Evaluate
Every property is different from the year built to the construction type. That’s why our agents will evaluate the property to find the right coverage and insurance company.
Rater
We use superfast rating software that will calculate all our insurance carriers’ rates at one time. This process saves you time and money!
Bind
After we review the coverage, we can bind the policy over the phone and bill your mortgage company for the insurance. The process from start to finish takes less than 20 minutes.
Understanding Your Hurricane Deductible
In the State of Florida all property insurance policies have two (2) deductibles, Hurricane and All other Perils (AOP). The hurricane deductible can be a flat deductible or a percentage. The flat deductible can be as low as $500 and as high as $5,000. The flat deductible works just like an automobile deductible, you pay the deductible and the insurance company picks up the costs of the damages over the deductible. The flat deductible will charge the highest insurance premiums compared to the percentage deductible because the flat is usually a lesser deductible amount.
The percentage deductible, most commonly 2%, is the most affordable option and is accepted by all mortgage companies. It’s easiest to understand the percentage deducible in an example. If a hurricane causes damage to a home that is insured for $100,000 and you have a 2% hurricane deducible, then you pay the first $2,000, which is 2% of the insured value of the home, and the insurance carrier will pay for the rest of the damage. If the home is insured for $200,000 then the hurricane deductible would be $4,000. As the insured value of the home rises, so is the cost of the deductible.
In most cases it’s best to choose the flat hurricane deductible. It’s best to work with your agent to find out if the cost savings is worth the deductible option of percentage over flat.
Types of Properties we Insure
- Primary Site Built Homes
- Investment Properties
- Mobile Homes
Property Insurance Available Coverage:
- Dwelling
- Other Structures
- Personal Property with Replacement Cost
- Premises Liability
- Personal Liability
- Animal Liability
- Scheduled Items such as Jewelry and Guns
- Loss of Use
- Medical Payments
- Sinkhole Coverage
- Water Backup and Sump Overflow
- Screened Enclosures
Frequently Asked Questions
Who insures houses in Florida?
In most parts of Florida (including Pensacola), none of the National Insurance Carriers like State Farm, Nationwide, USAA and Allstate write home insurance unless hurricane damages are excluded from the policy. The State of Florida uses small domiciled insurance carriers that are bonded and reinsured by larger insurance companies like Berkshire Hathaway. In this case it is best to use an Independent Insurance Agency. They tend to have a lot more insurance companies available to quote because they’re not an exclusive agent for one insurance company.
Do I need to Buy Flood Insurance?
It is highly recommended to always buy Flood Insurance, even if you’re not in a flood zone. Over the past couple of years, we’ve seen large storm systems cause major flooding in areas that hasn’t seen floods in the past 50+ years. The cost of Flood Insurance is as low as $425 per year, making it a very affordable coverage option.
What are the biggest discounts available?
- 2002 and newer homes will generally pay less than homes built prior to 2002. Building codes in this part of the state changed in 2002 making the buildings more wind resistant.
- Brick Veneer and Hardie Board will get a lower premium than Vinyl Siding.
- Central Monitored Security and Fire System
- 2,000 feet and greater distance from the coast
- Hip Roof
Do I need a wind mitigation inspection?
Depending on when your home was built, as well as custom features, you may not. The building codes changed for Florida in 2001, so any home with a build date of 2002 or newer will automatically receive the credits required by the area. If your home is 2001 and older, a wind mitigation is advisable as it usually provides a significantly larger savings than the cost of the inspection. If your home was built in 2002 or newer you probably don’t need one. The only reason to spend the money is if you know you have features on the home greater than what the building code requires. An example would be; secondary water resistance on the roof or hurricane impact protection on all openings for a home that is not in the wind-borne debris region.
More on Hip vs. Gable Roof
Gable roof lines slop inward on two side forming a triangle shape. Hip roofs slop inward on all side forming a pyramid. Hip roofs in Florida get a substantial discount by the insurers because it has been proven to be more resistant to high winds such as hurricanes.
Hipped_v_gabled. Digital image. Wind Protection Information. Manatee County Florida, 21 Sept. 2009. Web. 2 Sept. 2016.
Why Barbee Jackson Insurance?
Our Insurance Agents are highly educated and customer service oriented to serve you and find the right coverage at the best price. We will be here for you before and after the storm. Call us today to get your Free, No Obligation home insurance quote (850) 389-2001