PUBLISHED AVERAGES, NOT QUOTES - ON YOUR SIDE
What does homeowners insurance actually cost, and why?
You deserve a number you can check before a renewal checks you. ClearCoverCost explains homeowners insurance costs using published averages, so you can test a renewal or a quote with open eyes, without pretending anyone can price your exact home from a webpage. Every figure names its source, year and verification date.
Benchmark snapshot, $300k dwelling basis
$2,470 national average / year
In our state table the published average runs from $1,208 in New Jersey to $6,184 in Louisiana. Same dwelling limit, very different risk and rebuild costs.
National average $2,470 per year (Bankrate True Cost of Home Insurance report (press release, August 25, 2025), 2025, verified 2026-10-04). State table uses a $300,000 dwelling basis. Advertising is off; this site sells nothing.
Start with the spread, not a single average
The national average annual premium in the Bankrate True Cost report we cite is $2,470. That one number hides the real story. Among the 25 states in our table, the published average on a $300,000 dwelling basis runs from $1,208 in New Jersey to $6,184 in Louisiana. The same $300,000 of dwelling coverage costs several times more in one state than another because weather risk, rebuilding costs and insurer participation differ. If you remember one thing from this homepage, make it this: benchmark against your state, on your dwelling limit, never against a national headline.
Disclaimer: Published averages and ranges, not a quote. This page is not insurance advice. Your premium will differ based on your home, location, claims history, and insurer. Flood insurance is separate and is not included in any figure on this site.
Three ways in, depending on your question
What does my state cost?
The cost by state table lists the published average for each of our 25 states with its source named on the page. Open your state for its position against the national average and the drivers behind it.
Is my quote in a normal range?
The Home Cover Benchmark starts from your state published average and applies simple, printed factors for dwelling band, roof age and deductible to produce a benchmark range. Labelled honestly: a range from published averages, not a quote for your home.
Why is it priced this way?
Replacement cost, roof age and material, deductible shape, local weather, and whether wind or flood is covered separately all move the price. The guides take each driver in turn, with worked arithmetic from the figures on this site.
Costs by state at a glance
Published average annual premium for a $300,000 dwelling policy, highest to lowest. Each state page shows the source, year and verified date next to the figure, explains how that state compares with the $2,470 national average, and names the drivers to check before you judge your own quote.
Sources and verification
State figures: Bankrate True Cost of Home Insurance 2025 state table (as reproduced by The Hartford, citing Bankrate), $300,000 dwelling basis. National figure: Bankrate True Cost of Home Insurance report (press release, August 25, 2025), 2025. Median home values: Ruby Home 2023 median home price summary. Verified 2026-10-04. Full method, exclusions and known limits: Methodology.
Dwelling limit matters as much as state
The state averages above assume a $300,000 dwelling limit, because that is the basis of the published study we cite. If your home would cost $500,000 or $750,000 to rebuild, you should expect a higher premium, but not a proportionally identical one, because part of any premium covers liability and other fixed elements. Our dwelling pages walk through what each limit means and how to check yours against a rebuilding estimate rather than a real estate listing.
$300,000 dwelling
The published study basis. What it covers, who it fits, and how the state averages were built on it.
$500,000 dwelling
How a larger rebuild cost changes the benchmark, and which parts of the premium do not scale with it.
$750,000 dwelling
Higher limits, percentage deductible arithmetic, and the questions to ask before renewal.
Guides that explain the price
Replacement cost vs market value
The number that actually matters for your dwelling limit, and why guessing low backfires after a total loss.
Roof age and material
Why insurers price the roof first, and what to document before renewal.
Flat vs percentage deductible
Do the arithmetic before you choose: what 1% or 2% really costs on your dwelling limit.
HO-3 vs HO-5
What the broader form really adds, and when it is not worth paying for.
Flood insurance is separate
The gap many homeowners miss: rising water is not in a standard policy.
Lower your premium safely
Cut cost without cutting the coverage that protects the rebuild.
Why premiums differ, in plain language
Replacement cost is the backbone: the premium follows what it would cost to rebuild, not what the home would sell for, because land does not burn down. Roof age and material come next, because the roof is the first defence against water, and water is a frequent and expensive claim. Deductible shape then decides how much of the first loss is yours, and a percentage deductible on a high dwelling limit can be a startlingly large number. Local weather and water risk sit underneath everything: wind, hail, freeze and flood exposure differ street by street, and flood is bought separately. Our state pages show the published average we could verify, name the source and year on the page, and explain the main drivers in plain language. Read how we choose sources before citing any figure, and the disclaimer for what a benchmark can and cannot tell you.