Coverage for the structure, everything in it, and what you owe someone else if things go wrong — shopped across carriers by a local agency that knows what hail season does around here.
Dwelling. The structure itself — walls, roof, floors, built-in systems. The limit should reflect what it would cost to rebuild at today's labor and material prices, which is a different number from what you paid or what the house would sell for.
Other structures. Detached garage, shop, fence, shed. Usually a percentage of the dwelling limit, and frequently too low for anyone with a real outbuilding.
Personal property. Everything inside. Set as a percentage of the dwelling limit by default, with low sub-limits on jewelry, firearms, cash and a few other categories.
Loss of use. Pays for somewhere to live while the house is repaired. Overlooked until it is the only thing you care about.
Personal liability. Defends and pays when someone is injured on your property or you damage someone else's.
Medical payments. Small no-fault limit for a guest's injuries, meant to settle minor incidents without a liability claim.
Actual cash value pays depreciated value: a fifteen-year-old roof pays out as a fifteen-year-old roof. Replacement cost pays what it costs to rebuild new. The premium difference is real but usually modest; the claim difference can be tens of thousands of dollars.
Pay particular attention to how the policy treats the roof. In hail country, some carriers write roof coverage on a depreciation schedule even when the rest of the policy is replacement cost. That detail rarely comes up at quoting and always comes up after a storm.
Extended or guaranteed replacement cost endorsements add a cushion above your dwelling limit for cases where rebuilding costs spike — which is exactly what happens after a regional storm puts every contractor in the area in demand. More on setting the dwelling limit.
This region sees serious hail and wind, and carriers price and structure policies accordingly. Many policies carry a separate wind and hail deductible, often stated as a percentage of the dwelling limit rather than a flat dollar amount. On a $300,000 home, a 2 percent wind deductible is $6,000 before the policy pays anything.
That is not necessarily a bad deal — accepting a percentage deductible can meaningfully lower premium — but it needs to be a decision rather than a surprise. Work out yours in dollars, or read more on percentage deductibles and roof settlement.
Flood and earth movement are excluded on standard policies and require separate coverage. Maintenance issues, wear and tear, and long-developing problems like seepage are excluded by design. Sewer and drain backup usually requires an endorsement. So does coverage for a home business. The full list and what to do about it.
Most home insurance shopping is a premium comparison, which tells you almost nothing. Two policies within a couple hundred dollars a year can settle the same hail claim tens of thousands of dollars apart.
Every homeowner we quote gets the same worksheet: current policy against the options, line by line — dwelling limit and extended replacement cost, roof settlement, both deductibles converted into real dollars, water backup limits, contents basis, ordinance or law, service line, and liability. It is called the home insurance coverage checkup, and you can print it and bring your declarations page.
Sometimes the cheapest policy wins. When it does not, you can see exactly what the saving costs you.
Free policy review: send us your current declarations page and we will check the rate and flag gaps, whether you buy from us or not.
The price of a homeowners policy is not based only on the house. What you bundle, the age and condition of the home, its protective features, your claims history and the deductible you choose all move the number.
When we quote your home we look for every discount available, including:
Home and auto bundling. Usually the first thing to check. We look at the combined cost of home and auto, not just the price of the homeowners policy.
A newer or recently replaced roof. A newer roof improves eligibility and can earn better pricing with some companies.
Impact-resistant roofing. Qualifying shingles or roofing materials may earn additional savings with some carriers.
Newer home. Newer construction may qualify for preferred pricing.
Security and fire protection. Monitored burglar and fire alarms, smoke detectors and other qualifying protective devices.
Water leak detection or automatic shutoff devices. Some insurers credit qualifying systems designed to detect or prevent water losses.
Claims-free history. Homeowners without recent claims often price better with certain companies.
Higher deductibles. A higher deductible lowers premium, though it also means paying more out of pocket after a covered loss.
Other available discounts. Eligibility varies by company, so we check what applies to your particular home and policy.
Sometimes the best savings come from looking at home and auto together.
A homeowners quote that is $100 cheaper is not the better deal if another option saves $400 on your auto insurance once the policies are bundled. We compare the total cost and the coverage so you can see which one actually makes sense.
Recently replaced the roof, electrical, plumbing, HVAC, security system or another major part of the house? Tell us when we quote it.
The more accurate the information we have about the home, the better we can work out which companies, discounts and coverage options are available to you.
We help insure a wide range of homes and residential properties across Missouri, Kansas and Oklahoma, including:
Owner-occupied homes. Primary residences, from starter homes to larger and higher-value properties.
Rental and landlord properties. Single-family homes and other eligible residential rentals, whether you own one or several.
New and newer homes. Including recently built homes and new purchases that need coverage in place before closing.
Older homes. Coverage may be available depending on the home's age and condition, along with the roof, electrical, plumbing and other underwriting factors.
Rural properties. Homes outside city limits and in smaller communities, subject to location, fire protection and carrier eligibility.
Manufactured homes. Coverage may be available depending on the home, its age, its location and other underwriting requirements.
Higher-value homes. We can review homes that need higher dwelling limits and determine which of our available options fits.
Local pages for each office market: Joplin, Carthage and Springfield.
Ask us. Every insurance company has different underwriting guidelines, and things like roof age, prior claims, property condition, occupancy and location all affect which companies will write a particular home.
We will find which of our carriers may be a fit, compare the price and the coverage, and explain the differences that matter before you buy. If your home has been declined elsewhere, that is worth a call — homes that are hard to place usually can be placed, sometimes with an inspection or specific repairs as a condition.
Enough to rebuild the house, not what you paid or what it would sell for. Market value includes land, which does not burn. A rebuild estimate based on square footage, construction type and local labor costs is the right starting point, and it should be revisited when building costs move.
No. Flood is excluded from standard policies and requires a separate flood policy. That includes rising water, storm surge and many types of surface water intrusion. Water damage from a burst pipe inside the house is generally covered; water coming in from outside generally is not.
It depends on the policy. Some carriers apply a depreciation schedule to roofs even when the rest of the policy is replacement cost, particularly on older roofs in hail-prone areas. This is worth confirming in writing before a storm, not after.
A separate, usually higher deductible that applies only to wind and hail claims, often calculated as a percentage of your dwelling limit. It lowers premium in exchange for more exposure on exactly the claims this region sees most.
Personal property coverage generally follows you, subject to your deductible and the sub-limits that apply to certain categories. Items like jewelry, firearms and cameras have low theft sub-limits unless scheduled separately.
Usually yes. Homeowners policies limit or exclude business property and business liability. Depending on the size of the operation, that means an endorsement or a separate commercial policy.
Send your declarations page. We compare roof settlement, deductibles, rebuilding coverage and liability — then the price.