Homeowners Insurance: Get a Quote in 60 Seconds

FAQ’s

FAQ

Our most frequently asked questions.

Home Insurance

Do I need home insurance?

Yes, if you own a home, having home insurance is critical. Aside from smartly protecting a large financial asset and its contents, all lenders require buyers to purchase a homeowners insurance policy. You can read more about your legal obligations for home insurance on our blog, but if you intend to take out a mortgage to buy a home or simply want to cover yourself against a potential loss, you’ll need home insurance. So why not get the very best?

What is typically included in home insurance?

Home insurance typically covers your home, other structures on your property, certain possessions inside your home, and liability (for example, stemming from injuries that take place at your home). Insurance won’t prevent accidents from occurring, but it will provide a financial safety net when the unexpected happens.

However not all home insurance is created equal. Hippo has taken steps to determine what types of coverage you truly need and we’ve enhanced our policies to offer best-in-class protection.

We know what drives home insurance claims, hence Hippo includes coverages to ensure homeowners can replace or repair the items that run their home. First, we included enhanced coverage for appliances to our policies, so equipment like your refrigerator and washer and dryer are covered and don’t cause you a headache when it comes time to replace them. Then we pulled in enhanced water backup and service line coverage, so a burst pipe or leak, in or outside of your home won’t kill your budget for the year.

We also fully embrace the latest smart home technology to help detect problems early and, when possible, prevent damage from taking place. We offer smart home discounts for all customers with monitored smart home devices and partner with smart home companies to offer clients occasional gifts and promotions.

How does Hippo’s coverage compare to other home insurance?

Hippo has developed the first smart home insurance product for today’s homeowners that fits into their current lifestyle. For example, we’ve added 4x more coverage than our competitors for items like home electronics and smart appliances so your home office and video alarm system are fully covered.

How long does it take to get home insurance?

Hippo has made securing home insurance easier than ever. Visit our homepage, myhippo.com, and enter your property address, answer a few basic questions about your property and in less than 60-seconds you’ll have an accurate home insurance quote. We’ll ask you a few more questions, to ensure you secure all the best discounts available on your policy before offering you a final quote and gathering payment details to bind your policy online in less than 4-minutes. Our licensed sales team, in Austin, TX is also only a phone call away and we’re always happy to walk you through the process (1-877-838-8866).

When can I reach someone at Hippo?

Our licensed sales agents and support teams are available Monday - Friday , from 7 am - 7 pm Central Time and Saturday and Sunday from 10 am - 8 pm Central Time. Our claims concierges are available 24/7 by phone and email.

What factors can influence home insurance premiums?

The main driver of your premium is the cost it will take to rebuild your home in case of a disaster - this is called Rebuilding Costs. This metric is driven by the materials used to build your home, number of rooms, number of stories, and many other factors. The location of your home and your personal history with home or renters insurance claims are also taken into account.

What's included in my plan?

We’re proud to say that our policies include some of the most comprehensive coverage in the industry to cover a wide variety of circumstances. Simply visit our homepage or initiate a quote to learn what’s included. Among other things, we offer equipment breakdown protection (to cover your home appliances, boiler, and more) and a host of enhanced coverages for more specific needs.

Give us a call at 1-877-838-8866 to learn more!

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Coverage

How do I switch to Hippo from my current insurer?

You can switch your home insurance provider any time during your policy contract. But we know that switching insurers can bring up visions of daunting paperwork. Oftentimes, insurers will issue a refund if you've cancelled before your renewal date, for the unused portion of the contract. We’ll help you fill out the paperwork to cancel your policy and secure your potential refund, with only a few clicks and calls.

Simply call us at 1-877-838-8866 to discuss how we can help you switch insurers.

Do you sell condo insurance?

We sure do. You’ll be asked if you live in a home or condo right after you enter your property address online, and we’ll start your quoting process from there.

Do you sell Renters insurance?

No, we are solely focused on homeowners and their specific needs.

Can I insure my rental property or vacation home with you?

Yes! If Hippo insures your primary residence, we can also insure your secondary or vacation home. To learn more just give us a call at 1-877-838-8866.

Do you offer earthquake coverage?

Yes, through our partner Palomar, who you can read more about here. After you purchase from us you’ll have the opportunity to purchase separate earthquake coverage which will be added to your portfolio and tracked in your account center.

Do you offer flood coverage?

Yes, through our partner Neptune Flood who you can read more about here and the National Flood Program, which you can read more about here. After you purchase from us you’ll have the opportunity to purchase separate flood coverage which will be added to your portfolio and tracked in your account center.

Do you cover wind damage?

Yes, in Texas through our partner Velocity who you can read more about here. After you purchase from us you’ll have the opportunity to purchase separate wind coverage which will be added to your portfolio and tracked in your account center.

Can I insure multiple properties with you?

Yes! If Hippo insures your primary residence, we can also insure your secondary or vacation home. To learn more just give us a call at 1-877-838-8866 and we’ll talk you through the process of adding on new properties.

Can I insure my investment properties with you?

Yes! We currently offer landlord insurance for up to ten investment properties in {{dp3StatesString}}, and we are actively moving forward to offer it in every state where we offer homeowners insurance.

More good news: You don’t need to have a Hippo homeowner policy (though we can offer you a discount on each investment property’s policy if you do). If you have questions, just call us at 1-877-838-8866.

Which states do you insure?

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Do you cover properties outside of the U.S.?

No, insurance is a very regionally specific product we’ve narrowed our focus to the neighborhoods inside the U.S.

I've had prior home or renters insurance claims, can I still get coverage?

The short answer is: It depends. There are many factors that influence this, but we can often insure homeowners with prior claims.

Do you offer other types of insurance as well?

Yes, we have some other partner products we can sell, including earthquake, flood and wind insurance. Give us a call at 1-877-838-8866 and let us know what you’re looking for.

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About Hippo

Why the name "Hippo"?

To be honest we just really like the name, and now it seems our customers do too!

How long have you been around?

Hippo was founded in 2015 and began selling policies in 2017. Our insurance partners have been around for decades and insure hundreds of thousands of homes across the U.S.

What is your financial rating?

Hippo works exclusively with top-rated insurance partners who hold the risk on our policies are are all rated A- (Excellent) by A.M. Best, the most recognized insurance rating authority. Learn more about A.M. Best here.

Hippo is a fairly new company. What happens if you go away?

Our policies are owned and covered by large insurance partners and reinsurers. Even in the unlikely event that we’re not around and your house still is, rest assured that your policy, and all your belongings will be in the hands of our trusted partners with the same level of care and coverage that we promised.

Are you licensed to sell insurance?

Yes. Our licenses vary by state as follows:

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Who's the team behind Hippo?

We are a hard-working, passionate team out of Mountain View, CA and Austin, TX working to solve the pain points homeowners face when securing insurance. We hail from tech, insurance, and consulting backgrounds and bring our varied experience together to create the product and service you see today.

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Hippo’s Services

How can I contact you?

Call us any time at 1-877-838-8866 or email us at [email protected].

What happens if I need to submit a claim?

Hippo strives to make claims an easy, painless process. To do this, we provide a dedicated claims advocate to all customers who submit a claim. This single point of contact will work aggressively to manage your claim related needs and ensure you obtain the best and most effective resolution as quickly as possible. They will assist in communications with adjusters, service providers and even help book hotels or transportation if necessary. Check out our claims philosophy on our claims page and call us 24/7 at 1-855-999-9746 if you need to submit a claim.