Hippo home insurance review: Tech-friendly coverage
Hippo home insurance is one of the best options on the market thanks to its low rates, numerous discounts offerings, and robust coverage options.
By
Pat HowardPat HowardManaging Editor & Licensed Home Insurance ExpertPat Howard is a licensed insurance expert and former managing editor at Policygenius. Pat has written extensively about the home insurance industry and his insights as a subject matter expert have appeared in several top tier publications, including The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, CNBC, and Reuters. Pat has a bachelor's degree in journalism from Michigan State University.
Edited by
Jennifer GimbelJennifer GimbelSenior Managing Editor & Home Insurance ExpertJennifer Gimbel is a senior managing editor at Policygenius, where she oversees all of our insurance coverage. Previously, she was the managing editor at Finder.com and a content strategist at Babble.com.
Expert reviewedExpert reviewedThis article has been reviewed by a member of ourFinancial Review Council to ensure all sources, statistics, and claims meet the highest standard for accurate and unbiased advice.Learn more about oureditorial review process.
Our proprietary ratings methodology takes multiple factors into account, including customer satisfaction, cost, financial strength, and policy offerings. See the “Ratings methodology” section for more details.
4.3
AM Best rating
AM Best is a global credit rating agency that scores the financial strength of insurance companies on a scale from A++ (Superior) to D (Poor).
A-
Cost
Using a mix of internal and external rate data, we grade the cost of each insurance company's premiums on a scale from least expensive ($) to most expensive ($$$$$).
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The bottom line
Update: While Hippo temporarily paused writing new home insurance policies in August 2023, it has started back up again — though in a "very selective way," according to Hippo CEO Rick McCathron.
Hippo home insurance is a great option for homeowners willing to install smart home monitoring kits that detect everything from break-ins to water leaks in order to keep rates low. It's also a good choice if you're looking to get coverage for your home office, personal computers, and appliances without paying higher premiums.
Hippo home insurance policies include these six basic coverages to safeguard your home, belongings, and personal liability:
Dwelling: Pays to rebuild or repair the structure of your home, such as the roof, floors, walls, built-in appliances, and any structures attached to the home.
Other structures: Pays to rebuild or repair additional structures on your property that aren’t attached to your home, like a detached garage or gardening shed.
Personal property: Covers the costs of repairing or replacing your personal belongings, such as furniture, clothes, electronics, and other possessions you own.
Loss of use: Helps cover the cost of hotel stays, restaurant meals, pet boarding costs, and other temporary living expenses while your house is being rebuilt or repaired after a covered loss.
Personal liability: Covers medical and legal expenses in the event you’re legally responsible for an accidental injury or property damage.
Medical payments: Pays for guests’ medical expenses if they’re injured in your home, regardless of who is at fault.
In addition to the standard coverages detailed above, Hippo also offers the following in its “Essentials” plan, which is its most basic home insurance policy package:
Domestic workers: Covers expensive medical costs if a household worker — like a nanny, babysitter, or gardener — is injured on your property.
Home office: Pays up to $10,000 for damage or loss to home office equipment, such as a laptop, printer, or any other belongings that are exclusively used for business purposes.
Computers: Pays up to $10,000 for damage or loss to a personal computer or storage device.
Jewelry and watches: Pays up to $5,000 for certain types of damage or loss to jewelry or watches.
Water backup: Covers up to $10,000 in repairs if your house is damaged due to water backing up and overflowing from your drain or a sewer line.
Additional coverages offered
Choose from the following optional coverages to add on to your Hippo homeowners insurance policy for increased protection:
Extended replacement cost: Increases your dwelling coverage limit an additional 25% or 50% (depends on how much you choose) in case the cost of rebuilding your house is higher than expected.
Equipment breakdown: Covers appliance replacement or repairs in the event of a mechanical or electrical breakdown. Hippo offers up to $100,000 in coverage if the appliance is under 15 years old, while older appliances have a limit of $1,500 in coverage.
Service line: Covers the cost of excavation, repairs, and damage costs in the event service lines running under your property (like electrical or plumbing lines) are damaged due to an accident or general wear and tear. Hippo offers up to $10,000 in service line coverage for homes up to 50 years old, and $2,500 for homes older than that.
Mortgage payment protection: Pays up to $1,500 in mortgage payments each month for up to 12 months if your house becomes uninhabitable due to a covered loss.
Ratings methodology
Price
4.8/5
Hippo scores highest on our price rating scale. It offers among the most affordable home insurance policy options of any major company. In addition to its already low rates, Hippo offers numerous discounts and incentives if you take steps to make your home safer and more secure.
