Consumer Reports delivered a petition with 44,532 signatures on December 2, 2025, urging major home insurance companies to adopt stronger consumer protections. The petition targets 28 of the nation’s largest homeowners insurance groups and asks them to strengthen fairness and transparency at a time when many homeowners face rising premiums, unexpected cancellations, and fewer coverage options.
Why Consumer Reports Delivered the Petition
Consumer Reports (CR) says homeowners across the United States are dealing with steep premium increases, sudden non-renewals, and confusion about coverage. Sara Enright, CR’s senior director of safety and sustainability, stated that homeowners are seeing “skyrocketing premiums,” abrupt non-renewals, and uncertainty about what policies cover. She said that baseline protections would help consumers stay informed, stay safer, and become more resilient when disasters occur.
CR also said it has already held constructive conversations with insurers and industry associations. CR expects to continue this engagement and believes that insurers who adopt the proposed protections would strengthen trust, retain policyholders, and support long-term market stabilization.
The Homeowners Insurance Bill of Rights
The petition calls on major insurers, including State Farm, Allstate, USAA, Liberty Mutual, and Farmers, to adopt CR’s Homeowners Insurance Bill of Rights. CR developed this Bill of Rights with input from insurance experts, academics, and homeowners. It includes nine baseline protections that CR describes as a basic standard of fairness.
CR asks insurers to provide the following protections:
- A clear, plain-language explanation of what is and is not covered before purchase or renewal.
- Transparency about which risk factors insurers use to determine eligibility and set rates.
- Fair access to coverage based on property risk, not a homeowner’s finances.
- Adequate notice before cancellations, nonrenewals, or steep premium hikes.
- Meaningful incentives for homeowners who take steps to harden their homes.
- Protections against cancellations or non-renewals after declared States of Emergency.
- Freedom from penalties for inquiries or claims that result in no payout.
- Prompt, full, and fair claim payments, with accountability for delays.
- Immediate financial assistance for emergency housing and essential needs after a disaster, with limited paperwork.
What CR Reports About the Current Market
CR points to multiple pressures that it says have destabilized the home insurance market. These pressures include extreme weather, inflation, and rising construction costs. CR says these conditions have led to rate hikes, shrinking coverage, unexpected cancellations, and limited options for consumers seeking better coverage.
CR also cited findings from its 2024 to 2025 survey of 23,917 U.S. home insurance policyholders. According to the survey, more than half of respondents saw their premiums increase in the past year. Some reported costs that doubled or even tripled. In addition, nine percent said insurers dropped their coverage.
CR added that it collected nearly 600 consumer stories. In those stories, homeowners described abrupt policy changes, unexpected costs, and difficulty finding reliable alternatives.
CR says the petition delivered on December 2 reflects broad consumer support for a more stable marketplace and stronger protections for policyholders.
Call for Consistent Protections Across States
CR states that some states offer strong consumer protections, but inconsistency across the country leaves millions of homeowners vulnerable. CR testified last week before a joint New York State Senate hearing focused on rising premiums and shrinking access to coverage. During that testimony, CR urged lawmakers to strengthen oversight and adopt policies that ensure greater transparency, fairness, and stability.
CR says it wants to work with the insurance industry to adopt these baseline standards. CR also wants policymakers to codify them in laws and regulations so that every policyholder receives the same fair treatment regardless of where they live.
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