8 guides
Insurance guides
How the mechanics work, written for the moment just before you have to make a decision.
These explain concepts rather than quote figures. Where a sentence would need a dollar amount, a percentage or a statistic, it is written without one, because this site publishes numbers only where it holds a source it can cite for them.
How to read an insurance policy without reading all of it
A policy is four kinds of document stapled together. Knowing which part answers which question lets you check the things that decide a claim without reading the whole contract.
Published Auto, Homeowners, Renters, Business, Life, Pet, TravelRead the guideWhat a deductible actually costs you
A deductible is not a one-time cost. How it resets, how many can apply at once and whether it is a flat amount or a share of a limit all change what you are exposed to.
Published Auto, Homeowners, Renters, Business, Pet, TravelRead the guideActual cash value versus replacement cost
The same limit pays very differently depending on which valuation method the policy uses, and the method is often chosen for you by default.
Published Auto, Homeowners, Renters, BusinessRead the guideWhat insurance companies mean by an exclusion
Exclusions are not fine print bolted on to a policy. They are how coverage is defined, and there are only a few reasons any of them exist.
Published Auto, Homeowners, Renters, Business, Life, Pet, TravelRead the guideHow to compare two insurance companies fairly
Most comparisons are unfair by accident, because the two things being held up against each other were never the same thing. Here is how to make them comparable first.
Published Auto, Homeowners, Renters, Business, Life, Pet, TravelRead the guideWhat to do when a claim is denied
A denial is a decision with a stated reason, and the reason determines what you can do about it. Work out which kind you received before you argue with anyone.
Published Auto, Homeowners, Renters, Business, Life, Pet, TravelRead the guidePre-existing conditions in pet and travel insurance
Both products exclude conditions that existed before you bought, both define that in their own words, and in both cases the definition is read out of records you already have.
Published Pet, TravelRead the guideWhy the same coverage costs different amounts for different people
Identical coverage carries different prices because insurers are not pricing the coverage. They are pricing the expected cost of the risk behind it, and that is assembled from categories of factor.
Published Auto, Homeowners, Renters, Business, Life, Pet, TravelRead the guide