Homeowners insurance is essential for protecting your home against disasters, theft, and unexpected damages. Finding the right homeowners insurance in Utah can be difficult.
That’s why we’ve put together this guide to help you find the right insurance. We’ll discuss what homeowners insurance covers–and what it doesn’t–and talk about the best insurance companies in Utah. Understanding what your policy covers and what additional protections you may need can help ensure your home is fully protected.
What It Typically Covers
While homeowners insurance in Utah is not legally necessary, most mortgage lenders will require that you buy a policy when you take out a loan. In case of damage to your home, homeowners insurance covers the cost of repairs.
But what types of damage does it typically cover?
Dwelling coverage: Homeowners insurance protects the structure of your home, including walls, roof, and built-in appliances, against damage from covered perils like fire, storms, vandalism, and theft.
Detached structures: It usually covers detached structures on your property, like fences, garages, sheds, and guesthouses.
Personal belongings: Most policies protect your belongings from theft, fire, and other covered events. Some high-value items (jewelry, art, collectibles) might require additional coverage.
Liability protection: Most policies cover legal expenses if someone is injured on your property or if you accidentally cause damage to someone else’s property.
Additional Living Expenses (ALE): Homeowners insurance often covers temporary housing and other costs if your home becomes uninhabitable due to a covered disaster.
While homeowners insurance in Utah doesn’t cover planned renovations, there are some situations where renovations will likely be covered. If a renovation is necessary because of damage from a covered event, insurance may help pay for the repairs. For example, if your exterior wall is damaged from a storm, your insurance would cover the costs. If you need someone to handle your brick, stone, or concrete block renovations, S&R Custom Masonry can help you repair the damage.
What It Doesn’t Cover
Homeowners insurance is an important way to protect your property, but it doesn’t cover everything. Here’s what usually isn’t covered in homeowners insurance in Utah:
Planned upgrades: If you’re choosing to remodel, such as adding a new bathroom, finishing a basement, or adding brick veneer to your exterior, insurance won’t cover it.
Workmanship issues: Poor construction or faulty materials leading to damage won’t be covered.
Contractor accidents: If you’re hiring contractors, you’ll want to ensure they have proper liability insurance in case they are injured.
Natural disasters: Many natural disasters, such as floods, earthquakes, landslides, and sinkholes, are not covered unless you purchase a specialized policy.
Wear and tear: Aging roofs, mold rot, pests, and other wear and tear are not usually covered by homeowners insurance.
Liability-related exclusions: Injuries from high-risk items, such as pools and firearms, bites from certain breeds, and intentional damage are not covered by homeowners insurance.
Best Homeowners Insurance in Utah
While no one plans for it, disasters happen. Finding the right homeowners insurance is essential for protecting your home from the worst-case scenario. Here’s the best homeowners insurance in Utah to consider.
Amica
With a broad range of coverage options and exceptional customer service, Amica is an excellent choice for protecting your home. It consistently ranks high in customer satisfaction and is one of the oldest mutual insurers in the United States, founded in 1907.
Amica offers standard coverage, like dwelling, personal property liability, and loss of use. It also includes unique features like contractor referral programs and home business coverage. Plus, you can receive discounted rates by bundling home and auto insurance.
Auto-Owners
Like Amica, Auto-Owners has been around for a while–since 1916. It offers typical homeowners insurance coverage, but you can also customize with policies that protect you from identity theft or appliance failure. It also offers a great set of discounts for bundling services. One of the areas where Auto-Owners shines is in the customer service department. Auto-Owners uses local, independent agents to sell its policies, which means they can provide personalized service to fit your needs.
Chubb
If you’re seeking premium coverage of your luxury home, Chubb is an excellent choice. They offer high coverage limits, specialized policies and loss prevention services. They’re also one of the only homeowners insurance in Utah to offer free Wildlife Defense Services to help protect your home from potential wildfire hazards.
Another unique feature that Chubb offers is a cash settlement option. If you choose not to rebuild after a total loss, you can receive a cash payout. Chubb also covers the cost of upgrading to current building codes during repairs.
