Shopping for homeowner's insurance

Are you or family member (or spouse's mother or father or even their parents as well) active or retired military?

If so, USAA.

Geo Vera Specialty insurance is who I have, from the people I talk to I have a pretty good deal. I pay $1,800 a year for $135k coverage and $50k contents I believe.

Liberty Mutual had the best when I was looking early 2012

It depends on where your home is located. If it's in what is considered a "coastal" parish, then it will be high and likely won't have wind/hail coverage regardless of what company you go with. If it's not in a coastal parish, then State Farm is the way to go. I used to work for them and I know the competition. Trust me, you want State Farm if you qualify for them. They're going to be beat by a few companies out there, but you have GOT to learn what those policies actually cover.
State Farm is the ONLY company in the industry to offer a regular policy deductible and a separate Hurricane deductible that ONLY applies to damage caused by an actual HURRICANE (winds of 74 mph or more). If you have damage from a named tropical storm (winds less than 74 mph), for example, a limb falls on your roof during a tropical storm, then your regular policy deductible (which is lower than your hurricane deductible) will apply.
Also, most companies do not have a "Hurricane Deductible" -- they have a "Wind/Hail Deductible". This deductible is higher than your regular policy deductible (just like the Hurricane Deductible with State Farm). Most claims in south Louisiana are going to result from either thunderstorm wind or hail. This means that these companies make out better because the deductible you have to pay is higher in these cases. Pretty much the only type of claim you can have that will fall under their lower, regular policy deductible will be from a fire.
State Farm saves you thousands of dollars on claims since most claims in south Louisiana are going to be eithere hail or thunderstorm wind. Those claims, with State Farm, fall under your lower, policy deductible.
In short, the ONLY time your Hurricane Deductible will apply with State Farm is if the damage is caused by an actual HURRICANE (winds of 74 mph or greater).
Most insurance companies do not know this and will tell you every company is like them. Most consumers do not know State Farm offers this benefit to their customers.
Then there are some companies that will give you one single deductible that is extremely low (under $1,000) and their premium is low as well. STAY AWAY FROM THESE COMPANIES. If it sounds too good to be true, IT IS! From working in the insurance industry for years, I have learned that State Farm truly is the best company in the industry. For what it's worth, I no longer work in the insurance industry but I still urge my friends and family to stick with State Farm because I know the quality service/product they're getting. I still have all of my insurance with them and I always will.
Let me know if you have any additional questions.

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State Farm is the ONLY company in the industry to offer a regular policy deductible and a separate Hurricane deductible that ONLY applies to damage caused by an actual HURRICANE (winds of 74 mph or more). If you have damage from a named tropical storm (winds less than 74 mph), for example, a limb falls on your roof during a tropical storm, then your regular policy deductible (which is lower than your hurricane deductible) will apply.
Also, most companies do not have a "Hurricane Deductible" -- they have a "Wind/Hail Deductible".

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I've been with Safeco since 2006 and have a straight $1000 deductible for my home in BR. I called them recently to get my auto insurance down and asked specifically about "named storm", "wind/hail", etc, and they confirmed there are no such restrictions on my homeowner's, and that my deductible covers hurricane damage. That what I had determined from reviewing the documents myself; there is a page that specifically says there is no separate deductible for this; on the declarations page, there is just the one deductible; and wind/hail is specifically covered by the policy. My premium is $80/mo, which I understand is on the low side for BR.

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Then there are some companies that will give you one single deductible that is extremely low (under $1,000) and their premium is low as well. STAY AWAY FROM THESE COMPANIES. If it sounds too good to be true, IT IS!

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I've been with Safeco since 2006 and have a straight $1000 deductible for my home in BR. I called them recently to get my auto insurance down and asked specifically about "named storm", "wind/hail", etc, and they confirmed there are no such restrictions on my homeowner's, and that my deductible covers hurricane damage. That what I had determined from reviewing the documents myself; there is a page that specifically says there is no separate deductible for this; on the declarations page, there is just the one deductible; and wind/hail is specifically covered by the policy. My premium is $80/mo, which I understand is on the low side for BR.

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Spock,
I specifically stated that you will find some companies with one single, very low deductible. I'm not doubting that Safeco offers you a straight $1,000 deductible that covers both types of damage. However, what I do know is that Safeco is only here until the next major catastrophe hits Louisiana. Then they will pay existing claims, pack up, and leave the state. This will leave you strugling to find another company to insure your home when NO other company (even State Farm) is writing new homeowners business, since it would be right after a major catastrophe. The only type of company that will be willing to take your business at that time will be some very small, little-heard of company that swooped into the state when the other companies left. They will be extremely picky with claims, premiums will be sky high at that time, and they would likely drop you immediately upon submitting another claim (weather-related or not).
This is the problem with the insurance industry. Most people only shop based upon price and price alone. Thus, the exact senario that I just described plays out over and over again. If people would just take the time to actually learn about what they're getting with an insurance company, things like that would be very rare. We have an insurance commissioner who is there to protect the state's consumers against illegal practices of insurance companies and people just assume that since an insurance company is allowed to do business in the state, it must be legitimate. There's a difference between 'legal' and 'legitimate'.
Safeco is one of the better smaller companies out there, though. I'm not saying you have a bad policy or company, but what I am saying is that as soon as another Andrew, Katrina, Gustav, or a significant hail or tornado outbreak in the state hits, Safeco will likely pay your claim (after being picky about what they will pay for) and then leave the state, leaving you looking for another company to insure your home. At that time, the only company willing to take on new homeowners business will be a comany like Occidental, Safeco, America First, Bankers, or any other company that is very, very small in terms of size as well as ability to pay claims.

Other than State Farm, the only other company able to stay in the state after a large catastrophe in the state would be Allstate. But guess what you get with Allstate: a regular policy deductible and then a separate "Wind/Hail Deductible". Thus, the situation I originally described pans out.

You are certainly free to bring your business anywhere you want. It's your money, you do what you want with it. However, I know the cost of buying cheap is much higher than the cost of buying quality.
That reminds me of a very wise saying that basically sums up what I'm trying to say...
BUY CHEAP, BUY TWICE!!!!!!

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Safeco is owned by Liberty Mutual, not exactly a small company

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Why do you think Liberty Mutual created Safeco? It's to protect Liberty Mutual's assets. They section off their assets to protect them from the next catastrophe. Safeco goes down, out, and away and Liberty Mutual is still there.
Now, Liberty Mutual is a great company. In fact, if I didn't have State Farm, I'd probably have them. I just want you to see how other companies operate to protect themselves first, their policy holders second.
State Farm is State Farm. Their number one priority is their customer.

It's because they profit off of the Safeco business because they own it but if Safeco goes under, Liberty Mutual still stays afloat. It's a win-win for them. When it becomes unprofitable to keep their Safeco policies on the books, they wipe it clean. That is, they don't put all their eggs in one basket.

State Farm won't write business in coastal Louisiana either. Go re-read my original comment. I started off by saying if you don't live in a coastal parish, State Farm is the way to go. After 2004, most companies went to this standard.

ANPAC ......they have an all peril deductible and l have never had a problem. I have my home/auto/life bundled and it saves me 30% on my home and 20% on my auto. Frick state farm, their premiums are through the roof.

Where is the home located?