Hippo Home Insurance Review – August 2022 – NerdWallet

NerdWallet rating

NerdWallet’s ratings are determined by our editorial team. The scoring formula takes into account discounts, coverage options, website transparency, financial strength, complaint data and more.

Hippo at a glance

One of NerdWallet’s top home insurance companies.
Hippo’s standard policy is more generous than competitors’.
Available in 40 states.

Consumer complaints: Fewer than expected.

Discounts: Great set of discounts.

Coverage options: More than average.

Bottom line: Digital-first insurance that comes with free smart-home technology in many states.

Hippo was founded in 2015 as part of a wave of startups focused on “insurtech,” or insurance technology. These companies try to make insurance more affordable for consumers and more profitable for insurers by handling many processes almost entirely online.

To that end, getting a quote from Hippo can take as little as about 60 seconds, and it provides high-tech perks like a smart-home monitoring system in many states. The company also provides support if you have questions about home repairs.

Hippo offers policies through Spinnaker Insurance, a carrier it acquired in August 2020, and other partners.

How we rate homeowners insurance companies

Our star ratings are based on consumer complaint data from the National Association of Insurance Commissioners; financial strength grades from AM Best; coverage and discounts available; and the overall consumer experience. See our criteria for evaluating home insurance companies.

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Hippo home insurance pros and cons

Pros

Cons

Very fast quotes.

Tech focus might not appeal to everyone.

Has standard coverage types most insurers do not.

Not available in all states.

Large number of optional coverage types.

How Hippo home insurance rates

5.0

NerdWallet’s ratings are determined by our editorial team. The scoring formula takes into account consumer complaint and customer satisfaction data.

NerdWallet rating

Hippo 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, Hippo is among NerdWallet’s Best Homeowners Insurance Companies for 2022.

State availability

Hippo currently offers homeowners policies in these 40 states.

Hippo 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?

All Hippo homeowners insurance offers standard coverage such as dwelling, personal property, loss of use and liability. Additionally, Hippo includes these other types of coverage as part of its standard package:

Ordinance or law, in case updated building codes drive up repair costs.
Domestic workers, if someone working at your home is injured on the property.
Home office, if work equipment such as a cell phone or printer is damaged.
Computers, if any personal computers or storage devices are damaged.
Water backup, for damage caused by backup or overflow of water from drains or sewers.
Jewelry and watches/valuables, for the theft of high-value items. Additional items beyond the coverage limit can also be added to your policy.
Extended replacement cost on dwelling coverage, which offers a little extra coverage in case the dwelling limit on your policy isn’t enough to rebuild your home after a disaster.

Depending on where you live and which home insurance package you choose, your policy may also include:

Equipment breakdown, to help pay the costs of repairing or replacing electrical equipment.
Service line, to help cover repair costs for lines such as electrical or sewer that come into your house from the street.

For an extra cost, you can also add mortgage payment protection, which helps make your mortgage payment if you need to move out of your home while it’s being repaired.

Hippo home insurance discounts

Hippo offers homeowners insurance discounts for:

Early signing.
New home.
Smart home.
Claim-free.
No mortgage.
Affinity group.
Homeowners association (HOA).
Fire extinguisher.
Gated community.
Multiple policies.
Wind loss prevention.
Water leak detection device.
Burglar alarm.
Fire alarm.
Sprinkler
Smoke alarm.
Deadbolt.

Not all discounts apply in all states.

Consumer complaints

Hippo’s underwriter, Spinnaker, received fewer than the expected number of home insurance 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). Hippo also sells policies from other partners.

Consumer experience

Website: Hippo’s website can provide you with home insurance quotes. It also has articles outlining the basics of homeowners insurance and how it works. The company provides customer support via live chat, email and telephone.

App: You can use the Hippo app to contact customer service, review coverage and manage your policy. It also offers advice and checklists to help you with home maintenance. You can even have a video call with a Hippo Home Care expert.

Claims: To file a claim, you can contact Hippo by phone or email. A representative will walk you through the claims process, including booking temporary housing if needed.

Homeowners insurance buying guide

You can get home insurance quotes online, over the phone or through an agent. But before you start, take the following steps:

Determine how much coverage you need. Is a standard policy sufficient, or do you want to add extra insurance for situations like identity theft or sewer backups? Check whether each company you’re considering has the options you need.
Take inventory. To ensure you have sufficient personal property coverage, take stock of your belongings. Include all furniture, electronic devices, clothing, jewelry and household items. How much would it cost you to replace them? This total is the minimum amount of personal property insurance you should have.
Make a fair comparison. When evaluating rates, make sure each insurer is offering the same limits and deductibles.
Check consumer complaints. Although it may seem tempting simply to choose the cheapest option, look at how many consumer complaints each insurer has before choosing a policy. Poor customer service could have a significant impact on your experience if you ever need to file a claim.

How to file a homeowners insurance claim

File as soon as it’s safe. The sooner you report a theft or damage to your home, the sooner your insurer can assign an adjuster and start working on paying out your claim. Some companies let you file claims online or through their app, while in other cases you may have to call your agent or insurer instead. Have your policy number handy.

Document the damage. Bolster your claim by taking photos or video of all damage. If something was stolen, report it to the police before you contact your insurance company. Your insurer may ask for a copy of their report.

Prevent further damage. After you’ve taken pictures of everything broken or destroyed, take steps to prevent additional damage. For example, you can put a tarp over a leaky roof or blown-out window. Keep receipts for any supplies you buy, as your insurer may reimburse you later.

For more information, see how to file home insurance claims.

Other home insurance companies to consider

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

Frequently asked questions

What other types of insurance does Hippo offer?

Hippo offers condo insurance in addition to homeowners policies.

How does Hippo provide a quote so quickly?

Hippo automatically answers questions about your home based on publicly available data from multiple sources.

Does Hippo offer sinkhole insurance?

Hippo does not offer sinkhole insurance at this time.