Home insurance
Home insurance that pays what you expect at claim time
Two homeowners policies can both say a loss is covered and pay very different amounts on the same claim. We show you what a policy would actually pay for, then build your quote around what you want covered.
- Dwelling limit checked against rebuild cost, not sale price
- Roof settlement explained in writing
- Every deductible on the policy, including wind and hail
Coverage
What a homeowners policy covers
Six parts. Every quote you'll see is some version of these at different limits.
Dwelling
The house itself. The other limits are usually set as a percentage of this one.
Other structures
Detached garage, fence, shed, pool house.
Personal property
Your belongings. Check whether it pays replacement cost or a depreciated value.
Loss of use
Housing and extra costs while the home can't be lived in.
Personal liability
Injuries to other people or damage to their property that you're responsible for.
Medical payments
Small no-fault coverage for a guest's medical bills.
What we teach every client
Four things that decide a homeowners claim
Insure the rebuild cost
Your dwelling limit should match what it costs to rebuild your house at today's labor and material prices. The sale price includes land, and land doesn't need rebuilding. Our rebuild calculator gets you close in a minute.
Know how the roof gets paid
Some policies replace a damaged roof at full cost. Others pay a depreciated amount based on the roof's age, so an older roof can settle for a fraction of a new one. Both say the roof is covered. Ask which one you have.
Find every deductible
Many policies have one deductible for most losses and a separate, percentage-based deductible for wind and hail. Two percent of a $400,000 dwelling limit is $8,000 out of pocket.
Water is the common claim
Burst supply lines and failed water heaters are the everyday homeowners claim. Water backing up through a drain usually needs its own endorsement. Flood is excluded from homeowners policies entirely and needs a separate flood policy.
Policy review
Send us your current policy and we'll check
If your coverage is solid, we'll tell you so and you keep it.
Free toolRebuild cost calculator
Estimate what it would cost to rebuild your home by ZIP code, size and quality.
Open the calculator →- Dwelling limit checked against rebuild cost
- Roof settlement: full replacement or depreciated, and at what roof age it changes
- Wind and hail deductible: flat dollar amount or a percentage
- Extended replacement cost above the dwelling limit
- Ordinance or law coverage for bringing a rebuild up to current code
- Water backup and service line coverage
- Personal property paid at replacement cost or actual cash value
- Liability limit, and whether an umbrella makes sense
Questions
Common questions
Is my home insured for its market value?
It shouldn't be. Homeowners coverage pays to rebuild the structure. Market value includes the lot, location and local demand, none of which a rebuild has to pay for.
Does homeowners insurance cover floods?
No. Flood is excluded from standard homeowners policies. Flood coverage is a separate policy, and it usually has a 30-day waiting period before it starts.
Will filing a small claim raise my rate?
It can. Claims history follows you between carriers. We'll talk through whether a small claim is worth filing before you file it.
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.