Best Home Insurance Companies in Hillsborough County
There is no single "best" home insurance company in Hillsborough County. The best carrier for your home depends on four things: your roof age, your flood zone, your construction type, and your claims history. A company that's cheapest for a new build in Wesley Chapel may be the most expensive for a 1995 home in South Tampa.
This guide breaks down the major carriers writing policies in Hillsborough County in , what each is known for, and how to shop intelligently.
How to Read This List
I'm not ranking these companies. I'm describing what each one is known for in the Hillsborough market so you can decide which to get quotes from. Always get at least three quotes, because the same home can vary by $1,500+ between carriers.
Citizens Property Insurance
Best for: Homeowners who've been non-renewed by private carriers, older homes, coastal properties.
Citizens is Florida's state-backed insurer of last resort. It's not a discount carrier — it's the fallback when no private company will write your policy. In , Citizens reduced rates by an average of 8.7% statewide, making it competitive for the first time in years. But it's still designed to be a last resort, not a first choice.
- Average Hillsborough premium: ~$1,816/year
- Eligibility: Must have been rejected by at least one private carrier, or your home must exceed certain value thresholds
- Watch out for: Depopulation — Citizens actively moves policies to private carriers at renewal
State Farm
Best for: Bundling home and auto, newer homes, standard construction.
State Farm is one of the largest writers in Florida and filed a 10% rate reduction for . They're competitive for newer homes with impact windows and hip roofs. Their bundling discount is one of the strongest in the market.
Security First Insurance
Best for: Coastal and inland homes with mixed risk profiles.
Security First is a Florida-only carrier and understands the state's risk better than national companies. In , they filed a 5.2% average decrease on their Signature+ HO3 policies. They're often competitive for homes in moderate flood zones.
AAA (Auto Club Insurance)
Best for: Members, newer homes, drivers who want one company for everything.
AAA reduced rates an average of 5% on its Select Package Home program in . Their strongest discounts are for members who bundle auto and home.
Universal Property & Casualty
Best for: Standard homes in inland Hillsborough County.
Universal is one of Florida's largest domestic carriers. They write standard homes across the county and are often competitive for homes in Brandon, Valrico, and Plant City.
Heritage Property & Casualty
Best for: Homes with minor risk factors that other carriers reject.
Heritage is known for writing policies in areas other carriers consider too risky. Premiums are usually higher, but if you've been rejected elsewhere, they're worth a call.
How to Actually Shop
- Get your wind mitigation report first. Without it, you can't compare quotes fairly. See our wind mitigation guide.
- Use a local independent agent. Independent agents can quote multiple carriers at once. Captive agents (State Farm, Allstate) can only quote their own company.
- Ask each carrier the same questions: What's the wind deductible? Is flood included? What's the roof age cutoff? How does the claims process work?
- Compare apples to apples. A $2,800 policy with a 5% wind deductible is not cheaper than a $3,400 policy with a $2,000 flat deductible. Read the fine print.
- Re-shop every 2 years. The Florida market is moving fast. A carrier that was uncompetitive in 2024 may be the cheapest option in .
For the full picture on what Hillsborough homeowners pay, see our insurance costs guide. For the state of the market in , see our market trends guide.