If you live in an area prone to natural disasters such as hurricanes and floods, it can be tough to find an affordable homeowners policy. Kin Insurance, founded in 2016, seeks to lower costs for high-risk homes by relying on technology and selling directly to consumers instead of through agents.
Kin home insurance is currently sold only in Florida, Louisiana, Mississippi and South Carolina, but if you live in one of those states, it’s worth considering for its wide range of coverage and discount options.
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Kin home insurance star rating
4.5NerdWallet rating
Kin homeowners insurance earned 4.5 out of 5 stars for overall performance. NerdWallet’s ratings are determined by our editorial team. The homeowners insurance scoring formula takes into account policy coverage options and discounts, ease of filing a claim, website transparency, the financial strength of the company, complaint data from the National Association of Insurance Commissioners and more.
Based on these ratings, Kin is among NerdWallet’s Best Home Insurance Companies for 2023.
State availability
Kin currently offers new homeowners policies in Florida, Louisiana, Mississippi and South Carolina.
Kin home insurance coverage
You can customize your homeowners policy with numerous add-ons, but below are the types of coverage that generally come standard:
Type of coverage
What it does
Dwelling
Pays to repair or rebuild the structure of your home.
Other structures
Covers damage to unattached structures such as a shed or fence.
Personal property
Pays to repair or replace personal belongings such as furniture or clothing.
Loss of use
Pays for hotel stays, restaurant meals or other expenses if you have to live elsewhere while your home undergoes covered repairs.
Personal liability
Covers legal expenses and damages if you're responsible for injuries to other people or their property.
Medical payments
Covers injuries to guests in your home, regardless of fault.
For more details, see What Does Homeowners Insurance Cover?
In addition to the basic coverage above, Kin may also offer:
Replacement cost coverage for personal property. Many insurance companies cover your belongings on an “actual cash value” basis unless you choose otherwise. For example, if a fire destroys your 15-year-old sofa and you have actual cash value coverage, your insurer will pay out only enough to buy another 15-year-old sofa. With replacement cost coverage, you’d receive enough money to buy a brand-new sofa.
Ordinance or law coverage. This pays expenses associated with rebuilding your home to comply with the latest building codes.
Extended dwelling coverage. If you select this option, Kin will pay more than your dwelling coverage limit if rebuilding your home after a disaster costs more than expected.
Identity fraud insurance. This coverage pays for fees and lost income associated with recovering your identity.
Animal liability coverage. If your dog bites someone outside your household, many insurance companies would pay for ensuing medical or legal expenses as part of their standard liability coverage. But with Kin, you have to add this coverage to your policy as an endorsement if you need it.
Water backup coverage. This type of insurance pays for damage due to backed-up drains or sump pump failures.
Hurricane screen enclosure coverage. This endorsement provides coverage for the frame of a swimming pool’s screen enclosure.
Personal injury liability coverage. This endorsement expands your liability coverage to include scenarios such as libel or slander.
» MORE: Home insurance calculator: Estimate your rate