Protection for the building, everything inside it, and the liability that comes with owning it.
A homeowners policy is really four policies in one. It rebuilds the structure, replaces your belongings, defends you if someone is hurt on your property, and pays your living expenses if you cannot stay in the house. Most disappointing claims are not caused by a missing coverage — they are caused by one of those four being set too low.
We write homeowners, condo, renters, rental dwelling, mobile home and seasonal property coverage. If you finished the basement, added a garage, put up an outbuilding, started renting out the house you used to live in, or inherited a shop full of tools, those changes need to show up on the policy. We ask about them at renewal so you find out now rather than after a fire.
Because we are independent, we can move your home to a different carrier when rates, roof rules or claims history change — without you having to start over with a new agent.
Every carrier words things a little differently, but nearly all home insurance policies are built from these pieces. Knowing what each one does makes it much easier to tell a good quote from a cheap one.
Repairs or rebuilds the house itself after a covered loss such as fire, wind, hail or a burst pipe. This limit should reflect what it costs to rebuild today with current labor and materials, which is often very different from what the house would sell for.
Covers detached garages, sheds, fences, decks, driveways and outbuildings, usually at a set percentage of the dwelling limit. Large pole barns and shops often need that percentage raised.
Replaces furniture, clothing, appliances, tools and electronics. Ask whether yours settles at replacement cost or actual cash value — that single word changes the size of every contents claim.
Pays for a hotel, rental home, meals and other additional living expenses while your home is uninhabitable after a covered loss.
Covers you if a guest is injured on your property, your dog bites someone, or you accidentally damage someone else's property — including the cost of defending you.
Pays smaller medical bills for a guest injured at your home regardless of fault, which often keeps a minor incident from turning into a liability claim.
These are not on every policy by default. Some cost a few dollars a year, and they are frequently the difference between a claim that is covered and one that is not.
Itemizes jewelry, firearms, cameras, musical instruments, collectibles and tools that exceed the standard sublimits, usually with a lower deductible and broader perils.
Adds a cushion above your dwelling limit — often 25% to 50% — for the times construction costs spike after a widespread storm.
Covers damage from a failed sump pump or a backed-up drain or sewer. A standard homeowners policy excludes it, and it is one of the most common claims we see.
Pays to excavate and repair buried water, sewer, electric, gas and internet lines running from the street to your home.
Covers mechanical and electrical failure of furnaces, air conditioning, water heaters, well pumps and major appliances — the things a standard policy will not touch.
Adds $1 million or more of liability on top of your home and auto policies. Inexpensive relative to the protection, and increasingly common for families with teen drivers or rental property.
Written separately through the National Flood Insurance Program or a private carrier. Flood is excluded from every standard homeowners policy, and there is typically a 30-day waiting period before coverage starts.
Pays the extra cost of rebuilding to current building codes after a loss — a real issue on older homes that were built legally but no longer meet code.
Price should never be the only reason to pick a policy, but there is no reason to overpay for the coverage you want. These are the credits we check before we present anything to you.
See What You'd Pay
The descriptions on this page are general summaries of how these coverages usually work. They are not a contract and do not amend any policy. Availability, wording and limits vary by carrier — your issued policy governs what is covered.
Coverage for the cars, trucks and drivers in your household — from the state minimum to the protection we would put on our own vehicles.
Learn moreA plan that keeps your family, your farm or your business financially steady if something happens to you.
Learn moreProperty, liability, vehicles, employees and bonds — sized for the business you have actually built.
Learn moreSend us a few details and an agent will compare your options across our carriers. No cost, no obligation, no automated runaround.
