Your home is likely a big investment for you and your family and should be protected accordingly. Living without comprehensive home insurance could be putting your most important investment at risk. Fortunately, Obrella makes it easy to find and purchase a Kansas home insurance policy. We’re connected to insurance experts who can simplify the process by explaining all of your options and helping you choose the policy that’s best for you. They can even bind your policy—all over the phone.
Homeowners in Kansas
On average, homeowners in Kansas pay $1,213 annually for home insurance. That’s $179 more than residents of most states pay, and means Kansas has the 8th highest average insurance premiums in the nation.
- Median Home Value: 143,600
- Household Income: 53,444
- % of Income on Home Ownership: 22.10%
In Kansas, the median household income is $50,972, which is about what it is nationally. And, at $128,400, the typical Kansas house is valued at roughly 30% less than the national norm of $176,700. This means those who call the Sunflower State home spend a smaller percentage of their household income on housing related costs than most American homeowners. In fact, with 22.1% of household income spent on housing, compared to the national norm of 31.6%, only three states have lower home ownership costs. Kansas ranks22nd for the greatest percentage of owner occupied homes in the country, having an owner occupancy rate of 66.1%.
No one should pay more for home insurance than they have to. If you want to get the best home insurance policy for your money, contact an insurance professional and ask them to run a home insurance comparison. Doing so could save you money on your Kansas home insurance premium.
How are home insurance premiums calculated in Kansas?
An insurance company looks at a variety of components to determine the cost of your home insurance premium. They start with information about your home and your area, including local building costs, crime rates, the size of your home, and the year it was built. Premiums can also be affected by the likelihood of natural disasters such as tornadoes, floods, and earthquakes. A range of other factors can also impact your insurance premiums like whether you have a swimming pool or guest house and even your credit score.
Why do these aspects matter? They all relate to risk. If your insurance provider determines that these factors make your home riskier to insure, you’ll probably end up spending more for your homeowners insurance policy. Thankfully, you can take action to lower these risks. Making your home more secure is a good start. Installing a complete home security system, for example, means your home is less likely to be burglarized, lowering the chance that your insurance company will have to replace stolen items. Even installing motion-sensitive lights and surveillance cameras can lower your risk and therefore your premium.
What does Kansas homeowners insurance cover?
Many home insurance companies in Kansas give you a range of coverage options to choose from; here are a few examples:
- HO-1: Limited Coverage
- No longer available in most states, this basic policy offers coverage against the first 10 classified disasters. These include fire or lighting, windstorms or hail, explosions, riots, damage caused by aircraft, damage caused by vehicles, smoke, vandalism, theft, and volcanic eruption. (For more information, read our “Understanding Auto Insurance Coverage For Hail Damage: Your Complete Guide“).
- HO-2: Basic Policy
- HO-2 policies are designed to provide coverage in the event that your home is affected by any of the 16 classified disasters.
- HO-3: Standard, most popular
- With very few exceptions, this policy offers comprehensive coverage, making it pretty much standard among Kansas customers.
- HO-8: Older Home
- This policy guards against declining home values by paying back homeowners for damage on an actual cash value basis. However, some more aged homes may not qualify for complete replacement cost policies.
What is the standard Kansas homeowners insurance coverage?
Usually, loss or damage to your property will only be covered by home insurance if the reason behind it is outlined in your policy. So, for instance, you wouldn’t receive a payment for flood damage if your policy doesn’t provide flood coverage. Check out the following home insurance coverage definitions for more information on your policy options:
- Coverage A – Dwelling
- Protects against damage to the home and attached structures. This includes damage to the home’s plumbing, wiring, and permanent air-conditioning and heating systems.
- Coverage B – Other Structures
- Structures not physically connected to the house are protected under Other Structures coverage. This includes free-standing sheds, fences, guest homes, and detached garages.
- Coverage C – Personal Property
- Personal Property coverage reimburses homeowners for the value of damaged, lost, or stolen belongings, including furniture, clothing, computers, and TVs. This coverage even extends to items that were not lost, stolen, or damaged on the homeowner’s property—such as items in a storage unit.
- Coverage D – Loss of Use
- While a home is being repaired, Loss of Use coverage will pay for living expenses.
- Coverage E – Personal Liability
- In the event of a lawsuit in which the homeowner is deemed accountable for another person’s injuries or sustained damages, Personal Liability will cover the homeowner’s monetary losses.
- Coverage F – Medical Payments to Others
- In the event that someone is hurt on your property or by your pet, this coverage will take care of any resulting medical bills.
Kansas Insurance Resources
Kansas Insurance Department : Publishes brochures and rate guides on home insurance coverage as well as assists residents with insurance agent and agency disputes. The department also has an Emergency Response team that provides direct, onsite resources to help homeowners streamline the insurance claim process after a catastrophic event. If you have a question or concern about insuring your Kansas home, the Department may be able to help.
Homes Associations of Kansas City: (HAKC) is a great resource if you live in a neighborhood governed by a homeowners association. An alliance of nearly 60 homeowners associations, HAKC offers a variety of services that help homeowners and home association boards work together to create a thriving community.
Before making any final decisions on your insurance company, it is important to learn as much as you can about your local insurance providers, and the coverages they offer. Call your local insurance agent to clear up any questions that you might have. Questions to consider asking include, “What is the best coverage plan for me/my family/my situation?” “What are the minimum coverage requirements in my state and what form of coverage do you recommend?” “Do you guys offer any bundle discounts if I take out both my auto insurance and home insurance with you?” and “What is the average rate of insurance quotes you guys offer?
Before making any big insurance decisions, use our free tool to compare insurance quotes near you. It’s simple, just plug in your zip code and we’ll do the rest!
Shopping for home insurance can be intimidating. With all the different options to sort through, it can be difficult to decide on the best policy to keep your home protected. That’s where Obrella comes in. With one simple phone call, you can get in touch with an experienced insurance agent who will help answer all of your home insurance questions. They’ll determine your coverage needs, help you review different policies, and discuss your options with you. They can even bind your policy over the phone! So don’t let shopping for home insurance be more difficult than it needs to be use Obrella to find what you need quickly and easily.
To talk to an insurance professional with experience in Kansas home insurance policy options, call today at [mapi-phone-link /].