Tower Hill Insurance homeowners insurance

Overview

Tower Hill is one of the oldest names in Florida homeowners insurance, and it remains privately held and family-controlled. It ranked #32 among U.S. homeowners insurance groups by 2025 direct premiums written, with $1.02 billion and a 0.54% national share, according to NAIC market share data. Florida is almost all of it: Tower Hill was the 8th-largest homeowners insurer in Florida in 2025, with $900.7 million and 4.78% of the state market.

The name on a Florida policy today is usually Tower Hill Insurance Exchange, a policyholder-owned reciprocal exchange that writes only in Florida. Outside Florida, Tower Hill Prime Insurance Company writes personal lines in nine southern and southeastern states, much of it through Tower Hill Specialty, the group's managing general agency for niche homes such as rentals, seasonal homes and manufactured homes. Tower Hill sells only through insurance agencies; you cannot buy a policy directly from the company.

History

Tower Hill dates its founding to 1972 and describes itself as a family-run company. Florida's Office of Insurance Regulation (OIR) identifies William J. Shively and Patricia A. Shively as the ultimate controlling persons of the group's insurers, which are managed from Gainesville. The company now lists its headquarters in nearby Alachua.

Tower Hill Prime came from an acquisition: a Tower Hill holding company bought DeSoto Prime Insurance Company from Renaissance US Holding in 2003, and OIR approved its renaming as Tower Hill Prime Insurance Company in 2005. RenaissanceRe still owned about 17% of Prime's parent holding company at the end of 2022. Tower Hill Specialty, a managing general agency writing mainly on Tower Hill Prime paper, added Georgia, Indiana, Ohio, Texas and Wisconsin in 2018.

The biggest structural change came in 2021. Tower Hill formed Tower Hill Insurance Exchange with more than $200 million of startup capital led by Gallatin Point Capital, with Vantage and RenaissanceRe participating, and OIR authorized it on December 21, 2021. Most Tower Hill Preferred, Prime and Signature personal lines policies in Florida were moved into the exchange at renewal, and KBRA reports that all Florida personal lines business had left Tower Hill Prime by August 2023. Tower Hill Signature was merged into Tower Hill Prime on June 30, 2023.

Homeowners coverage

In Florida, Tower Hill offers homeowners (HO-3) policies for owner-occupied single-family homes and duplexes, plus condo, renters, dwelling fire (DP-1 and DP-3) and mobile home coverage. Tower Hill Specialty writes HO-3 policies on homes up to $750,000, manufactured home policies up to $300,000, and DP-1 and DP-3 dwelling fire policies for rental, seasonal and vacant homes, with liability limits up to $500,000. An Emerald endorsement adds a package of enhancements to the homeowners form; ask the agent for the current list, because the website does not itemize it.

Tower Hill also sells private flood insurance underwritten by RenaissanceRe and Hiscox London Market, with building limits up to $5 million, a 7-day waiting period (none at a home closing or with continuous coverage), loss of use up to 20% of the building limit, and actual cash value settlement unless you choose replacement cost. That is a meaningful upgrade over National Flood Insurance Program limits for an expensive coastal home; the Private flood insurance vs the NFIP guide explains the trade-offs.

Two points matter if you are insured by the exchange. Each policy carries a subscriber surplus contribution of 10% of the annual premium, which the attorney-in-fact may later reduce or eliminate. And while members cannot be assessed for the exchange's own shortfalls, Florida's FIGA, Hurricane Catastrophe Fund and Citizens assessments are passed through, as with any Florida admitted insurer. The hurricane deductible applies once per calendar year; after it is met, later hurricane losses that season fall under the all-other-perils deductible.

Discounts and savings

Tower Hill lists the full set of Florida windstorm mitigation credits: roof covering, roof-deck attachment, roof-to-wall connection, roof shape, secondary water resistance and opening protection, documented by a wind mitigation inspection. Other discounts include secured community, senior, accredited builder, smart home water protection, a companion-policy discount, and a discount for having a Safeco auto policy. Availability varies by state and company, so confirm which credits are on your declarations page.

Where it sells and recent market moves

Florida business is written by the exchange, which KBRA says writes 100% of its premium in Florida and is a top-ten Florida homeowners writer. Tower Hill Prime writes personal lines in nine southern and southeastern states, with a Texas focus, and commercial excess and surplus lines business shared 50/50 with Vantage Risk Specialty Insurance Company.

As of October 8, 2026, Tower Hill was not binding new policies or accepting coverage changes across much of the Florida Panhandle and Big Bend (including Leon, Bay, Escambia and Okaloosa counties), in southern Alabama, in southern Mississippi and in Louisiana parishes around New Orleans. Binding moratoriums like this are routine when a storm threatens; they lift once the threat passes, but you cannot add coverage or start a policy while one is in force.

Claims

Residential, flood and commercial claims go to Tower Hill Claims Services at 800-342-3407, through the Tower Hill mobile app, or online at thig.com/report. Tower Hill Specialty claims go to 888-795-7256. Policyholders can check claim status around the clock in the customer portal or app, and send photos, estimates and receipts to [email protected] with the claim number in the subject line.

Tower Hill pays digitally through ClaimsPay (direct deposit, PayPal or Venmo) or by mailed check, and says it will follow up within seven business days if it cannot complete the inspection and payment on the first visit. Policyholders can also use its CastleCare network of credentialed contractors (844-869-3711), which coordinates with the adjuster on repairs. Tower Hill also asks customers to report hurricane damage as it happens, even if it seems smaller than the deductible, because that deductible is an annual aggregate.

Ratings and reputation

Tower Hill's pages cite Demotech and KBRA ratings rather than AM Best. Tower Hill Specialty's page lists a Demotech Financial Stability Rating of A (Exceptional) for Tower Hill Prime as of July 2025, and the exchange's page cites a Demotech A (Exceptional) rating dated October 18, 2022. On June 12, 2026, KBRA affirmed a BBB+ insurance financial strength rating on Tower Hill Insurance Exchange (stable outlook) and an A- on Tower Hill Prime, moving Prime's outlook from negative to stable after two years of improved underwriting results. KBRA had put Prime on negative outlook in June 2024, citing weaker capitalization after four years of underwriting losses.

In 2009 AM Best downgraded Tower Hill Preferred, Tower Hill Prime and Omega Insurance, and Tower Hill asked for its AM Best ratings to be withdrawn, saying it had chosen private reinsurance over the Florida Hurricane Catastrophe Fund. A Demotech A meets Fannie Mae's insurer-rating requirement for mortgaged homes.

Who it suits

Tower Hill suits Florida homeowners who buy through an agent and want a carrier that has stayed in the state through decades of hurricanes, and owners of rentals, seasonal homes and manufactured homes who need a company willing to write them. It suits less well buyers who want to shop online or bundle home and auto with one company, and it is a small player outside Florida.

• Strengths: More than 50 years in Florida and still privately controlled by the Shively family; private flood up to $5 million building coverage; specialty forms for rentals, vacant and manufactured homes; KBRA outlook improved to stable in June 2026.
• Weaknesses: Agent-only sales; 10% subscriber surplus contribution on exchange policies; rated by Demotech and KBRA rather than AM Best, which it left in 2009; heavy Florida hurricane concentration.

How to contact Tower Hill Insurance