The average cost of home insurance in Massachusetts is $1,545 a year. For comparison, the national average is $1,915 per year.
NerdWallet analyzed data from numerous insurance companies to help you find the best home insurance in Massachusetts in the following categories:
Best for affordability: The Andover Companies.
Best for coverage: Openly and The Andover Companies.
Best for consumer experience: Nationwide.
The rates in our analysis are estimates based on many factors, so your rate may differ.
Note: Some insurance companies included in this article may have made changes in their underwriting practices and no longer issue new policies in your state.
Why you can trust NerdWallet
Our writers and editors follow strict editorial guidelines to ensure fairness and accuracy in our writing and data analyses. You can trust the prices we show you because our data analysts take rigorous measures to eliminate inaccuracies in pricing data and may update rates for accuracy as new information becomes available.
We include rates from every locale in the country where coverage is offered and data is available. When comparing rates for different coverage amounts and backgrounds, we change only one variable at a time, so you can easily see how each factor affects pricing.
Our sample homeowner had good credit, $300,000 of dwelling coverage, $300,000 of liability coverage and a $1,000 deductible.
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Best budget homeowners insurance in Massachusetts: The Andover Companies
4.5 NerdWallet rating Superior coverage sold through independent agents in select states. Coverage options More than average Discounts Average set of discounts NAIC complaints Far fewer than expected 4.5 NerdWallet rating Superior coverage sold through independent agents in select states. Coverage options More than average Discounts Average set of discounts NAIC complaints Far fewer than expected
Andover Companies
Andover Companies
The Andover Companies’ average annual rate of $1,510 is less than the statewide annual average of $1,545.
The Andover Companies’ home insurance policies generally come with broader coverage for your belongings and more coverage for the structure of your home than a standard homeowners policy provides. (Note that most but not all homes qualify for this coverage.)
Most Andover policies also include a generous amount of ordinance or law coverage, which pays to upgrade your home to current building codes during repairs after a covered claim.
Learn more with our Andover Companies home insurance review.
Best homeowners insurance in Massachusetts for coverage: Openly and The Andover Companies
4.5 NerdWallet rating Premium coverage for high-end homes with no dog breed restrictions. Coverage options More than average Discounts Average set of discounts NAIC complaints Far fewer than expected 4.5 NerdWallet rating Premium coverage for high-end homes with no dog breed restrictions. Coverage options More than average Discounts Average set of discounts NAIC complaints Far fewer than expected
Openly
Openly
Boston-based Openly offers homeowners insurance with generous coverage. Its policies include guaranteed replacement cost coverage for the structure of your home, which means the company will pay whatever it takes to rebuild your home if it’s destroyed.
Unlike many other insurers, Openly doesn’t have dog breed restrictions that could affect your ability to get liability coverage. It may also be a good bet for homeowners with collections of jewelry or other valuables, with up to $100,000 of blanket coverage available for these items.
Learn more with our Openly home insurance review.
As noted above, The Andover Companies also boasts strong coverage for homeowners, including ordinance or law insurance for most homes.
Learn more with our Andover Companies home insurance review.
Best homeowners insurance in Massachusetts for consumer experience: Nationwide
4.5 NerdWallet rating For shoppers seeking a broad range of coverage options, Nationwide may fit the bill. Coverage options About average Discounts Great set of discounts NAIC complaints Fewer than expected 4.5 NerdWallet rating For shoppers seeking a broad range of coverage options, Nationwide may fit the bill. Coverage options About average Discounts Great set of discounts NAIC complaints Fewer than expected
Nationwide
Nationwide
Nationwide offers a robust consumer experience for its customers, including a website that makes it easy to manage policies, file and track claims, and set up automatic billing. It also has a highly rated app for Android and iOS that allows customers to file and track claims, review policy documents, and set up autopay.
In addition, Nationwide’s customers have several ways to get assistance, such as reaching out to their agent or calling the company’s customer service hotline. Outside of business hours, they can use the Nationwide website to get proof of insurance, pay bills and schedule callbacks. A chatbot is also available to answer basic questions.
Learn more with our Nationwide homeowners insurance review.
Full list of the best homeowners insurance in Massachusetts
Here are all of the insurers in Massachusetts that received a NerdWallet star rating of 4.5 or higher:
Company | NerdWallet star rating | Average annual rate |
|---|---|---|
Amica | 5.0 NerdWallet rating | $2,560 |
The Andover Companies | 4.5 NerdWallet rating | $1,510 |
Chubb | 5.0 NerdWallet rating | Not available |
Cincinnati Insurance | 4.5 NerdWallet rating | Not available |
Concord Group | 4.5 NerdWallet rating | Not available |
The Hanover | 4.5 NerdWallet rating | $2,240 |
Nationwide | 4.5 NerdWallet rating | Not available |
Openly | 4.5 NerdWallet rating | Not available |
Safety | 4.5 NerdWallet rating | $1,525 |
Travelers | 4.5 NerdWallet rating | $1,780 |
USAA* | 5.0 NerdWallet rating | $1,560 |
*USAA homeowners policies are available only to active military, veterans and their families. | ||
» MORE: The best home insurance companies
How much does homeowners insurance cost in Massachusetts?
