Best Homeowners Insurance for Older Homes of 2023

Older homes typically have a beautiful, historic look and often a lower purchase price, which can be appealing for many home buyers. However, they may also have outdated plumbing systems or need upgrades to meet current fire and building codes. From the perspective of many insurance companies, old homes are high-risk and, therefore, cost more to insure.

The Guides Home Team has spent hundreds of hours researching insurance carriers and analyzing thousands of reviews from existing customers to determine which ones provide the best home insurance across the United States and for older homes. Keep reading to learn about our recommended providers and a few things you should know about insuring your older house.

According to the Insurance Information Institute's (Triple-I) latest report, the average cost of homeowners insurance in the U.S. in 2022 was $1,544. However, homeowners insurance prices vary based on your location, square footage and other factors, including added costs for older homes. To get your personalized quote, use our free tool below.

After in-depth research, we found the following to be the best insurance providers for homeowners with older homes:

Since 2015, Lemonade has grown and expanded into multiple insurance spaces, such as pet insurance, term life insurance, renters insurance and home insurance. It provides a straightforward home insurance quote and sign-up process with customizable coverage limits to help you select a policy that fits your needs and budget.

*Insurtechs are typically not rated by AM Best or J.D. Power

​​+ Donates up to 40% of a policyholder's unused premiums to a charity of their choice each year+ Provides bundling discounts when you purchase a Lemonade pet insurance policy​​+ Offers a swimming pool liability coverage add-on

– Only available in 23 states– Collects users’ biometric data, requiring them to submit a video explanation during each claim

Discounts: When signing up for your Lemonade policy on your older home, you could receive discounts for having fire, theft and water protection devices in your house, living in a gated community or having a recently replaced roof.

Endorsements: Lemonade often offers additional coverage options.

Although Lemonade is the newest company in this review, it's our top recommendation for homeowners looking for a fast and easy claims process. You can file your claim on its mobile app without speaking with an agent in many cases. In addition, its unique artificial intelligence (AI) technology can facilitate quick decisions on your claim and pay it out immediately.

We recommend Lemonade as a trustworthy homeowners insurance provider with a straightforward claims process, affordable premiums and a strong charitable focus. Lemonade may not be the best choice for those who want a more personal experience with local agents or those who don't want to submit a video statement when filing a claim since it is required for every claim.

Get a Quote: Get your personalized home insurance quote from Lemonade.

To Learn More: Lemonade Home Insurance Review

With more than 45,000 employees worldwide, Liberty Mutual is one of the largest insurance companies in the world. In fact, Liberty Mutual is the third-largest U.S. home insurer based on market share. It serves homeowners of older homes with customizable policies that can come with a handful of discounts and endorsements based on your needs.

​​+ Can offer earthquake and flood protection as an endorsement, depending on your state​​+ Covers up to your loss-of-use claim's actual loss amount, rather than up to a specific limit like most competitors+ Provides an online chat during the quote process to help answer your questions about necessary coverage on your older home

– Often requires homeowners to provide their Social Security number when getting a quote online– Has an extensive online quote process that asks for detailed information about your home, such as the type of electrical material used and the number of shingle layers on the roof

Discounts: Liberty Mutual's extensive list of discounts that are often available to homeowners includes discounts for going claims-free, for getting a quote before your current policy expires, recently purchasing your home, recently renovating your home, replacing your roof, bundling with other policies, insuring your home to 100% of its estimated value, getting a quote online, setting up automatic payments, having safety devices installed, having a college degree, having a career in civic services and working for certain partner companies.

Endorsements: You can add coverage to your policy for several additional items.

Since insurance for an older home can be pricier than for newer homes, looking for ways to save may be an essential part of your shopping. We recommend Liberty Mutual for those looking for discounts since it commonly offers more than most competitors. Depending on where you live, it can even provide discounts for your employment and education history.

However, the extensive quote process may be complicated if you don't have much information on your older home.

Get a Quote: Get your personalized home insurance quote from Liberty Mutual.

To Learn More: Liberty Mutual Insurance Review

Allstate is one of the most popular insurance carriers, serving U.S. residents with auto insurance, home insurance and more. It's a trustworthy provider with a solid reputation among customers, proven by a higher-than-average J.D. Power customer satisfaction rating and strong financial strength rating from AM Best. It is currently the second-largest U.S. home insurer based on market share.

