American Traditions Insurance homeowners insurance

Overview

American Traditions Insurance Company is a Florida-domiciled property insurer based in Pinellas Park that writes homeowners, condo, manufactured home, dwelling fire and renters policies through independent agents. It began in 2006 as a manufactured home specialist, and mobile and manufactured homes are still the core of its book. Its affiliate Jerger MGA, owned by the same Jerger family, is its exclusive managing general agent: the MGA handles quoting, underwriting and policy service, while American Traditions is the insurer that issues the policy and pays claims.

American Traditions ranked #92 among U.S. homeowners insurance groups by 2025 direct premiums written, with $204.6 million (0.11% of the national market), according to NAIC market share data. All of it is written in Florida. The company says it now has more than 140,000 policyholders and over $250 million in annual premium, written through more than 1,500 independent producers. That is a sizable step up from mid-2022, when Insurance Journal, citing AM Best, put it at about $128 million of direct premium and 28th in the state.

Like most Florida domestic carriers, it is rated by Demotech and KBRA rather than AM Best.

History

The Jerger family has been in the Florida insurance business since 1946. In 2005 the family formed TJ Jerger MGA to run a new carrier aimed at the state's manufactured home market. American Traditions was incorporated on August 9, 2005, received its certificate of authority from the Florida Office of Insurance Regulation on December 5, 2005, and began writing on January 1, 2006, according to the state's examination report. The founders have described the launch as a response to the 2004 and 2005 hurricane seasons. Homeowners and condo policies followed soon after.

In June 2007 the company issued a $7 million surplus note to the State Board of Administration of Florida under the state's Insurance Capital Build-Up Incentive Program, and the same founders launched an affiliated carrier, Modern USA Insurance Company. Modern USA, which sold the same products at the same rates, merged into American Traditions effective May 31, 2018; at the time the Jergers said the merger meant a larger company with more surplus for policyholders.

The company has been through hurricanes Irma, Michael, Ian and Milton and Florida's litigation and assignment-of-benefits crisis. In July 2022 it paused new homeowners, condo and rental property business "to manage our exposure," making it the 13th Florida insurer in 12 months to suspend at least some new business, according to Insurance Journal.

American Traditions is wholly owned by Jerger Insurance Holding Company, a private Florida company. T. John Jerger, Jr. is president and chief executive officer and Thomas J. Jerger is chairman.

Homeowners coverage

The homeowners policy is an HO-3 covering the dwelling, other structures, personal property, loss of use and personal liability. Ordinance or law coverage, which pays to bring a rebuilt home up to current code, is 10% of Coverage A as standard, with 25% and 50% options. Condo owners get an HO-6 unit-owner policy, landlords and seasonal owners a DP-3 dwelling fire policy, and manufactured home owners a policy that may need attached carports, screen rooms and garages listed separately to be properly covered, so check that every addition appears on the declarations page. See mobile and manufactured home insurance.

Optional coverages include Flex Flood, a flood endorsement sold as an alternative to a separate flood policy; equipment breakdown for air conditioning, electrical panels and appliances; identity theft protection; and higher limits for jewelry and valuables and water backup, according to the company's FAQ. Wind-excluded policies may be available for eligible homes.

Florida homeowners should read the roof provisions carefully. American Traditions offers a roof surfaces payment schedule that pays wind and hail roof losses based on the roof's age and material rather than full replacement cost, in exchange for a premium discount of 9.5% to 15%. On the HO-3 it is optional and you must apply to add it; on the DP-3 and the Signature Adult manufactured home policy, the company's instructions are for rejecting it, which suggests it is built in unless you opt out. Say a 15-year-old shingle roof is torn off by a hurricane: under a payment schedule you could receive a fraction of the replacement cost, and the hurricane deductible still applies. See Roof payment schedules and ACV roof endorsements.

New policies are usually followed by an exterior inspection two to six weeks later, sometimes done as a self-guided inspection on your phone; older homes may need a four-point inspection to qualify.

Discounts and savings

The main credits are Florida's wind mitigation discounts. A licensed inspector completes the Uniform Mitigation Verification Inspection form (OIR-B1-1802), documenting roof covering, roof-deck attachment, roof-to-wall connections, roof shape and opening protection; the form is generally good for five years unless the roof or structure changes. The roof payment schedule credit and a paperless e-delivery discount are also available, and premiums can be paid in one to four installments or by autopay.

Where it sells and recent market moves

American Traditions writes only in Florida. In 2026 its website announced planned expansion into Arizona, South Carolina and Ohio, starting where it says its manufactured home experience is most useful; its FAQ still says it writes in Florida with more states "opening soon."

The company has taken policies out of Citizens Property Insurance Corporation, with Florida-approved takeouts in December 2023 and March 2024 (see depopulation and takeout offers from state insurers of last resort). The Office of Insurance Regulation held a public hearing on its proposed rate filings on March 7, 2024. Prices then turned: in November 2025, Governor Ron DeSantis and the Office of Insurance Regulation publicized a 7.2% homeowners rate reduction from American Traditions that the regulator said would reach almost 37,000 policyholders, according to La Nación.

Claims

Claims can be reported 24/7 online through the policyholder portal or by phone at 866-270-8430. Have your name, policy number, a phone number, the type of loss and a description of the damage ready. The company says a claims professional will contact you within 48 hours; an examiner is assigned and, if needed, an independent adjuster schedules an inspection. As with any Florida claim, protect the property from further damage as soon as it is safe and keep receipts for emergency repairs.

Ratings and reputation

• Demotech: A (Exceptional), affirmed September 9, 2026. Demotech's reinsurance utilization measure for the company is 60% to 70% of premium, a sign of how heavily it leans on reinsurers and the Florida Hurricane Catastrophe Fund for hurricane risk.
• KBRA: BBB insurance financial strength rating with a stable outlook, affirmed December 12, 2025. KBRA credited better underwriting results, higher wind deductibles, tighter eligibility and "a substantial decline in litigated claim frequency" after Florida's reforms, but flagged its concentration in Florida property and gross underwriting leverage of 6.4 times surplus at year-end 2024.
• Not rated by AM Best.

Surplus was $33.3 million at the end of 2023, according to the state's examination, which found no adjustments to surplus. Either a Demotech A or a KBRA BBB meets Fannie Mae's insurer rating minimum (see Demotech ratings and Florida's insurers).

Who it suits

American Traditions suits Florida owners of manufactured and mobile homes, and owners of modest site-built homes and condos, who want an agent to place them with a carrier that has written the Florida market since 2006. It suits less well buyers outside Florida, those who want an AM Best-rated insurer, or owners of older roofs who want full replacement cost on wind claims.

• Strengths: two decades of manufactured home underwriting in Florida; Demotech A (affirmed September 2026) and KBRA BBB (stable); flood, equipment breakdown and identity theft add-ons; a 7.2% rate cut reported in November 2025.
• Weaknesses: Florida-only, so all of its risk sits in one hurricane state; small surplus relative to premium, with KBRA citing 6.4 times leverage; roof payment schedules on some policy types; a new-business pause in 2022.

How to contact American Traditions Insurance