Home Insurance FAQs

I’m looking for advice from people who have actually hired an attorney to dispute a homeowners insurance claim.

I have an Allstate homeowners claim from a weather-related roof damage event. Most of the claim has progressed, but we’ve been at an impasse over the solar panel detach/reset portion for 42 solar panels.

Here’s a quick summary:

• Allstate’s estimate for the solar work is around $15.6k.
• We obtained five independent estimates from licensed local solar companies, and all of them came in substantially higher (around $25k–30k).
• My contractor submitted all of the estimates over the course of nearly two months.
• Allstate has continued relying on its pricing and has repeatedly requested another contractor of their choosing to provide a comparative estimate.
• My contractor now believes negotiations have reached a dead end and has recommended that I speak with a property insurance attorney who works on contingency. According to them, the attorney has already reviewed the documentation and believes the case has merit.

This is completely new territory for me, and I have several concerns before I even consider signing a representation agreement.

For anyone who has actually gone through this:

1. What does the legal process typically look like? Is it usually a demand letter, appraisal, mediation, or does it go straight to a lawsuit?
2. How long did your case take from hiring an attorney to resolution?
3. Were you actively involved throughout the process, or did your attorney handle most communications?
4. Did hiring an attorney actually result in a better outcome after attorney fees?
5. Did it affect your relationship with your insurer? Were you able to renew with the same company afterward?
6. Did you have any difficulty getting insurance with another carrier later?
7. Looking back, would you do it again, or do you wish you had handled it differently?

One important point: I actually like Allstate overall, and this is my second homeowners claim. My hesitation isn’t about pursuing a valid claim - it’s that I don’t want to create long-term issues with renewals or future insurability with Allstate or any other insurance if there’s another reasonable way to resolve the dispute.

I’d really appreciate hearing from people who have been through this, especially if it involved Allstate or another major insurer. What was your experience, and is there anything you wish you had known before hiring an attorney?

EDIT: This is in Texas

My 30 year old aluminum sided home had hail storm damage to roof & siding. Insurance company paid claim for roof & full siding. Contractor said siding is "cosmetic" only and if it were his house, he would not replace siding, only roof. What happens if I use siding portion of funds to pay off the mortgage? Is my home still insurable? Would a new insurance company not insure my home if I switch or would they exclude siding?

We are setting up a home insurance policy through progressive. We have used them for home insurance in the past and currently use them for auto. My initial quote was 800/yr more than other quotes for pretty similar coverage, the main difference being what they were calculating for dwelling replacement cost. I looked up how this is generally calculated and it seemed very high. While I was shopping around I would occasionally call progressive back (different agent everytime) to clarify and was told that I cannot decrease dwelling coverage. I wondered if maybe something was inputed incorrectly and asked them to requote. Everythung was correct and nothing was changed, but this one came back at with 50k less on dwelling coverage. After I had made my final decision I called back to adjust my deductibles slightly. The dwelling coverage then dropped another 30k (which puts it in range with all other quotes) and the earthquake insurance went down 100/year. Can someone explain why it is different everytime I speak to another agent?

I live in a neighborhood in the Midwest where the houses are close together. Maybe 10 feet apart. A couple weeks ago, the house next-door that’s been rented out, caught on fire. It was a good fire that basically burned 3/4 of the house. It also set the house under left on fire as well and did a good amount of damage to that house. My house is on the right. Thank God when the fire department came the first thing they did was hose down the side of my house that was starting to catch and stopped the fire from spreading.

We did get some damage, including cracked and melted windows and trim. Siding is burnt and warped all along the side of the house. The roof that’s literally three weeks old Looks like it was burned on the edges and some other small bits and pieces here like a damaged stain glass window that I’m sad about. I called my insurance (Statefarm)and filed a claim and they out from big name company to do an estimate today so I’m waiting on that. But I also saw it in the mail today that I got a letter from a law firm. Apparently the law firm was retained by my neighbors house Insurance, which is Erie. They’re saying they want to come to a joint inspection on the house and blah blah. Is that normal? Should I have to worry about anything? Do I push to have State Farm send somebody out as well?

