Homeowners Insurance Course
Who it’s for: People buying a home, especially for the first time, or who just did, with little or no insurance background.
Work through the modules in any order. Each lesson, term, and scenario counts once you’ve actually read it, and the course is complete when everything is done and you pass the final assessment.
What you’ll be able to do
You can read your own homeowners policy, spot the gaps that matter for your house, and know what to ask your insurer before something goes wrong.
Key numbers
- 80%Share of replacement cost most companies require you to insure your house for
- 30 daysUsual wait before a new NFIP flood policy starts (no wait when bought with a mortgage)
- $250,000 / $100,000NFIP flood limits for a home's building and its contents
- 10% to 20%How a policy might limit additional living expenses, as a share of dwelling coverage
- 1 yearA claim deadline some policies set, unless you show good cause for the delay
Module 1
Before you close
What your insurer will care about in the house you're buying, and what your policy won't pay for because it was already there.
- LessonDoes Homeowners Insurance Cover Damage That Was There Before You Bought the House?
- LessonBuying a House With an Old Roof: What It Means for Your Homeowners Insurance
- LessonBuying an Older Home: The Wiring and Plumbing That Can Make It Hard to Insure
- LessonFlorida's 4-Point Inspection: What It Is and What Happens If Your Home Doesn't Pass
- LessonWhat an Insurance Binder Does Before You Close on a House
- LessonBuying a Home in a Flood Zone: When Your Lender Requires Flood Insurance
- TermUnderwriting
Module 2
How much house to insure
Why the purchase price is the wrong number, and what "replacement cost" and "actual cash value" mean when you have to rebuild.
- LessonHow Much Dwelling Coverage Do You Actually Need to Rebuild Your Home?
- LessonReplacement Cost vs. Actual Cash Value: Which Should Your Home Policy Have?
- LessonRenovating Your Home: When to Tell Your Insurer
- LessonRebuilding Costs Went Up: Is Your Dwelling Limit Still Enough at Renewal?
- TermDwelling Coverage
- TermReplacement Cost Value (RCV)
- TermActual Cash Value (ACV)
- TermCoverage Limit
Module 3
What your policy leaves out
The exclusions that catch new owners, and the water damage that is and isn't covered.
- LessonWhat Does Standard Homeowners Insurance Actually Exclude?
- LessonHO-3 vs. HO-5 Homeowners Insurance: What's the Difference?
- LessonBurst Pipe, Sewer Backup or Flood: Why the Source of Water Matters
- LessonFlood Insurance Building vs. Contents Coverage: What Each Pays For
- TermExclusion
- TermWater Backup Coverage
- ScenarioBasement Flooded
- ScenarioWater Pipe Burst
Module 4
Paying for your policy
What drives your premium, how your deductible works, and whether bundling actually saves money.
- LessonShould You Bundle Home and Auto Insurance After Buying Your First House?
- LessonHow Much Is a 2% Hurricane or Wind Deductible in Dollars?
- LessonIs Your Escrow Payment the Same as Your Homeowners Insurance Premium?
- LessonWhat Happens if Your Homeowners Insurance Lapses and You Have a Mortgage?
- LessonHome Insurance Cancellation vs. Nonrenewal: What Each Notice Means
- TermPremium
- TermDeductible
- TermRenewal
Module 5
When something goes wrong
How common home claims usually play out, and where you'd live while your home is repaired.
- LessonHow Does a Home Inventory Help After a Loss, and What Should It Include?
- LessonWhy Your Home Insurance Claim Check Is Made Out to Your Mortgage Company
- LessonFirst Steps After Your Home Is Damaged: What to Do Before the Adjuster Comes
- LessonAdditional Living Expenses: What to Track While You Can't Live at Home
- LessonHow Long Do You Have to File a Home Insurance Claim?
- ScenarioTree Fell On My House
- ScenarioRoof Damaged By Hail
- TermLoss of Use
- TermPublic Adjuster
Module 6
Protecting yourself, not just the house
Liability when someone is hurt at your home, and when extra liability coverage is worth a look.
Final assessment
10 questions across the whole course. Score 70% or more, with every module item done, to complete the course. Retake it as often as you like: each retake gives you new versions of the questions you’ve seen, and getting those right raises your Insurance IQ.
Take the assessment →Your first-home insurance checklist
- Confirm your policy starts on your closing date, not your move-in date.
- Ask your insurer for the replacement cost estimate behind your dwelling limit, and whether it matches a real rebuild cost.
- Find how your policy treats flood, earthquake, sewer backup, mold, and wear and tear.
- Know your deductible, and whether you have a separate wind or hail deductible.
- Record your roof's age and material, and ask how your insurer settles roof claims (replacement cost or actual cash value).
- Keep your home inspection report and seller disclosures with your policy documents.
- Make a home inventory (photos or video) before you need it.
- Check your personal liability limit, and whether it fits what you want to protect.
Questions to ask your insurer
- What replacement cost estimate is my dwelling limit based on, and when was it last updated?
- Does my policy settle roof claims at replacement cost or actual cash value?
- What does my policy exclude, especially flood, earthquake, sewer backup and mold?
- Do I have a separate wind, hail or hurricane deductible, and how much is it in dollars?
- Is this home in a high-risk flood zone, and does my lender require flood insurance?
- How much additional living expense coverage do I have, and for how long?
- What is my deadline to report a claim?
- Does my policy have an inflation guard?
Where to go next
Educational information, not advice: This course is general education, not legal, financial, or insurance advice. Coverage depends on your policy’s wording, your insurer, and the laws of your state. Insurpedia does not sell insurance and does not recommend specific insurers.