PHOENIX - s4story -- PHOENIX — Arizona homeowners insurance rates rose 11.4 percent in a single year in 2024, the fourth-largest one-year jump in the country, according to industry data. In Maricopa County, the average annual premium now stands at $2,440, with Phoenix homeowners averaging $2,644 a year, according to an analysis of more than 37 million insurance quotes by Insurance.com and Quadrant Information Services.

The increase is landing hardest in monthly mortgage payments. Rising homeowners' insurance premiums are now the most common reason Arizona mortgage payments are increasing in 2026, even in cases where interest rates held steady, according to mortgage industry data from analytics firm Cotality. Roughly 65 percent of escrow accounts nationally are projected to run short in 2026, with an average shortfall near $2,157, working out to about $175 to $180 more per month for the typical homeowner.

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For families managing a property that isn't a primary residence, an inherited home working through probate, a vacant house waiting on a decision, or a parent's home after a move into assisted living, that increase compounds differently. Standard policies often limit coverage once a home sits vacant for an extended period, and rising premiums add to the carrying costs a family absorbs every month a decision is delayed.

"We triage around real estate by removing obstacles standing between families and their next chapter," said Brad Kelley, broker and co-owner of National Network Realty. "For a family sitting on an inherited or vacant property, a rising insurance bill is one more reason the timeline matters."

We encourage families in this situation to confirm their insurer has been told the home is vacant, understand who is currently paying the premium, taxes, and HOA dues, and settle on a timeline for the property rather than letting carrying costs accumulate without a plan.

We're the real estate piece of a larger plan, not the whole plan, and when a family needs an attorney or financial advisor who isn't already involved, we're glad to make that connection.

We operate under an Arizona real estate entity license and act as a fiduciary to our clients.

Learn more at http://www.nationalnetworkrealty.com