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The Best Cheap Idaho Homeowners Insurance for 2024

Updated
Dana George
By: Dana George

Our Insurance Expert

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Part of the home-buying process involves landing the right homeowners insurance. Homeowners insurance is what stands between you and the financial hardship of paying for repairs or replacement of your home if peril strikes. Here, we'll help you identify the best homeowners insurance in Idaho, get the cheapest policies in the state, and outline key factors to look for in choosing an Idaho home insurance policy.

  • Cheapest overall for Idaho: American National
  • Cheapest for new home construction: American National
  • Cheapest for older homes: American National
  • Cheapest for homeowners who have filed a claim: American National

Cheapest overall for Idaho

With competitively low rates, these companies offer cheap homeowners insurance in Idaho:

  • American National, with an average annual rate of $355
  • Grange Insurance, coming in at an average rate of $633
  • Oregon Mutual, with an average annual rate of $681

Cheapest for new home construction

There are many exciting things about moving into a new home, not the least of which is learning that homeowners insurance is discounted. Insurance companies see new homes as low risk because everything is brand new and not likely to break down soon. The expected savings get passed on to the homeowner in the way of lower insurance premiums. Here are the three least expensive Idaho home insurance providers for newly built homes:

  • American National, offering an average annual rate of $150
  • Nationwide, with an average annual rate of $359
  • Grange Insurance, with an average annual rate of $418

Cheapest for older homes

Older homes are chock full of history and character. However, older homes are more likely to have issues like dry rot, mold, and leaks. For that reason, they can cost a bit more to insure. Here are three insurers that have kept insurance prices low:

  • American National, with an average annual rate of $336
  • Grange Insurance, offering an average annual rate of $598
  • Oregon Mutual, with an average annual rate of $658

Cheapest when you've made a claim

When peril hits, the right insurance policy may be all that stands between the homeowner and financial hardship. For that reason alone, a comprehensive policy is worth its weight in gold. However, when a homeowner makes a claim, they can expect the homeowners insurance premium to increase for a time. For an Idaho homeowner who has made a claim, these three insurance companies offer the lowest rates in the state:

  • American National, offering a forgiving rate of $315
  • Grange Insurance, coming in with an average annual rate of $598
  • Oregon Mutual, offering an average annual rate of $725

Average home insurance cost in Idaho compared to the national average

The average cost of homeowners insurance in Idaho is $1,056, nearly 39% lower than the national average of $1,725.

Average Rate Category Idaho National Average
Overall $1,056 $1,725
New home construction $577 $943
Older homes $1,019 $1,658
When making a claim $1,178 $1,803
Data source: Quadrant data.

Idaho homeowners insurance overview

The best homeowners insurance in Idaho is a mix of low price and comprehensive coverage. Homeowners need to know they will have the coverage they need without paying an arm and a leg.

Different types of homeowners coverage

Homeowners coverage is never a one-size-fits-all proposition. Insurance companies typically offer six types of policies designed to cover traditional (non-mobile) homes. Policies range from basic coverage to policies with all the bells and whistles. The best homeowners insurance companies offer them all.

Level of coverage

While it's true that some insurance is better than none, a bare-bones policy may not fully cover all losses. The best move is to shop for a level of coverage that does not require the homeowner to provide a large sum of money following a perilous event.

Amount of deductible

When a homeowner makes a claim, they typically pay a deductible toward the cost of repair or replacement. Let's say there's a small fire and the cost of repair is $12,000. If there's a $500 deductible on the policy, the homeowner pays the contractor $500, and the insurance company covers the remaining $11,500. The lower the homeowner’s deductible, the higher the policy premium. One way of keeping costs low is to choose a higher deductible.

Potential discounts

One of the best ways to land cheap homeowners insurance in Idaho is to take advantage of all discounts. Before deciding which policy is best, it pays to know how much each policy costs after discounts are factored in. Nearly all insurance companies offer home insurance discounts, for factors ranging from whether a home has an alarm system to whether a homeowner bundles auto and home policies.

What are the most common homeowners insurance claims in Idaho?

Identifying the most common Idaho home insurance claims can help a homeowner build a policy that makes them more secure.

Windstorms

According to State Farm Insurance, windstorms are one of the most common reasons for claims in Idaho. Strong winds lead to blowing objects, falling trees, damaged roofs, and other calamities.

Lightning strikes and fire

Nationally, lightning strikes and fire accounted for 25% of all homeowners insurance claims in 2019. Idaho is no exception. Fires are not the top claim in the state, but are one of the most expensive issues insurance companies deal with.

Weight of snow or ice

On average, Idaho gets 47 inches of snow each year. That alone helps explain the number of insurance claims for damage due to ice dams, leaky roofs, and frozen pipes. There's also the risk of water damage caused by plumbing issues, broken pipes, and malfunctioning appliances.

Homeowners insurance coverage options and discounts in Idaho

The best homeowners insurance in Idaho provides a high level of coverage at an affordable price.

Coverage options

Here's how the eight types of homeowners insurance break down. The type a homeowner buys depends on two things: The type of dwelling they need to cover, and the level of coverage they seek.

  • One type covers renters.
  • Another covers mobile homes only.
  • The other six range from basic coverage to more extensive protection.

A comprehensive policy may also include coverage for luxuries such as inlaid wood floors, upgraded building materials, or specialty rooms (like a wine cellar or home theater). A homeowner can also buy coverage for valuable items like rare coins, fine art, or expensive jewelry.

Discount options

Finding inexpensive homeowners insurance in Idaho depends, in part, on claiming as many discounts as possible. Discount options vary by insurance company. Here's a sampling of the most common:

  • Installing a burglar alarm saves an average of 11%.
  • Having a fire alarm saves an average of 12%.
  • Upgrading the electrical system saves an average of 9%.
  • A roof upgrade saves an average of 12%.
  • Bundling home and auto coverage can save a whopping 27%.

GOT A CAR? Check out The Ascent's list of the best auto insurance in Idaho.

5 cheapest cities in Idaho for homeowners insurance

Insurance companies take many factors into account as they determine premiums. They include things like:

  • Area crime rate
  • Value of surrounding property
  • Cost to rebuild
  • How far a home is from a fire station

Here are the five cheapest cities in Idaho for homeowners insurance:

City Name Average Home Insurance Rate
Meridian $932
Boise City $950
Garden City $950
Nampa $961
Post Falls $970
Data source: Quadrant data.

5 most expensive cities in Idaho for homeowners insurance

Here are the five most expensive cities in the Gem State for homeowners insurance:

City Name Average Home Insurance Rate
McCall $1,154
Malad City $1,151
Stanley $1,133
Soda Springs $1,133
Leadore $1,130
Data source: Quadrant data.

The best homeowners insurance in Idaho is designed to protect one of the largest financial assets most people will ever own. Taking the time to find the best coverage is a smart financial move.

Our Insurance Expert