If you’re looking for generous homeowners insurance coverage, Erie is a company to consider. Depending on where you live, your Erie home insurance policy may include guaranteed replacement cost coverage for the structure of your home. That means the company will pay what it takes to rebuild your home after a covered claim — even if it’s more than your dwelling coverage limit.

However, Erie home insurance is available in only a dozen U.S. states plus Washington, D.C.

How we rate homeowners insurance companies

Why you can trust NerdWallet

Erie home insurance star rating
5.0NerdWallet rating 
Erie homeowners insurance earned 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, Erie is among NerdWallet’s Best Home Insurance Companies for 2023.

State availability
Erie homeowners insurance is available in 12 states and Washington, D.C.

Erie 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?

Erie’s homeowners insurance policies offer the usual features, plus some nice perks:

Guaranteed replacement cost coverage ensures your home will be covered in full if it’s destroyed or damaged, with no “wear and tear” taken into account. This isn’t available in all states.

Replacement cost coverage for personal property pays for brand-new items if your belongings are stolen or destroyed.

Animals are covered up to $500.

Theft or loss of your belongings is covered with Erie’s base homeowner policy. (Many competitors won’t pay for a lost or misplaced item.)

Coverage for hard-to-replace items, such as deeds and passports.

Gift card and gift certificate coverage that reimburses you if a local business closes.

Cash and precious metals are covered up to $500.

You can also add customized options to your policy, such as:

Identity theft recovery.

Water backup and sump overflow coverage.

Coverage for underground utility lines and pipes.

Extra coverage for valuable items or collections.

Equipment breakdown coverage for appliances or major home systems.

Homesharing coverage.

» MORE: 6 key terms to understand in your home insurance policy

Erie home insurance rates
The average annual cost of Erie home insurance is $1,430, according to NerdWallet’s rate analysis. That’s less than the national average of $1,820. However, Erie sells policies in a limited number of states. In more than half of the ones we analyzed, Erie's rates were higher than the state average.

Discounts
Depending on where you live, you may qualify for discounts on:

Having smoke alarms, burglar alarms or automatic sprinklers.

Getting a home insurance quote at least a week before your policy renews.

Having more than one Erie policy.

Paying in full and/or through autopay.

Having a new home.

Taking wind mitigation measures.

» MORE: The cheapest homeowners insurance

Consumer complaints
Erie had fewer than the expected number of complaints to state regulators relative to its size, according to three years’ worth of data from the National Association of Insurance Commissioners. (NAIC home insurance complaints also cover other home policy types, including mobile home, renters and condo insurance.)

Consumer experience
Website: You can’t get a homeowners insurance quote on the Erie website. But you can find a local agent, see policy information, check claim status and pay your bill.

App: You can use the Erie app to view policy details, pay bills, see your agent’s contact information and check the status of a claim. It’s available for both iOS and Android.

Claims: You can submit an Erie home insurance claim by contacting your local agent or calling 800-367-3743. Erie will assign an adjuster who will inspect the damage and determine coverage. You can track the status of your claim through your online account. For advice, see how to file a home insurance claim.

Customer service: Support is available by calling 800-458-0811 or by contacting your agent.

» MORE: 9 ways to lower homeowners insurance rates

Where Erie stands out
Coverage. Erie’s default homeowners policy is generally more comprehensive than other companies’ offerings — and it’s still more affordable than average in most states, according to NerdWallet’s analysis.

Customer satisfaction. Erie drew fewer consumer complaints to state regulators than expected and ranked higher than average for customer satisfaction in J.D. Power’s 2022 home insurance study.

Where Erie falls short
Online quotes. You’ll need to speak to an agent to get a quote or buy a policy.

Availability. Erie is a regional insurer, which means its policies aren’t available in most of the country.

Is Erie home insurance right for you?
If you live in the region where Erie does business, its policies are worth considering, thanks to its strong coverage. However, you’ll need to be willing to spend some time on the phone to get covered.

Other home insurance companies to consider
Not ready to make a decision? You may be interested in these other homeowners insurance companies:

The Hanover: Offers plentiful ways to customize your policy.

Nationwide: User-friendly website and wide range of coverage options.

NJM: Like Erie, includes guaranteed replacement cost coverage in standard policies.

State Farm: The largest home insurer in the U.S.

» MORE: Erie renters insurance review

Frequently asked questions
What other types of insurance does Erie offer?

Does Erie homeowners insurance cover mold?

Is Erie Insurance only in Pennsylvania?

About the author: Sarah Schlichter is a NerdWallet authority on homeowners, renters and pet insurance. Her work has appeared in numerous outlets, including The Associated Press, MarketWatch and The Washington Post. Read more

METHODOLOGY
Homeowners insurance star ratings methodology

NerdWallet’s homeowners insurance ratings reward companies for customer-first features and practices. Ratings are based on weighted averages of scores in several categories, including financial strength, consumer complaints, coverage, discounts and online experience. These ratings are a guide, but we encourage you to shop around and compare several insurance quotes to find the best rate for you. NerdWallet does not receive compensation for any reviews. Read our full ratings methodology for home insurance.

Insurer complaints methodology

NerdWallet examined complaints received by state insurance regulators and reported to the National Association of Insurance Commissioners in 2019-2021. To assess how insurers compare to one another, the NAIC calculates a complaint index each year for each subsidiary, measuring its share of total complaints relative to its size, or share of total premiums in the industry. To evaluate a company’s complaint history, NerdWallet calculated a similar index for each insurer, weighted by market shares of each subsidiary, over the three-year period. NerdWallet conducts its data analysis and reaches conclusions independently and without the endorsement of the NAIC. Ratios are determined separately for auto, home (including renters and condo) and life insurance.

Homeowners insurance rates methodology

NerdWallet averaged rates for 40-year-old homeowners from various insurance companies in every ZIP code across the U.S. All rates are rounded to the nearest $5.

Sample homeowners were nonsmokers with good credit living in a single-family, two-story home built in 1984. They had a $1,000 deductible and the following coverage limits:

$300,000 in dwelling coverage.

$30,000 in other structures coverage.

$150,000 in personal property coverage.

$60,000 in loss of use coverage.

$300,000 in liability coverage.

$1,000 in medical payments coverage.

We made minor changes to the sample policy in cases where rates for the above coverage limits or deductibles weren’t available.

These are sample rates generated through Quadrant Information Services. Your own rates will be different.