American Family has one of the higher complaint ratios of home insurance providers in the state at 5.1. And the company’s website doesn’t offer the most important service when it comes to home insurance: an online quote tool. Instead, you’re required to speak to an agent before receiving a quote. State Farm, Liberty Mutual, and Farmers all provided us with online quotes, making it easier for us to shop around.
Farm Bureau
The lack of information on Farm Bureau’s financial strength and customer satisfaction dropped the insurer to the bottom of our list. Farm Bureau is still worth looking into, though. Because of its small, regional presence, the insurer may provide a better local perspective than the larger insurers above.
There’s a good chance this is the case, as evidenced by the bureau’s guaranteed replacement cost coverage, which pays up to 125 percent of the insured value of your home. Regardless of the claim, this coverage is exemplary. It is particularly useful, however, in the aftermath of a tornado, storm, or other natural disaster, when extensive damage increases the costs of labor and materials.
Farm Bureau’s optional residential equipment insurance is also worth noting, especially if you skimp on extended warranties or avoid calling the repair company until your furnace breaks down. Sometimes called “appliance insurance,” this endorsement covers mechanical failure for everything from air conditioners and furnaces to computers, TVs, and stereo systems.
USAA
Kansas is home to 21,604 active duty military personnel — 13th most in the nation — so it’s not surprising that USAA handles quite a few claims coming out of the Sunflower State. If you’re an active or former service member, USAA is definitely worth checking out. It was ranked the second-best homeowners insurance company according to Consumer Reports, and it received outstanding scores across the board from the ease of the agent experience to timely payments. USAA also offers coverage for most weather-related events and flood insurance.
Read our full USAA review.Guide to Kansas Homeowners Insurance
Premiums are higher in rural areas
“Geographically, Kansas has a very wide variety of homes throughout the state,” says Clint Turley of McCausland Barrett & Bartalos P.C. At more than 80,000 square miles, the state’s land runs the gamut from urban areas to sprawling farms, and those variations factor into premiums for homeowners insurance.Generally, because homeowners insurance coverage is based on a home’s value, premiums are higher in heavily populated areas, according to the National Association of Insurance Commissioners. Kansas, however, bucks this trend.
| American Family | Farmers | Liberty Mutual | Average Premium | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cherokee (Southeast) | $1,519 | $2,596 | $2,185 | $2,100 |
| Finney (West) | $2,261 | $3,774 | $2,496 | $2,843 |
| Johnson | $1,687 | $2,280 | $2,012 | $1,993 |
| Saline (North Central) | $1,913 | $3,206 | $2,618 | $2,579 |
| Sedgwick (Wichita, Central) | $2,092 | $3,659 | $2,404 | $2,718 |
| Wyandotte (KC, Northeast) | $1,711 | $2,703 | $1,836 | $2,083 |
Kansas’ most populous county — Johnson County, located just outside Kansas City — is the only one with an average premium under $2,000.
Meanwhile, rural areas throughout the state, including southeast Kansas’ Finney County, and Saline County, located about 100 miles north of Wichita, have some of the highest premiums. Even though they have a smaller population, the rural counties are more susceptible to catastrophic weather conditions.
Severe weather impacts premiums
The NAIC also notes that the degree of exposure to catastrophe affects the cost of insurance. And Kansas isn’t lacking in that arena. The state is part of Tornado Alley and experiences roughly 100 tornadoes annually. While tornadoes of all intensities occur throughout Kansas, it’s important to note that central and eastern Kansas — composed of predominantly rural areas — see the most tornadoes. That means the region also sees the most damage and thus increased premiums.
Tornadoes aren’t the only weather concern in Kansas, though. Residents also have to contend with wildfires, which are a growing trend. In 2017 alone, wildfires burned more than 700,000 acres across 21 counties, according to the Kansas Farm Bureau. However, the most damage occured in southwest Kansas, which is also a mostly rural area. In fact, those wildfires set a state record, breaking the previous year’s.
Although homeowners in central and eastern Kansas should be prepared to pay a higher premium than their western counterparts, claims throughout the state are high. The Kansas Insurance Department estimates that an average of nearly $330 million is spent annually on windstorm, tornado, and hail damage or other weather-related claim losses.
Likewise, the Insurance Research Council found that the severity of Kansas homeowner’s insurance claims grew from $2,290 in 1997 to $8,426 in 2013. Because those weather-related claims can be so expensive, it may be worth looking into umbrella coverage — optional insurance available from all five of our picks.
Umbrella coverage
What happens when your claims and expenses go beyond what your liability limits will allows? In that situation, you’re faced with the unfortunate prospect of taking the difference out of your own pocket and, when it comes to medical bills brought on by a natural disaster, the price can be steep. That’s where umbrella coverage can keep the consequences of inclement weather from raining on your parade.
“Umbrella policies are very economical and provide good peace of mind should a claim arise,” Turley says. For example, homeowners insurance generally pays the medical bills for those injured while on your property. In the event of a natural catastrophe, however, those medical expenses may be higher than the liability limits of your homeowners insurance. That’s where umbrella policies kick in.Kansas Homeowners Insurance FAQ
How do I find the best Kansas homeowners insurance company?
We recommend spending some time shopping around. A great place to start is the Insurance Information Institute, a massive repository of insurance information. The III even breaks down providers by state, listing off the top insurance providers in the realms of auto and, in this case, homeowners insurance. Getting an idea for which companies operate in your state will give you an idea of what’s available.
As we mentioned earlier, you’ll also need to take your location into account. If you’re in a more rural area, your home may be more susceptible to adverse weather conditions like flooding and tornadoes. Take all of that into account as well as the specifics about your home’s age and construction materials and try to gather as many quotes as possible before you make a decision. Our top five picks are also a great place to start looking, but your experience may vary.
How much is home insurance in Kansas?
According to our research, the average annual premium in Kansas can be as high as $1,531 — $358 more than the national average. As we’ve mentioned before, this is largely due to the severe weather conditions common in the Sunflower State.
However, it’s often best to consider home insurance as a long-term investment. Yes, it’s a lot of money, but if you’re living in a state known for its harsh weather (and, especially, if you’re living in a rural area), you need sufficient coverage to protect your home when nature strikes. Otherwise, depending on the extent of the damage, you may end up looking at tens or hundreds of thousands in repair costs.
We also recommend speaking with an agent in person or over the phone if an online quote isn’t to your liking. In some cases, speaking with an actual person allows for a more in-depth conversation about your home, which may yield additional discounts and perks the online tool might have missed.
Do homeowners insurance companies offer “tornado insurance?”
Most homeowners insurance providers do not offer coverage specifically called “tornado insurance” but, rather, coverage for your home in the event of inclement weather. For example, State Farm explains that its home insurance covers losses to property caused by weather which includes a plethora of elements including those associated with tornadoes: storms, wind, and hail. When shopping for a home insurance provider in Kansas, a better question to ask might be: Does your homeowners insurance coverage include inclement weather conditions such as high winds and rain?
The Best Kansas Homeowners Insurance: Summed Up
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