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After a series of hurricanes in recent years, Louisiana homeowners insurance rates have risen, and some insurers have even fled the state. The average cost of homeowners insurance in Louisiana is $2,240 per year. In comparison, the national average is $1,915 per year.
However, you’ve still got options when it comes to finding quality coverage. NerdWallet analyzed data from several insurance companies selling policies in Louisiana to help you find the best home insurance in the state in the following categories:
Best for coverage: Chubb.
Best for consumer experience: Amica.
The rates in our analysis are estimates based on many factors, so your rate may differ.
Note: Some insurance companies included in this article may have made changes in their underwriting practices and no longer issue new policies in your state. Even if an insurer serves your state, it may not write policies for all homes in all areas.
Why you can trust NerdWallet
Our writers and editors follow strict editorial guidelines to ensure fairness and accuracy in our writing and data analyses. You can trust the prices we show you because our data analysts take rigorous measures to eliminate inaccuracies in pricing data and may update rates for accuracy as new information becomes available.
We include rates from every locale in the country where coverage is offered and data is available. When comparing rates for different coverage amounts and backgrounds, we change only one variable at a time, so you can easily see how each factor affects pricing.
Our sample homeowner had good credit, $300,000 of dwelling coverage, $300,000 of liability coverage and a $1,000 deductible.
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Best homeowners insurance in Louisiana for coverage: Chubb
5.0 NerdWallet rating Perks and high coverage limits for affluent homeowners. Coverage options More than average Discounts Great set of discounts 5.0 NerdWallet rating Perks and high coverage limits for affluent homeowners. Coverage options More than average Discounts Great set of discounts NAIC complaints Far fewer than expected
Chubb
Chubb
Chubb offers lofty coverage limits and plenty of perks. For example, the company covers water damage from backed-up sewers and drains, and pays to bring your home up to the latest building codes during reconstruction after a claim. (Many insurers charge more for these types of coverage.)
If you insure a secondary or seasonal home in Louisiana with Chubb, you can sign up for the company’s Property Manager service at no charge. With this service, a Chubb representative will inspect your home after a hurricane, report its condition to you, submit a claim on your behalf and help prevent further damage.
Learn more with our Chubb homeowners insurance review.
Best homeowners insurance in Louisiana for consumer experience: Amica
5.0 NerdWallet rating Well-established insurer known for great customer service. Coverage options About average Discounts Average set of discounts NAIC complaints Far fewer than expected 5.0 NerdWallet rating Well-established insurer known for great customer service. Coverage options About average Discounts Average set of discounts NAIC complaints Far fewer than expected
Amica
Amica
Rhode Island-based Amica stands out for its user-friendly digital experience and customer service. You can use the company’s website to get a quote, file and track claims, chat with a representative and manage your policy. The company has drawn significantly fewer consumer complaints to state regulators than expected for an insurer of its size, according to the National Association of Insurance Commissioners, or NAIC.
You can customize your policy with extra coverage above your dwelling limit, in case your house costs more to rebuild than expected. You may also want to add coverage for damage from water backups or recovery from identity theft.
Get more information in our Amica homeowners insurance review.
The best homeowners insurance in Louisiana
If you’re looking to buy homeowners insurance from a well-rated brand, consider one of these insurers, all of which have a NerdWallet star rating of 4.5 or higher.
Company | NerdWallet star rating | Average annual rate |
|---|---|---|
Amica | 5.0 NerdWallet rating | Not available |
Chubb | 5.0 NerdWallet rating | Not available |
The Hanover | 4.5 NerdWallet rating | $4,750 |
State Farm | 4.5 NerdWallet rating | Not available |
USAA* | 5.0 NerdWallet rating | $2,725 |
*USAA homeowners policies are available only to active military, veterans and their families. | ||
» MORE: The best home insurance companies
How much does homeowners insurance cost in Louisiana?
The average annual cost of home insurance in Louisiana is $2,240. That’s 17% more than the national average of $1,915.
In most U.S. states, including Louisiana, many insurers use your credit-based insurance score to help set rates. Your insurance score is similar but not identical to your traditional credit score.
In Louisiana, those with poor credit pay an average of $4,010 per year for homeowners insurance, according to NerdWallet’s rate analysis. That’s 79% more than those with good credit.
» MORE: How your credit score affects homeowners insurance
Average cost of homeowners insurance in Louisiana by city
How much you pay for home insurance depends on where in Louisiana you live. For example, the average cost of homeowners insurance in New Orleans is $2,240 per year, while homeowners in Baton Rouge pay $2,525 per year, on average.
City | Average annual rate | Average monthly rate |
|---|---|---|
Alexandria | $2,295 | $191 |
Baton Rouge | $2,525 | $210 |
Bossier City | $2,010 | $168 |
Covington | $2,190 | $183 |
Denham Springs | $2,515 | $210 |
Gonzales | $2,595 | $216 |
Gretna | $2,240 | $187 |
Hammond | $2,555 | $213 |
Harvey | $2,240 | $187 |
Houma | $2,870 | $239 |
Kenner | $2,240 | $187 |
Lafayette | $1,805 | $150 |
Lake Charles | $2,020 | $168 |
Mandeville | $2,190 | $183 |
Marrero | $2,580 | $215 |
Metairie | $2,240 | $187 |
Monroe | $2,340 | $195 |
New Iberia | $1,805 | $150 |
New Orleans | $2,240 | $187 |
Prairieville | $2,550 | $213 |
Shreveport | $2,165 | $180 |
Slidell | $2,190 | $183 |
Sulphur | $2,020 | $168 |
Thibodaux | $2,580 | $215 |
West Monroe | $2,330 | $194 |
» MORE: What’s the average cost of homeowners insurance?
