Whether you are buying your first home, or looking for better coverage on your forever home, here are a few tips to help you shop smart:
1) Understand your insurance needs. What is the replacement cost of your home, what is the value of your personal belongings? How much liability coverage is “enough”?
2) How will you shop for your insurance? Of course, we suggest you call AIC Insurance, but make sure you cast a wide net and get quotes from several companies. An independent agent like AIC Insurance represents numerous companies, saving you the hassle of contacting multiple agents.
3) Have the information needed by the agent. This includes the home’s address, prior insurance company, special features (pool, hot tub, tennis court), types of animals (certain dog breeds are a “no-no” with some companies), your personal information, and whether the house will be your primary residence or a rental.
4) Compare quotes. Don’t just look at the price- while cheap can be good, does that cheap insurance policy have coverage exclusions and low limits?
5) Insurance inspection. Most insurance companies will conduct an external inspection of your home, and if the value is high enough, they may want to peek inside as well. If anything is off on your application (maybe the roof is 10 years older than you said), the inspection will catch that.
This list is not all inclusive, but is meant to get you ahead when it’s time to shop for home insurance. And when you are looking for home insurance, call AIC Insurance at (509)-764-4447. With offices in Moses Lake and Quincy, we are your local and friendly agents.
