Home Insurance in Texas
Texas is one of the most expensive states in the country to insure a home, and the reason is exposure rather than any single catastrophe. The state sits under an active hail corridor, takes hurricanes on a 350-mile Gulf coastline, records more tornadoes than any other state, and — as February 2021 proved — freezes hard enough to burst plumbing statewide. Few housing markets ask an insurer to price that many perils at once.
What makes Texas unusual is how much room that leaves for the same house to be quoted very differently. Rates here are filed and used rather than pre-approved, carriers weigh roof age and hail history on their own terms, and the deductible structure — often a percentage of dwelling coverage rather than a flat dollar amount — varies as much as the premium does. Comparing several carriers is not optional advice in Texas; it is where the money is. Pick your city below for local risks, rates, and answers from licensed Texas agents.
Texas coverage notes
Texas is a "file and use" state for residential property insurance
Texas is a "file and use" state for residential property insurance: carriers may put a rate into effect when they file it, with the Texas Department of Insurance reviewing afterward and able to order changes. Prices for the same home can differ sharply between carriers as a result.
The Texas Windstorm Insurance Association (TWIA) is the wind and hail insurer of last resort for the 14 seacoast counties and the part of Harris County east of Highway 146
The Texas Windstorm Insurance Association (TWIA) is the wind and hail insurer of last resort for the 14 seacoast counties and the part of Harris County east of Highway 146. In those areas, standard homeowners policies often exclude wind and hail, which then has to be bought separately.
Separate wind/hail deductibles — commonly 1-5% of dwelling coverage rather than a flat dollar amount — are widespread in Texas, especially in the hail belt
Separate wind/hail deductibles — commonly 1-5% of dwelling coverage rather than a flat dollar amount — are widespread in Texas, especially in the hail belt. On a $350,000 home, 2% is $7,000 before the policy pays anything.
Roof payment schedules and actual-cash-value roof endorsements have become common after years of hail losses
Roof payment schedules and actual-cash-value roof endorsements have become common after years of hail losses. They pay the depreciated value of an older roof instead of the cost to replace it, which can be a five-figure difference on a claim and is easy to miss on a quote.
Standard Texas homeowners policies exclude earth movement, which includes the foundation shifting common on the state's expansive clay soils
Standard Texas homeowners policies exclude earth movement, which includes the foundation shifting common on the state's expansive clay soils. Some carriers offer limited foundation coverage by endorsement; most do not.
The Texas Department of Insurance runs HelpInsure
The Texas Department of Insurance runs HelpInsure.com, a free official tool for comparing rates and policy forms across licensed carriers — worth checking alongside any agent quote.
Cities we serve in Texas
Houston
~$4,600
avg / year
Top peril: Flooding
Dallas
~$4,200
avg / year
Top peril: Spring hail
San Antonio
~$2,650
avg / year
Top peril: Hail
Austin
~$3,500
avg / year
Top peril: Hail
Frisco
~$5,300
avg / year
Top peril: Spring hail
Plano
~$4,450
avg / year
Top peril: Spring hail
Sugar Land
~$3,800
avg / year
Top peril: Flooding
The Woodlands
~$4,100
avg / year
Top peril: Falling pines
Texas home insurance questions
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