Whether you know call it the First Coast or Jax, one thing is certain about Jacksonville: It’s a great place to live. Jacksonville is home to all kinds of people, from entrepreneurs and history buffs to families and young professionals – and chances are most of them enjoy the scenery and activities the waterfront has to offer.
Unfortunately, the same characteristics that make Jacksonville such an appealing place to live can also cause some headaches when shopping for home insurance. Homeowners have to contend with tricky exposures like flooding, hurricanes, and sinkholes. All of these risks can make coverage cost prohibitive for many homeowners.
How much is homeowners insurance in Jacksonville?
Let’s start with the average cost of home insurance in Florida: $2,165 per year. That’s the highest average in the county, and rates are increasing due to:
Unfortunately, many Jacksonville homeowners pay at least the state’s average, if not more. On average, our Jacksonville members pay about $2,104 per year.
Factors that go into home insurance rates for Jacksonville
A key reason for Jacksonville’s high home insurance rates is its location. The city has only seen one direct hit from a hurricane, but has experienced hurricane conditions on multiple occasions. Risk Factor rates Jacksonville’s wind risk as extreme.
Property crime rates also push Jacksonville home insurance costs up. Your chance of being a victim of a property crime there is one in 37.
These aren’t the only things that insurers use to determine home insurance rates. Others include:
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Your home’s condition and construction.
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The amount of coverage you choose.
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Your credit-based insurance score and claims history.
How to save money with Kin
We understand that every home is different. That’s why we mine tons of publicly available insurance data to find out your home’s unique risk profile. Doing this lets us price your policy fairly and accurately.
Additionally, we offer several discounts you can use to lower your premium even further. Possible discounts include premium reductions for:
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Installing home security systems.
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Installing wind mitigation features.
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Living in a gated or secured community.
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Getting a water detection device installed.
Finally, you may be able to lower your premium by choosing a higher deductible. Our home insurance in Jacksonville comes with a:
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Standard deductible. Options are $500, $1000, $2,500 $5,000, $10,000, $25,000, $50,000
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Hurricane deductible. Options are $500 or 1%,2%, 3%, 5%,10% of your Coverage A
Not everyone pays a lower premium with Kin, but our average homeowners reports savings of $1,034 when they switch.*
Additional coverage for Jacksonville homeowners
Some Jacksonville homeowners may need extra protection to address their property’s particular risks. Let’s take a look at those considerations below.
Flood insurance
Risk Factor rates Jacksonville’s flood risk as “major.” Storm surge, even after a weak hurricane, could keep the city flooded for days.
Take Hurricane Irma for an example. At the time, White House homeland security advisor Tom Bossert said the storm surge from that hurricane caused one of the worst floods Jacksonville has seen in 100 years. Worth noting: Irma’s eye missed Jacksonville by more than 70 miles.
But even if Jacksonville never sees another hurricane, the city’s homeowners may still want to get flood insurance. Flood maps show several sections marked as Flood Zone AE, which tends to areas near lakes, rivers, and streams. This and hurricane storm surge usually aren’t covered by homeowners insurance, making flood insurance key to protecting your property.
Want to see what your flood insurance premium would be? Get a flood insurance quote now.
Hurricane coverage
Florida is no stranger to hurricanes, and neither is Jacksonville. The one that left the biggest impression on the state was, of course, Hurricane Andrew. This 1992 storm destroyed nearly 30,000 Florida residences and changed the way Floridians build homes altogether.
Homes built after 1994 have stricter building codes to help decrease the damage incurred by hurricanes. Homes built after 2001, when another building code update took place, are stronger yet. Some such changes include reinforced roofs, impact-resistant windows, and better wind protection.
However, no home is completely hurricane-proof. That’s why your Kin home insurance policy includes hurricane coverage. It kicks in when your home is damaged by hurricane winds.
When to get homeowners insurance in Jacksonville
If you have a mortgage, your lender likely requires you to have homeowners insurance. Ideally, you should start pricing coverage as soon as you begin your house hunt so you can budget for your premium.
If you don’t have a mortgage, you might be tempted to self-insure, or pay for damage to your home and belongings out of your own pocket. However, this can put you in a real financial bind if your home experiences major damage from a flood, hurricane, or fire.
Please note: You should purchase home insurance before the start of hurricane season. Many insurers suspend selling home insurance right after a hurricane watch or warning has been issued for Florida.
How much home insurance do Jacksonville homeowners need?
The answer to this question is different for everyone. What’s most important to consider is how much you can actually afford to pay if your home is completely destroyed and what individual risks your home could realistically face.
Homeowners often make the mistake of exclusively considering the purchase price of the home in determining how much insurance coverage they need. But what you paid for the house may not be what it costs to rebuild from the ground up after a fire or hurricane. This cost will include the construction materials and labor costs, which may be higher after an area-wide disaster.
Insuring your home for the cost of rebuilding it at the current market rate is a responsible plan. This number may be higher than your purchase price because of stricter building codes, especially if your home was built before Hurricane Andrew. To estimate this, look up local building cost per square foot in your area. Multiply that number by your home’s square footage. The result is about how much dwelling insurance you’ll want for the home.
Ready to check out your options? Get a quote from Kin and work with folks who understand Jacksonville’s unique home insurance needs.
Frequently asked questions about home insurance
Getting home insurance doesn’t have to be difficult. All it takes is a little research! Start with these links for answers to some common questions about home insurance.
Home insurance guides for Florida cities
*Based on Kin Customer Savings Survey conducted December 2022 – December 2023. Potential savings may vary.
