The Zebra summary
Pros
- Easy to compare quotes
- No spam calls
- Quick quoting process
Cons
- No quote customization options
- No 24/7 customer support
Editorial score
Variety of coverage options
Covers most types of damage, loss, theft and personal property. Maximum payouts for personal property
Customizable rates and services
No customization available
Online experience and customer support
Basic site with evening customer service available
Quote time
Under 10 minutes
Direct Insurer?
Marketplace with only external links to insurers
Suitable For?
The Zebra is right for homeowners who want to quickly compare insurance quotes from many companies. The Zebra's service is tailored for customers who wish to do their own insurance shopping and get quotes based on their needs.
They also have plenty of options for companies that let you bundle your home and auto policies - , making them attractive for people shopping for discounts. Offering helpful educational material, the company’s annual State of Auto Insurance reports is a valuable source for those wanting to dive into research and data.
What Coverage Includes
The Zebra reviews and compares home insurance quotes from a variety of insurance companies that provide different types of coverage. While each company has unique policy offerings, you can usually count on them covering the following:
- Dwelling
- Other structures
- Personal property
- Additional living expenses
- Personal liability
- Medical payments
Many companies will outline the difference between:
- Named perils—where your policy only encompasses named coverages
- Open perils, which covers hazards not necessarily named on the policy
The Zebra outlines three types of policies their partners cover:
- HO-2 Policy: This type of policy is the most basic you can get. It typically covers damages from fire, theft, lightning, explosions, riots, and aircraft or vehicle crashes. It covers only named perils
- HO-3 Policy: Most homeowners in the US get an HO-3 policy, which covers your dwelling, its contents, and other structures on your property. These policies cover some named and open perils
- HO-5 Policy: An HO-5 policy is the most comprehensive type of home insurance you can get without buying add-ons. It covers all dwellings and personal property on an open peril basis
There are some issues that almost no standard insurance policy will cover. For example, The Zebra's partners do not offer standard coverage for flooding, earthquakes, or neglect. However, you can get these types of policies at an extra cost.
Additional Coverage
While The Zebra does not offer its own riders and other types of additional coverage, many of their partners have comprehensive options for protection of your home and belongings.
Some companies offer:
- Endorsements and floaters: You can get this rider on your policy to cover your jewelry, money, firearms, watercraft, business property on your premises, electronics, and more. These high-value items are not standard in a homeowner's policy
- Identity theft: Many of The Zebra's partners offer identity theft insurance as an add-on to protect you from unauthorized access to your credit card or bank information. While each company's policy amount and costs vary, you can expect to pay an average of $25-$65 per year for $15,000 to $30,000 in coverage
- Flood: You can usually get flood insurance on your policy through FEMA or private insurance companies that offer it
- Earthquake: If you live in a high-risk earthquake zone, you should add an earthquake rider to your policy
Application Process
Because The Zebra is an independent online insurance comparison site, the actual application takes place on their partners’ websites. The Zebra offers tools and information to help direct you to an application process for an insurance policy.
On their website, The Zebra's quote comparison tool allows you to evaluate quotes from different insurance companies. You start by adding your zip code, which will then take you to the questionnaire.
You'll then enter personal information like the address of the home you want to insure and the type of home you own. You'll also see questions about your home's material, foundation type, proximity to places like fire stations, and if your residence is in a flood zone.
Next, you will answer questions about yourself and provide your credit score. The Zebra uses Insurability Score (click here to read more on their site) to determine your eligibility for specific policies.
If you have all information on hand, this process will only take you about two minutes. Then, The Zebra reviews top insurance companies like State Farm, Allstate, Liberty Mutual, and USAA to connect you with a policy.
Discounts
The Zebra doesn't offer discounts as an independent agency, but their partners do.
You can get discounts for:
- Multi Policy
- New roof
- Claims-free
- Non-smoker
- New home
- Automatic and paperless payments
- Retired
- Veterans
- Gated community
- Occupational
How Safe Is It?
A.M. Best does not have listed ratings for The Zebra, but it has them for their partners. The Zebra works with many insurance companies that have A++, A+or Superior ratings from A.M. Best. Some of these providers include:
- State Farm
- Allstate
- Esurance
- USAA
The Zebra also does not require you to provide your phone number, which means you don't get spam calls after receiving a quote.
Customer Support
The Zebra's customer support is available from 9:00 am-6:00 pm CST. You can contact them by phone at 1-888-255-4364 or email them at support@thezebra.com. If you Google the company, you will see The Zebra reviews are very positive because of their prompt service.
Once you decide on a policy, you will work with the respective insurer regarding customer service issues. Thankfully, many of The Zebra’s partners also have a good reputation with handling claims.
Summary
If you need to compare insurance companies fast, The Zebra has a user-friendly, comprehensive quote comparison tool to help you. Its intelligent toolkit and calculators will assist in determining what policies you need and at what coverage levels.
Above all, The Zebra gives you the independence you want when it comes to shopping for home insurance. The Zebra has many partners with comprehensive policy options, and you only need to fill out a two-minute questionnaire to access them.
Our editorial staff consists of writers who are knowledgeable about financial services. We specialize in simplifying the process of choosing the right provider for your needs.
