Homeowners Insurance in Erie, PA

Erie is the fifth-most populous city in Pennsylvania. It has a lot to offer those who live here, from the sandy beaches and recreational facilities of Presque Isle to an abundance of arts and cultural venues throughout the city. It's also home to a number of higher education institutions, including Gannon University, Mercyhurst University, Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine, and the Penn State Behrend Campus. If you're a homeowner in this lively town, you want to be sure to protect your investment with a comprehensive Erie homeowners insurance policy.

A local independent insurance agent can help you find an appropriate policy at a great rate. These agents are able to work with a number of competing insurance providers and can make rate inquiries on your behalf. They can then help you compare a selection of Erie home insurance policies that have been customized to meet your specific coverage needs. But first, here's a guide to Erie, PA home insurance.

How Much Does Homeowners Insurance Cost in Erie, PA?

Fortunately for residents in Erie, PA, home insurance tends to be more affordable than in many other areas of the U.S. The costs break down as follows:

• National average annual home insurance premium: $2,504
• Erie average annual home insurance premium: $1,840

Pennsylvania residents tend to pay lower-than-average rates for their coverage. Of course, it's still possible to pay more than you need to for your home insurance policy, so comparison shopping is important. You can refer to the average costs listed above to get a general idea of what your rates might be, but your actual quotes will likely be based on a number of different factors, including:

• The value of your home, the year it was built, and the materials used in its construction
• The ZIP code where your house is located
• Whether you're insuring a primary residence, a vacation home, or a second home
• The amount of coverage you need
• The deductible amount
• Your claims history
• Whether you bundle your home insurance with other policies, such as auto insurance

A local independent insurance agent in Erie, PA, can help you find affordable homeowners insurance that includes all the coverage you need. 

Insuring Second Homes and Vacation Homes in Erie

If you own more than one home, you need to be sure all of your properties are properly covered by the right type of home insurance. With second homes and vacation homes, you likely have different coverage considerations than you do with your primary residence. 

While you may need less in the way of contents coverage, there are certain risks involved with leaving a property unattended for long periods of time. It's possible you'll want to get set up with a vacation home insurance policy.

Alternatively, if you lease to tenants when you're not using your extra properties, you may need to purchase landlord insurance to have the right coverage. Your independent insurance agent can make appropriate policy recommendations based on your particular situation.

What Does Erie Home Insurance Cover?

Your Erie homeowners insurance policy can cover your personal property against loss or damage caused by extreme weather events, property crimes, and accidental damage, such as may occur as the result of a kitchen fire. It's critical that you have enough contents coverage to reimburse you in the event of a total loss.

Because home insurance policies typically have limits on coverage for different categories of property, if you have any particularly valuable belongings, such as rare art, family heirlooms, or a lot of jewelry, you may need to purchase special endorsements in order to have them fully covered. 

An Erie home insurance policy also protects your home's structure with dwelling coverage. This coverage can reimburse you for numerous causes of damage or destruction to your home's structure, including vandalism, hail, fire, and more. 

Your policy also includes personal liability coverage in case you cause bodily injury or personal property damage to a third party, and loss of use coverage, which can pay for additional expenses if you must temporarily live elsewhere while your home undergoes repairs due to a covered loss.

What's Not Covered by Erie Home Insurance?

Homeowners insurance in Erie, PA, covers a lot of disasters that can damage your home, but it doesn't protect against everything. It's important to be aware of common home insurance exclusions, such as:

• Malicious and intentional acts against others
• Mold damage
• Insect damage and infestation
• Routine wear and tear of the property
• Natural flood damage
• Water and sewer backups (unless you purchased an endorsement)
• Home-based business losses (unless you have additional coverage)

Your independent insurance agent can help you review your specific home insurance policy to be certain of your coverage exclusions.

What Are the Biggest Risks to Homeowners in Erie, PA?

Erie gets a lot of heavy snowfall, which can be damaging to roofs. Homeowners in this area also need to be wary of severe storms and occasional, though relatively rare, tornadoes. Your home insurance policy should provide coverage if your house is damaged by any of these weather-related events.

A bigger threat to residents of Erie is flood damage. The problem that many homeowners discover too late is that flood damages aren't covered by home insurance policies. 

Fortunately, you do have an affordable option. Your independent insurance agent can help you supplement your Erie home insurance with a flood insurance policy so that your property is fully protected against the hazards you face in this city. Flood insurance can reimburse you for incidents of flood damage and destruction to your property caused by heavy rainfall, tsunamis, melting snow, and other natural disasters.

Save on Home Insurance

Our independent agents shop around to find you the best coverage.

Request a Quote

An Independent Insurance Agent Can Help You Compare Erie Home Insurance Quotes

When it comes to purchasing a homeowners insurance policy for your home in Erie, PA, you have several insurance providers available to choose from. Comparison shopping enables you to find an appropriate policy at an affordable rate, but many homeowners find it too time-consuming to do on their own. That's where an independent insurance agent can greatly assist you.

These independent agents can recommend appropriate coverage limits, identify and eliminate coverage gaps, and then gather quotes for customized policies from a variety of top-rated home insurance companies. This makes it easy for you to find a competitively priced policy that meets your coverage needs. And down the road, your agent will still be there to help you file home insurance claims when necessary.