Home insurance recommendations?

I wont give any recs, but things to look for are how the initially settle different types of losses(Theft, total loss, wind, hurricane, etc), the max contents coverage, what losses are covered and not, and most of all individual category limits on things(guns, jewelry, data equipment, etc...)

Basically look at all the exclusions and limits. thats all most adjusters pay attention too

Are you in Louisiana? If so, stick to the big companies like Farm Bureau, State Farm, USAA if you can. Those three have the fantastic reputations that they have for a reason. In fact, anyone who tells you they were fricked by one of those companies at claim time either:

a) has an incorrect opinion of how insurance is supposed to work
b) had a shitty agent that didn't fight for them


You can get great claim service at some of the smaller companies also but only if the claim is a large & undeniable claim such as a total or near total loss. It's hard for companies to fight you on those types of losses. Smaller claims such as burst pipes or hail damage and the smaller companies will nickle and dime your arse in a heartbeat.

I am in Louisiana

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Most of the time they simply dont understand the policy they signed/purchased

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Correct

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I dont think I have every had an agent sway a claim

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I had a hail claim once. The company sent an independent adjuster out to inspect the holes in my shingles and he said I had $100 worth of damage, which was 100% bullshite. I had actual holes in the shingles. I called my agent and sent him pictures of my shingles. He compared my pics to the estimate and he agreed that it was bullshite. He made one call to the claims office and had that particular adjuster removed from my claim and another one assigned to it. The new adjuster came out a few days later and he was on my roof for five minutes, came down, and wrote me a check on the spot for $10,000. Total roof loss.

Amica and USAA

I had Amica. Only claim in 15 years was a breeze.

Saved a few pennies by putting current house with USAA.
Tree limb thru bedroom within 6 months.... no problems.
I did not find the rates more then $150 between these and other companies for comparable plans.

Rating

LINK

edit for your google fun

Been with SF close to 40 years on three different houses. In that time, I had made three claims. All 3 were high dollar amount. Very good about the claims. I been shopping around the last 10 years and nobody could come close to their rates. Reason, been with them so long.

I have been happy with state farm .

Your premium may be significantly cheaper if you also insure your car with the same insurer. Multi-line discount. For example, State Farm was a good bit higher than Shelter for my homeowners, but State Farm was way cheaper after it discounted the premium due to me having my cars with them.

Ask about sewer backup coverage. Many policies don't include it unless you get an inexpensive endorsement. If shite water backs up from the city's pipes into your shower drains and ruins your floors, you'll be wanting that. My neighbors found out the hard way that they did not have it.

Get a policy that provides replacement cost instead of actual cash value. When my worn out 20 year old old roof got hail damage, my replacement value coverage paid 100% for a new roof. With actual cash value, they would depreciate it based on age and hand me $10, if that.

HO5 is the Cadillac policy with replacement cost coverage. HO3 is more basic and won't cover as many perils to your contents and other property, and it is probably actual cash value.