Kentucky Homeowners Insurance

Homeowners Insurance in Kentucky: Complete Consumer Guide

Thinking about moving to Kentucky, the Bluegrass State? Here are some interesting facts about your new home state. The state bird of Kentucky is the cardinal. The state flower of Kentucky is goldenrod. And the state tree of Kentucky is the tulip poplar. The state’s largest city, Louisville, is home to the Kentucky Derby, a horse race held at Churchill Downs each May. Kentucky is known as the horse capital of the world. The song “Happy Birthday to You” was written by two Louisville sisters. Daniel Boone National Forest covers more than 708,000 acres of eastern Kentucky and is named for the famous frontiersman. Cumberland Falls State Resort Park is known as the “Niagara of the South.” The 125-foot wide falls drops 68 feet into the Cumberland River. The capital city of Kentucky is Frankfort.

Types of policy for Homeowners Insurance in Kentucky

What kind of homeowners insurance policy do you need for your house? Uncertain? Here is a look at the different types of homeowners insurance policies.

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

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

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

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

HO-8 The HO-8 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 Kentucky?

Several factors come into play when determining the rate on a homeowners insurance policy and each insurer weighs factors differently. 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 you have a swimming pool or a trampoline are other factors affecting homeowners insurance. Do you own a dog? You’re liable for dog bites and injuries caused by your pet and this has an impact on your homeowners insurance. Your credit also plays a role. If you have good or excellent credit you’ll pay a lower rate on your homeowners insurance than a homeowner with bad credit.

Top 5 disasters in the State of Kentucky

Kentucky federally declared Severe Storms as the most common disaster with 31 counts since 1953, followed by Flood, Fire, Snow, and Tornado. Here are the top 5 federally declared disasters in the state of Kentucky:

Rank	Declaration Title	Disaster Number
1	Severe Storms	31
2	Flood	24
3	Fire	8
4	Snow	5
5	Tornado	5

Source: Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)

How much is homeowners insurance in Kentucky?

The average cost of homeowners insurance in Kentucky is $1,106.

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

Crime Rate: Is Kentucky a safe state?

2019 Crime in Kentucky	Crime Number	Crime Rate*
Property Crime	84,769	1,897.4
Burglary	15,443	345.7
Larceny-Theft	59,130	1,323.5

*Rate per 100,000 inhabitants

Safest Cities in Kentucky by Property Crime*

• Independence, KY has a population of 28,541 with a Property Crime rate of 4.4 per 1k. The city average home value is approximately $214,038.
• Fort Thomas, KY has a population of 16,386 with a Property Crime rate of 5.1 per 1k. The average home value there is about $246,824.
• Erlanger, KY came in third as the safest city in the state of Kentucky and has a population of 23,116 with a Property Crime rate of 6.7 per 1k. Its home value averaged at about $165,102.
• Mount Washington, KY has a population of 14,855 with a Property Crime rate of 6.9 per 1k. Its average home value is $225,469.
• Lawrenceburg, KY has a population of 11,538 with a Property Crime rate of 10.7 per 1k. The city home value averaged $151,166.

*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 Kentucky

Top homeowners insurance companies in Kentucky

Auto Owners has a good track record for customer service and a website chock-full of interactive, online tools. It is also known for its discounts. These include a multi-policy discount, a one-time payment discount, a paid-in-full discount, a green discount, an advance quote discount, a protective devices discount, a water shut-off system discount, a mortgage-free discount and an automatic backup generator discount.

AAA is known for its customer service and it provides a variety of coverage options for homeowners shopping for insurance. AAA homeowners insurance is only open to members so you’ll need to join AAA to get homeowners insurance coverage from AAA. Discounts available from AAA include a loyalty discount, a multi-policy discount, a new home discount and a home security discount.

Cincinnati Insurance is well-known for its affordable home insurance premiums. Cincinnati Insurance also provides a wide variety of insurance coverages and a large number of discounts. These discounts include a multi-policy discount, a new home discount, a home security discount, and a claim-free discount. Discounts on top of low premiums mean low prices for home insurance customers.

Kentucky Home Insurance FAQs

Can a new roof lower homeowners insurance?

Yes, a new roof can lower your homeowners insurance. You could get a discount of as much as 20 percent off your premium for replacing your roof. Whatever you do, do not neglect a roof because claims related to a poorly maintained one may not get paid.

Is it better to have a high or low deductible for home insurance?

A high deductible will lower your home insurance premium. So if you are comfortable with a higher deductible it will save you money each month on the premium.

Does home insurance cover pipe replacement in Kentucky state?

Yes, homeowners insurance policies cover damage to pipes but only if the damage was sudden and accidental. Damage from a slow, steady leak is not covered.