Like any state that borders the Gulf of Mexico, Alabama faces annual hurricanes – and it’s not just the coast that feels the effects. Cities in northern and central Alabama often see heavy rainfall when named storms blow across the state. Unfortunately, these weather risks are growing, and that makes insuring your Alabama home both essential and costly.
*Kin is built for this ever-changing world, and that starts with reimaging our policy forms. For Alabama homeowners, we've created an innovate coverage called House & Property inurance that you can adapt to how you use your home.
The House & Property base policy covers your risks when you rent out your home to others - much like landlord insurance other insurers may offer. But if you occupy your home for most or all of the year, then you can opt for an owner-occupied endorsement. This modifies your policy so you get coverage similar to other insurers' homeowners, or HO3, policies.
Flexible, customizable coverage is only the beginning of what we offer. Let’s take a look at what Kin can do for you.
Read the Alabama Policyholder Bill of Rights.
Why protect your Alabama home with Kin
First and foremost, we’re an admitted carrier in Alabama, which means we’re licensed to sell insurance in the state.** We also maintain an A - Exceptional rating from Demotech, Inc, indicating we have the financial strength to offer you coverage and pay claims even during catastrophes.
For Alabamians, we’ve developed a unique coverage called House & Property insurance. This versatile policy covers your:
If you live in the home you’re insuring, our House & Property policy can also include:
If you rent your home to others you get rental income coverage instead of personal liability and loss of use coverage. Rental income insurance can help you cover lost income if your property is uninhabitable due to a covered claim.
Our standard House & Property policy insures your home and other structures for their replacement cost on an open-perils basis. That way, you’re protected for most of the major events that can damage your home, such as wind, hail, fire, and theft. Personal property is insured for its actual cash value, or its depreciated value.
How much is homeowners insurance in Alabama?
The average homeowner in Alabama pays over $1,500 per year for their insurance. Much of that cost is due to the potential for weather-related damage from hurricanes, tornadoes, and hail. But other characteristics can play a role, too, like your home’s:
- Location.
- Age.
- Construction materials.
- Square footage.
- Frame type.
Basically, every home is different, so the cost of Alabama home insurance can vary greatly.
How to save money on your Alabama home insurance
We look at thousands of data points to assess your home’s specific risk. In many cases, this allows us to charge a lower premium. Plus, you may be eligible for a premium discount if you:
- Install home security, water detection, or fire prevention devices.
- Add wind mitigation features.
- Have no previous claims.
- Opt for a paperless policy.
You can also save money by increasing your deductible. This can be an effective strategy for reducing your premium, but proceed with caution. The deductible is the amount you have to pay in a claim, so you want to make sure you can cover the amount you pick.
Alabama House & Property deductibles with Kin
Our House & Property policies have three types of deductibles. The first is a standard deductible that applies in the majority of claims. Then there’s a hurricane deductible, which applies to named storms, and a wind/hail deductible, which applies in severe convective storms.
Options for your standard deductible are:
- $500.
- $1,000.
- $2,500.
- $5,000.
- $10,000.
For your hurricane and wind / hail deductibles, you can choose either a percentage of your home’s value (1%, 2%, 3%, 4%, 5%, or 10%) or a flat deductible of:
- $500.
- $1,000.
- $2,500.
- $5,000.
- $7,500.
- $10,000.
Remember, you choose your deductible. A higher deductible may be a good option, but you’ll want to weigh it against the risks you face and your ability to pay it even if you have a catastrophe claim.
Is home insurance required in Alabama?
Alabama law does not mandate that homeowners buy home insurance. However, your mortgage lender most likely requires coverage to protect its financial interest in your home. Additionally, you may have to get flood insurance, particularly if you’re in a high-risk flood zone.
Alabama home insurance is a good idea even if you’re not required to get it. As the chart below shows, the Cotton State sees a good number of tropical storms, thunderstorms, and tornadoes.
Top risks for Alabama homeowners
| Risk |
|
| Tropical storms and hurricanes |
A total of 83 tropical storms and hurricanes have impacted Alabama. |
| Thunderstorms |
The state averages between 60 and 110 days with thunder per year. |
| Tornadoes |
Alabamians face approximately 44 tornadoes per year. |
That list gives you a good idea of what sort of risks your Alabama home faces each year. With the right Kin insurance policy, homeowners can rest assured that they have the financial protection needed to withstand the biggest claims.
Ready to get a quote? Give us a call at 855-717-0022 or enter your address now.
Frequently asked questions about Alabama home insurance
Is Alabama a matching state?
A matching state is one where the law makes it possible for a policyholder to seek payment from an insurer to make sure damaged portions of their property match the undamaged portions. Alabama has no specific laws regarding matching. However, people in claims have made arguments to get benefits that put the property back to its pre-loss condition with a uniform appearance.
Our House & Property insurance covers the repair or replacement of undamaged siding, window, or roofing to match similar features that need to be replaced due to a covered loss up to $5,000.
Do insurance companies have to match siding?
Insurance companies are usually required to repair or replace damaged property with materials that are of a like kind and quality. This means that insurers should, to the best of their ability, cover the cost to match siding when repairing a home.
**Our Alabama operations are part of the Kin Interinsurance Nexus Exchange, and our license number for our agency, Kin Insurance Network Distributor, LLC is 3001719086.
