Shelter Homeowners Insurance Reviews: Is it the right choice for you?

Amy Beardsley
Written by
Amy Beardsley
Photo of an Insurify author
Written by
Amy Beardsley
Insurance Writer
Amy is a personal finance and technology writer. With a background in the legal field and a bachelor's degree from Ferris State University, she has a talent for transforming complex topics into content that’s easy to understand. Connect with Amy on LinkedIn.
John Leach
Edited by
John Leach
Photo of an Insurify author
Edited by
John Leach
Insurance Content Editor at Insurify
John Leach is an insurance content editor who has worked in print and online. He has years of experience in car and home insurance and strives to make these topics easy to understand for everyone. He has a linguistics degree from UC Santa Barbara.

Updated June 26, 2021

Reading time: 5 minutes

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When shopping for a house, you spend a significant amount of time dreaming about the colors you’ll paint the walls, how you’ll arrange the bedrooms, and the many nights you’ll spend there with your family.

Your home is a substantial investment. If a fire, windstorm, or other disaster destroys your house, you need a homeowners insurance company you can count on. The right coverage can give you peace of mind knowing the insurer will restore your home and personal belongings.

One company to consider is Shelter Insurance. The Columbia, Missouri, company started in 1946 and offers home insurance, car insurance, life insurance, renters insurance, and more. Our Shelter Insurance review can help you discover if it’s the right coverage for you.

You don’t have to put off shopping for insurance any longer. Use Insurify to get an insurance quote from up to a dozen or more insurance companies in minutes.

Shelter Home Insurance Coverages

You’ve heard it said that home is where the heart is—but the place you call home could be an apartment, co-op, condo, house, or mobile home.

Either way, Shelter Insurance company has you covered. According to its website, Shelter offers property insurance products across these dwelling situations and insurance needs:

Homeowners Insurance

Homeowners insurance is essential for homeowners. It can protect your house and your personal property if you have an unexpected loss. Rather than you paying out of pocket, your policy can pay to rebuild or repair your home and belongings.

Shelter’s coverage pays for restoration costs. That means they’ll pay for new materials of comparable quality to replace what was lost.

Dwelling Insurance

While homeowner ’s policies include dwelling coverage, Shelter offers dwelling insurance as a stand-alone coverage option. The protection it provides is more limited than a standard homeowners insurance policy.

For example, it protects against fire, lightning, wind, and hail—but the policy does not cover theft, earthquakes, or freezing of plumbing or heating systems.

Renters Insurance

Your landlord’s policy won’t cover your clothing, electronics, furniture, or other personal items if you rent your home. A renters insurance policy from Shelter includes coverage for your items and personal liability if someone injures themselves in your apartment.

Condo Insurance

Condo insurance from Shelter can fill the gaps in your condo association’s master policy. You can choose basic coverage options for your home and belongings or expand your protection with add-on options.

For example, you might add protection for daycare liability, guns and related equipment, jewelry, and furs.

Mobile Home Insurance

Shelter has mobile home insurance that protects your home and its contents. It covers many of the same hazards as a standard homeowners policy so you have peace of mind knowing your property is protected.

Apartment Owners Insurance

If you own an apartment or rental building, Shelter has apartment owners insurance to protect your investment. You can choose between actual cash value or replacement cost for buildings to make sure you have the right protection.

A typical policy from Shelter includes coverage for the major home systems, fixtures, appliances, and floor coverings. You also get personal liability protection.

Personal Articles Insurance

Because no homeowners insurance policy can cover everything, you may benefit from personal articles insurance from Shelter.

This coverage can insure more expensive items—musical instruments, livestock, and works of art—and protect against perils your standard policy doesn’t cover.

Components of a Shelter Home Insurance Policy

A homeowners policy consists of several individual coverage options. With a Shelter policy, standard coverage includes:

  • Dwelling coverage: the residence and attached structures

  • Other structures: a detached garage, shed, fence, and other unattached structures

  • Personal possessions: furniture, clothing, and other personal items

  • Loss of use: additional living expenses, such as a hotel or rental reimbursement and meal costs, if your home is uninhabitable after a covered loss

  • Personal liability: claims for bodily injury and property damage that you’re legally liable for

  • Medical payments: medical bill coverage for less severe injuries if someone is hurt on your property

Policyholders also get coverage for debris removal, trees and lawns, reimbursement of fire department charges, and credit card fraud.

Optional Coverages for Your Shelter Home Insurance Policy

Shelter Insurance lets you customize your policy to fit your needs. Because Shelter provides additional coverages, the company is an excellent option for many homeowners.

