Find the Best Homeowners Insurance Companies in Boston, MA

How to get homeowners insurance in Boston

There are two ways to get homeowners insurance in Boston: You can work directly with an insurance company or you can shop through a marketplace that will help you compare quotes from multiple companies. Before shopping for homeowners insurance, it’s important to know what type of coverage you want.

In Boston, there are several homeowners insurance coverage types to consider. These include:

• Dwelling
• Other Structures
• Personal Property
• Loss of use
• Personal liability
• Medical payments

Types of homeowners insurance in Boston

Boston homeowners insurance will typically cover six parts. These are dwelling, other structures, personal property, loss of use, personal liability and medical payments.

• Dwelling: Dwelling coverage includes the home and any attached structures, such as a deck, garage or fence. Homeowners insurance policies can cover your dwelling in the event of a loss, including storms and fires.
• Other structures: This includes structures that aren’t attached to the home. It could be a detached garage, storage shed, playground or swimming pool.
• Personal property: Personal possessions are covered under personal property. This can include such things as clothing, jewelry and electronics. Coverage includes while at home and away. Personal property coverage is subject to exclusions.
• Loss of use: Loss of use provides coverage for living expenses while your home is unlivable. This could be during a repair or remodel after a loss that is covered by the homeowners insurance policy. Expense coverage includes housing, transportation and food, but it must exceed normal expenses incurred.
• Personal liability: Personal liability covers you if you’re found legally responsible for causing accidental property or personal injury. This helps pay for court costs and financial judgments.
• Medical payments: Medical payment coverage is used for reimbursement for minor injuries that happen on your property. This covers those who do not live at your home or dwelling.

These are standard coverage options, but all homeowners policies are subject to limitations and exclusions. It is important to discuss coverage details of your specific policy with your agent.

Standard homeowners insurance policies will not cover:

• Flooding
• Earthquakes and land movement
• Termites and infestations
• Mold
• Poor maintenance/neglect
• Power surges
• Bringing the home up to code
• Intentional damage

Some Boston insurance companies may offer add-on coverage for some exclusions, to help boost coverage.

Boston homeowners insurance quotes

The average cost for Massachusetts home insurance is around $1,382 per year, which is $115 per month. However, your insurance premium cost will vary based on your home’s location, age, coverage type and home security or additional safety features that qualify for discounts. With the premium cost, it’s important to consider types of insurance coverage affecting overall price. This includes:

• Actual cash value: Actual cash value is the dollar amount it would cost to fix your home and/or the items in it. Actual cash value subtracts the decrease in the value of the home or property. This is typically due to age. Actual cash value can also be called depreciated cash value.
• Replacement cost: Replacement cost is the money it would cost to make a repair at today’s prices. This could also be for replacing with a similar item. An insurance company may pay you the actual cash value first, then once repaired or replaced, the insurance company pays you back the difference. This is also referred to as recoverable depreciation.
• Extended replacement cost/value: Extended replacement cost boosts your home insurance coverage by 10% to 15% of the build cost. This can be beneficial if your dwelling has a loss, and the cost of materials has increased. This can also be called increased replacement cost or extended dwelling coverage.

Boston homeowners insurance FAQ

How much does home insurance cost per month in Massachusetts? The average Massachusetts home insurance policy costs around $115 per month. Factors like home size, age and location will affect the overall price.

Why is house insurance so expensive? There are several factors that make home insurance premiums high. These include the deductible amount; the types and amounts of coverages; your home's age, condition and location; and the cost to rebuild your home. Many companies offer discounts if you have a home security system or bundle homeowners insurance with car insurance.

Is it mandatory to have homeowners insurance in Massachusetts? There is no Massachusetts law requiring you to carry insurance on your home. However, mortgage lenders and bankers may require you to maintain insurance for the loan life.

What are three things that could make home insurance go up? Three factors that could make your insurance premium go up include the number of claims filed, construction costs affecting the rebuild cost and property changes that boost value.