Articles & Advice

Plain-English guides to auto, home, health and life insurance: what coverages do, how deductibles and limits work, which discounts exist, and how insurers set your rate.

July 15, 2026

Stacking Uninsured Motorist Coverage: What It Means

Stacking combines UM and UIM limits across vehicles or policies for a single claim. Whether you can do it, and whether you already are, is decided by state law.

When Insurers Say No: Nonstandard and Assigned Risk Auto

Being declined by standard insurers does not leave you without options. Here is how the nonstandard market and state assigned risk plans work, and how to get back out.

Buying a Car: Insurance Before You Drive It Home

Newly acquired vehicle coverage is not automatic and not unlimited. Here is what your existing policy extends to a new car, for how long, and what to arrange first.

Flood-Damaged Cars: Claims, Titles and Buying Used

Water damage to a vehicle is a comprehensive claim, not a flood policy claim. Here is how those claims settle, how flood titles work, and how to check a used car.

Hit and Run: Which of Your Coverages Pays

When the other driver leaves, there is no liability policy to claim against. Here is which of your own coverages responds, and the physical contact rule that decides some claims.

Hiring a Public Adjuster: When It Helps and What It Costs

A public adjuster works for the policyholder rather than the insurer, for a percentage of the claim. Here is when that makes sense and how the three adjuster roles differ.

How Insurance Billing Works: Payment Plans, Fees and Cancellation

Installment fees, down payments, escrow and premium finance all change what you actually pay. Here is how billing is structured and what a missed payment triggers.

Property Away From Home: Cars, Storage Units and Travel

A laptop stolen from your car is usually a home or renters claim, not an auto one. Here is how off-premises personal property coverage works and where it is reduced.

Credit-Based Insurance Scores: What They Are and Where They Apply

A credit-based insurance score is not a credit score, and several states restrict or prohibit its use. Here is what goes into one and what rights you have.

Insuring an Older or Historic Home: HO-8 and Rebuild Cost

Older homes cost more to rebuild than to buy and raise specific underwriting issues. Here is what an HO-8 form does and when replacement cost is not available.

What Home Underwriters Look For Before They Write a Policy

Eligibility comes before price. Here are the features of a house that can lead an insurer to decline, restrict or require repairs, and what usually resolves them.

Insuring a Second Home or Vacation Property

A secondary residence is underwritten differently from a primary one, mostly because nobody is there. Here is what changes and how rental use complicates it further.

Coinsurance and Insurance to Value: The 80 Percent Rule

Underinsuring a home can reduce what you collect on a partial loss, not just a total one. Here is how a coinsurance clause works and why replacement cost provisions depend on it.

Sinkholes, Landslides and the Earth Movement Exclusion

Standard home policies exclude earth movement, which covers far more than earthquakes. Here is what falls inside the exclusion and how Florida treats sinkholes differently.

Mold: What a Home Policy Covers and What It Caps

Mold coverage is usually excluded and then partly bought back with a low sublimit. Here is how causation decides a mold claim and what the limited fungi endorsement does.

This content is for general informational purposes only and is not insurance, legal, or financial advice. Coverage, exclusions, eligibility, and pricing vary by insurer, by policy, and by state, and only the policy documents control what is covered. Always confirm the details of any coverage with a licensed insurance agent or the issuing carrier before you buy.