Houston Homeowners Insurance

The Bayou City originally began on the banks of Buffalo Bayou and experienced its original growth spurt due to nearby sea ports and the railroad in the 19th century. Then the discovery of oil, The Texas Medical Center and the nearby Johnson Space Center helped this city grow into the 4th largest American city during the 20th century. If you own a home in this global metropolitan area, you need to protect your investment with Houston, TX homeowners insurance.

Local independent Trusted Choice® agents can answer your coverage questions, show you many coverage options, and provide Houston home insurance quotes from multiple companies. Contact a local agent for friendly service, and tailored home coverage that fits your budget.

Cost of Homeowners Insurance in Texas

• National yearly premium average: $1,034
• Texas yearly premium average: $1,661
• 3rd most expensive premium in the US

The thing about this metropolitan area is that it covers a vast expanse of land. The city’s location extends from the areas near the Houston Ship Channel by Clear Lake and Pasadena in the south, to the beginning of heavily forested areas in The Woodlands to the north. The eastern part of the metropolitan area may seem more like East Texas, while the western parts may seem like they are “halfway to central Texas.” That means that the local rates in your neighborhood may be very different from rates in a neighborhood across town.

An independent agent who works in your area can help you find the best rate for your homeowners coverage. Unlike captive agents, independent agents are not bound to one insurance company, and can compare many different insurance companies to find the one that best meets your needs, at a price you can afford.

Houston Homeowners Insurance Coverage

There are some types of coverage that come standard with a typical homeowners policy, as well as a wide variety of specialized coverage options you may need in addition to basic coverage. The typical policy might include these options:

• Building property: This covers the actual house and other structures on your property. It includes your roof, windows, frame and even your fence.
• Personal possessions: This provides coverage for the personal property you own. Examples might be your lawnmower, stove and laptop computer.
• Liability insurance: If your actions or inaction cause damage to a visitor's property, or cause bodily injury to someone on the premises, liability insurance can protect you.
• Relocation assistance: Sometimes homeowners need to move out while repairs are made. If your policy covers the repairs, relocation assistance may help you pay for temporary lodging. Your basic coverage might or might not include this fairly inexpensive policy option.

The covered events for a basic policy include fire, water damage from broken pipes, wind damage, and burglary. However, some catastrophes, like earthquake and natural floods, are not covered.

The Houston area experiences periodic heavy rains, tropical storms and hurricanes. The entire city is subject to flooding, in any given neighborhood. You can protect your home from flood with a flood insurance policy from the National Flood Insurance Program. You can also add special coverage like earthquake insurance, wildfire insurance, and sinkhole coverage.

Number of Catastrophes in Texas and the US:

• National number of catastrophes: 19,033
• Number of catastrophes in Texas: 1,935
• National number of tornadoes: 1,233
• Number of tornadoes in Texas: 221
• National property damage from weather: $5,511,270,000
• Property damage from weather in Texas: $1,026,150,000

Texas is the most likely state to be hit by a tornado, and few homeowners in the metropolitan area can expect to escape damage during a catastrophic storm. Sometimes the damage almost seems random because some houses in a neighborhood can suffer fallen trees and flooding, and others will just have some fallen branches and rain.

Since it is impossible to predict when the next major storm will hit or what the damage will be, you should make certain that your house is well covered before the storm strikes.

Recent Texas wildfires affected many parts of the city, particularly the western part of the metropolitan area.

Theft in Texas

• National average for burglaries: 37,814
• Texas number of burglaries: 190,898

Statistics show the city to be a high crime rate area, but that unfortunate rating does not extend into all of the area’s neighborhoods and suburbs. In any case, you would be wise to protect your house and property against the threat of burglaries or vandalism.

• You can deter crimes before they ever happen with a home security system. Many insurers will offer you a discount for installing an approved home security system.
• Your basic policy might include coverage for damage and losses, but it is important to make sure your coverage is adequate. For example, some homeowners underestimate the replacement value of their personal possessions.
• Do you have your personal possessions covered at replacement value or actual cash value? If you only covered them at their current value, you might have to replace them at garage sale prices.

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Houston Home Insurance Quotes

How can you find the right policy at the right price in such a large and diverse metropolitan area? A local, independent Trusted Choice agent can find you Houston home insurance quotes from multiple companies. These local agents can also review your current coverage and show you gaps in your coverage, or ways to save money on your premiums.

To learn more about Houston homeowners insurance, contact a Trusted Choice member agent today.