Best High-Risk Home Insurance (2025)

American Family, Liberty Mutual, and AIG offer some of the best high-risk homeowners insurance options.

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A homeowners insurance policy is a key part of a solid financial foundation, but it can be difficult to obtain this essential coverage as a high-risk homeowner.

If you live in a high-risk area — or have a poor credit history or lengthy claims record — you may consider a Fair Access to Insurance Requirements (FAIR) Plan. State-run FAIR Plans can help you access the insurance you need, but they cost more and provide limited coverage. You have options to try before resorting to a FAIR Plan.

Here’s what you should know about high-risk home insurance, including comparing quotes and coverage options.

Quick Facts

  • Insurance companies may view your home as high-risk to insure if it has existing damage or is in a disaster-prone area.

  • Insurers may consider homeowners high-risk for owning certain dog breeds, leaving the home vacant for part of the year, or having dangerous amenities, like a pool or wood-burning stove.

  • Not all insurance companies work with homeowners in high-risk situations, but some do.

Best high-risk homeowners insurance

Some insurance companies don’t work with high-risk homes and homeowners, but many do. Here’s a closer look at a few of the best homeowners insurance companies for high-risk policyholders and homes.

Best for coastal homes: Liberty Mutual

Best for vacant homes: American Family

Best for high-value homes: AIG

How to know if your home is high-risk

Every insurer takes a slightly different stance on risk factors. But most insurers consider homeowners with an extensive insurance claims history or a poor credit history a higher risk. Insurers also view older homes or historic homes with antiquated building methods as a higher risk to insure.

The table below indicates some common risk factors to keep in mind about your home and your policyholder profile.

States or regions that are high-risk

The exact location of your home will have a big effect on the perceived risk. Some states and regions have more risk factors than others.2 For example, Florida homes are more susceptible to hurricanes, and California homes are more susceptible to wildfires.

The table below highlights some general risk factors for selected regions.

How to get high-risk home insurance coverage

If you run into issues when looking for insurance, use the following strategies to find a policy that suits your needs:

What to do if you’re denied coverage

After a denial, you can take action to get the coverage you need.3 Use the steps below as a guide if you can’t secure home insurance.

Assess the risk and take steps to remedy it yourself

The first step is to find out why an insurer denied you coverage. Your insurer might deny you coverage if you live in a location with a high risk for natural disasters or crime or if your home has a damaged roof.

In some situations, you can choose to remedy the issue on your own. For example, if an insurance company denied you coverage due to an older roof, replacing it could help you qualify for coverage. Or if you live in a high-crime area, installing a security system might make it possible to obtain regular insurance.

Good to Know

Generally, making repairs to a home in poor condition improves your chances of getting insurance. If the home you want to insure has extensive property damage, like water damage, consider making the necessary repairs before applying for insurance again. Installing mitigation measures against potential disasters, like hurricane-resistant windows, can also make your home more attractive to insure.

Consider non-standard insurance companies

A standard home insurance policy often excludes coverage for certain natural disasters. As a homeowner seeking coverage for a particular disaster, you may need to turn to non-standard home insurance companies to find the policy you have in mind.

Apply for coverage again

After exploring the different insurance companies in your area, it’s time to apply for insurance again. For example, if you made repairs to eliminate potentially high-risk situations from your home, an insurer may be willing to provide the coverage you need.

Get home insurance through the FAIR Plan as a last resort

FAIR Plans are available to homeowners in some states. While this type of policy could help you get coverage, it’s usually more expensive than a standard home insurance policy. Plus, most FAIR Plans have limited coverage.

If possible, seek out other options before committing to a FAIR Plan.

FAIR Plan insurance explained

A Fair Access to Insurance Requirements (FAIR) Plan is a home insurance program for uninsurable homes or homeowners. It’s a state-run option that specifically covers homeowners in high-risk areas who can’t secure standard coverage through the voluntary market, according to the International Risk Management Institute (IRMI).4

In general, FAIR Plans have higher insurance premiums and deductibles than standard home insurance policies. FAIR Plans offer different coverage from standard insurance policies, and the covered events vary by state.

For example, plans in California include coverage for brush fires, and New York plans offer wind and hail coverage for some coastal communities.5

FAIR Plan policies aren’t available in every state. But if you can’t find coverage through the private market, seeking out a FAIR Plan option could help you tap into the coverage you need.

Contact your state’s FAIR Plan

If you want more information about your state’s FAIR Plan, you can reach out to the appropriate organization.

The table below highlights which states have FAIR Plans and provides the accompanying phone numbers.

High-risk home insurance FAQs

The following information can help answer your remaining questions about high-risk home insurance.

  • Does high-risk insurance cover natural disasters?

    While standard home insurance policies usually exclude coverage for some natural disasters, a high-risk policy often includes coverage for specific natural disasters. Read through your policy’s specific covered perils to determine which natural disasters it covers.

  • Does high-risk insurance cover all types of damage?

    No. In general, a high-risk insurance policy doesn’t cover all types of damage. High-risk policies usually cover only the basics. But the covered events vary from policy to policy, which means you must read the fine print.

  • What makes a home insurance policy a higher risk?

    If your home is in an area prone to severe weather or with high crime rates, insurers may see it as riskier to insure. Other factors that affect the risk of a policy include your home’s structural issues, your credit history, your claims history, and more.

  • Is it hard to get homeowners insurance after an insurer drops you?

    After your insurance company drops you, finding a new homeowners insurance policy can be more difficult. Although you may face a challenge, you may still find coverage options available through another insurance company or your state’s FAIR Plan.

Sarah Sharkey
Sarah SharkeyInsurance Writer

Sarah Sharkey is a personal finance writer who enjoys helping people make savvy financial decisions. She covered insurance and personal finance topics. You can find her work on Business Insider, Money Under 30, Rocket Mortgage, Bankrate, and more. Connect with her on LinkedIn.

Sarah has been a contributor at Insurify since September 2022.

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