855.214.2291 Ohio Homeowners Insurance
November 24, 2020
Homeowners Insurance in Ohio: Complete Consumer Guide
The Buckeye State is a great place to own a home and raise a family. Columbus is both the capital and largest city in Ohio, which was the 17th state to join the union. Native-American tribes who’ve lived here include the Kickapoo and Shawnee tribes. “Copperhead” is the nickname given to Ohioans who wouldn’t fight to defend the Union during the Civil War, an allusion to poisonous snakes. No one’s quite sure where the name “Ohio” came from, but some think it comes from the Iroquois word “oyo” which means “the great river,” referring to the Ohio River. Ohio is known for its fertile soil, coal, natural gas and rock salt. In fact, Ohio produces about five million tons of salt each year. Manufacturing is big in this state. Akron, Ohio is known for rubber. Canton is known for roller bearings. Cincinnati is famous for jet engines and machinery. Cleveland is known for auto assembly, auto parts and steel. Dayton is famous for office machines, refrigerators and heating and auto equipment. Youngstown and Steubenville for steel. Toledo is known for manufacturing glass and auto parts. Tourism attractions include the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and the homes of four presidents: Taft, Grant, Hayes, Harding and Garfield.
Types of policy for Homeowners Insurance in Ohio
Coverage A is Dwelling Coverage, which protects the main structure of the home. It does not include detached structures, like sheds and garages.
Coverage B is Other Structure Coverage, which includes fences, decks and built-in appliances. It also covers sheds and garages and heating systems.
Coverage C is Personal Belongings Coverage, which protects your belongings. It’s sometimes called Contents Coverage. The contents of your shed and garage are covered in this portion of the policy.
Coverage D is Temporary Living Expenses Coverage, which would protect you should you not be able to live in your home while it’s being repaired. This coverage would reimburse you for food and lodging.
Coverage E is Liability Insurance, which would protect you if someone files a lawsuit based on injuries in your home.
There are optional coverages, too, including Sump Pump Overflow Coverage, Credit Theft Protection and Monitoring and Equipment Breakdown, which would cover home systems. These are important coverages to consider because they will otherwise require expensive fixes.
In addition to optional coverages, you may need to buy separate policies that would cover your home in the case of state declared disasters. Flood Insurance and Earthquake Insurance are sold separately from a basic home insurance policy.
Different homes need different homeowners insurance policies. Here are the most common types.
HO-1 The “basic form” covers the 10 most common perils. Some insurers do not offer HO-1 forms.
HO-2 This “broad form” provides limited coverage, but more than the HO-1 basic form.
HO-3 This is the most commonly purchased type of home insurance. It offers coverage for named perils and personal property. Your insurer will pay to repair or replace belongings caused by covered perils, 16 of which are covered by this type of policy, including fire and smoke; lightning strikes; windstorm and hail; explosions; vandalism and malicious mischief; damage from an aircraft, car or vehicle; theft; falling objects; the weight of ice, snow or sleet; and water damage.
HO-6 This is for condominium units. This is usually “walls-in” coverage and may protect the unit’s walls, floors and ceilings against 16 perils. It also includes coverage for the condo owner’s belongings.
HO-8 This form is for older homes and covers 10 perils. It is paid on an actual cash value basis, so it’s the cost of the items minus depreciation.
What factors affect rates on homeowners insurance in Ohio?
Many factors affect homeowners insurance rates, including location, crime statistics in your neighborhood, the size of your home, how much it will cost to rebuild your home, construction type/materials, swimming pools and trampolines, credit score and more.
Top 5 disasters in the State of Ohio
Ohio federally declared Severe Storms as the most common disasters, with 24 counts since 1953, followed by Flood, Tornado, Snow, and Biological disasters. Here are the top 5 federally declared disasters in Ohio:
| Rank | Declaration Title | Disaster Number |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Severe Storms | 24 |
| 2 | Flood | 17 |
| 3 | Tornado | 7 |
| 4 | Snow | 4 |
| 5 | Biological | 2 |
Source: Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)
How much is homeowners insurance in Ohio?
On average, homeowners insurance costs around $895 a year in Ohio, but different homes rate differently, so it’s important to shop before you buy.
Source: The average cost of homeowners insurance by state, Business Insider.
Crime Rate: Is Ohio a safe state?
| 2019 Crime in Ohio | Crime Number | Crime Rate* |
|---|---|---|
| Property Crime | 240,291 | 2,055.7 |
| Burglary | 43,894 | 375.5 |
| Larceny-Theft | 177,725 | 1,520.4 |
*Rate per 100,000 inhabitants
Safest Cities in Ohio by Property Crime*
- Chester Township, OH has a population of 10,322 with a Property Crime rate of 1.5 per 1k. The city average home value is approximately $255,711.
- Olmsted Township, OH has a population of 13,432 with a Property Crime rate of 2.2 per 1k. The average home value there is about $192,347.
- Clearcreek Township, OH came in third as the safest city in the state of Ohio and has a population of 16,070 with a Property Crime rate of 2.3 per 1k. Its home value averaged at about $311,839.
- Sagamore Hills, OH has a population of 10,934 with a Property Crime rate of 2.7 per 1k. Its average home value is $214,393.
- Poland Township, OH has a population of 11,859 with a Property Crime rate of 3 per 1k. The city home value averaged $157,696.
*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 Ohio
Top homeowners insurance companies in Ohio
With Progressive you can save up to 10% if you bundle your home and auto. They’ve been rated as superior in customer service, and you can even file claims with the Progressive mobile app.
Erie Insurance offers great value for homeowners insurance, with pricing just below the state average. A standard homeowners policy comes with replacement cost coverage, so it’s a better deal than you may find elsewhere.
American Family Insurance offers great home insurance products too. You can save up to 20% on home insurance and up to 30% off auto insurance if you bundle both with American Family.
Ohio Home Insurance FAQs
When do you pay the deductible for homeowners insurance?
Hopefully, you’ll never have to pay a deductible, but if you file a claim, you’ll need to pay the deductible before the insurer begins to pay for costs. That’s why it’s important to pick your battles. Is it worth paying a deductible to fix something or is it more cost efficient to just pay the whole bill?
When to cancel homeowners insurance when selling a house?
Make sure that your home remains insured until the sale has ended. Every moment that the house is in your name, you are liable for accidents, injuries and other losses on the home so stay insured while the home is up for sale.
Do homeowners insurance cover detached garages in Ohio?
The answer to this depends on the type of policy you have. If you have an HO-3 policy, you may be covered. However, each policy is different so read your declarations page, making sure to glean the exclusions too.
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