Homeowners insurance for Texas*

Everything's bigger in Texas, and that includes its weather risks. Not only does the Lone Star State come in second for the total number of hurricanes, but it’s also number one for hail claims. These weather risks aren’t going away, and the result is rising home insurance costs.

*That’s where Kin comes in. We’re reimaging how home insurance works, starting with our policy forms. For Texas homeowners, we’ve developed a unique and customizable coverage called House & Property insurance. 

The base policy provides coverage similar to landlord insurance. Homeowners who live in the home they’re insuring can modify their coverage by adding an owner-occupied endorsement. The result is coverage more akin to an HO3 policy.

Interested? Get a quote today with Kin. **New members in Texas get 10% off their first House & Property policy. Valid once per household per property address.

You’re covered with Kin

We’re an admitted and licensed Texas home insurance company with a financial rating of A - Exceptional from Demotech, Inc.** This means that Demotech has reviewed our company and determined we have the financial strength to deal with claims, even catastrophic ones. 

When you get a House & Property policy from us, you get coverage for:

• Your dwelling.

• Other structures on your property.

• Your personal belongings. 

If you live in the home you’re insuring, your House & Property policy also covers:

• Personal liability in case you’re responsible for someone else’s injury or property damage. (This coverage is not available if you live somewhere other than the home you’re insuring.)

• Your additional living expenses if a covered claim renders your home uninhabitable.

• Your guests’ immediate medical bills if they’re injured on your property.

But if you rent the home to others, you get rental income coverage so you’re protected if damage from a covered claim makes the home uninhabitable. Landlords can also get an endorsement that adds premises liability coverage to their policy to protect them if someone is injured on the property.

Our policies cover your home and other structures for common perils that put it at risk, including fire, wind, hail, burst pipes, and theft. Moreover, our Texas homeowners insurance is written on an open perils basis, so events are only excluded if they’re explicitly mentioned in the policy. 

Your personal property is insured on a named-peril basis. This means it’s covered for damage caused by any one of 16 perils specifically listed in the policy. These named perils still represent some of the most common home insurance claims, but you can upgrade your personal property coverage to open perils.

How much does Texas homeowners insurance cost?

The Texas Tribune reports the average cost of Texas homeowners insurance in 2021 was $2,124 per year. In 2022, the Texas Department of Insurance (TDI) approved rate increases averaging 11%. Approved rate increases in 2023 averaged 22% – twice the national average.

Texas’ size is one of the reasons for its high home insurance premiums. The Lone Star State spreads out over several climate zones, so while coastal counties worry about hurricanes, others have to deal with thunderstorms, tornadoes, and hail. Texas can even see brutal winter temperatures that cause rolling power outages. 

But remember – that’s just a statewide average. Your premium may be higher or lower depending on several factors, such as:

• Your home’s age and building materials. 

• Your roof’s age.

• Your location.

• The deductibles you select.

Save money on your home insurance with Kin

One of the ways we work to keep costs down for homeowners is by using technology to mine publicly available insurance data. By evaluating the details of your home, we can better identify your home’s actual risks, rather than the risk in your general area. That way, we can offer premiums that are accurate and fair.

We also offer discounts when you:

• Install home security, water detection, or fire prevention devices.

• Reduce your chances of wind damage.

• Go without claims for three years.

• Become a Kin member by purchasing your first policy.

Aside from discounts, you may be able to lower your home insurance costs by increasing your deductible. Essentially, you take on more of the expense of a claim, which results in a reduction of your annual premium. This option is only recommended if you can afford the deductible you choose even in the worst case scenario.

Our Texas homeowners insurance policies come with three deductibles: 

• Standard deductible

  • $500

  • $1,000

  • $1,500

  • $2,500

  • $5,000

  • $10,000

• Hurricane deductible 

  • Flat-rate options: $500, $1,000, $2,500, $5,000, $7,500, and $10,000

  • Percentages options: 1%, 2%, 3%, 4%, 5%, and 10%

• Wind/hail deductible

  • Flat-rate options: $500, $1,000, $2,500, $5,000, $7,500, and $10,000

  • Percentages options: 1%, 2%, 3%, 4%, 5%, and 10%

So let’s say your home is insured for $200,000, and you choose a 2% hurricane deductible. That makes you responsible for $4,000 in a claim stemming from hurricane wind damage.

Want to see if you can save money with Kin? Enter your address to get a quote.

When do hurricane deductibles apply in Texas?

Whether or not your hurricane deductible applies is determined during the claims process. That said, hurricane deductibles typically kick in during a:

• Named storm. The National Hurricane Center of the National Weather Service is the organization that determines a named storm. Any storm or weather-related event given a name by any other person or entity does not qualify as a named storm. 

• Hurricane. Again, only the National Hurricane Center can declare a storm a hurricane. You will pay the hurricane deductible when the loss is deemed damage from a hurricane. 

If your loss or damage is caused by one of these two types of storms, then your hurricane deductible most likely applies.

When do wind/hail deductibles apply in Texas?

Your wind/hail deductible, aka your Windstorm or Hail Other Than Hurricane or Named Storm Deductible, is triggered by damage caused by a wind or hail storm that wasn’t declared a hurricane or named storm.

However, your hurricane deductible may apply to wind and hail damage if it was caused by a storm that was declared a hurricane or named storm by the National Hurricane Center. Which deductible applies is determined during the claims process.

Is home insurance required in Texas?

Texas law does not require you to get homeowners insurance, but your mortgage company might. Lenders often mandate insurance in order to protect their financial investment. 

Moreover, you may find yourself in situations where your mortgage company requires other types of coverage, namely:

• Flood insurance. Lenders who offer federally backed mortgages have to require flood insurance in certain flood zones. Unfortunately, we do not currently offer flood insurance in Texas.

• Windstorm insurance. Some insurers exclude windstorms from coverage in the counties that have the highest risk. When they do, mortgage lenders often require homeowners to buy this additional coverage. 

When you work with us, you won’t need additional windstorm insurance. We cover wind damage in every county in Texas. Good thing, too, considering the top risks Texas homeowners face.

Frequently asked questions about Texas homeowners insurance

Home insurance doesn’t have to be hard. Here are answers to a few of the most common questions people have about home insurance.

Why is homeowners insurance in Texas so expensive?

Texas is a large state that crosses many climate zones. Each of those zones presents its own set of risks, including thunderstorms, hail, tornadoes, and hurricanes. Insurance companies have to charge premiums that reflect those risks so they can pay catastrophic claims.

Is Texas windstorm insurance mandatory?

A windstorm insurance policy is usually only mandatory in Texas if your homeowners policy excludes wind damage, which many insurers do in the high-risk counties known as the designated catastrophe area. If your home is in one of these counties, then your mortgage provider may require you to get separate windstorm insurance. 

Our policyholders are covered for windstorm even in the counties where most insurance companies exclude it.

What counties in Texas are windstorm insurance required?

Texas has 14 counties where you may need a separate windstorm policy to qualify for a mortgage: Aransas, Calhoun, Chambers, Galveston, Kenedy, Matagorda, Refugio, Willacy, Brazoria, Cameron, Jefferson, Kleberg, Nueces, San Patricio. Additionally, areas east of Highway 146 in Harris County are required to have windstorm insurance.

Does home insurance cover mobile homes?

Mobile homes face more risk than traditionally built homes, so you usually need a manufactured home insurance policy to protect them.

**In Texas, we offer coverage through Kin Interinsurance Nexus Exchange, and our agency is Kin Insurance Network Distributor, LLC. Our agency license is 2741700.