Personal Insurance
Your home is more than a policy. It’s everything you come back to.
From bungalows in Kenton to new builds in Hillsboro, we shop multiple carriers to get you coverage that reflects how Pacific Northwest houses actually fail.
Why An Independent Agent
Standard home insurance often isn’t enough in Oregon.
Oregon weather and Oregon ground both leave gaps in a standard policy. A national website will not tell you this, but we will. Earthquake damage is not covered at all. Sewer backup usually needs its own add-on. And wildfire risk is changing how carriers price whole neighborhoods.
Coverage
What we commonly place
Not every item applies to every situation. Part of our job is telling you which ones actually matter for you.
- Dwelling (Coverage A)
- Other structures (Coverage B)
- Personal property (Coverage C)
- Loss of use (Coverage D)
- Personal liability (Coverage E)
- Medical payments (Coverage F)
- Replacement cost on dwelling and contents
- Water and sewer backup endorsement
- Earthquake endorsement
- Scheduled valuables (jewelry, art, instruments)
- Service line and equipment breakdown
- Landlord / rental dwelling policies
In Detail
The parts worth understanding
The most common mistake we see is a dwelling limit set to what the house would sell for, or worse, to the mortgage balance. Neither is the right number.
You insure for the cost to rebuild: the materials, the labor, debris removal, and current code requirements. Land does not burn down, so a market value that includes an expensive lot can badly overstate it. On the other hand, an older home with detailed trim can cost far more to rebuild than it would sell for.
Standard Oregon homeowners policies do not cover earthquake damage at all. Given the Cascadia Subduction Zone, that is a big gap for most Portland homeowners.
Earthquake coverage is sold as an endorsement or a standalone policy. It usually has a percentage deductible instead of a flat dollar amount, often 10 to 20% of the dwelling limit. It is big protection for a big loss, not everyday coverage.
Water is the most misunderstood category on a homeowners policy, because the source determines the answer.
A burst supply line is usually covered. Sewer or drain backup usually is not, unless you have added the endorsement, and given the age of Portland’s infrastructure, we recommend it routinely. Rising surface water is flood, which is a separate policy entirely. Gradual seepage and long-term leaks are maintenance, and are excluded.
Fire is a covered peril on essentially every standard policy, and smoke damage generally is as well.
What has changed is availability. Carriers increasingly restrict or non-renew in higher-risk areas, and defensible space and roof material now affect both price and appetite. This is exactly where being independent earns its keep. If one carrier exits your area, we move you rather than leaving you to start over.
Local Knowledge
What actually damages Portland houses.
In four decades here, the claims we see are not surprising. Water gets in during long wet winters. Sewers back up in older neighborhoods. Wind knocks branches off tall Douglas firs. Cold snaps freeze pipes. And wildfire coverage keeps getting harder to find at the edge of the city. We write your policy for that real world, not an average one.
Bundle & save. Adding auto to your home policy usually saves 15 to 20% across both. We will also quote them apart. Sometimes splitting them really is cheaper, and we will tell you when it is.
Lisa and Keith answer the phone here. No call center, no robots. Just North Portland neighbors helping neighbors.
The Process
Is this difficult? Not with us.
Tell us about your situation
A few quick details about what you are insuring and what you have now.
We compare carriers
We shop multiple companies to find the best combination of coverage and price.
You get a clear recommendation
Straight answers, in plain language, and often same-day coverage.
Questions
Homeowners insurance questions
Is earthquake insurance required in Oregon?
No, but standard homeowners policies exclude earthquake damage entirely, so it is worth pricing given the Cascadia Subduction Zone risk.
How much dwelling coverage do I need?
Enough to rebuild the home at current construction costs, including code upgrades and debris removal. That figure is not the market value and not the mortgage balance.
Does homeowners insurance cover flooding?
No. Flood is a separate policy. A burst pipe is generally covered; rising surface water is not.
Is sewer backup covered?
Usually only if you have added the endorsement. Given the age of Portland's infrastructure we recommend it most of the time.
What is replacement cost versus actual cash value?
Replacement cost pays to replace with new property of like kind. Actual cash value deducts depreciation, which on an older roof or older contents can be a very large reduction.
Related coverage
Get your free homeowners insurance quote.
We respond the same day whenever possible.