The Best and Cheapest Homeowners Insurance in Wisconsin

Best cheap home insurance in Wisconsin

Cheapest homeowners insurance in Wisconsin

That's $56 per year cheaper than the second-cheapest insurer's rate and 30% cheaper than the state average. Wisconsin overall is a cheaper state for homeowners insurance, with an average cost of just $846 per year.

Rates in Wisconsin overall are 43% less than the average national cost of $1,495.

Cheap annual home insurance in Wisconsin

Best homeowners insurance for most people: Erie

Erie Insurance offers the best homeowners insurance for most people in Wisconsin. The average yearly cost of coverage from this company is $590, which is about 30% cheaper than the statewide average. Erie offers a strong combination of comprehensive coverage and low rates.

A standard policy from Erie also includes theft coverage, pet insurance and guaranteed replacement cost protection. This means that any compensation you get after a loss won't be discounted on account of your property's depreciation. With most other providers, guaranteed replacement cost is only available as an upgradable endorsement and not a standard offering.

You can also get the following add-ons from Erie:

Best coverage from a national insurer: State Farm

If you're looking for the security of one of the largest insurers in the country, State Farm is a top option for home insurance coverage in Wisconsin. State Farm has some of the best customer service in the state, with a low rate of complaints, given its size, and a strong rating from J.D. Power. You can also expand your coverage with protection for sewer backup, service line damage and some home equipment.

Its average rate of $821 is lower than the state average overall but is higher than several other options. Customers can reduce those rates by bundling with one of the many other kinds of insurance State Farm offers, including auto, renters or umbrella coverage.

Best for local coverage: American Family Insurance

If you want to buy homeowners insurance from a company with local ties, American Family is a provider to consider. Based in Madison, the state capital, the company has a large network of agents across the state and strong customer service ratings.

American Family offers homeowners insurance policies with an average annual price of $895, which is more expensive than the state average. You can lower those rates with discounts for bundling, renovating your home or adding smart home devices. The company does have a more limited set of extended coverage options than some competitors.

Best rated: Secura

Secura is our pick for the top-rated homeowners insurance company in Wisconsin. The company has few customer complaints based on its size and has a high rating from our editors.

Secura also has low rates, the second-lowest in the state, with an average of $646 per year. Customers have the option to pay more for an expanded coverage package called Mile-Stone, which includes replacement cost coverage, water and sewer backup protection, theft and mysterious disappearance property coverage and golf cart protection.

The biggest drawback to Secura home coverage is that you have to buy it as part of a package with auto insurance.

Wisconsin insurance rates: City-by-city

The largest city in the state, Milwaukee, is right around the state average of $846 per year, while Madison, the second-largest city, has rates 5% cheaper than the state average.

Homeowners insurance companies with the best and worst customer service

AAA, Erie, American Family and State Farm also offer well-rated service, meaning residents of Wisconsin have a wide range of good options. A high rating is earned by receiving few complaints and receiving high marks from both J.D. Power and ValuePenguin's own editors.

Most common homeowners insurance perils in Wisconsin: Snowfall and tornadoes

Wisconsin's location in the northern part of the country and its proximity to Lake Superior and Lake Michigan make snowfall an insurance concern for its homeowners. And during the warmer months of the year, tornadoes can be common here, as in other parts of the Midwest and Plains states.

To be sure you have enough property coverage to protect your home, you need to understand how your homeowners insurance policy approaches these risks.

Homeowners insurance and snow damage

A large amount of snow falls on Wisconsin. The state's northern regions that border Lake Superior can get over 100 inches of snow per year, while the rest of Wisconsin can see around 40 inches. Homeowners insurance likely covers the damage that falling snow can inflict on your property if it causes part of your home to collapse.

Although your insurance may cover damage from freezing, your provider may have stipulations that could affect your coverage. You may exceed coverage if your insurer believes you didn't make enough of an effort to keep your home protected from dangerous temperatures. Your policy may not cover damage from freezing done to your home's swimming pools, but it's best to speak to an insurance representative before committing to coverage.

Does homeowners insurance cover damage from tornadoes?

Most insurance policies do cover the damage that tornadoes can deal out. Wisconsin homeowners may experience more damage from tornadoes than people in other parts of the country. According to info from the National Weather Service, the state has experienced an average of 25 tornadoes per year since 2014. Wind damage is often a covered peril, and homeowners insurance usually safeguards homes against trees that may be toppled by powerful winds through part of a dwelling.

It could be a good idea to get extended coverage, though. Even though your policy protects you from wind damage and falling objects, it won't necessarily compensate you with enough money to rebuild your house and resume your life. Make sure that the limits of your homeowners insurance correspond to the worth of your home, and consider buying replacement cost coverage.

Frequently asked questions

Methodology

To find the best homeowners insurance in Wisconsin, we collected quotes from the following eight companies:

We generated each quote using a 2,100-square-foot sample property built in 1973 and insured for $180,600 — these figures align with Wisconsin's median household income and median value of an owner-occupied home.

ValuePenguin's analysis used insurance rate data from Quadrant Information Services. These rates were publicly sourced from insurer filings and should be used for comparative purposes only — your own quotes may be different.

Home insurance ratings are based on a combination of complaint data from the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC), the J.D. Power customer satisfaction survey and ValuePenguin's own editorial ratings.