​​+ Includes a 10% discount on your premium if you’re more than 55 years old and retired+ Features the GoodHome tool on its website to help uncover potential risks in your area​​+ Provides the Claim RateGuard add-on to keep your premium from increasing after a claim

– Online quotes may not be available, depending on where you live– Can require higher premiums than many competitors, based on the dozens of sample quotes we received

Discounts: When we secret-shopped for an Allstate policy on an older home, we were offered discounts for protective devices, such as storm shutters, home security sensors, water shutoff systems, a backup generator and fire safety alarms. You can also receive a discount for shopping early before your current policy expires, bundling with car insurance, signing up for auto-pay and having a claims-free history.

Endorsements: Our sample quote from Allstate came with the following optional add-ons:

Allstate received the highest score in our in-depth review of dozens of home insurance companies. The company stood out for its comprehensive coverage, accessible customer service through local agents and generous discounts to help homeowners of older houses save on their premiums.

Nonetheless, Allstate offers fewer additional coverage options than some competitors. Its policies are also generally less customizable, so it may not be a good fit for homeowners looking to fine-tune their coverage based on specific needs.

Get a Quote: Get your personalized home insurance quote from Allstate.

To Learn More: Allstate Home Insurance Review

American Family is another of the best home insurance companies for insuring older homes. It's been around since 1927, and it has built an extensive network of local exclusive agents in the states that it services to help set up homeowners with policies and stay connected throughout each coverage term.

​​+ Has the highest J.D. Power customer satisfaction rating in this review​​+ Provides a quick estimated-cost tool for those who want average prices before getting a detailed quote+ Includes coverage for a few extras in its standard policy that are often excluded, such as fungi coverage and building ordinance coverage

– Doesn't allow for as much policy customization as most competitors– Only available in 19 states

Discounts: American Family commonly offers discounts on home insurance policies for homeowners of older houses who bundle with auto insurance or another insurance product. Other discounts are available for having a recently renovated home, signing up for automatic billing, being an American Family customer for more than a year and having parents who have an active policy with the company.

Endorsements: You’ll have the option to add coverage for several items with American Family.

Coverage: American Family only covers homes in the following states, Arizona, Colorado, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, North Dakota, Ohio, Oregon, South Dakota, Utah, Washington, and Wisconsin.

American Family's online resources are extensive — from its home-buying closing cost calculator and first-time home buying guide to its home inventory tool and helpful MyAmFam app for policy management. American Family aims to keep homeowners informed, making it an excellent choice for homeowners interested in learning more about their insurance.

Get a Quote: Get your personalized home insurance quote from American Family.

To Learn More: American Family Home Insurance Review

As one of the oldest insurers in the business, operating since 1864, Travelers is another top home insurance provider for older homes. It's been recognized for its sustainable financial strength and scored exceptionally well in our review.

​​+ Provides more deductible options to choose from during your quote compared to other providers, based on the sample quotes we received+ Has a higher financial strength score compared to competitors in this review+ Has more experience than all other providers in this review

– Has one of the lowest J.D. Power customer satisfaction scores in this review– Doesn't insure older mobile or manufactured homes

Discounts: You could save on your policy with Travelers when bundling your home insurance with the company's other policies, insuring your home within 12 months of purchase, having a claims-free history, having a green home certified by the Leadership Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) organization and having protective devices, such as smoke detectors, sprinklers and home security systems.

Endorsements: When we pulled a sample quote, Travelers offered us additional coverage options for the following:

Travelers sets itself apart from the competition by offering an attractive Decreasing Deductible benefit that can help you save on out-of-pocket expenses. If you add it to your policy, you’ll be automatically awarded a $100 credit toward your deductible and receive an additional $100 each year you renew your policy, lowering your deductible to as little as $0.

While this credit makes Travelers a top choice for homeowners looking to save when they need to file a claim, the company isn't the right pick for those with an older mobile or manufactured home since it doesn't offer coverage for them.

Get a Quote: Get your personalized home insurance quote from Travelers online or by calling 844-204-3517.

