Questions to ask an insurance agent before you decide.

Who provides the policy, and what are we comparing?

Ask for the insurer’s name, the policy type and who will handle service and claims. An agency brand and the insurer issuing a policy may be different. Confirm who to contact after purchase and how to verify the company and agent through your state’s insurance department.

Explain who will drive, live at or use the insured property. Mention relevant changes such as a rental arrangement or business use. Ask whether the quoted arrangement fits those facts rather than assuming a familiar product name answers everything.

Which losses are included, limited or excluded?

Give the agent two or three realistic situations and ask how the proposed policy addresses them. For a home, that could mean hail damage, water entering the building or a theft. For a vehicle, it might mean an at-fault collision, hail or the need for a temporary rental.

Ask what is excluded, which optional coverage could address a gap and what remains uncovered even with that option. A request to explain a scenario is useful; it is not a guarantee of payment for a future claim, which depends on the facts and policy.

What would I pay, and how would a claim be valued?

Ask for every applicable deductible in dollars, including any percentage or separate wind/hail deductible. Then ask how the damaged property would be valued. Replacement cost and actual cash value can produce different settlements, and roof or item-specific terms may differ from the headline coverage.

Ask whether limits apply to particular belongings or expenses, when documentation is needed, and whether payment depends on completing repairs. These questions reveal differences that a premium comparison can miss.

What does it cost, and when does it begin?

Review the full policy-term premium, payment schedule and applicable fees. Ask which discounts are included and what conditions must continue. Keep the coverage assumptions consistent when comparing prices.

Before deciding, confirm the proposed effective date, outstanding application requirements and what establishes active coverage. Save the written confirmation. For an existing policy, ask how changes should be requested and when the next review would be useful.

Bring your questions to our team.

Our Lubbock-based agency helps customers in Texas, New Mexico and Oklahoma discuss available options. Use the product page that matches your inquiry or Quote Help when you are unsure where to start. Bring your current declarations page for the conversation, while keeping private documents and sensitive identifiers out of the public form.

Keep exploring

Sources and coverage details

• GEICO: Insurance terms glossary
• Progressive: Questions to ask your auto insurer
• NAIC: Homeowners insurance shopping tool
• Texas Department of Insurance: Finding an agent or company

Sources checked October 17, 2026. These educational resources explain general insurance concepts; another insurer’s features are not a promise of coverage available through this agency. Coverage, eligibility, limits, deductibles and exclusions depend on the policy, insurer and state. An inquiry does not start or change coverage.