Home Insurance Rating Myths

Waiting to find out your home insurance rating and subsequent premium information can be nerve-racking. The annual or monthly premium amount that you will be charged is so important, it can even mean the difference between buying the home of your dreams and settling for less.

But home insurance rates don’t have to be mysterious and mystical. You can actually get a sense of your potential premium if you know what actually does and doesn’t matter when it comes to premium rating. In order to help you get better acquainted with the rating system, let’s debunk a few myths surrounding home insurance rating.

1. Pets have nothing to do with premium: It’s true that Fluffy, Rover and Goldie may have absolutely no impact on your home insurance rating, but if those names belong to certain breeds of dog, it actually may. Some dogs, with the reputation for extreme owner protectiveness, may be viewed by your home insurance company as a greater potential liability and thus may drive your rates higher.

2. If I’ve had claims, my premiums will rise: Whether you are facing home insurance renewals, or a brand new policy on a new residence, you might automatically assume that your past claims will affect your premiums. In truth, that isn’t always the case. If your past claims indicate that you might be a higher risk due to your lifestyle or behavior, then yes, your rates may be affected. But claims that arise from natural events or incidents you could not prevent or guard against may not affect your rates at all.

3. The claims experience of other homeowners has nothing to do with my rates: Insurance companies must look at you as an individual when underwriting your home insurance policy. They will take into consideration things such as your experience, the age and location of your home and the features of your home (such as swimming pools and outside buildings). In many ways, underwriting a home is like trying to divine the future, and one way to accurately do that is to look at the claims of other homes in the area. While certain owner-specific claims experience isn’t applicable, environmentally prompted claims, as in hurricane or wind damage, can indicate the future claims experience of others in the area.

When planning your home insurance moves and working on budgeting in your premiums, remember that it’s best to deal with concrete facts than hearsay. Contact your agent and talk to him or her about your home insurance rating concerns and let them help you separate fiction from finance-impacting fact.


Let Evans, Ewan & Brady Insurance Agency get you the best rates for your Austin Home Insurance today!

Agent vs Online Quote

Agent vs. Internet—Which One Gets the Best Deal on Auto Insurance?

The internet gives consumers access to multiple insurance quoting systems that can help them save time and money when shopping for auto insurance. Often, consumers assume that these valuable quote algorithms give them access to the same service as a local agent and choose to use them instead of an insurance professional. Unfortunately, this is probably a mistake.

Discovering Opportunities for Discounts

An insurance agent can interact with you, find out about your life and driving habits, and help identify possible discounts that you are qualified to get. This one-on-one contact better allows an agent to ferret out these important discounts, something that an internet algorithm simply can’t do. Each day, insurers are developing new opportunities for discounts including for items like cell phone apps that can be employed while driving to keep a driver’s focus on the road. Online algorithms don’t stand a chance against an agent when it comes to keeping up with these developments.

Reviewing and Understanding Coverage Options

There are many different coverage options that you can choose from when shopping for auto insurance, and each will affect your quote and risk exposure differently. When sitting at home, trying to navigate online quote systems, it can be next to impossible to figure out what coverages you need, what limits to choose and what deductibles are reasonable. Agents can help you go through the coverage options and tweak limits and deductibles so you get a policy that is both affordable and helpful in the event of an accident.

Working with Various Companies

The algorithms you use online for auto insurance quotes have access to a limited and fixed number of insurance companies. This does not give you the broad range of options that your local auto insurance agent will. In addition, because agents work with these companies on a one-on-one basis every day, they know how each company handles its underwriting and this can help get you matched up with a company that is going to get you the best rates for your situation.

Auto insurance is an important and often required coverage to carry. In order to get multiple quotes and the best price for you, there’s no need to rely on websites. Instead, you can get the service of a live and thinking agent who knows how to get you the best deals on insurance and where to put your policy so you can afford the premium.


Be sure you're getting the best deal on your Austin Car Insurance from Evans Ewan & Brady Insurance today!

Understanding the Difference between In-Network and Out of Network

Between deductibles, limits, maximums and co-insurance percentages, it can be pretty challenging to understand all the ins and outs of your health insurance policy. But in order to utilize the policy properly and make health care decisions that your policy affords you coverage for, you need to take the time to understand all of these terms. By far, one of the most confusing concepts is that of in-network and out-of-network providers, but it’s also one of the most important when it comes to choosing health care providers.

In-Network Providers
Your insurance company has worked with a group of medical treatment providers and facilities to deliver treatment to insurance policyholders at a pre-negotiated price. When you see one of these individuals or go to one of these centers, it is considered to be an in-network visit. This entitles you to in-network coverage which will have a lower co-insurance cost and lower overall service price than an out-of-network visit.

Out-of-Network Providers
In some insurance policies, you might have no coverage at all if you see an out-of-network provider unless it’s an emergency and there was no in-network option available. Some policies allow for a reduced co-insurance payment if you see an out-of-network provider.

Find out more about your Round Rock Health Insurance options from Evans, Ewan & Brady today!

Homeowners Insurance Covers more than Your Home

When many people think of their homeowners insurance policy, they think simply of the actual home itself; of the structure whose roof rests over their head each night. But your homeowners insurance policy, when understood properly, is so much more than just simple protection for your dwelling and attached structures. In fact, it contains many different categories of coverage that you may eventually find useful.

1. Loss of use: Have you ever considered where you would go if there was a fire in your home that made it uninhabitable until repairs were completed? And who would pay for the temporary dwelling you must inhabit? Your homeowners policy, if it has loss of use coverage, would pay for the hotel, apartment or other suitable dwelling you need to run to for safety after an insurable event.
2. Liability: Sure, a pool party sounds like a lot of fun, but you never know whether or not one of your guests might get hurt during a backyard brouhaha. And it isn’t just parties that keep you exposed to injury liability—a neighbor tripping on your walkway or a stray branch falling on someone’s car can also result in a costly claim against you. Your homeowners insurance liability portion can protect your personal finances against these claims.

If you are unsure of all the different items your Round Rock homeowners insurance protects, find out more at Evans, Ewan & Brady today.