Vermont Mutual Insurance Group homeowners insurance

Overview

Vermont Mutual Insurance Group is a policyholder-owned property and casualty insurer based in Montpelier, Vermont, writing homeowners, auto, dwelling fire, umbrella, inland marine and small business insurance across New England and upstate New York. It is one of the ten oldest mutual property and casualty insurers in the United States, chartered in 1827 and open for business in January 1828. It sells only through independent agents, more than 600 agencies, and serves about 320,000 policyholders.

Vermont Mutual Group ranked #70 among U.S. homeowners insurance groups by 2025 direct premiums written, with $305.1 million (0.16% of the national market), according to NAIC market share data. Its home state is where it dominates: in 2025 it was the largest homeowners insurer in Vermont, with $39.1 million and 11.98% of the market, ahead of every national brand. It was also the 7th-largest homeowners group in both Maine (4.97%) and New Hampshire (4.22%). The rest of its homeowners premium comes from Massachusetts, Connecticut, Rhode Island and New York.

The group writes through three companies: Vermont Mutual Insurance Company, Northern Security Insurance Company, Inc. and Granite Security Insurance Company. Which one appears on your declarations page depends on underwriting; all three operate as Vermont Mutual Insurance Group.

History

Vermont Mutual received its legislative charter on November 10, 1827, and opened to the public on January 21, 1828, as the Vermont Mutual Fire Insurance Company, nicknamed "The Old Vermont." Its founder, Daniel Baldwin, was a Montpelier businessman and chief engineer of the local fire company who wanted to protect citizens from fire losses; he later served as president from 1841 to 1874. For its first few years the office was in the home of the company's secretary, Joshua Vail.

The company bought the assets of Northern Security Insurance Company in 1954, making it a subsidiary, and moved that year to its current site at 89 State Street in Montpelier, a Federal-style building from 1810. It took the name Vermont Mutual Insurance Company in 1967 and became affiliated with Granite Security Insurance Company of Barre, Vermont, in 1995. A 12,000-square-foot office in Berlin, Vermont, opened in October 2011.

Leadership has been stable: the company has had 17 presidents in nearly two centuries. Mark J. McDonnell became president in 2024, succeeding Daniel C. Bridge (2015 to 2024), and was re-elected in April 2026 as board chair, president and chief executive officer.

Homeowners coverage

Vermont Mutual writes homeowners, condominium, tenant (renters) and mobile home policies, plus dwelling fire policies for tenant-occupied homes and other properties that may not qualify for a homeowners policy (see Dwelling fire policies: DP-1, DP-2 and DP-3). It does not publish its form numbers online.

Coverage upgrades come in three tiers of broadening endorsements:

• Enhancement Amendment: increased protection at a modest cost; the company does not list the specific items online.
• Advantage Endorsement: adds Home Systems Protection, which pays up to $50,000 for sudden and accidental mechanical or electrical breakdown of home equipment, parts and labor included: central air, water heaters, furnaces and heat pumps, well pumps, electrical panels, kitchen and laundry appliances, security systems, pool and spa pumps, solar, wind and geothermal systems, radiant floors, water purification, home electronics and computers (see equipment breakdown coverage).
• Elite Endorsement: everything in Advantage plus underground service line coverage for water pipes, waste lines, cables and supply lines on your property, which the homeowner otherwise has to pay to repair (see service line coverage).

Across the tiers, Vermont Mutual names debris removal, theft of jewelry and fine arts, water backup and identity fraud among the coverages that can be broadened, but it does not publish the limits for each tier. Ask the agent for the endorsement forms side by side. A home business endorsement can insure an in-home business on the homeowners policy, and valuables can be scheduled on a personal inland marine policy. Flood is not covered; New England and upstate New York homeowners near rivers need a separate flood policy.

Discounts and savings

Vermont Mutual does not publish a list of homeowners discounts on its website. It describes the Advantage and Elite endorsements as offering additional savings along with broader coverage, and it uses LexisNexis Attract insurance scores in underwriting and pricing where state law allows, with a consent form and reason codes posted on its site. Because the company writes auto, umbrella and homeowners through the same agents, ask your agent what an account with several policies would cost compared with separate policies. Premiums can be paid monthly by automatic withdrawal (EFT), online or by phone.

Where it sells and recent market moves

Vermont Mutual writes in seven states: Vermont, New Hampshire, Maine, Massachusetts, Connecticut, Rhode Island and New York State, where its business is in upstate New York. Coverage is available only through independent agents located in those states.

The recent story is growth, not retrenchment. At its April 15, 2026 annual meeting, Vermont Mutual reported record written premium of $860 million for 2025, up 5.9%; record underwriting income of $101 million; more than $85 million of new business, its second-best year; and policyholder surplus up 19.2% to a record of about $1 billion. It has announced no state exits or new-business pauses. Its main homeowners exposures are the familiar Northeast ones: winter storms, freezes, ice dams and wind (see winter storms, freezes and power outages).

Claims

Vermont Mutual's preferred route is to report a claim through your independent agent, who forwards it and gives first guidance; a Vermont Mutual claims representative then contacts you. You can also report online at vtm.assured.claims or by phone 24 hours a day at 800-435-0397, the same line to call if catastrophic damage leaves your home unlivable. The claims office is open Monday through Thursday 7:45 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and Friday 7:45 a.m. to 3:15 p.m.

Ratings and reputation

Vermont Mutual's April 2026 annual meeting release and its distinctions page cite a Financial Strength Rating of A (Excellent) from AM Best, which the company says reflects balance sheet strength that AM Best assesses as strong and effective risk selection and pricing. (A graphic in the site footer still says "A+ Superior," but that is out of date.) AM Best rated the group A+ (Superior) until at least April 2024, when it affirmed the A+ and revised the outlook to negative (AM Best release via Business Wire); the company's April 2025 annual meeting release already gives A (Excellent). We did not find AM Best's dated release for the change to A. The Ward Group has named Vermont Mutual one of its Ward's 50 top-performing property and casualty insurers for 18 consecutive years as of July 2026.

Who it suits

Vermont Mutual suits homeowners in Vermont, New Hampshire, Maine and the rest of its seven-state territory who want a long-established mutual company and the help of a local independent agent, particularly in Vermont, where it insures more homes than any other company. It suits less well buyers outside its seven states, those who want to buy or manage everything online without an agent, or shoppers who want to compare discounts and endorsement limits on a website before calling anyone.

• Strengths: largest homeowners insurer in Vermont and top 10 in Maine and New Hampshire; a mutual with record surplus of about $1 billion and record underwriting income in 2025; Elite and Advantage endorsements with $50,000 home systems protection and service line coverage; 24/7 claim reporting.
• Weaknesses: sold only through agents and only in seven Northeast states; discounts and endorsement limits are not published online; AM Best rating of A (Excellent) is a notch below the A+ some regional mutuals hold; uses credit-based insurance scores where allowed.

How to contact Vermont Mutual Insurance Group