To Learn More: Travelers Insurance Review

Home insurance policies don't just help pay for your home's reconstruction after an unexpected peril, they also come with coverage for other scenarios, protecting your wallet from expenses you can't predict.

Here's each coverage category included in your home insurance policy for your older home:

Homeowners insurance premiums can vary depending on various rating factors companies use to determine risks, such as your credit-based insurance score and the home's exact location and size.

But insurers add a few additional elements for older homes, such as the following:

An HO-8 homeowners insurance policy, sometimes referred to as the modified coverage form, is a type of home insurance designed for older and unique homes. If your home is more than 40 years old and doesn't have an updated plumbing and electrical system, you may need to purchase an HO-8 policy. This type of insurance is slightly different from standard homeowners insurance.

The HO-8 home insurance policy only protects your home and its contents against the most common perils. For example, HO-8 policies exclude coverage for falling objects, the weight of snow and frozen pipes. In addition, HO-8 policies usually only provide actual cash value (ACV) coverage for the cost to rebuild your home instead of replacement cost value (RCV), meaning your provider would pay for your home's depreciated value during a covered event rather than paying for the entire reconstruction cost.

HO-8 policies cover losses caused by the following 10 named perils:

Although insurance for your older home may be more expensive, it's still a worthwhile investment for your budget and peace of mind, keeping you confident that your home will be rebuilt and your belongings will be paid for after an unexpected event.

Of these top home insurance providers, you may find that one fits your needs slightly better. Allstate is a top pick for its comprehensive policies, quality customer service with local insurance agents and long-standing reputation. Lemonade has a fast claims process, and Travelers offers a deductible credit that helps you save on out-of-pocket expenses.

Whatever option interests you most for coverage on your older home, we recommend you compare prices from a few providers customized to your specific information.

According to the latest report provided by the Insurance Information Institute on average home insurance rates in 2022, the national average annual premium was $1,544. However, your policy on an older home could be significantly higher, depending on the age of the home, its building materials and more. The best way to determine exact prices for your house is to compare quotes from a few providers.

Yes, some insurance companies may deny offering you a policy for your older home if it was built with certain materials that aren't commonly used anymore or if your home's age makes it too high-risk. If you’re initially denied coverage when getting an online quote for your home's insurance policy, we recommend speaking with an agent directly to see if they can help you qualify.

Regardless of how old your home is, standard homeowners insurance policies always exclude damage from floods and earthquakes. Fortunately, many providers, such as Allstate and Liberty Mutual, can provide supplemental earthquake coverage and flood insurance policies through the Federal Emergency Management Agency's (FEMA) National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP). Flood coverage is also available through dozens of private flood insurers.

Our team surveyed dozens of home insurance providers and created a scoring system to judge each company's quality and service. We reach out for sample quotes, both over the phone and on the internet, to simulate an authentic customer experience. Here are the factors that account for our provider reviews:

Companies with the best customer service exhibit 24/7 availability, educational resources on their website, useful digital tools and a seamless claims-filing process. Providers that offer extensive discount options, endorsements, customizable coverage options and unique features score significantly higher than those that don't, putting them toward the top of our recommendations to readers.

Ratings listed in this article are accurate as of October 2022.

AM Best disclaimer

Bradford Cuthrell is a meticulous researcher and writer specializing in pet and home finance topics. He's surveyed thousands of pet owners and homeowners, listened to hundreds of customer service calls from various home service companies and spoken with dozens of industry experts to understand homeowners’ common pain points and needs. When he's not helping his readers make informed decisions, he's reading a book a week, planning a camping trip or working on his novel draft.

Roxanne Downer has more than 15 years as a news, finance and lifestyle writer and editor. A graduate of the University of Pennsylvania, she has previously worked at Deutsche Bank, BNY Mellon, Financial Week and MSN Money.

Mark Friedlander is Director, Corporate Communications, at the Insurance Information Institute (Triple-I), a New York-based nonprofit research and education organization focused on providing consumers with a better understanding of insurance. Mark serves as a national spokesperson for the Triple-I, handling a wide array of insurance industry media issues. His responsibilities also include spearheading the association's hurricane season communications strategy and its member company support and media outreach in Florida, where he is based.