Home quote checklist
What a Home Insurance Quote Includes
A home quote lists coverage for the house, your belongings, and liability, plus a deductible. Compare those lines before you compare companies. A lower payment can mean a line was left off.
The button above opens the home quote path on this site. Read the offer from the dwelling line downward.
Start with the dwelling amount printed on the quote. That figure is the repair or rebuild amount the insurer used. It is not the same thing as a sale price, and this page will not substitute one for the other. If two quotes use different dwelling amounts, you are not comparing the same house protection.
Next, see whether other structures are their own line. A detached garage or a fence may sit there instead of inside the dwelling amount. Then read personal property for belongings. Some quotes name a special cap for items such as jewelry. If you own something the quote caps, that cap is part of the comparison.
Loss of use, when the quote lists it, is the extra living-cost line after a covered loss. Liability is the line for injury or damage involving other people. Medical payments, if shown, are separate from both. None of those lines is a substitute for the dwelling amount.
The deductible is what you pay on a covered claim before the policy pays. A home quote can also show a separate wind or hail deductible. Match the deductible you see, including that second one if it is printed. A lower payment that only raised the deductible is not the same offer.
The on-site page that walks through the pieces of a house before you shop is the home insurance calculator. Quote entry is home insurance quotes. Neither page replaces the lines on the quote you receive.
A short comparison
Mark each line as shown or missing. A missing line is not a saving.
| Line | What it is for | What to match |
|---|---|---|
| Dwelling | Repair or rebuild of the home | The amount printed on the quote |
| Personal property | Belongings | The limit, and any special cap |
| Liability | Injury or damage to other people | The limit, separate from the house |
| Deductible | Your share of a covered claim | The amount, including wind or hail if shown |
Drivers in the same household can start a car quote from the auto quote form and read liability vs full coverage so the car side is checked the same way. If one company may write both policies, read bundled auto and home insurance quotes before you mix the two decisions.
When the home lines match, rank companies on compare insurance companies by ZIP code. Use the same address on every quote.
Steps to compare home quotes
Same house, same lines, then the payment.
- Use the same address and the same ZIP code on every quote.
- Copy the dwelling amount and the deductible, including a wind or hail deductible if it is printed.
- Mark belongings, other structures, loss of use, and liability as shown or missing.
- Compare the payment only among quotes that list the same lines.
If a quote will not show the dwelling amount, you do not yet have a comparison. Wait until that figure is on the page. Then set it next to the other quotes instead of next to a sale price.
Start the home quote
Enter your ZIP code to open the home quote on this site. Check dwelling, belongings, liability, and the deductible before you compare companies.