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Nationwide vs Erie

Thursday, December 5th

2024 Home Insurance Company Reviews

Nationwide Review 4 Star Rating

Nationwide

4 Star Rating
  • Lots of ways to get discounts
  • Available in all 50 states
  • Bundle and save with auto insurance
  • Good amount of add-on options
  • Online quotes
  • "A+” Better Business Bureau rating

Nationwide is one of the biggest, most well-known insurance companies on the market. They offer up to 20% in savings if you use their auto insurance as well. Nationwide has been rated one of the best companies to work for by Fortune 500 and since 1926 they've become one of the largest insurance companies in the world. We are impressed by the amount of add-ons they provide for customers, plus their list of discounts you might qualify for. Within a few minutes, you can answer a questionnaire and get a quote from Nationwide or one of their partners. They have an "A+” rating from the Better Business Bureau, but some mixed reviews from customers. Ultimately this is a good company if they provide a comfortable quote for you and have coverage that will completely take care of any needs you may have in the future.

Erie Review 3.5 Star Rating

Erie

3.5 Star Rating
  • Work with a local agent
  • 24/7 support
  • Multi-policy discounts
  • Overall positive customer feedback
  • "A+” Better Business Bureau rating

Erie is an insurance company that prides itself in its customer service. The company has been around for nearly 100 years and has a lot of positive feedback from their policyholders. You'll need to see if they have agents in your area (we found there are lots of places they don't serve) and then reach out to them for a quote. Based on what we have read from customers, Erie does seem to be able to offer really competitive rates, so it's worth checking into them if they cover your area. The Better Business Bureau gives Erie an "A+” rating and they seem to be a solid option for home insurance.

Where is the Best Place to Purchase Homeowners Insurance?

No one wants to imagine their home getting overrun with water damage, enduring a natural disaster, having a fire destroy their property, or having to deal with theft, but it happens. Everyone should have homeowner's insurance for peace of mind and to be taken care of in case of an emergency or unfortunate occurrence. In fact, it's so important that you can't take out a mortgage anymore unless you can prove you have homeowner's insurance in place.

It makes sense that banks don't want to hand over a loan with the risk that something will happen to the property and render the owner unable to continue paying their mortgage. Since your home is such an important asset, you don't want to risk being responsible for thousands of dollars in costs if unexpected damage or destruction were to occur. Being uninsured in a time of crisis could result in total financial ruin.

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Home Insurance Company FAQ

If you have a mortgage on your home, your lender will more than likely require that you carry homeowners insurance. They will also require you to carry enough of it to rebuild your home if it were completely destroyed. When you have a mortgage, you don't completely own the home - the lender does, until you pay it off. That's why they require insurance. If it were to be damaged or destroyed, the bank needs to know that it will be taken care of.
There's regular homeowners insurance if you own your home, renters insurance if you're renting a free-standing home or an apartment, insurance for mobile homes, and more. When you start shopping for a home insurance policy, you'll be asked a series of questions that will determine what type of coverage is right for you.
Although the specifics can vary by company, there are a few things you can expect in a typical policy. First, your dwelling, or home, is covered, and so would a shed or other building on the lot. Your personal belongings would be covered, and medical costs of any guest injured on your property. Policies usually will pay for a hotel and meals from restaurants if you are displaced due to complete destruction of your home, if what happened is covered under the policy. You should also be protected in case of fire, storm, theft, or vandalism.
Yes and no. There are limits. When you purchase insurance, you and your agent will decide on the financial limits the policy will cover. A lower limit is cheaper, but it won't give you the replacement home you might think it will. A higher limit costs more, but will give you a better replacement home and personal belongings. Be aware that if your home is valued at $250,000, you can't get limits of $1,000,000 and get a million dollar home to replace yours. Your limits need to pretty much match what you currently have.
When you get a policy, you choose your deductible. This is the dollar amount you will be responsible for with each claim. If you want the insurance company to pay for it all, you will choose $0 deductible. Realize that having a low deductible will raise your rates. If you choose a higher deductible, such as $1,000, you'll have to pay that in the event of a disaster but your policy rates are lower. Choosing your deductible and your premium price is a balancing act.
Not all of your valuables may be covered under the standard policy, so you might choose what they call add-on policies for them. Let the insurer know if you have specific pieces to protect, and there will be a rider for each piece covering the amount it's worth. Although these add-ons might be expensive, it will be much more costly if something happened to them and they weren't listed in a separate policy.
You can usually get a discount for having zero claims on your history, living in a neighborhood with an HOA, being a senior, being a non-smoker, bundling with your auto insurance, signing on before your old policy expires, and more. If you have fire/smoke detectors and/or burglar alarms that are directly connected to emergency services (911), most policies will come with a significant discount there too. Be sure to ask your insurance company for ways to save money on your coverage.
Believe it or not, it's super-easy to get coverage online. Some insurers offer 24/7 live-person customer service, and others offer a live person only during typical business hours. But, if you don't want to talk to a person and you'd rather take care of all research and transactions from your phone or laptop, there are several companies that offer that. You can even get a quote in five minutes via the web or their app.
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Continued from above...

Most people don't have enough cash in the bank to cover a major portion of or even the entire cost of their home. It's probably the last thing you want to spend your money on when you're already paying a monthly mortgage. Having good home insurance is the best way to stay financially protected and ensure that you always have what it takes to repair and maintain your house if something goes wrong.

If you're a new homeowner, it may seem a little overwhelming to find an insurance policy. Luckily there are lots of companies available these days for you to choose from. Companies have gotten better at using layman's terms and really spelling out all their policies for you, so that you know what you'll be paying monthly, what the policy covers, and how to make a claim if you need to. Usually a company will offer a few different price ranges you can choose from, depending on how much coverage you think you need, and you can easily compare them to decide what works best with your budget and covers the risks that most threaten your property and surrounding area.

We've done some of the heavy lifting for you here by going over the process different companies require for you to get quotes and reviewing what people have to say about their customer service and follow-through with claims. When it comes to a situation regarding insurance, you don't want to mess around. We can't overstate the importance of being able to rely on a company that's affordable and will hold your hand while you navigate stressful situations.

Since there are quite a few insurance companies to choose from that have different types of policies, keep the following things in mind when choosing who to go with:

  • Standard coverage. What are the basic things included with standard coverage through the insurance company?
  • Optional add-ons. Every home, neighborhood, city, and state is different. That means that while one homeowner may need earthquake insurance, another may need flood insurance. Does the company have options to cover the specific risks in your area? Some also have add-ons for personal belongings like jewelry, so if this is something you might need, pay attention to what's available.
  • Coverage limits. In any given situation, what is the maximum amount the company would pay out? Do you feel confident that it's enough to cover all the costs you may be facing?
  • Deductible. Even though you pay a monthly fee to have home insurance, you'll still be responsible for an upfront portion of the cost of any damage you're dealing with. If you want a lower deductible, you may decide to choose a plan with a higher yearly premium instead.
  • Customer satisfaction. When you find yourself in a crisis, you want to make sure you are working with a company that will help you every step of the way. Pay attention to what other customers say about their experience with the insurance company. Do they follow through with claims quickly and efficiently? Are their employees patient, kind, and easy to work with? What rating does the Better Business Bureau give the company?

Top Consumer Reviews has researched the most important things you'd need to know about choosing a home insurance plan. We hope this information helps you find peace of mind knowing that one of your most valuable assets is protected. We've tried to make things as easy as possible for you to feel confident in your decision about which home insurance company to go with.

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