The Best Homeowners Insurance in Washington, D.C. for 2023

The average cost of homeowners insurance in Washington, D.C. is $995 per year, or about $83 per month, according to a NerdWallet analysis. That’s more than the national average of $1,820 per year.

We’ve analyzed rates and companies across the state to find the best homeowners insurance in Washington, D.C.

If you’re looking to buy homeowners insurance from a well-rated national brand, consider one of these insurers from NerdWallet’s list of the Best Homeowners Insurance Companies.

State Farm is a great choice for homeowners who like to work directly with a representative, as the company sells policies through a wide network of agents. And its attention to customer service has paid off; the company has fewer customer complaints to state regulators than expected for a company of its size.

State Farm offers a free Ting device as a perk for home insurance policyholders. Ting is a smart plug that monitors your home’s electrical network to help prevent fires.

Chubb generally serves affluent policyholders with high-value homes, offering lofty coverage limits and plenty of perks. For example, the company covers water damage from backed-up sewers and drains, and pays to bring your home up to the latest building codes during reconstruction after a claim. (Many insurers charge more for these types of coverage.)

Chubb policyholders may also be able to take advantage of the company’s HomeScan service, which uses infrared cameras to look for problems behind the walls of your home.

Nationwide’s standard homeowners policies include ordinance or law coverage, which pays to bring your home up to the latest building codes after a covered claim. They also include coverage for unauthorized credit or debit transactions. For an extra cost, you may be able to add coverage for things like water backup, identity theft and stronger materials to replace your roof.

The Nationwide website offers plenty of ways to manage your policy, including filing and tracking claims, paying bills and getting quotes.

USAA sells homeowners insurance to veterans, active military members and their families. If that description fits you, you may want to consider a USAA policy. That’s because the company’s homeowners insurance has certain features that other insurers may charge extra for.

For example, USAA automatically covers your personal belongings on a “replacement cost” basis. Many companies pay out only what your items are worth at the time of the claim, which means you may not get much for older items. USAA pays enough for you to buy brand-new replacements for your stuff.

The average annual cost of home insurance in Washington, D.C., is $995. That’s 45% less than the national average of $1,820.

In most of the U.S., including Washington, D.C., many insurers use your credit-based insurance score to help set rates. Your insurance score is similar but not identical to your traditional credit score.

In Washington, D.C., those with poor credit pay an average of $2,045 per year for homeowners insurance, according to NerdWallet’s rate analysis. That’s more than twice as much as those with good credit.

Here are the insurers we found with average annual rates below the Washington, D.C. average of $995.

If you’re shopping for the best homeowners insurance in Washington, D.C., make sure to consider risks like flooding and winter weather when buying your policy.

Washington, D.C. is susceptible to flooding, especially during heavy rain. Standard homeowners insurance doesn’t cover flood damage, so homeowners at risk of flooding should look into separate flood insurance.

To find out your risk, check out the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s flood maps and RiskFactor.com, a website from the nonprofit First Street Foundation. Even if your property is deemed low risk, it may be worthwhile to purchase flood insurance for extra peace of mind. Approximately 20 to 25% of all flood claims come from properties in low-risk areas.

Remember that while you can purchase flood coverage at any time, there’s typically a 30-day waiting period before the insurance takes effect. Here’s more information about flood insurance and waiting periods.

Washington, D.C. gets its fair share of winter storms, including freezing temperatures and heavy snows during Nor’easters. These cold winters can lead to problems like frozen pipes and roof damage from snow and ice accumulation.

Homeowners insurance generally covers winter storm-related damage, but some types of winter weather damage may require extra coverage. For instance, you’ll typically need a separate flood insurance policy to cover flood damage caused by snowmelt, and insurers may refuse to pay for damage caused by frozen pipes if it appears you neglected to take steps to reduce risk by, for example, keeping your home at an adequate temperature, even when you’re out of town.

Earthquakes in the Washington D.C. area are rarely of high magnitude, but even minor quakes can damage aging buildings. Since standard homeowners insurance policies do not typically cover structural damage caused by earthquakes, you will need to buy additional earthquake insurance if you’re concerned about the risk of earthquakes to your home.

Earthquake insurance often has a separate deductible, which can be between 10% and 20% of your dwelling coverage limit. If you have a 10% deductible on $200,000 of coverage, you’d need to pay $20,000 to repair earthquake damage before your insurance covers anything.

The District of Columbia Department of Insurance, Securities and Banking oversees the district’s insurance industry. In addition to providing information about homeowners insurance, the department can also help if you have a dispute with your insurer. You can submit a complaint form online, by mail or fax, or by delivering it directly to the office. Call the department with questions at 202-727-8000.