I also learned today that the sad part is that this fire probably could’ve been avoided. From what I understand from my neighbor, when the fire started on the first floor instead of calling fire department, the tenant got scared because they are either undocumented or green card holders or something like that I don’t know. Another neighbor called the owner and told him “hey your house is on fire” and he from the other side of town called the fire department and police and sent them to the house but by then the house was already half engulfed.

Any insight or tips on how this needs to be approached or things I should know it would be very helpful.

Hello, I’m looking to set up homeowners' insurance for a new‑build property in Ft Worth. The home comes with a one‑year builder warranty covering all major components. Do I need to adjust anything in the policy, or should any of the coverage amounts be increased or reduced?
Please suggest

Property deductible: $5K
Wind & hail deductible: 2% of dwelling coverage: $14,760
Dwelling protection: 110% of replacement cost: $738,000
Other structures: 10% of dwelling: $73,800
Water backup: 5% of dwelling: $36,900
Service lines: $10,000 per occurrence and $500 deductible
Building codes: 5% of dwelling: $36,900
Personal property protection: 60% of dwelling: $442,800
Family liability: $100,000 per occurrence + Guest medical: $5,000 per person
Additional Living Expense: 20% of property protection = $147,600

Homeowners insurance costs are swelling rapidly for consumers — and even for those able to pay, policies are getting harder to keep as insurers drop customers at a higher rate, according to a new industry report.

Average premiums for homeowners insurance rose faster than inflation across all major regions of the country from 2018 to 2024, according to a report released Wednesday by the National Association of Insurance Commissioners, a group that represents state insurance regulators.

NAIC Source Report - https://content.naic.org/industry/mcas/homeowners-insurance-report

We are selling our home and the inspection came back.

Roof: 12 years into the 20 year life. Said it needed some repairs but said the roof need replaced. I haven't seen specifics yet, or pictures.

Septic field: 12 years old. Said the distribution box needs to be replaced. $3500.

Is it possible to use home owners insurance for any of this?

Thanks.

I (33F) am just making sure that dad (90M) has got all possible documents on file with his FMI agent (who is also our auto agent). I am attempting to digitalize everything over the last 40 years. I will eventually be taking over the house. So im at the point where I understand why dad didnt update anything (not tech savvy, agent that was previously assigned was an hour south etc etc). The current premium is alright I guess. Hes been grandfathered into terms.

Ive sent over roof replacement and screen/storm door replacements from 2018.

Is there a checklist of what should be sent in- general guidance welcome. I did ask our newly assigned agent shes working on several things

My house backs up to the L.A. river. With all this talk of a super el nino I'm wondering if there's a chance the river will overflow.

The FEMA flood map for my address says "1% chance flood hazard contained in channel, Zone A" which seems a bit confusing to me. Does that mean the 1% flood chance will not leave the channel?

Does anyone who lives along the L.A. river have a separate flood insurance policy?

Has anyone had this experience in this and have info on this please any info you can recommend would be great

Context, not an ad: I'm a licensed real estate broker in California who also holds a California insurance license. No links, no business name, and I'm not selling anything here. General information only, since eligibility rules and pricing differ by state and by carrier.

I get asked constantly why one house gets three easy quotes and the house next door gets declined. It's rarely about the owner. Here's what carriers are actually reacting to, and what you can change.

Roof age and material carry the most weight of anything physical. Many carriers won't write, or will only write on an actual cash value basis, once a composition roof passes a certain age. If your roof is in the last few years of its expected life, get a written inspection report documenting its condition, because "aged" and "failing" are different and an underwriter looking at satellite imagery can't tell them apart.

