Chubb homeowners insurance

Overview

Chubb is the dominant insurer of expensive homes in the United States. Its NAIC group ranked #8 among U.S. homeowners insurance groups by 2025 direct premiums written, with $4.71 billion (2.49% of the national market), according to NAIC market share data, and it reaches that size with far fewer policies than the mass-market carriers above it because the average Chubb home is large and costly to rebuild. Chubb's 2025 shareholder letter describes the company as "by far the largest insurer to high-net-worth individuals" in the U.S., with about 60% market share, and puts its Personal Risk Services premium at more than $7 billion worldwide.

The parent, Chubb Limited, is incorporated in Zurich, Switzerland, and listed on the New York Stock Exchange (CB); Evan G. Greenberg is chairman and CEO. Homeowners policies are written by U.S. companies such as Federal Insurance Company, Pacific Indemnity Company, Great Northern Insurance Company, Vigilant Insurance Company and Chubb National Insurance Company, which are the names you may see on a declarations page. Chubb sells only through independent agents and brokers.

Its home premiums are concentrated where expensive houses are. In 2025 Chubb was the 3rd-largest home insurer in New York ($1.04 billion, 11.47% of the market), Connecticut and the District of Columbia, and in the top 10 in New Jersey, Massachusetts, Colorado, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Maine, Vermont, Delaware, Idaho, Montana and Wyoming.

History

Thomas Caldecot Chubb and his son Percy opened a marine underwriting business in New York City's seaport district in 1882, the start of Chubb & Son. The company added Great Northern Insurance Company in 1960 and the Pacific Indemnity companies in 1967, formed a personal lines department in 1956 and, from 1976, concentrated its personal lines on high-net-worth clients. In 1986 it launched Masterpiece, the homeowners policy that became the standard product for high-value homes.

The other half of today's company, ACE Limited, was formed in 1985 to sell excess liability and directors and officers coverage during a shortage of that capacity. ACE bought CIGNA's property-casualty business, including the old Insurance Company of North America, in 1999. In 2016 ACE and Chubb combined and adopted the Chubb name; the Masterpiece-era personal lines business continues as Chubb Personal Risk Services.

Homeowners coverage

Chubb sells homeowners, condo and co-op, and renters policies. The homeowners policy, long known as Masterpiece, is built for homes that are expensive or unusual to rebuild, and several of its features go beyond a standard HO-5-style form:

• Extended replacement cost. The company says it will pay to repair or rebuild after a covered loss "even if the cost exceeds your policy limit," including code upgrades made necessary by the loss. Read the policy for any conditions, such as keeping the dwelling limit at the appraised value; see extended and guaranteed replacement cost coverage.
• Cash settlement option. After a covered total loss, you can take a cash settlement up to the policy limit instead of rebuilding, or rebuild somewhere else.
• Deductible waiver. In most states, if the base deductible is $50,000 or less and a covered loss exceeds $100,000, Chubb waives the deductible. The waiver does not apply to hurricane or other special deductibles.
• Home appraisals and risk consulting. Chubb risk consultants appraise the home at no charge, and HomeScan uses infrared imaging to find leaks, missing insulation and faulty electrical connections.

Related coverages include valuable articles insurance for jewelry, art, wine and collections (see scheduled personal property), personal umbrella (excess liability), flood insurance, home appliance and equipment breakdown, and Greenwise upgrade coverage for energy-efficient rebuilding.

Two services stand out. Wildfire Defense Services, run with Wildfire Defense Systems, Inc., is free to enrolled homeowners policyholders in 19 states, including California, Colorado, Texas, Florida and Arizona; certified crews can be sent when a fire is within three miles, apply fire-blocking gel and help afterward. It is not available on condo, co-op, renters or DIC policies. Property Manager sends a representative to inspect an enrolled seasonal or secondary home after hurricane-force winds and, with approval, arrange board-up, tarping and water extraction, at no added charge, in Atlantic and Gulf states from New Hampshire to certain Texas coastal counties.

Chubb's wildfire page also refers to "California Fair Plan Extension" and Difference in conditions (DIC) policy policyholders, products that sit on top of a California FAIR Plan policy for homes that cannot get full coverage in the standard market.

Discounts and savings

Chubb does not publish a long discount list. Its homeowners page mentions portfolio and loyalty discounts for insuring home and auto (and other assets) with Chubb and for tenure as a client, and says protective devices such as security systems and water leak detection systems can affect the price. Its risk consultants also advise on security and fire prevention during home appraisals.

Where it sells and recent market moves

Chubb sells high-value home insurance through agents and brokers across the country, though products and terms vary by state.

The January 2025 Los Angeles wildfires, which burned through some of the most expensive neighborhoods in California, hit Chubb hard. Its first-quarter 2025 earnings release reported $1.64 billion of pre-tax net catastrophe losses, $1.47 billion of them from the California wildfires, and said the combined ratio for North America personal lines rose by 72.1 points. The business has since recovered: Chubb reported that North America personal lines premiums grew about 6% in the second quarter of 2026, and its 2025 shareholder letter reported personal lines up 7.5% for the year.

Claims

Report a claim 24 hours a day at 800-252-4670 (1-800-CLAIMS-0), online through Chubb's claims portal, by email at [email protected], or by mail. Claims service is the main reason high-value homeowners pay Chubb's prices, and the J.D. Power results below reflect that. On a large loss, adjusters commonly ask for the appraisal on file, receipts and photos of high-value contents, and your plans for where and how to rebuild.

Ratings and reputation

Chubb's U.S. insurance companies, including Federal, Pacific Indemnity, Great Northern, Vigilant and Chubb National, carry A++ (Superior) from AM Best, AA from S&P, Aa2 from Moody's and AA from Fitch, all with stable outlooks, according to the company's ratings summary dated September 24, 2026.

Chubb consistently ranks near the top of J.D. Power's home insurance studies. It placed 2nd among homeowners insurers in the 2025 U.S. Home Insurance Study (677) and 3rd in the 2026 study (676). In the U.S. Property Claims Satisfaction Study, which surveys only customers who filed a claim, Chubb ranked 1st in 2025 with 773 and 3rd in 2026 with 744.

Who it suits

Chubb suits owners of high-value homes, multiple residences and significant collections who want an agent or broker to place home, auto, umbrella and valuables with one top-rated carrier. It is not built for a typical starter home, and its premiums reflect the coverage and service.

• Strengths: A++ (Superior) AM Best and AA S&P ratings (September 2026); extended replacement cost, cash settlement and a deductible waiver on losses over $100,000; 1st in J.D. Power's 2025 claims satisfaction study and top three in the 2025 and 2026 home insurance studies.
• Weaknesses: Priced and underwritten for high-value homes, so it is rarely the cheap option; sold only through agents and brokers, with no direct online quote; heavy wildfire exposure in California, where its 2025 losses were $1.47 billion pre-tax.

How to contact Chubb