12.2 Million U.S. Homes Now Uninsured

(3/5/26)  As insurance costs continue to rise across the country, some homeowners are opting to go without coverage at all – and a new analysis by LendingTree found that 14.1 percent of U.S. owner-occupied homes are uninsured (12.2 million properties).

Key findings of the report, which was just released, include:

·      Nearly 1 in 7 homes across the U.S. are uninsured.

·      West Virginia has the highest rate of uninsured homes – 23.9 percent of homes in the state lack insurance coverage, ahead of New Mexico (23 percent) and Louisiana (21.2 percent).

·      Among the largest U.S. metros, McAllen, Texas has the highest uninsured rate – 41.5 percent of homes don’t have home insurance (!). Lakeland, Fla. (27.8 percent) and El Paso, Texas (24 percent) round out the top three.

LendingTree reported that the number of uninsured homes rose 6.6 percent from 2023 to 2024, with increases in all but five states.

“Many people who go without home insurance aren’t ignoring the risks – they’re making a trade-off they feel they can’t avoid,” said Lindsay Bishop, LendingTree’s home insurance expert. “Rising home insurance rates are making home insurance harder to afford, especially for people on fixed incomes.”

So, what can you do if you’re facing rising home insurance costs?

·      Understand the risks of going uninsured, and if you decide to drop coverage, make sure you have sufficient cash reserves on hand to cover not only the cost of rebuilding but also potential liability since homeowners policies cover you for damage or injury to others.

·      Opt for a high-deductible plan, which can lower your premium. Talk to your agent about whether your house qualifies for any premium credits.

·      Consider limiting your coverage, which can also reduce your premium. According to LendingTree, most homeowners have an HO-3 policy, which covers many risks. But you may be able to ask for an HO-2 policy, if your lender will allow it, which has more limited coverage and comes at a lower cost.

·      If you do have insurance, make sure you aren’t underinsured and that the policy is sufficient to cover the cost of rebuilding at a time when labor and materials costs are rising. Check with your insurance agent.