USAA
If you’re a veteran, active military member, or family member, USAA is a great homeowners insurance to consider. They offer affordable rates with competitive premiums and comprehensive service. Plus, they have high customer satisfaction ratings for their efficient claims handling.
One of the most unique features of USAA is their replacement of personal property. Many companies only pay the value of what the items were worth at the time of loss, but USAA pays the amount to replace. USAA also reimburses the full cost to rebuild your home after a total loss, even if it exceeds the policy limit.
Farmers
One of the largest and most established insurance providers in the US, Farmers is a great option if you’re looking for a broad range of coverage options. Farmers has a strong reputation for stability and long-term reliability. It offers discounts, including multi-policy discounts, home safety discounts, and lower premiums for maintaining a claims-free record. Coverage is customizable so you can build a policy that fits your unique needs.
Openly
Although one of the newer homeowners insurance companies in Utah, Openly has become popular for its modern approach to insurance and comprehensive coverage options. Openly offers dwelling coverage for the full replacement cost of your home in case of a total loss, personal property coverage, liability, loss of use, water backup, and more. Digital tools make filing and processing claims faster and more transparent, but they also have live agents to help you should the need arise.
Utah Homeowners Insurance Cost
When shopping around for homeowners insurance in Utah, one thing that will likely influence your choice is cost. The average price of homeowners insurance is $1,140 annually. However, the total price will depend on the insurance company you choose, your policy, and where you live. Here’s a list of the average cost of homeowners insurance in different parts of the state:
City | Annual Cost | Monthly Cost |
Ogden | $1,170 | $98 |
Bountiful | $1,195 | $100 |
Salt Lake City | $1,150 | $96 |
Lehi | $1,140 | $95 |
Provo | $1,125 | $94 |
Least Expensive Homeowners Insurance in Utah
If you’re looking for homeowners insurance in Utah on a budget, here are some of the least expensive companies to consider:
Travelers: With an average cost of $835 annually, Travelers comes out to quite a bit less than the Utah average of $1,140. It offers pretty standard coverage and reliable service, but may not be the best choice if your situation requires a more complex policy.
Farm Bureau Financial Services: Offering its services mainly in rural and suburban communities, Farm Bureau Financial Services costs an average of $975 annually. They have a strong track record for reliable service with discounts available for bundling services.
State Farm: State Farm is not only one of the nation’s largest and well-known providers but also one of the more affordable options in Utah. Their average annual price comes in at $1,045, lower than Utah’s average cost by about $100.
Nationwide: With an average cost of $1,100, Nationwide is another great homeowners insurance to consider. They’re one of the largest insurers in the nation, offering comprehensive protection as well as optional add-on policies.
Natural Disasters It Protects You Against
While homeowners insurance doesn’t cover all types of natural disasters, there are some that are typically covered, including:
Fire and smoke: Damage from fire and smoke–whether wildfires or accidental house fires–is typically covered by insurance.
Windstorms and tornadoes: Homeowners insurance usually covers damage from windstorms and tornadoes, including roof and structural damage.
Hailstorms: Damage to roofs, siding, and windows caused by hail is usually covered.
Lightning strikes: Lightning strikes to your home can cause house fires and power surges. Insurance usually covers this.
Snow and ice: Homeowners insurance usually covers damage from roof collapses due to heavy snow or ice buildup.
Explosions: Gas leaks and other accidental explosions are usually covered.
In most cases, homeowners insurance does not cover damage from flooding, earthquakes, landslides, hurricanes, or sinkholes. If you’re in a flood zone, you can purchase a separate flood insurance policy. Many homeowners in Utah also purchase a separate policy in case of earthquakes.
Homeowners Insurance in Utah Conclusion
When disaster happens, you need good homeowners insurance to protect your belongings. Finding the right homeowners insurance in Utah can take some time, but it's worth it to have the right policy.
If you’re looking to remodel after a disaster, consider S&R Custom Masonry for all your brick, stone, and concrete block needs. We’ll help you rebuild the damage and get your home looking as if the disaster never happened. We serve the entire Wasatch Front with our custom services.
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