Kansas Homeowners Insurance

Homeowners Insurance in Kansas: Complete Consumer Guide

Thinking of moving to Kansas? Here are some interesting facts about your new home state. Kansas became the 34th state on January 29, 1861. The capital of Kansas is Topeka. The state bird of Kansas is the western meadowlark. The state flower of Kansas is the sunflower. And the state tree of Kansas is the cottonwood. The state name of Kansas comes from Kansa, a Native American Indian tribe, and means “people of the wind.” Kansas is known for its vast plains and farmlands. Kansas is home to more than 500 caves. The state song in Kansas is “Home on the Range.” Kansas was known for wild frontier towns like Dodge City and Wichita during the settling of the Wild West.

Types of policy for Homeowners Insurance in Kansas

What kind of homeowners insurance policy do you need for your home? Not sure? Here is a look at the different types of homeowners insurance policies.

HO-1 Called the “basic form,” this insurance policy covers the 10 most common perils. But you won’t find this insurance form everywhere. Some insurance companies do not offer HO-1 forms.

HO-2 Known as the “broad form,” the HO-2 policy provides more limited coverage. But a HO-2 form still provides more insurance coverage than a HO-1 basic form.

HO-3 This insurance form is the most widely purchased type of insurance. The HO-3 form provides coverage for named perils and personal property. With a HO-3 form, your insurance company will pay to repair or replace personal belongings damaged by 16 covered perils. These covered perils include theft, falling objects, the weight of ice, sleet and snow, water damage, hail, explosions, vandalism, smoke, fire, lightning and windstorm.

HO-6 This insurance form is used for condominium units. The type of coverage is usually “walls-in” coverage and may protect the condo unit’s walls, floors and ceilings from 16 covered perils. The HO-6 form also includes coverage for the condo owner’s personal belongings.

HO-8 This type of insurance form is for older houses and covers 10 perils. The HO-8 form is paid on an actual cash value basis, which is the cost of the home items minus depreciation.

What factors affect rates on homeowners insurance in Kansas?

There are a number of factors that determine the rate of a homeowners insurance policy. Let’s take a look at a few. For example, the construction materials of your home are big factors. So are other things such as how much it will cost to rebuild the house and replace all your personal belongings. Whether or not you have a swimming pool or a trampoline affects home insurance rates as well. Do you have pets? If you own a dog, you are liable for dog bites and any injuries that your dog may cause and this affects your homeowners insurance rates. Your credit also plays a role. If you have good or excellent credit, you’ll pay lower homeowners insurance rates than a homeowner with bad credit.

Top 5 disasters in the State of Kansas

Kansas federally declared Severe Storms as the most common disaster with 38 counts since 1953, followed by Flood, Fire, Tornado, and Biological disasters. Here are the top 5 federally declared disasters in the state of Kansas:

Rank	Declaration Title	Disaster Number
1	Severe Storms	38
2	Flood	13
3	Fire	11
4	Tornado	6
5	Biological	5

 

Source: Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)

How much is homeowners insurance in Kansas?

The average cost of homeowners insurance in Kansas is $908 per year.

Source: The average cost of homeowners insurance by state, Business Insider.

Crime Rate: Is Kansas a safe state?

2019 Crime in Kansas	Crime Number	Crime Rate*
Property Crime	67,428	2,314.5
Burglary	9,984	342.7
Larceny-Theft	50,165	1,721.9

*Rate per 100,000 inhabitants

Safest Cities in Kansas by Property Crime*

• Lansing, KS has a population of 12,051 with a Property Crime rate of 5.1 per 1k. The city average home value is approximately $221,095.
• Gardner, KS has a population of 22,229 with a Property Crime rate of 7.9 per 1k. The average home value there is about $245,466.
• Prairie Village, KS came in third as the safest city in the state of Kansas and has a population of 22,508 with a Property Crime rate of 10.8 per 1k. Its home value averaged at about $339,868.
• Leawood, KS has a population of 35,052 with a Property Crime rate of 11.4 per 1k. Its average home value is $532,657.
• Lenexa, KS has a population of 56,240 with a Property Crime rate of 13.5 per 1k. The city home value averaged $328,113.

*Based on FBI Uniform Crime Reporting 2019, some cities have been eliminated because of changes in the state/local agency's reporting practices and cities with populations under 10,000. Zillow’s State/Cities average home value for a single family home or a condo as of Sept. 2020.

Compare Home Insurance Rates in Kansas

Top homeowners insurance companies in Kansas

Auto Owners has strong online resources on its website and offers a variety of add-on coverages as well. They offer a number of discounts that it offers to customers including bundling an Auto Owners home insurance policy with another Auto Owners policy and paying your premium in full.

Farmers is known for its three tiers of home insurance policies that customers can add on to with additional coverages. Identity theft coverage is also available. You can get a discount for bundling a Farmers home insurance policy with another Farmers insurance policy. Other discounts include a non smokers discount, a multi-policy discount and a professional group member discount.

AAA provides a number of add-on coverages beyond the basic homeowners insurance coverage. So you’ll be able to customize your home insurance policy. To get home insurance coverage from AAA, you’ll have to join AAA and become a member. Discounts from AAA include a multi-policy discount and a retiree discount.

Kansas Home Insurance FAQs

Does home insurance cover sinkholes in Kansas?

Sinkholes are excluded from most homeowners insurance coverage because they are considered ground movements. But you can purchase a separate sinkhole insurance policy.

How to shop for home insurance in Kansas?

The best way to shop for home insurance is to get home insurance rates from several different insurance companies. SmartFinancial makes this easy to do. With SmartFinancial’s help, you’ll be comparing home insurance rates near you in no time.

Is the first year of homeowners insurance included in closing costs?

Yes, typically one full year of homeowners insurance is collected and paid to your insurance company at closing.