Homeowners Insurance Companies Rated

ScissorTales: Fire suppression capabilities pay dividends for cities

The state is in the top three in auto insurance rates, largely because of foul weather, and among the top five in homeowners insurance rates. Insurance premiums are based on the expectation of claim payouts. This isn't greed. It's what keeps insurance firms solvent.

State Rep. Joe Dorman, D-Rush Springs, says Oklahoma has the highest percentage of communities with fire suppression capabilities rated as 10, the worst possible. The higher the rating, the higher the cost of insuring homes.

ISO, a New Jersey -based company that helps insurance companies determine risks, has tagged so many Oklahoma locations with the 10 rating that Dorman urges communities to improve fire suppression capabilities. “The good news is that even basic infrastructure improvements can generate significant savings in those communities,” Dorman said. “The addition of a fire truck or purchase of additional communication equipment can improve your ISO rating.”

The town of Fletcher in Comanche County , for example, improved its rating from 8 to 6. This means ISO's actuaries are more confident about Fletcher's ability to suppress fires.

Of course, adding a fire truck in a small town takes a toll on taxpayers. But what homeowners save on insurance may be far more than what they pay to improve firefighting capabilities.

Many of us have experienced the shock of opening up our cellphone bill and seeing a larger-than-normal cost. A father from Cheyenne, Wyo. , recently took a hammer to his 13-year-old daughter's cellphone after she racked up a $4,756.25 bill, which included more than 10,000 text messages. Fortunately, cellphone companies are taking matters into their own hands to ease this problem. This week they pledged to warn subscribers before they go over their monthly limits for calling minutes, text messages and data use. The pledge comes in response to a threat of regulation by the Federal Communications Commission . The warnings will arrive automatically as text messages, and should be in place on at least half of the nation's carriers in a year and all of them in two years. Cellphone users, especially parents, should be able to breathe easier knowing they'll at least be warned of overages.

Best Rated Homeowners Insurance Companies – How to Find Them | Car ...

Your home and its contents are probably your biggest investment, and you want to protect with insurance from an insurance company later. But how can you easily find the best quotes from listed companies home insurance? Here's how ...

The Internet is your answer

The Internet allows you to easily get quotes from the best rated insurance companies. First, you need to collect some basic information about your home and insurance needs, including the following:

* Size of your home. * Year your home was built. * How far away the nearest fire station and fire hydrant are. * Construction details about the home, such as the type of foundation, walls, and roof. * Amount of coverage you want. * Deductibles you want. * Safety features in the home, such as deadbolts, smoke alarms, fire extinguishers, and security systems.

Once you have this information, you can go to an insurance comparison site, fill out information about your homeowners insurance needs, and quickly receive quotes from A-rated homeowners insurance companies.

The best comparison sites even let you chat with insurance professionals online so you can ask questions and make sure you choose the best homeowners insurance company for you. (See link below.)

Check Their Ratings

By going through an insurance comparison site to select your homeowners insurance company , you know you’re getting a company that’s been rated to be reliable and financially sound. You can set your mind even more at ease by checking the company’s ratings on other sites. Again, the Internet will help you out:

* Go to the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) Web site (www.naic.org) and select your state. You’ll then go to your state’s Department of Insurance website. This website is maintained by the Insurance Commissioner and lists licensed agents, companies, and each company’s complaint ratio.

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