Just got my homeowners insurance renewal letter and it's up about 22% from last year. No claims, nothing changed about the house. I called my agent and she basically said 'everyone's getting this.'
I'm in Washington state and apparently this is a national thing now — insurers pulling out of some states, rates climbing everywhere. I've started getting quotes from a couple other companies but the quotes aren't much better.
Is anyone else dealing with this? Did you actually switch, or just eat the increase? Any companies that are still reasonable?
You're definitely not alone, double-digit renewals have been common the last couple of years. A few things that tend to help: ask an independent broker to quote several carriers at once, check whether bundling with auto still gives a real discount, and look at raising the deductible (going from $1,000 to $2,500 can cut the premium noticeably if you have savings to cover it). Also ask about credits for a newer roof, water-leak sensors or a monitored alarm, and double-check the dwelling coverage amount wasn't bumped more than rebuild costs justify.
One more angle: ask your agent for a breakdown of what drove the increase. Sometimes a big chunk is an automatic bump in dwelling coverage for rebuild-cost inflation, and you can review whether it matches a realistic rebuild estimate. Also check the Washington insurance commissioner's site, it has consumer guides and you can file a complaint if a renewal seems unjustified. When comparing quotes, make sure the coverage limits and deductibles are the same, otherwise a cheaper quote can just mean less protection.
Same here — ours went up about 18% this year, no claims either. I got a couple of quotes and one was slightly cheaper, but it came with a higher deductible and thinner coverage, so I ended up staying with our current company. Our agent basically said what yours did: rates are climbing almost everywhere because of storm and wildfire losses, so switching often doesn't save much.
I haven't tried an independent broker yet — that's a good tip from Alejandro. Might give it a shot at the next renewal, because just eating the increase every year doesn't feel sustainable.
If you do shop around, start about 4–6 weeks before the renewal date so you're not rushed. It's also worth requesting your free CLUE report (the claims history database insurers check) to make sure there are no mistakes on it, since an error there can quietly raise every quote you get. And ask each company whether the quote assumes replacement cost or actual cash value for the roof, because that difference hides a lot of the price gap.
Another thing that sometimes helps: bundling home and auto with the same company usually gives a multi-policy discount, and some insurers also take a little off for paying the full year upfront instead of monthly. If you've done any upgrades like a new roof, updated wiring or a water shutoff valve, tell your insurer, since those can lower the premium but they won't apply it unless you ask.