The cheapest home insurance in Louisiana
Here are the insurers we found with average annual rates below the Louisiana average of $2,240.
Company | NerdWallet star rating | Average annual rate |
|---|---|---|
Farmers | 4.0 NerdWallet rating | $1,005 |
Centauri | Not rated | $1,200 |
Progressive | Not rated | $1,235 |
» MORE: The cheapest homeowners insurance
Why is home insurance so expensive in Louisiana?
A wave of recent hurricanes has caused a crisis in Louisiana’s homeowners insurance market. The storms left billions of dollars in damage, driving more than a dozen insurance companies out of the state or into insolvency.
That’s left homeowners scrambling to find new coverage and often paying significantly more as the companies that remain raise their rates. Many homeowners have had to buy policies from Louisiana Citizens, the state’s insurer of last resort. By law, Citizens must charge more than private insurers.
In addition to the lack of competition and the risk of insuring hurricane-prone homes, inflation is also contributing to Louisiana’s higher insurance premiums. With the price of labor and construction materials going up across the country, it costs more to rebuild a house after a claim, and insurers pass those costs along to their policyholders.
Because experts believe climate change is making hurricanes stronger, it will likely become increasingly expensive to insure a home located in the path of tropical storms.
» MORE: How to get home insurance discounts
What to know about Louisiana homeowners insurance
Common natural disasters in Louisiana include hurricanes, tropical storms, thunderstorms, tornadoes and hail, all of which can damage your home. Here’s how to make sure you’ve got the right coverage.
Hurricanes and tropical storms
Its location on the Gulf of Mexico makes Louisiana a prime target for hurricanes and tropical storms. Most homeowners insurance policies cover damage from wind but not flooding, so you may want to buy separate flood insurance.
To check your flood risk, put your address into the Federal Emergency Management Agency's flood maps or visit RiskFactor.com, a website from the nonprofit First Street Foundation.
» MORE: How to choose the best flood insurance company
In high-risk coastal areas, home insurance policies may not cover wind damage. If that’s the case for you, Louisiana Citizens may be your only option for coverage. It offers homeowners and wind-only policies to people who can’t find insurance anywhere else.
If your policy does cover wind damage, check whether it has a separate deductible for hurricanes or named storms. (A deductible is the amount of a claim you’re responsible for.)
Many people choose a flat dollar amount such as $1,000 for their deductible, but a hurricane or named-storm deductible is often a percentage of your dwelling coverage limit. So if your home is insured for $200,000 and you have a 2% hurricane deductible, you’ll have to pay for the first $4,000 of hurricane damage.
» MORE: Complete guide to hurricane insurance
Tornadoes
Because standard homeowners policies cover wind damage, most people don’t need to buy extra coverage for tornadoes. However, if you live in a coastal area at high risk for hurricanes and your insurer won’t cover wind, you won’t have tornado coverage either. Shop around or turn to Louisiana Citizens to make sure you’re covered.
Thunderstorms and hail
Your homeowners policy will generally cover some, but not all potential thunderstorm damage.
Hail, lightning and wind are typically covered. So if hail dents a few shingles or wind blows a tree onto your garage, most homeowners insurance policies will pay for the damage, minus your deductible. (Again, one exception is for homeowners on the coast whose insurers won’t cover wind.)
However, if a thunderstorm brings heavy rain and flash flooding, you might not have coverage for the subsequent water damage. Instead, that would fall under flood insurance.
Louisiana Department of Insurance
Got an insurance problem or question? The Louisiana Department of Insurance may be able to help. You can use the agency’s website to file a complaint about your insurer, learn the basics about your policy or look up insurance agents. You can call 800-259-5300 for live assistance.
Looking for more insurance in Louisiana?
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Cheapest car insurance in New Orleans.
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Frequently asked questions
Which insurance companies are pulling out of Louisiana?
Many insurance companies serving Louisiana have gone out of business over the past few years, including Lighthouse, Southern Fidelity and Gulfstream. Others have stopped selling homeowners policies in the state, or in certain hurricane-prone areas. The exodus has left some Louisiana homeowners scrambling for coverage, with many forced to buy policies through Citizens, the state’s insurer of last resort.
Who is writing homeowners insurance in Louisiana?
Companies with the biggest share of Louisiana’s home insurance market include State Farm, Allstate, USAA and Liberty Mutual, according to the National Association of Insurance Commissioners.
Is home insurance required in Louisiana?
There’s no Louisiana law requiring you to buy homeowners insurance, but your lender will generally require it if you have a mortgage. For more information, read Is Homeowners Insurance Required?
