Blog
What your policy does when something goes wrong
Real claims, real policy language and the numbers behind them. Written by Michael Gordy, who reads declarations pages for a living.
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They Paid the Claim. Six Months Later They Tried to Drop You Anyway.
A homeowner's water/mold claim got paid, repaired, and closed, or so they thought. Six months later the carrier demanded licensed remediation documentation and threatened nonrenewal. Here's what to lock down while the claim is still open.
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The Deck Renovation That Wasn't "Just Cosmetic"
An Atlanta buyer found out days before closing that the deck's posts and joists had been replaced, with no confirmed permit. Why structural work on a deck is an insurance and liability question, not just a code question.
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The Roof Killed the Deal Before the Color Did
A Texas buyer's roof got replaced to satisfy insurance, then he wanted to walk over the color. The real lesson: an uninsurable roof can kill a closing before contingencies even run out.
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The adjuster inspected it, said it was probably covered, and then the $18,000 bill showed up
A Georgia homeowner got an inspection, a verbal "probably covered," and then a denial after spending $18,000 on crawlspace remediation. Here's the policy language that decides it, what Georgia law does and doesn't do about verbal assurances, and exactly what to demand in writing.
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I called to ask a question. They opened a claim. Now what?
A 10-year customer called to ask whether storm damage was covered. Three transfers later, someone had opened a claim he never requested. Here's what that does to you, the Georgia statute that helps, and how to try to get it removed.
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$2,270 in 2022, $4,952 today. Can you negotiate a home insurance premium?
A Georgia homeowner's premium went from $2,270 to $4,952 in four years. That's roughly triple the market increase, which means something specific changed. Here's how to find it, and why negotiating isn't the move.
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Renting out the house you just bought, because life happened
Losing the job and renting the house out instead of selling it. Here's the occupancy clause in your mortgage, the policy switch nobody tells you about, and the HVAC problem that can stop a landlord policy cold.
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A Tenant Says They Were Hurt at Your Rental: What Your Georgia Landlord Policy Actually Does
Your tenant went to the hospital and says she cannot work. Before anything else, check whether your dwelling policy even includes liability, because it is optional. Here is what Coverage L does, why Medical Payments probably will not apply to your tenant, and the umbrella mistake LLC owners make.
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Insurance Is Paying but Says the Loss Is Not Covered: Burst Supply Line, Tear-Out, and the First Estimate
A toilet supply line let go, the kitchen ceiling is sagging, mitigation wants the tub out, and the adjuster's first number came in under your deductible. Here is what your HO-3 actually pays for, which sublimits stop the money, and why the first estimate is almost never the last one.
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Buying a House With an Old Roof in Georgia: What Your Insurance Company Will Do About It
An inspector gave the roof 5 to 7 years and everyone called it a budget item. Roof age also decides whether a carrier will write you, whether they can cancel you after closing, and whether a hail claim pays replacement cost or a depreciated fraction of it.
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Why Your Mortgage Company Is Named on Your Homeowners Claim Check
A covered loss to your home, and the claim check shows up with your lender's name next to yours. Here's why the mortgagee is on it, which checks they appear on, and what to do when a two-party check lands in your hands.
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Slow Plumbing Leak Under the Kitchen Floor: Covered Claim or "Long-Term Seepage"?
A hidden pipe leak wrecked your kitchen floor. Whether homeowners insurance pays comes down to sudden accidental discharge vs. continuous seepage. Here is how adjusters decide, what mold caps mean, and what filing does to your CLUE report.
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Should You File a Homeowners Claim Before Selling Your House? Old Roof, Bad Septic, and What Insurance Actually Pays
Thinking about filing a claim on a 12-year-old roof or a failed septic distribution box before you list? Wear and tear is not a covered peril, and a denied claim still lands on the CLUE report attached to your address.
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Unpermitted Work on Your House: What Ordinance or Law Coverage Does and Does Not Fix
Your contractor skipped the permit. Ordinance or law coverage pays the extra cost of building to current code after a covered claim. It does not legalize unpermitted work, and a 10% limit runs out fast.
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Clogged AC Condensate Line and Mold in a House You Just Bought: Is That a Claim?
A clogged AC drain line filled the house with mold. Sitting water from a plugged condensate line is usually treated as maintenance, and damage that started before you owned the house is not covered by your policy.
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Why Your Dwelling Coverage Keeps Changing by $50,000 Between Quotes
Coverage A moved $80,000 between requotes and nobody explained why. Dwelling limits come from replacement cost estimators, not sale price, and they are not a dial to hit a premium target. Here is what drives the number.
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The most important coverage on your auto policy is the one you probably rejected
"Full coverage" says nothing about who pays when a stranger runs a red light and puts your wife in surgery. What UM/UIM does, add-on vs. offset in GA, AL and TN, and how to check your own policy in 5 minutes.
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Somebody beat your renewal by $450. Here's what they took out.
A $450 cheaper homeowners policy, autopsied coverage by coverage. What a roof payment schedule, ACV contents, and a low dwelling limit cost on a single $105,000 hail claim.
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Your house is worth $700,000. Your insurance company doesn't care.
What it costs to rebuild a 2,800 sq ft home in metro Georgia in 2026, why the 80% rule cuts your payout on small claims, and how to check your Coverage A in 10 minutes.
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Understanding Your Insurance Policy: The Key to Smooth Claims and Peace of Mind
Understanding insurance starts with reading your policy. Learn how to avoid claim surprises, identify coverage gaps, and use technology for peace of mind today.
Send us your current policy
We'll go through it with you, explain what it pays for and what it doesn't, then build a quote around what you want covered. If yours already covers what matters to you, we'll say so.