UPC Homeowners Insurance Review
UPC is no longer selling homeowners insurance and plans to cancel all Louisiana and Texas policies in 2023.
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Editor's Rating
Update 2023: UPC is no longer selling home insurance policies. It canceled all homeowners insurance policies in Florida and plans to cancel all Louisiana and Texas policies in 2023. UPC has gotten approval to transfer most Florida home insurance policies to several private companies including Slide, Safepoint, Southern Oak, Florida Peninsula and Monarch.
UPC Insurance, also called United Property & Casualty Insurance Company, provides insurance coverage to homeowners in four coastal states. UPC specializes in insuring properties in "catastrophe-exposed areas" that are especially likely to experience large-scale damage from hurricanes and other severe weather events.
Pros and cons
Pros
Affordable rates for expensive homes
Offers coverage for coastal homes
Cons
Not selling policies to new customers
Poor customer service
UPC homeowners insurance: Our thoughts
Bottom line: UPC is not currently selling new homeowners insurance policies. Louisiana homeowners will have coverage through the end of their current policy term but will not be able to renew their policies in 2023. UPC will also be canceling all policies in Texas but has yet to announce a timeline.
The company canceled all Florida policies in early 2023. Florida homeowners who had UPC Insurance will be covered by Slide moving forward. However, we recommend that you shop around to make sure you're getting the best coverage.
Homeowners currently insured with UPC will receive a notice in the mail at least 30 days before your policy ends.
If you are a current policyholder, you can still file claims with UPC if your home is damaged. However, we recommend starting your search for a new home insurance company now, so you have plenty of time to compare quotes.
In addition, UPC's financial stability rating was downgraded from "A, Exceptional" to "M, Moderate" by industry reviewer Demotech. This means UPC may have a hard time paying claims in difficult situations, like a hurricane season with multiple serious storms. A rating of M also means you probably won't be able to choose UPC for home insurance if your mortgage is underwritten by Freddie Mac or Fannie Mae.
UPC homeowners insurance quotes
UPC has cheap quotes for people who own expensive homes, but rates are less competitive for homeowners who need lower dwelling coverage limits. .
For example, a UPC policy with $550,000 of dwelling coverage costs $3,137 per year to insure, on average. That's 7% cheaper than its competitors. But $150,000 of dwelling coverage costs $1,491 per year from UPC, which is $303 per year more expensive than the cheapest insurer we found, State Farm.
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Homeowners who need $350,000 of dwelling coverage can also find cheaper coverage elsewhere. A policy from UPC costs $2,453 per year, which is $309 per year more expensive than a policy from State Farm.
Average annual rate by dwelling coverage
Company | $150,000 | $350,000 | $550,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| State Farm | $1,188 | $2,144 | $3,235 |
| Progressive | $1,411 | $2,355 | $3,409 |
| UPC | $1,491 | $2,453 | $3,137 |
| Allstate | $1,660 | $2,567 | $3,481 |
UPC homeowners insurance discounts
UPC offers a larger range of discounts to customers than a typical medium-size insurer. Insurance buyers could get a discount for bundling multiple policy types together, such as home and auto. One unusual discount for bundling we liked is a 5% reduction in home insurance premium if you buy flood coverage from UPC, including NFIP. NFIP flood rates are set by the federal government, so you typically can't save money by buying them from one insurer over another. But this bundling discount allows UPC customers to save by purchasing both policies through one company.
Home insurance discounts from UPC
- Bundle home, umbrella, auto and/or flood insurance
- Protective devices (home security system)
- Accredited builder
- New roof
- Hip roof
- Wind mitigation for windows or doors
- Senior/retiree
- Newer home
- Pay in full
Not all discounts are available in every state. Additionally, as with all home insurance discounts, the most important thing isn't the number of discounts you qualify for, but the final price you pay. Always check with multiple insurance companies to see which offers the best overall price after factoring in discounts.
Homeowners insurance coverages available from UPC
UPC has a wide range of optional homeowners insurance coverages, beyond typical options for your home's dwelling, personal property and liability protection. Many of the coverages available are especially relevant to homeowners in coastal or warmer climates, such as golf cart coverage.
Optional coverages available from UPC:
- Home systems protection
- Identity theft
- Water backup
- Water damage
- Wind endorsement
- Dwelling foundation
- Service/utility line
- Golf cart
- Pet liability (some breeds)
Availability may vary by state, so check with a local UPC insurance agent to see what you qualify for.
