Homesite Homeowners Insurance Review

Homesite Insurance Brief History

In 1997, Homesite Insurance was founded and since then it has started to expand across the country, offering home insurance coverage in most states. It was one of the first companies to provide homeowners and renters insurance online.

In 2014, the company was acquired by American Family Insurance and today, Homesite offers not just home and renters insurance but auto, term life, and commercial insurance as well. These additional insurance policies are underwritten by American Family Insurance, while the renters and homeowners insurance are still underwritten by Homesite.

They still have their own website; however, most of their operations are under their parent company already. Policies may be underwritten by other companies also, depending on where you live, because Homesite Insurance Group has several member companies. For instance, they are partnered with GEICO and Progressive’sauto insurance policies to create a bundle for their customers.

The Truth

In terms of cost, Homesite’s home insurance policy is one of the best but it lacks optional coverages and discounts to make it a great company. Compared to its three competitors, namely, Allstate, Nationwide, and State Farm, its annual home insurance rate are consistently less expensive.

One of the major drawbacks of this company is their customer service. You won’t be able to talk with an agent in-person when you file a claim since they’re a direct insurance company. You can only talk to them through their website over the phone. Customers complain about the unresponsive and slow claims process of Homesite, which is one of the things that you should watch out for.

The Claim

The company claims to have a comprehensive home insurance coverage and around-the-clock customer service to support its customers.

Is Their Claim True?

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Homesite has poor customer service, based on customer reviews. They don’t have in-person support as they’re a direct insurance company, so if there’s a problem with your claims, you will not be able to talk to them personally. Purchasing your home insurance and making claims online are convenient since you don’t have to step out of your house; however, doing transactions online is not good if the customer service is poor and not responding to inquiries. Customers said that the company isn’t responding with their calls, especially if it’s about claims. Other than poor customer service, they don’t have the widest variety of coverage options and their discounts availability depends on which state you’re living. So, their claims are not true.

However, if you can sacrifice good customer service to have an affordable home insurance premium, Homesite can be your best pick. Their rates are much lower compared to its competitors, perfect for a value-oriented customer. Also, Progressive home insurance policies are under Homesite Insurance, which means if you have an insurance policy in Progressive, you will be dealing with Homesite’s claims process.

Homesite Home Insurance Coverage

This company offers all the coverage included in a standard homeowners insurance policy, such as dwelling, liability, and others. They also offer the following optional coverages that you can add on your premium:

• Personal Injury Protection. This extends the limit of your liability coverage. It provides protection from claims of libel, invasion of privacy, and slander.
• Extended Coverage. This will provide you with additional coverage for a dwelling of up to 50% of your dwelling coverage.
• Identity Theft Protection. If you’re concerned about identity theft, you should add this to your policy. It covers incurred expenses of up to $15,000 due to fraudulent credit card charges and legal fees.
• Coverage for Special Valuables. Provides open perils coverage, which means your expensive items, such as jewelry and paintings, will be covered.

Homesite Home Insurance Discounts

They offer many discounts; however, its availability depends on your policy, which state you’re in, and the specific company that Homesite used to underwrite your policy. You can also find these discounts to other home insurance companies. You will be eligible for these discounts if:

• Your home is new.
• Home insurance is bundled with your auto insurance.
• Your age is over 50.
• Condo or renters insurance policy is switched to home insurance policy.
• There are burglar alarms and security system installed in your home.
• Your roof is new or hail-resistant.
• Endorsement packages are added to your policy.

Homesite Home Insurance Ratings

Based on the 1,000-point scale of J.D. Power’s 2018 Home Insurance Study, Homesite only got 757 points, which is second to the last in the ranking. The company got the lowest Power Circle Rating which is “the rest”. This means that customers aren’t satisfied with Homesite’s customer service and claims handling. Unlike State Farm, Allstate, and Nationwide who all got the same rating of above average.

Homesite received an A or an Excellent rating from A.M. Best, which means they financial strength is strong enough to pay their customers’ claims.

Clearsurance gave Homesite a very low rating of 3.16 stars out of 5. The customer reviews are mixed and most reviews are negative. Customers said that the company is overcharging them and that Homesite removed their discounts without telling them.

The Pros And Cons

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