Harrisburg Homeowners Insurance
Find the right homeowners insurance policy for you.
Written by
Ann Herro has been writing about insurance and employee benefits for over 15 years. She has covered topics as easy as insuring a car, and as difficult as transparency in healthcare costs.
Harrisburg is the capital of Pennsylvania as well as the county seat for Dauphin County. With a population of about 50,000 people, Harrisburg, PA has a lot to offer its residents, including a number of parks, recreational activities, cultural venues and intuitions of higher learning. It is little wonder that in 2010, Forbes ranked Harrisburg second on its list of the best places in America to raise a family. If you own a home in this capital city, you will want to be sure to protect your investment by purchasing a good Harrisburg home insurance policy.
When you are shopping for affordable coverage for your house, independent insurance agents in the Trusted Choice® network can provide assistance. These agents are not tied to any particular insurance company, so they can gather Harrisburg homeowners insurance quotes from a variety of highly rated providers. This makes it easy for you to compare rates and find the best policy to meet your coverage and budgetary needs. Find a Trusted Choice agent near you to learn more.
- National yearly premium average: $1,034
- Pennsylvania yearly premium average: $804
- 36th most expensive premium in the U.S.
The good news for those shopping for a Harrisburg home insurance policy is that homeowners in Pennsylvania pay lower-than-average rates for their coverage. Better still, comparison shopping can enable you to get your coverage at an even lower rate.
The averages listed above are just that: averages. Actual rates can vary significantly from one homeowner to the next because they are based on a number of different factors, including but not limited to the following:
- The value of your home and the material used in its construction
- The ZIP code where your house is located
- The type of home you are insuring: primary residence, second or vacation home
- The presence of a swimming pool on the property
- Your claims history
- The amount of contents coverage you wish to purchase
- The amount of your deductible
Use our independent agent matching system to find the best insurance plan in your area. You tell us what you’re looking for, and our technology will recommend the best agents for you. Any information you provide will be sent to only the agents you pick. We do not sell to third parties.
Save on Home Insurance
Our independent agents shop around to find you the best coverage.
Second Home and Vacation Home Insurance
Some residents in Harrisburg own a second home that they use as a rental property, such as to provide off-campus housing to some of the many college students in the area. In this case, these properties need to be covered by a landlord insurance policy. Other residents may own a vacation home somewhere that they use during summer or winter breaks. These houses have their own insurance considerations, particularly if they are left empty and unattended for long periods of time or if they are located somewhere that has a high risk of hurricane or other weather-related damage.
Your Trusted Choice agent can review the specific details of your extra properties with you to help you find the best policies to meet your coverage needs. If you bundle your coverage with your Harrisburg homeowners insurance policy, you might even be able to earn discounts on each policy.
Number of Thefts in Pennsylvania
- National number of burglaries: 37,814
- Pennsylvania number of burglaries: 52,034
The burglary rate in Pennsylvania is higher than the national average, and in Harrisburg, it is higher still. In 2013, there were 613 burglaries reported in this city. That equates to about 12.32 burglaries for every 1,000 homes, which is nearly twice the national average of 6.11 burglaries per 1,000 homes.
It is therefore important that you take preventive measures to reduce your risk of a home break-in. These include such things as ensuring that your door and window locks are in good working order, stopping mail service and using lights on timers when you are on vacation, and keeping your home’s entryways well-lit and unobscured by trees or bushes.
Burglar alarm systems are also very effective theft deterrents, and installing one in your home may even qualify you for a discount on your Harrisburg home insurance policy. If your home is burglarized, you may find some relief from knowing that your homeowners insurance company backs you up and provides compensation for your losses.
Number of Catastrophes in Pennsylvania
- Number of catastrophes in Pennsylvania: 515
- Number of tornadoes in Pennsylvania: 12
- Amount of property damage in Pennsylvania: $18,890,000
- 1 in 15 insured homes has a claim each year
Weather-related disasters can cause expensive damage to your home. So too can accidental fires and property crimes. Your Harrisburg home insurance policy provides coverage against many of the hazards you are likely to face. However, sometimes certain weather-related events require you to either purchase special endorsements or to specifically request coverage. Other events such as floods, earthquakes and sink-holes are nearly always excluded from coverage. Your Trusted Choice agent can help you understand each policy you review so that you can make sure you get all the coverage you need.
What Are the Risks in Harrisburg, PA?
Residents of Harrisburg may experience significant property damage as the result of storms, tornadoes and flooding. Coverage against storm damage is something you can count on with your home insurance policy. However, a few insurers may require you to purchase a special endorsement against tornadoes, so it is important that you know this before you purchase a policy. This city’s risk for tornado damage is not extreme, but it is 5 percent greater than the national average. One of the worst to strike this area was an F3 twister that touched down 15.6 miles from the city center and caused $18 million in property damage.
This city also experiences occasional flash floods when heavy rains or snowmelt causes the Susquehanna River to overflow its banks. Unfortunately, flood damage is not covered by homeowners insurance. Your Trusted Choice agent can help you get supplemental coverage through the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) so that you can close this coverage gap in your Harrisburg home insurance policy.
Save on Home Insurance
Our independent agents shop around to find you the best coverage.
Compare Harrisburg Home Insurance Quotes
The only way you can be sure that you are purchasing your Harrisburg homeowners insurance policy at a reasonable price is by comparing costs and offerings from a few competing insurance companies. However, this can be a time-consuming and sometimes frustrating task, so many people avoid it and then end up paying more than they need to for their home insurance.
That is why it is beneficial to work with an independent agent in the Trusted Choice network. These agents will take the time to learn your specific coverage needs and will then contact a few reputable insurance companies to make rate inquiries for you. That way, you can easily compare Harrisburg home insurance quotes for policies that have been customized to meet your coverage requirements. Trusted Choice agents are conveniently located in and near Harrisburg, so it is easy to find a local Trusted Choice agent who can assist you.