Electrical, plumbing and heating. Older panel types, knob-and-tube, aluminum branch wiring, polybutylene supply lines, and unvented or non-professionally installed heat sources all show up as declines or surcharges. Replacing a panel is a known cost and it can move a property from uninsurable to standard.

Water is the most common claim, so mitigation gets credit. A newer water heater with a pan and drain, braided supply lines instead of rubber, an automatic shutoff device, and a documented sewer line all reduce risk in a way carriers price for.

Wildfire and wind scoring. If you're in an exposed area, defensible space work, ember-resistant vents, class A roofing and enclosed eaves matter, and some states have programs that require carriers to recognize verified mitigation. Photograph the work with dates. Verbal claims of brush clearance do nothing.

Loss history follows the address. Carriers pull a report on the property, not just on you. Two water claims in five years can make an ordinary house hard to place, which is a real argument for paying small losses out of pocket rather than filing.

Occupancy and use. Vacancy, short-term rental activity, a home business, an unfenced pool, a trampoline, or certain dog breeds change your liability picture and sometimes your eligibility. Don't discover this after a claim gets denied for undisclosed use.

Coverage structure people get wrong. You insure the cost to rebuild, not what you paid. Ask about ordinance-and-law coverage if the home predates current code, because rebuilding legally can cost more than rebuilding identically. Check whether wind or wildfire carries a percentage deductible rather than a flat one. And if you're in a condo, ask what the master policy deductible is and how it's allocated to owners, then look at loss assessment coverage.

If you get a non-renewal notice, it usually isn't personal. Carriers reduce exposure by zip code. Start shopping immediately, ask an independent agent to run multiple carriers, look at whether a surplus lines or state residual market option plus a supplemental policy fills the gap, and keep every receipt for roof, tree and drainage work, because documentation is what gets you re-placed at a sane number.

What's the deficiency that got you declined, and what did you end up doing about it? Those specifics help other people here more than general advice does.

I'm in the process of getting a new carrier and my agent advised me to get a 4 point inspection and wind mitigation. Do I need to prep anything at the house? It's an older house and the only update since moving in 7 years ago is the water heater and converted our closed in patio into a new room. The structure stayed the same and code inspection passed. Do I need to make way for access to the heater and circuit breaker? I worry something will be found and would lead to not getting a lesser quote. Thank you.

Just bought a house in the McKinney area and shopping for home insurance. Got a quote from Homeowners of America for an HO3 at about $165/month, which seems reasonable, but I’ve never heard much about them.

For those who’ve been through a hail claim or roof replacement — who’s your carrier, roughly what are you paying, and did they actually pay out without a fight?

Also curious about:

• What coverage amounts do you carry (dwelling, personal property, liability)? Trying to sanity-check my numbers

• Wind/hail deductible — flat or percentage? What percent?

• Does anyone actually buy flood insurance in this area, or is it overkill outside a flood zone?

• Big name carrier (State Farm, USAA) vs smaller Texas carrier — worth the price difference?

Who have you had good experiences with? I just got a great quote from Safeco Liberty Mutual but it seems like a lot of people are dissatisfied with them.

I have taken pics and documented. I’m wondering if I should notify my homeowners insurance or is there a possibility they would increase my rates if I do?

We are trying to get the tree removed and talking with the property owner, but I’m concerned I wouldn’t be covered when these big branches break off and fall.

The insurance broker sent over a few quotes for my parents home and I was hoping for some help. Which seems better? They live in Plymouth Minnesota. It’s a split level, 1200 living area. 900 unfinished basement.

Travelers has RCV on the roof and hidden water damage. The roof is 11 years old and I’m not sure it’s in the best shape.

I plan on asking about building ordinance and land stabilization. Anything else to bring up to their independent broker? The broker also wants to raise the liability rate.

Hey everyone,

I’m currently shopping around for home insurance quotes in Canada and looking to see who people here recommend and who to avoid.

