Get an insurance check up

Getting a second opinion on your home or renters insurance is a smart move.

Why? Because you want your policy to protect your assets, and you don’t want to be in the 2 out of 3 homes in the U.S. that are not properly insured.  Take it from us and the hundreds of thousands of disaster survivors we have helped…it is worth getting a free review.

A free second opinion is available through Yapacopia, a public benefit corporation (“B-Corp”) that connects you with an independent professional insurance broker.  By using their service you can get a free review of your current policy and quotes for other and possibly better options for insuring your assets.

Yapacopia can also be helpful if you are shopping for insurance on a new home or car, or if you’ve been dropped/”non-renewed” and need replacement coverage.

Whether you’re shopping for insurance or just want reassurance that your current coverage is adequate,  it’s important to ask good questions.  Download UP’s “Home and Insurance Check UP” for a list of our suggested questions.  Take good notes on the answers you get, follow up in writing (email counts) to recap what you discussed, and keep your notes where you’ll be able to find them later.  Be specific that your goal is to have enough insurance to cover repairs or rebuilding after a total loss.  Avoid learning the hard way that your assets are not fully insured.  Inadequate coverage (“underinsurance”) continues to be a very common and BIG obstacle to recovery for disaster victims.   Here at UP, we’ll keep fighting to end underinsurance – but until then it’s up to you to make sure your safety net will be there when you need it.

FAQs

What is an independent agent/broker? An independent agent or broker is an insurance professional that can insure you with one of several insurance companies. Careful consumers often prefer to use independent agents because they can gather competitive quotes for you to compare and they can recommend the best combination of price, coverage and deductible.

Why is it important to get a second opinion if I already have insurance? Home insurance is a product you buy one year at a time – yet most consumers (and agents) do not take the time to update limits and coverage over the years.  Getting a second opinion can help make sure your policy limits are adequate to cover the cost to rebuild your home with today’s construction prices.  By shopping around you are taking advantage of a competitive insurance marketplace which could save you money.

Can an independent broker help me find replacement coverage if I have been “dropped” or “non-renewed” by my insurance company?  Yes, an independent broker is especially helpful if you live close to an area that has been devastated by a natural disaster.  Some insurance companies get skiddish after a disaster and pull their business out of the area. An independent broker will have knowledge of who is writing new policies in the area and who is not.  They will know that you have more options then just the big named insurers and can write insurance with “non-admitted” insurers or an “insurer of last resort” if need be.

Why does UP direct people to Yapacopia?  For years, United Policyholders (“UP”) would urge consumers who were having trouble finding insurance – especially in areas affected by a natural disaster – to reach out to an independent agent/broker. Because we didn’t have a place to direct them to that advice was easier said than done – until we found Yapacopia.  By visiting www.yapaquote.org insurance consumers can be matched with an independent brokers to help them insure their assets.

Does Yapacopia support UP? Yapacopia helps UP provide a useful resource to insurance consumers. And because they are a Benefit Corporation it is part of their mission to give back to charities, like UP.  The insurance brokers they work with give a percentage of their commission back to yapacopia to be donated to the non profit organization of your choice.  If you choose UP as your favorite charity, Yapacopia will make a donation to help strengthen our disaster preparedness and recovery programs.

Please note United Policyholders is a non-profit organization that serves as a voice and an information resource for insurance consumers in all 50 States.  We do not sell insurance or take money from insurance companies.  Our goal in partnering with Yapacopia is to provide insurance consumers with a resource to find an independent broker – we are not endorsing individual brokers nor do we have relationships with the individual brokers who have signed on to Yapacopia.

We urge all insurance consumers to read our tips and articles on insuring to value and being a savvy consumer.  Ask questions, take notes and follow up in writing when buying or updating your insurance. And above all – let your insurance goals be known.  Being proactive before a loss can make all the difference in your ability to recover.