Kin insurance review 2024
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At a glance
Score breakdown
Home
3.2
Cost & ratings
3.5
Coverage
4.3
Support
0.5
About Bankrate Score
Bankrate's take
Kin is a regional home insurer that services eight high-risk states. It takes a tech-forward approach to home insurance, but its poor online reviews and above-average number of complaints could deter some shoppers.
- Only available in AL, AZ, FL, LA, MI, SC, TX and VA
- Tech-forward approach to insurance
- Mainly sells property insurance; no auto, renters, boat or pet insurance available
- Private flood policies
- Above-average number of customer complaints
New
- As of March 2024, Kin home and mobile home insurance is now available in Texas.
- In February 2024, Kind gained an additional $15 million in funding, placing its value over the $1 billion mark and securing “unicorn” status.
- In its 2023 fourth quarter financial results, Kin’s written premium soared 54% compared to the previous year.
- Kin was previously available in California, but the company is not currently active for new business in the state.
- In 2023, Kin began writing policies in five new states — Alabama, Arizona, Mississippi, South Carolina and Virginia.
Kin home insurance review
Established in 2016, Kin is a direct-to-consumer home insurance company that specializes in providing coverage in states prone to natural disasters. It advertises itself as an affordable insurer with a unique underwriting method that includes data that other insurance providers typically overlook, including property records, permit data and aerial imagery. Kin also considers the more standard data points, such as roof characteristics, construction type and location. What’s more, Kin offers replacement cost policies (compared to actual cash value policies), so if your home or belongings are damaged, you could be paid out the full replacement cost instead of the depreciated value.
Kin earned a 3.2 out of a possible 5 Bankrate Score. Its strong discount availability and user-friendly website helped boost its rating, but Kin lost some points for its limited state availability and customer service hours. While claims may be filed 24/7, general customer service hours are more restricted. Plus, Kin does not offer auto insurance, which could deter customers looking to bundle and manage multiple policies in one place.
Pros and cons of Kin home insurance
When you’re shopping for the best home insurance company for your needs, it can be helpful to compare quotes and other features of each insurer. During our Kin insurance review, we identified these pros and cons that you might want to consider:
Pros
- Unique rating structure
- Available in high-risk states
- Landlord, condo, high-value and customizable policies available
Cons
- Limited state availability
- No mobile app
- Limited third-party ratings and reviews
Kin customer satisfaction
Third-party insurance ratings can be helpful when deciding between companies, and there are a couple of key ones to take note of. J.D. Power is a consumer data and analytics company that publishes customer satisfaction surveys for the insurance industry (among other industries). For home insurance, J.D. Power scores each company for overall claims and customer satisfaction. The National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) keeps track of the number of formal complaints filed against an insurance company and assigns each company an index. A score of 1.00 indicates that a company received an average number of complaints expected for a company its size, while a higher index indicates that a company received more complaints (and vice versa).
Kin homeowners claims satisfaction
Because Kin is a smaller insurance company, it was not included in the J.D Power 2023 Home Insurance Study or the 2024 Property Claims Satisfaction Study. AM Best similarly doesn’t rate Kin Interinsurance Network or Kin Interinsurance Nexus Exchange for financial strength. Demotech — another financial strength rating company — gives Kin Interinsurance Network and Kin Interinsurance Nexus Exchange an A (Exceptional) financial stability rating. This means Demotech has historically had fairly strong confidence in Kin’s ability to pay claims, which is important in the high-risk states where Kin writes policies, where natural disasters can cause widespread damage and a large influx of claims at once.
Kin homeowners insurance complaints
For its home insurance product, Kin’s NAIC is trending upward. From 2021 onward, the complaint index for home insurance has crept from below to above average, now at 1.54. Its overall complaint index also increased from 1.99 in 2022 to 2.87 in 2023, which means it went from receiving almost twice the number of complaints to nearly three times.
Kin home insurance cost
Nationally, home insurance costs an average of $2,153 per year for $250,000 in dwelling coverage. Average rates aren’t available for Kin, so homeowners will need to contact an agent to get a personalized quote. Your rates will vary based on the features of your home, your coverage amount, your claims history and the company you choose.
Kin home insurance discounts
Kin offers a variety of discounts that may help you save on your premium and get cheaper home insurance. As with any company, discount eligibility and qualifications vary. Getting a quote from Kin is the best way to find out which discounts you’re eligible for.
Some discounts on offer from Kin are common within the industry — like opportunities to earn a discount for being claims-free, installing a security alarm or paying electronically — but the company offers a few more unusual discounts as well:
- Mature homeowner discount: If you’re over 55, you might qualify for this discount, as older homeowners tend to be viewed as less risky.
- Responsible repair discount: Kin introduced this average five percent discount in response to the rise of fraudulent roofing claims in Florida, spurred by policyholders (often unknowingly) signing claims rights to a third party. If you agree to not sign an “assignment of benefits” form, you may qualify for this discount. This discount is only available to Florida homeowners.
- Water leak detection and mitigation device discount: If you have a device that can alert you to potential leaks, you might save money. Some devices can automatically shut off leaking water systems to prevent further damage.
- Wind mitigation credits: Wind damage is common in Florida and Louisiana, so homeowners who install certain wind mitigation features may qualify for savings.
Compare Kin with other insurers
If you’re interested in Kin but not sure it’s quite right for you, you might want to also get quotes from these companies:
Kin vs. State Farm
If you’re in the market for a more traditional insurance company, State Farm could be a good choice. Coverage is sold through a network of local agents, so it could also be ideal if you prefer to handle your insurance needs face-to-face.
