No one likes to see insurance costs go up. That's often been the case, as insurers spread the pain of repeated natural disasters and other costs across most policies. But the comparative costs vary dramatically depending on where you live. It just so happens that it's comparatively cheap to insure a house in Wisconsin.
According to research this year by the National Association of Insurance Commissioners, the average cost for a homeowner policy in Wisconsin in 2003 was second-lowest only to Idaho, which beat the cheese state by a single dollar ($433 to $434). That's roughly one-third lower than the national average, and at least $100 cheaper than in any other district state. The report offered no specific explanations for Wisconsin's affordability. Certain factors likely play a role: modest home prices and affordable replacement costs, comparatively modest disasters, and provider competition, as roughly 170 firms offer homeowner policies in the state.
—Ronald A. Wirtz