Extended coverage packages
In most states where it writes insurance, UPC offers one or more extended coverage packages, typically called Premier and Premier Plus endorsements. These bundles increase both the types of coverage provided to home insurance buyers and the dollar coverage limits of some coverages provided by the base package.
For example, the Premier package in Florida includes replacement cost coverage for personal property. It also increases tree removal coverage from $1,000 to $2,000. Here's a comparison of the extra coverages provided through UPC's Premier and Premier Plus endorsements, as opposed to the base package.
Coverage | Base | Premier | Premier Plus |
|---|---|---|---|
| Additional coverage A (dwelling) | - | - | 25% beyond replacement cost |
| Additional coverage C (personal property)* | - | 50% beyond replacement cost | 70% beyond replacement cost |
| Personal property replacement cost | No | Yes | Yes |
| Personal injury | No | Yes | Yes |
| Water backup | - | $5,000 | $5,000 |
| Refrigerated contents | - | $500 | $500 |
| Lock replacement | - | $250 | $500 |
| Equipment breakdown | - | - | $50,000 |
| Identity theft | - | - | $50,000 |
| Special personal property coverage | No | No | Yes |
Extended coverage A and coverage C go beyond replacement coverage in cases where cost of replacement exceeds the original value, such as during a disaster.
Keep in mind that the structure and availability of UPC's endorsement packages vary by state, so the options available to you may differ. Additionally, we did not list coverages for which the endorsement only increased the dollar amount above the base coverage, such as for jewelry and cash.
UPC flood insurance
UPC sells two kinds of flood insurance, though it does not write policies directly for either federally backed policies through the NFIP or private policies through a flood insurer.
Coverage purchased from the NFIP is backed by the U.S. government, and rates are the same no matter where you buy from. The cost of private insurance varies, so you may or may not get a better rate from the private insurer, but there's no downside to comparing. Additionally, buying home and flood insurance from the same company can streamline the claims process after a storm, especially if you are also planning on making a homeowners insurance claim for wind or other damage.
Other property coverages available from UPC
In addition to standard homeowners insurance (HO-3), UPC also offers other types of home insurance. While homeowners generally don't need to purchase both HO-3 coverage and another type of insurance for the same property, you'll likely need to buy multiple policies if you own another building besides the one you live in, or rent out a vacation home.
- Renters insurance: covers personal property and liability in a rented apartment or house.
- Condo insurance: covers personal property, limited structural elements and personal liability in a condominium building or development.
- Landlord/commercial residential property coverage: protects the structure of a building you rent out, as well as liability coverage.
UPC's insurer and customer ratings
UPC has poor reviews when it comes to its customer service.
The company gets more than three times as many complaints as a typical company its size, according to the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) Complaint Index. The most common issues consumers cited involved claims handling, including delays, unsatisfactory settlement amounts and denials.
UPC received an "M" financial strength rating from Demotech (in lieu of getting a rating from AM Best). This means UPC may lack the ability to pay out claims in case of a widespread disaster.
Frequently asked questions
Is UPC Insurance going out of business?
UPC has stopped selling home insurance policies to new customers, however it will continue to service its existing clients. The company has sold its policies in Georgia, Massachusetts, North Carolina and South Carolina to HCI Group in an effort to improve its financial strength.
Is UPC a good insurance company?
UPC offers unique coverage options for coastal homes at reasonable prices. However, its financial stability rating was recently downgraded by industry reviewer Demotech, which means it may have difficulties paying claims. UPC's recent decision to stop writing new homeowners insurance policies may be cause for concern over its financial strength in the future.
How long has UPC Insurance been in business?
UPC has been in operation since 1999. Its headquarters is located in St. Petersburg, Fla.
Methodology
To compare homeowners insurance rates, we gathered quotes from ZIP codes across Florida. Rates are based on a 45-year-old married man with average credit and no claims history living in a home built in 1977. Our sample policy includes $100,000 of liability coverage and $5,000 of medical coverage, subject to a $1,000 deductible.
ValuePenguin's analysis used insurance rate data from Quadrant Information Services.These rates were publicly sourced from insurer filings and should be used for comparative purposes only — your own quotes may be different.
Editorial Note: The content of this article is based on the author's opinions and recommendations alone. It has not been previewed, commissioned or otherwise endorsed by any of our network partners.