Home insurance queries

Check out the company
What is the insurance company's reputation?______________________

• Check with your state insurance department to make sure the company is licensed in your state and see if they keep a record of complaints. Or go to the NAIC Consumer Information Source Web site.

What is the company's complaint ratio?______________________

What is its financial rating?______________________

• Go to www.ambest.com to see how they rank.

Discounts
Are any discounts offered?______________________

• For instance, customers carrying homeowners and auto insurance from the same company will often receive a break on premiums. Other premium offsets could include:
• • Fire, smoke and burglar alarms.
  • Being claim-free for a certain number of years.
  • Some automatic sprinkler systems qualify for discounts.

How much coverage do you need?
How much is your house worth?______________________

Have you done renovations that have increased its value?______________________

What are home values in your area as well as construction costs?______________________

Do you live in a high-risk area where rebuilding costs could skyrocket?______________________

• Consider getting extra coverage as an endorsement to your replacement-cost coverage to fill in the gap in the event of a worst-case scenario (think Hurricane Andrew or Hurricane Katrina).