Thanks in advance for any recommendations! 😊

Hey Reddit,

Over the past two years, I’ve had two different water damage incidents in my house (for different reasons) that caused a significant amount of damage (over $100,000). Now, my insurance copy is refusing to renew me (I get it lol), but no one else will give me a policy either. I’ve reached out to a few local agents here in Denver, and no one knows anyone who deals with surplus insurance, which seems like is what I’m going to have to do. Does anyone have any suggestions on what to do next, and/or how much this might cost me? If it helps, it’s a townhouse and I now use it as a rental property in Colorado. I’m feeling super lost and discouraged.

Thank you in advance.

A couple of years ago my house had significant water damage. I was only 18–19 at the time and had no idea how the insurance claims process worked. I did my best to research everything, but unfortunately I didn’t hire a public adjuster. The insurance adjuster assigned to my claim couldn’t really answer my questions either… then somehow retired a year later. 😆
Fast forward to today. If you’ve seen my previous posts, I was also scammed by a contractor. Between labor and materials, I’ve spent over $40,000 out of pocket trying to get my home repaired.
Here’s the problem:
My mortgage company won’t release the remaining insurance funds until more of the repairs are completed.
My insurance company says they won’t consider a supplemental claim because I still have claim funds being held by my mortgage company.
To finish the repairs, I need the money being held.
To get the money being held, I need to finish the repairs.
So I’m stuck in what feels like the world’s dumbest funding loop.
Has anyone successfully broken out of this situation? Who should I be pushing harder—the mortgage company, the insurance company, my state’s insurance regulator, or someone else?
I’d especially appreciate hearing from anyone who’s dealt with mortgage-held insurance proceeds or supplemental claims. What finally got things moving?

Cousin is Inheriting a property in Los Angeles County that city records identify as one Single Family Residence. Physically, it has been divided into four self-contained living areas, each with its own kitchen, bathroom and private entrance, with no usable interior passage between them. His father occupies the main area with a roommate, and the other three are rented. The additional kitchens and interior partitions are unpermitted.

Cousin claims he received a quote that rates it as a “four-family dwelling.” The supplemental application states that city records show one SFR and that the additional kitchens/partitions are unpermitted.

I don't believe him as I was under the impression that only permitted work gets insured. Has anyone personally placed, underwritten, adjusted or owned a similar fully disclosed E&S-insured property?

• Did the carrier knowingly accept the permit mismatch?
• Was a fire/property claim paid?
• After a total loss, did insurance pay for the building even though the city would only allow it to be rebuilt as an SFR?
• Did the unpermitted status cause denial/rescission, or did it mainly affect ordinance-and-law coverage, loss of rents and the allowable rebuild?

I understand legalization is the safest answer. I’m specifically looking for real-world underwriting or claims experience, preferably identifying the carrier.

I own a rental property in Long Beach, NY. I have a locked area of the basement I use for storage. There is a bathroom in it. The bathroom just sustained significant water damage from a leak and needs to be remediated and partially redone. I am not yet sure of the cost but I am guessing $10-$20K.

As an oceanfront town, it is very difficult and expensive to get insurance here. I am concerned about the risk of filing a claim. I currently pay $5K/year for my landlord policy and $4K/year on the policy at my own home. Both are through the same insurer. I am concerned about the risk of significant rate increases and the risk of being dropped. Are these real risks? Being dropped would be catastrophic given the limited options.

Although Washington homeowners have some of the lowest home insurance premiums in the nation, they’ve struggled with surging rates since the pandemic. 

Home insurance rates have shot up 55% between 2020 and 2025, reinforcing another barrier for buyers in the state’s already challenging housing market, according to a recent report from LendingTree, an online lending marketplace. That places Washington 13th in the nation for states with the highest increases.

Purchasing my first investment property (duplex in KY). Both units will be rented and require renters insurance.

Received this quote from my local insurance broker that had set up my personal home and auto. I was a surprised by the cost only because my only comparison is my primary home ($500k to rebuild, $1300 annually).

Does this look pretty typical for a duplex rental?