Read review: State Farm
Kin vs. Progressive
If you’re looking for a company familiar with selling insurance in high-risk areas, Progressive — which sells home insurance through American Strategic Insurance (ASI) — may be an option worth considering. The company sells insurance in 40 states, including Florida and Louisiana. ASI’s rating model is more standard than Kin’s, though, so if you are looking for a company that is shaking up the industry, Kin may be the better choice.
Read review: Progressive
Kin vs. Tower Hill
If you live in the Sunshine State, Tower Hill could be a good option. The company was founded (and is based) in Florida, which means its agents may be more familiar with the unique needs of homeowners there. Tower Hill offers robust coverage options and policies tailored to high-value homes, and the company also offers flood insurance as a home endorsement, a separate policy or through the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP). However, Tower Hill is a more traditional carrier and doesn’t have a website quite as robust and functional as Kin’s.
Read review: Tower Hill
Why you can trust Bankrate
Read our full methodologyOur insurance editorial team includes licensed agents with decades of combined experience, and we used our intimate knowledge of the industry to conduct this in-depth Kin insurance review.
46
years of industry expertise
122
carriers reviewed
34.5K
ZIP codes examined
1.2M
quotes analyzed
Is Kin a good insurance company?
Kin services some of the most hard-to-insure states in the country, which could make it a good option for homeowners having a hard time finding insurance. Average rates from Kin are not available, but the company advertises savings of upwards of $900 for customers who switched. However, many online reviews mention feeling duped or baited by Kin’s initial affordable rates, only to be met with a pricey renewal when their policy is up. Kin also offers a healthy list of discounts, although product availability is somewhat limited. Kin takes an online-first approach to insurance, which could make it a good fit for more tech-savvy homeowners. However, those looking for a specific someone to call for all their insurance needs might want to look elsewhere.
What are real-life customers saying about Kin?
Not every single insurance company can be rated by J.D. Power, AM Best and other major third parties. That’s where real-life customer feedback can be helpful. To round out our Kin insurance review, we collected comments from actual Kin customers across the web.
Although it is not a formal review site, Reddit’s geographical, personal finance and insurance forums generate discussion about specific insurance companies, Kin among them. The Reddit reviews skewed more negatively, with many customers complaining of being lured in with a low rate only to be hit with a steep raise when their policy was renewed. But, other users liked Kin’s easy signup system and customer service.
Trustpilot
The Trustpilot reviews were, as a whole, much more positive. Kin has over 3,500 reviews on Trustpilot, 89 percent of which are five stars. The vast majority of those five-star reviews name and praise members of Kin’s customer service team. But, like some of the more negative reviews on Reddit, many of the one-star TrustPilot reviews were about rate raises Kin customers experienced upon policy renewal.
Kin company details
For those interested in Kin or current policyholders seeking assistance, here are the essential contact details:
- Quotes: 1-855-717-0022 Mon-Fri 7 am-7pm CT, Sat 8 am-3pm CT; or sales@kin.com
- Customer support: 1-855-216-7674, Mon-Fri 7 am-7pm CT, Sat 8 am-3pm CT; or via online form
- Claims: 1-866-204-2219 or via online form
- General mailing address: P.O. Box 530314, Atlanta, GA 30353-0134
- Payments address: Check website, as mailing address is different for each state
- Website: kin.com
State availability
Kin is available in Alabama, Arizona, Florida, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, Texas and Virginia.
Kin tools and benefits
In addition to home insurance, Kin also offers insurance coverage for:
- Mobile homes: Mobile homes can be riskier to insure due to the increased likelihood of wind damage. Finding coverage for mobile homes in wind-prone states can be tough, but Kin offers a solution.
- Condos: If you own a condo, you’ll need an HO-6 policy, which is a special type of home insurance geared specifically toward condo owners.
- Rental homes: Landlords who own and rent homes might be interested in Kin’s landlord policies. These provide coverage for the structure of the home, as well as liability coverage for injuries for which the landlord is liable.
- Flood insurance: Kin’s private flood insurance offers higher limits than an NFIP policy and no waiting period as an optional endorsement to home insurance.
- Home & Property insurance: This policy can be customized to homeowners who use their property as a seasonal home, a rental property, a full-time residence or a combination of all three.
Frequently asked questions about Kin
Methodology
Bankrate Scores
Our 2024 Bankrate Score considers variables our insurance editorial team determined impacts policyholders’ experiences with an insurance company. These rating factors include a robust assessment of each company’s product availability, financial strength ratings, online capabilities and customer and claims support accessibility. Each factor was added to a category, and these categories were weighted in a tiered approach to analyze how companies perform in key customer-impacting categories.
Each category was assigned a metric to determine performance, and the weighted sum adds up to a company’s total Bankrate Score — out of 5 points. Our scoring model provides a comprehensive view, indicating when companies excel across several key areas and highlighting where they fall short.
- Tier 1 (Cost & ratings): To determine how well auto and home insurance companies satisfy these priorities, average quoted premiums from Quadrant Information Services (if available), as well as any of the latest third-party agency ratings from J.D. Power, AM Best, Demotech and the NAIC, were analyzed.
- Tier 2 (Coverage & savings): We assessed companies’ coverage options and availability to help policyholders find a provider that balances cost with coverage. Additionally, we evaluated each company’s discount options listed on its website.
- Tier 3 (Support): To encompass the many ways a home insurance company can support policyholders, we analyzed avenues of customer accessibility along with community support. This analysis incorporated additional financial strength ratings from S&P and Moody’s and factored a company’s corporate sustainability efforts.
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Cost & ratings 50%
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Coverage & savings 30%
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Support 20%
Tier scores are unweighted to show the company's true score in each category out of a possible five points.
Natalie Todoroff is an insurance writer for Bankrate, prior to which she wrote for a popular insurance comparison shopping app. She has a Bachelor of Arts in English and has written over 800 articles about insurance throughout her career.
