Kentuckians are no different than anyone else; they don't want to pay too much for the necessities in life. Since you're here shopping for one of those necessities—homeowner's insurance—we'll try to make your experience worthwhile. First, we'll show you what to look for in an insurance policy. Then we'll show just how variable Kentucky house insurance rates are from one company to the next. And finally we'll show you how to save big money.

Kentucky House Insurance Primer
The components of a typical Kentucky house insurance will look something like this popular policy called an HO-3. The coverage amounts will vary.

  • Coverage A- Damage to House
    This will pay to rebuild/repair your home in the event of a peril such as fire, tornado, etc. If you have a mortgage, your lien holder will probably want at least 80% of the home's value insured.
  • Coverage B- Other Structures
    This covers unattached property like sheds and garages and is typically 10% of your home's coverage amount.
  • Coverage C- Contents
    This repairs or replaces your personal belongings and coverage is usually 50% of your home's amount of coverage.
  • Coverage D- Additional Living Expenses
    This pays for alternate living arrangements should your home become unlivable because of a peril covered in Coverage A. It's usually about 20% of the home's coverage amount.
  • Coverage E- Comprehensive Personal Liability
    This protects you in the event someone is injured on your property. It typically covers law suits and damages and usually starts at $100,000 per accident.
  • Coverage F- Medical Expense
    Pays for medical expenses per person, per accident when someone is injured on your premises.

Other Kentucky Tidbits
If you live near coal mines you should consider coverage through the Kentucky Mine Subsidence Insurance Fund which offers insurance against the collapse of an underground coal mine.

Flood coverage is not part of a standard insurance policy. Ask an agent whether they offer coverage. Coverage can also be purchased through the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) which protects some 325 Kentucky communities.

Kentucky Emergency Management says all of Kentucky is at risk for an earthquake. Maybe it's like the big 5.2 that hit Sharpsburg in 1980 and caused $3 million in damages; or the smaller 2.5 that rumbled Paducah in 2008. Either way earthquake coverage is usually excluded from a standard policy. Ask an agent about adding this coverage to your policy.

Example Kentucky House Insurance Rates
In a survey of nearly 100 insurers the Kentucky Department of Insurance released some interesting yearly rates results based on several homeowner scenarios.

Scenario A- Frame home built in 1985; $125,000 Dwelling coverage; 10% Other Structures; 70% Contents; $100,000 Liability; $1,000 Medical Payments; 20% Additional Living Expenses; $500 deductible.

Bowling Green rates ranged from $399 to $1,993.
Louisville rates ranged from $320 to $2,063.
Paducah rates ranged from $363 to $3,161.

Scenario B- Brick home built in 1995; $200,000 Dwelling coverage; 10% Other Structures; 70% Contents replacement cost; $100,000 Liability; $1,000 Medical Payments; 20% Additional Living Expenses; $500 deductible.

Ashland rates ranged from $397 to $3,311.
Lexington rates ranged from $293 to $3,090.
Pikeville rates ranged from $497 to $3,989.

Finding the Best Kentucky House Insurance Rates
There are two primary ways to save on your Kentucky house insurance rates. The first is to ask an agent about any discounts you may be eligible for—discounts that could save you up to 50%. Here are a few:

  • Protective devices like dead-bolt locks, smoke detectors, fire extinguishers, automatic sprinklers, burglar/fire alarms, and new plumbing/wiring.
  • New house discounts. The newer the house the lower the risk.
  • Multi-line (house, auto, life)
  • Senior (55+)
  • Non-smoker
  • Paying in advance vs. making monthly or bi-monthly payments.
  • Payroll deducted payments.
  • Military

Finally, the biggest way to save on your rates is to comparison shop. You can see by the examples above that rates vary dramatically from one insurer to the next. So why not find the best rates with LocalInsurance. LocalInsurance searches agents from your area and gives you the opportunity to select the rate and policy that best fits your needs. It's free, easy and can be done in less than 30 minutes.

In the state of Kentucky, home warranty insurance can also be useful to you. This type of insurance coverage covers you where your homeowner's insurance leaves off. Your home is the single largest investment you could make in the state of Kentucky and you want to protect it by every means possible. Home warranty insurance covers a variety of assets in your home including electrical systems, appliances, hot tubs, pools, septic tanks, wells, roofs and more. Check with the Kentucky Dept. of Insurance for more information on home warranty insurance.

If you are interested in learning more about Kentucky home insurance, there are a number of resources that are offered by the state. Kentucky has a Department of Insurance which can help ensure that you have the appropriate coverage for your home and provide you with useful information when selecting a homeowners insurance policy.