Customer experience
4.1/5
Hippo does well on our customer experience rating scale. It receives a below-average number of customer complaints, according to the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) National Complaint Index Report. In fact, from 2019 to 2021, Hippo received about 50% fewer complaints than other home insurance providers.
Coverage options
3.1/5
While Hippo home insurance policies come with several additional coverages that generally cost extra with other companies, it also excludes certain dog breeds from coverage and doesn’t appear to offer flood insurance, ordinance or law protection, umbrella insurance, and other important coverages. For that reason, Hippo earned an average score on our coverage options rating scale.
Financial strength
3.3/5
Hippo score above-average on our financial strength rating scale due to Spinnaker, its underwriting company, scoring an A- rating with AM Best, AA- with S&P, and Aa3 with Moody’s. This means Hippo is in a comfortable position financially and is well-positioned for the long term to pay out insurance claims.
How much does Hippo home insurance cost?
The national average cost of home insurance with Hippo is $1,138 per year for a policy with $300,000 in dwelling coverage. This makes Hippo about 40% cheaper than the national average.
However, your own rates will depend on your home’s location and how much coverage you need. Here’s the average yearly cost of Hippo for five different levels of dwelling coverage:
Dwelling coverage level
Average annual cost
$100,000
$706
$200,000
$956
$300,000
$1,138
$400,000
$1,418
$500,000
$1,656
Rates are based on our analysis of 2022 sample home insurance quotes from across the country provided by Quadrant Information Services. Actual rates will vary based on location, policy limits, coverages, claims history, and other factors.
What discounts does Hippo offer?
Save on your Hippo home insurance rates by qualifying for some of these policy discounts:
Smart home: If you have a centrally-monitored fire or burglar alarm, a water or gas leak sensor, or other smart home devices that limit your home’s chance of expensive damage.
Loss-free: If you go three to five years without filing a home insurance claim.
New home buyer: If you purchased your home either on the policy’s effective date or within 12 months of the policy going active.
Theft protection devices: If you have a theft prevention device (like a doorbell camera), a centrally-monitored security system, or live in a community with security cameras or staff.
Affinity: If you purchase a Hippo home insurance policy through an affinity group, such as a business, college, membership club, or home service provider.
Hail-resistant roof: If your roof is constructed with an impact-resistant roofing material.
HOA: If your house is located in a qualifying homeowners or condo association.
Companion policy: If you bundle your Hippo home insurance policy with an auto insurance policy from Metromile or one of Hippo’s other partnering companies.
Compare home insurance quotes from Hippo and other top insurers
Hippo home insurance state availability
Hippo homeowners insurance is available in the following 39 states and Washington, DC:
Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, and Wisconsin
What to expect with Hippo home insurance
How to get a quote: Hippo homeowners insurance quotes are available online through Policygenius or the Hippo website.
Customer service options: If you have questions related to your quote or policy, Hippo offers two main points of contact: an online chat feature via its website, or by calling 877-288-3603 (for questions about your quote) or 800-585-0705 (for questions about your policy).
How to file a claim: According to its website, Hippo offers 24/7 claims service. The catch, however, is that you must call (855-999-9746) to file a claim. Considering that many customers come to Hippo for its tech-focused homeowners insurance, some may be disappointed by its lack of an online claims portal.
How to cancel your policy: To cancel your policy, contact Hippo’s customer support team at the phone number provided above.
Hippo vs. other home insurance companies
Compare Hippo to similar homeowners insurance companies using the table below.
While Hippo is its own insurance company, policies are underwritten by insurance companies Spinnaker, Topa, and Canopious. These companies have an A- rating with AM Best, meaning they have an excellent ability to meet ongoing insurance obligations.
Does Hippo offer auto insurance?
No, Hippo doesn’t sell its own auto insurance policies. However, according to the Hippo website, you may be able to purchase auto insurance through a partnering company and potentially be eligible for its companion discount.
What kind of insurance does Hippo offer?
Hippo offers home, condo, and landlord insurance to customers in 39 states and Washington, DC. Availability of certain coverages, discounts, and exclusions may depend on which state you live in.
Pat Howard is a licensed insurance expert and former managing editor at Policygenius. Pat has written extensively about the home insurance industry and his insights as a subject matter expert have appeared in several top tier publications, including The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, CNBC, and Reuters. Pat has a bachelor's degree in journalism from Michigan State University.
Jennifer Gimbel is a senior managing editor at Policygenius, where she oversees all of our insurance coverage. Previously, she was the managing editor at Finder.com and a content strategist at Babble.com.
Ian Bloom, CFP®, RLP®, is a certified financial planner and a member of the Financial Review Council at Policygenius. Previously, he was a financial advisor at MetLife and MassMutual.
