In order to take a thorough and systematic approach to saving on your homeowner's insurance, Florida carriers should be identified and listed. Contacting as many homeowner's insurance carriers as possible for quotes will provide the best results.
It is important to note that some homeowner's insurance carriers are called “direct writers” and some are represented by agents. You can contact those homeowner's insurance carriers that are direct writers. For others, you will need to contact an agent that represents that company. Independent agents often write insurance for many different insurance companies so it is possible to get several quotes from one agent. Contacting more than one agent is recommended for a wide variety of quotations.
When dealing with a direct writer, your main contact with them is often through an Internet website, or via a toll free telephone number. When dealing with a direct writer, quotes will be limited to those insurance products offered by that company. You will also be limited to discounts offered by that insurer and is important to note that not all insurers offer the same discounts.
If you seek quotes from Independent Insurance Agents, consider that these are paid salespeople for insurance companies. They typically sell policies for several different insurance companies and several lines of business including homeowner's insurance, auto insurance and commercial insurance policies. Many who sell property and casualty insurance sell life insurance, health insurance, and long-term care insurance.
Guides are available for purchase that list homeowner's insurance companies Florida has operating within the state. Guides will typically provide lists of carriers that provide coverage for homes, condominiums, or dwelling fire policies. The advantage of using a guide like this is that lists contained in the guide are often sorted by the ratings of each company. This will allow you to choose the highest rated companies in your search. Insurance companies are rated by various rating bureaus, the most common being A.M. Best, Standard & Poors, and Demotech. Another advantage to using a guide is that at a glance you can tell which companies are direct writers and which companies write through agents.
Shopping around is just one strategy to finding lower cost homeowner's insurance. Florida insurance companies all offer varying rates and products, and policies can always be modified to reduce the amount of coverage or to raise deductibles. Doing either of these things can also reduce the cost of your insurance. Be sure to consider that lowering your coverage puts you at risk because a large loss may exceed your limits, and an increased deductible means that you will have to pay more toward a loss before your insurance coverage kicks in.