Kemper Preferred & Kemper Specialty
Carrier website links, underwriting access points, mapped product lines, and appetite notes in one place.
This appetite summary is only a guide. Confirm eligibility, submission requirements, restrictions, and binding authority directly with the carrier or underwriter before relying on it.
Carrier appetite summary
Kemper has exited its traditional preferred home and auto business nationally and is refocusing on core specialty auto and life operations; current homeowners writings are significantly reduced and subject to tight state‑specific rules. Publicly available agent materials indicate that detailed home underwriting manuals and eligibility rules are only accessible to appointed agents via the Agent Inside portal and state‑specific Kemper Prime manuals, not on the open web. Preferred / target business (historical Kemper Preferred & Kemper Prime Home): - Standard owner‑occupied one‑ or two‑family dwellings written on replacement cost forms (Essentials/Enhanced/Elite programs) with Coverage A at or above 80% of full replacement cost, maintained properties, and acceptable loss, credit/insurance bureau score, and prior insurance profiles. ([milestonepnc.com](https://www.milestonepnc.com/agent-portal-kemper-prime-home/?utm_source=openai)) - Homes with roofs updated and in good condition; composition/asphalt shingle roofs older than roughly 20 years were historically ineligible or required underwriter review, and updated wiring, plumbing, and heating systems were preferred. ([ekemper.com](https://www.ekemper.com/Enterprise_Email/RPW%20Quick%20Start%20Guide%2C%203-2014.pdf?utm_source=openai)) Restricted or declined classes (historical guidance, still generally indicative of appetite where any legacy home is renewed): - Ineligible property types commonly include mobile homes, trailer/house trailers, some log or unconventional construction, and risks with severe physical/habitational hazards (but exact lists are in state guidelines only). ([appund.com](https://appund.com/content/documents/divisions/personalLines/directSelect/Direct%20Select%20Home%20Guidelines.pdf?utm_source=openai)) - New business binding is restricted during certain catastrophe conditions (e.g., named storm watches/warnings, active wildfire or earthquake/volcanic events); agents must follow state Home Underwriting Guideline manuals for binding suspensions and referrals. ([ekemper.com](https://www.ekemper.com/Enterprise_Email/New%20Agent%20Training%20-%20Compilation%20%2810-18-19%29.pdf?utm_source=openai)) Geographic / strategic notes: - Kemper publicly announced its exit from the preferred home and auto segment beginning in 2023, with non‑renewals and cancellations of that book allowed under state regulation. This means many states may now have little or no new preferred home capacity; remaining exposure is largely runoff, while the company focuses on specialty auto and life. ([oldharbor.com](https://oldharbor.com/2023/08/08/kemper-exits-preferred-home-and-auto-insurance-in-california/?utm_source=openai)) - Availability of any homeowners product, including Kemper Prime Home, is specifically subject to state availability and individual underwriting company decisions; not all products or discounts are offered in every state. ([ekemper.com](https://www.ekemper.com/Enterprise_Email/New%20Agent%20Training%20-%20Compilation%20%2810-18-19%29.pdf?utm_source=openai)) Submission and documentation expectations (for appointed agents): - All current home underwriting guidelines, including ineligible exposures, binding authority, documentation retention rules, and state‑by‑state nuances, are housed in the Agent Inside portal. Agents must log into Agent Inside, navigate to Manuals/Forms → Kemper Prime Manuals → select the applicable state → Home Underwriting Guidelines, and follow those manuals as the controlling standard. ([ekemper.com](https://www.ekemper.com/Enterprise_Email/New%20Agent%20Training%20-%20Compilation%20%2810-18-19%29.pdf?utm_source=openai)) - When quoting/issuing home, agents are expected to: ensure Coverage A meets or exceeds replacement cost; provide roof‑update year and details on older homes; supply information on updates to wiring, plumbing, and heating; correctly enter prior carrier and effective dates (any lapse triggers underwriting review); and review any system messages that indicate an underwriting referral or property inspection requirement before binding. ([ekemper.com](https://www.ekemper.com/Enterprise_Email/RPW%20Quick%20Start%20Guide%2C%203-2014.pdf?utm_source=openai)) Broker / producer instructions: - New or existing producers must be appointed through Kemper’s “Become a Property & Casualty Agent” process on kemper.com; home availability is tied to specific Kemper Personal Insurance programs (e.g., Mainstreet/Prime) and subject to underwriting company and state eligibility. ([kemper.com](https://www.kemper.com/get-started/become-a-property-casualty-agent?utm_source=openai)) - Producers are instructed that all marketing and training materials are informational only; in all cases, state‑specific underwriting manuals and actual policy contract language control eligibility, coverage, and documentation standards. ([ekemper.com](https://www.ekemper.com/Enterprise_Email/New%20Agent%20Training%20-%20Compilation%20%2810-18-19%29.pdf?utm_source=openai)) Operational note for underwriters/brokers: Because Kemper has largely exited the preferred home space and keeps remaining guidelines behind the Agent Inside login, treat any new or renewal Kemper Preferred/Specialty home risk as highly state‑ and program‑specific. Always verify: (1) that the relevant Kemper underwriting company is still writing home in that state, and (2) the most current state Home Underwriting Guideline manual on Agent Inside before binding, especially regarding roof age/type, prior insurance gaps, inspection requirements, and CAT binding moratoria.