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(NEXSTAR) – Homeowners in several states should brace for potential double-digit percent increases in their home insurance rate in 2026, according to a forecast by Insurify.
Citing severe weather and natural disasters, the study’s authors found that home insurance costs are expected to increase 4% on average by the end of the 2026, marking the fifth straight year of increases.
“Severe convective storms, which can conjure tornadoes, hail, and other perils, have wrought damage across the U.S. in recent years, particularly in the Midwest and Great Plains states,” the report states. “These storms caused more than $52 billion in insured losses in 2025, the third-highest total on record, behind only 2023 and 2024.”
In Nebraska, for example, one especially destructive 2025 storm arrived with softball-sized hail that damaged siding and punched holes in car windows.
Meanwhile, on the West Coast, wildfires in Southern California caused more than $250 billion worth of damage in 2025.
Insurers are changing their policies to minimize their claims exposure, according to Insurify, which often means more risk for homeowners.
The states projected to see the largest rate hikes in 2026, Insurify data scientists say, are California (16%), Nebraska (13%), New Mexico (11%) and Georgia (10%). The forecast comes a year after these states saw rates rise sharply: Minnesota (34%), Colorado (33%), Iowa (28%), Nebraska (25%), Oklahoma (24%) and South Carolina (20%).
According to researchers at Florida State University, a 10% rise in the price of homeowners insurance causes a 4.6% decline in housing prices.
When it comes to the highest insurance rates in the nation, Florida leads all other by a wide margin. Here are the Top 10 most expensive states and their projected annual premium for 2026, according to Insurify:
| Rank | State | Projected Annual Premium (End of 2026) |
| 1. | Florida | $8,458 |
| 2. | Oklahoma | $5,205 |
| 3. | Louisiana | $5,035 |
| 4. | Nebraska | $4,560 |
| 5. | Texas | $4,529 |
| 6. | Colorado | $4,164 |
| 7. | Alabama | $3,979 |
| 8. | Misississippi | $3,833 |
| 9. | Minnesota | $3,654 |
| 10. | Illinois | $3,559 |
It’s not all grim news for homeowners, however. Insurify found that rates are likely to go down by as much as 2% in these states by the end of 2026: Hawaii, Massachusetts, Maine, Louisiana and Rhode Island.
Alice J. Roden started working for Trending Insurance News at the end of 2021. Alice grew up in Salt Lake City, UT. A writer with a vast insurance industry background Alice has help with several of the biggest insurance companies. Before joining Trending Insurance News, Alice briefly worked as a freelance journalist for several radio stations. She covers home, renters and other property insurance stories.