NU Online News Service, Sept. 1, 1:56 p.m. EDT

Homeowners with flood insurance are less satisfied with their policy coverage than those who opt not to carry it, according to a satisfaction survey of homeowners insurance released by J.D. Power and Associates today.

The Westlake Village, Calif.-based marketing information-services company says that among homeowners with flood insurance, overall satisfaction averages 735 on a 1,000-point scale in this year's study.

By comparison, satisfaction among homeowners with earthquake insurance coverage averages 766.

Overall satisfaction with homeowners insurance companies averages 769, an improvement of 19 points from last year's study.

Jeremy Bowler, senior director of the insurance practice at J.D. Power, says he believes there are a few reasons for this dissatisfaction with flood insurance. Consumers are not happy that they often have to go out and purchase the coverage separately from their homeowners policy and what they purchase “is not great” nor suited to their needs. Consumers, he believes, also feel that they are not getting what they pay for.

However, satisfaction with homeowners insurance companies ranks below the average for auto insurance companies, which averaged 790 in the report released in June.

In its 11th year, the study is based on responses from more than 9,100 homeowners insurance customers. It was conducted between April and July.

The study measures customer satisfaction with homeowners insurance companies by examining five key factors: policy offerings; price; billing and payment; interaction; and claims.

Reflecting on Hurricane Irene, J.D. Power says fewer than 1 in 10 homeowners insurance customers in New England and the Mid-Atlantic states report carrying flood insurance prior to the storm.

A higher proportion of policyholders in the Gulf states—more than 25 percent—carry flood coverage, but J.D. Power calls that number “a relatively low proportion, considering the frequency of hurricanes and other severe weather events in the region.”

“So far, 2011 has been a tough year for the property insurance industry due to the occurrence of multiple natural catastrophes [throughout the United States], which have driven home the necessity among many U.S. consumers of having adequate homeowners insurance coverage,” says Bowler.

As far as company rankings are concerned, Amica Mutual ranks highest for the 10th consecutive year among homeowners insurance companies and performs particularly well in all five factors that contribute to overall customer satisfaction.

Following Amica Mutual in the rankings are Auto-Owners Insurance and Erie Insurance (in a tie), Cincinnati Insurance, State Farm and American Family.

USAA, an insurance provider open only to U.S. military personnel and their families, and therefore not included in the official rankings, also achieves a high level of customer satisfaction.

This story was updated to show the correct score for COUNTRY in the data chart.

Special Reports /

Satisfaction Lower for Homeowners with Flood Insurance

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