The average annual cost of home insurance in Massachusetts is $1,545. That’s 19% less than the national average of $1,915.
Those rates are for homeowners with no recent claims on their record. In Massachusetts, policyholders with one recent claim pay an average of $1,770 per year — an increase of 15%.
Average cost of homeowners insurance in Massachusetts by city
Your premium will vary slightly depending on where you live within Massachusetts. For example, the average cost of homeowners insurance in Boston is $1,650 per year, while homeowners in Worcester pay about $1,540 per year, on average.
City | Average annual rate | Average monthly rate |
|---|---|---|
Boston | $1,650 | $138 |
Brockton | $1,765 | $147 |
Brookline | $1,570 | $131 |
Cambridge | $1,215 | $101 |
Chicopee | $1,400 | $117 |
Dorchester | $1,870 | $156 |
Fall River | $1,820 | $152 |
Framingham | $1,225 | $102 |
Haverhill | $1,345 | $112 |
Lawrence | $1,540 | $128 |
Lowell | $1,355 | $113 |
Lynn | $1,790 | $149 |
Malden | $1,185 | $99 |
Medford | $1,185 | $99 |
Methuen | $1,345 | $112 |
New Bedford | $1,935 | $161 |
Peabody | $1,360 | $113 |
Plymouth | $2,010 | $168 |
Quincy | $1,550 | $129 |
Revere | $1,865 | $155 |
Somerville | $1,215 | $101 |
Springfield | $1,565 | $130 |
Taunton | $1,500 | $125 |
Waltham | $1,255 | $105 |
Worcester | $1,540 | $128 |
» MORE: What’s the average cost of homeowners insurance?
The cheapest home insurance in Massachusetts
Here are the insurers we found with average annual rates below the Massachusetts average of $1,545.
Company | NerdWallet star rating | Average annual rate |
|---|---|---|
Narragansett Bay | 4.0 NerdWallet rating | $1,045 |
Preferred Mutual | Not rated | $1,315 |
Farmers | 4.5 NerdWallet rating | $1,325 |
Vermont Mutual | 4.0 NerdWallet rating | $1,340 |
The Andover Companies | 4.5 NerdWallet rating | $1,510 |
Safety | 4.5 NerdWallet rating | $1,525 |
Arbella | Not rated | $1,540 |
» MORE: The cheapest homeowners insurance
What to know about Massachusetts homeowners insurance
Here are a couple of things to note when evaluating home insurance options in Massachusetts.
Nor’easters
Nor’easters, or northeast coastal storms, can cause damage due to high winds, heavy snow or rainfall, and flooding. While home insurance commonly covers damage from high winds and snow, it likely won’t cover water damage from flooding. You’ll need a separate flood insurance policy for that. (Read on for more details.)
» MORE: Complete guide to hurricane insurance
Flooding
Massachusetts can experience flooding even in inland areas, but your homeowners policy probably won’t cover the damage. If you live in a high-risk flood zone, like along a lake or river, your mortgage lender will likely require you to purchase flood insurance. But you could be at risk no matter where you live, so flood insurance may be worth considering even if you don't live in a high-risk zone.
To see the likelihood of flooding in your area, use the Federal Emergency Management Agency's flood maps or check RiskFactor.com, an online tool from the nonprofit First Street Foundation.
» MORE: How to choose the best flood insurance company
Massachusetts Division of Insurance
You can file a complaint against your insurance company or learn more about how home insurance works from Massachusetts’ Division of Insurance. Its website offers a list of insurers available in the state and resources to help homeowners understand their policies, plus the option to submit a complaint online. Assistance is available by calling 617-521-7794.
Looking for more insurance in Massachusetts?
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Frequently asked questions
How much does home insurance cost in Massachusetts?
Massachusetts home insurance costs an average of $129 per month, or $1,545 per year, for homeowners with $300,000 in dwelling and liability coverage, no recent claims and a $1,000 deductible. Your rates may vary depending on where you live and how much coverage you need.
Is home insurance required in Massachusetts?
Home insurance isn’t required by law, but if you've financed your home, your mortgage lender will likely need you to have it. Home insurance can be a good idea even if you don’t have a mortgage since an unexpected disaster could cause expensive damage. For more information, read Is Homeowners Insurance Required?
Does Massachusetts home insurance cover mold damage?
Your home insurance policy may cover mold damage if it’s from an incident or “peril,” that the policy covers. For example, most policies cover burst pipes, so they’ll often pay to clean up any resulting mold. But if you get mold because a hurricane floods your basem*nt, you won’t have coverage because homeowners policies generally don’t pay for flood damage. Learn more about whether homeowners insurance covers mold.
Methodology
NerdWallet calculated median rates for 40-year-old homeowners from various insurance companies in every ZIP code across the state. 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.
For homeowners with a claims history, we added a single wind damage claim.
These are sample rates generated through Quadrant Information Services. Your own rates will be different.
Star rating 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, coverages, 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 homeowners insurance rating methodology.
Complaint methodology
NerdWallet examined complaints received by state insurance regulators and reported to the National Association of Insurance Commissioners in 2020-2022. To assess how insurers compare with 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 endorsem*nt of the NAIC. Ratios are determined separately for auto, home (including renters and condo) and life insurance.