  • Sewer and drain backup

  • Identity fraud

  • Business insurance

  • Increased personal computer coverage

  • Earthquakes

  • Construction theft

  • Escape of water from plumbing

Another popular add-on is inflation protection. It helps to make sure your home’s insured value closely matches its restoration cost.

Available Discounts

Insurance discounts offer policyholders a unique option to get personalized policy costs. Ask a Shelter representative about:

  • Companion policy discount when you combine with Shelter auto insurance for car insurance

  • Protective devices credit for installing an approved alarm system, dead-bolt locks, or fire or smoke alarms

  • Claims-free discount for going six or more consecutive years without a claim

  • New home discount can earn you up to 40 percent off your premiums for one year

  • Heating system discount if you don’t have a solid-fuel heating device (wood, coal, etc.)

Discounts can vary by state and location, so ask your insurance agent about options to lower your insurance rates.

Shelter Home Insurance Reviews: Customer Satisfaction

Shelter has excellent homeowners insurance options, although there are a few complaints from customers specifically about their auto insurance product.

Jimmy F. gave Shelter a 1-Star review. “ I had an accident on May 10th 2021. I was also injured. I’m home now, it’s June 8th. This insurance has still not paid out my claim. I carried full coverage insurance. I have been given the excuse that the insurance adjuster got sick, then a type on the VIN number held it up. I myself contacted the lien holder who did not contact me until today. I also have medical coverage which is handled by another company. When I took the insurance I took the time to have the agent explain the entire policy to me. he told me that medical payments would go directly to me. This is false. They basically paid the copay to your medical insurance. Worthless because I don’t have medical insurance. Don’t buy a Shelter policy!

Because Shelter uses insurance agents, your satisfaction could depend on the area in which you purchase your coverage. For example, this review shows a customer clearly satisfied with their agent:

Jkincade gave Shelter a 5-Star rating. “I had a wonderful agent. Attentive, prompt, and a great communicator. He accomplished our needs very quickly. Great business!”

The company earned high marks from A.M. Best, J.D. Power, and the Better Business Bureau.

  • J.D. Power Customer Satisfaction Rating: #1 among insurers in the Central Region

  • A.M. Best Rating: A (Excellent)

  • Moody’s Financial Strength Rating:

  • Better Business Bureau Rating: A+ rating

Frequently Asked Questions

  • Yes. Shelter’s mobile app lets you access your account, report a claim, pay your bill, contact your agent, and get roadside assistance. The app is available for iPhone and Android devices.

  • Yes. Shelter offers insurance products in addition to homeowners insurance. For example, its auto insurance offers roadside assistance, collision coverage, comprehensive coverage, accidental death coverage, disability income coverage, new car replacement, and gap insurance.

  • Shelter offers policies in Arkansas, Colorado, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, Ohio, Oklahoma, and Tennessee. Visit Shelter Insurance online to discover a Shelter Insurance provider near you.

  • It depends. Insurance rates can vary by company, location, and individual. You can get an insurance quote from Shelter and speak to an agent about your coverage options. The company has many additional coverages to personalize your policy. Plus, its many discounts can help you save money to get cheaper homeowners insurance.

The Best Way to Save on H ome Insurance

Want to know how low your policy can go? Get a real quote or two, or several, with Insurify today.

Shelter Insurance Overview

Shelter is a top contender for homeowners and auto insurance for customers in the Midwest. You can also get a Shelter life insurance policy, business coverage, ATV insurance, umbrella insurance, and other coverages for a one-stop-shop experience.

You have several add-on options to increase your insurance protection. Plus, the company offers many discounts to help lower your premiums.

Contact Shelter to find a local agent if you’re looking for a homeowners insurance company you can depend on.

Shelter Home Insurance Contact Information

DepartmentContact
Customer service phone number1 (800) 743-5837
Claims service phone number1 (800) 743-5837
Websitewww.shelterinsurance.com

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Amy Beardsley
Written by
Amy Beardsley
Linkedin

Insurance Writer

Amy is a personal finance and technology writer. With a background in the legal field and a bachelor's degree from Ferris State University, she has a talent for transforming complex topics into content that’s easy to understand. Connect with Amy on LinkedIn.

Learn More
John Leach
Edited by
John Leach

Insurance Content Editor at Insurify

Photo of an Insurify author
Edited by
John Leach
Insurance Content Editor at Insurify
John Leach is an insurance content editor who has worked in print and online. He has years of experience in car and home insurance and strives to make these topics easy to understand for everyone. He has a linguistics degree from UC Santa Barbara.