Compare homeowners or renters insurance quotes side by side

Type in the numbers from two or three quotes (no policy numbers or address); get one comparison table, the differences that matter and questions to ask each agent.

What it does

No bot required. Whether you're buying a home and your lender needs proof of insurance before closing, renewing a policy whose price jumped, or signing a lease and shopping for renters insurance, the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (the group of state insurance regulators) has a free shopping worksheet. It suggests getting at least three quotes and comparing the same lines on each: dwelling limit, personal property limit, personal liability, medical payments, additional living expenses (loss of use), ordinance or law coverage, and deductibles. Check whether the deductible is a flat dollar amount or a percentage, and whether there's a separate hurricane, wind/hail or roof deductible. The NAIC says to set the dwelling limit by the estimated cost to rebuild, not the purchase price or market value, and warns that if your coverage lapses, your lender will likely buy a policy for you that costs more and only covers the structure. The biggest difference between quotes is often how a claim gets paid. Actual cash value (ACV) subtracts wear and tear and often doesn't pay enough to fully repair or replace things. Replacement cost (RCV) pays to repair or replace with like kind and quality, but many policies pay only ACV until you actually repair or replace. The common forms are HO-3 (the most common), HO-5 (more coverage), HO-8 (for older homes where rebuilding costs more than market value), a tenants form for renters (your belongings), and a condo unit owners form. Most policies don't cover floods or earthquakes, which need separate policies (see FloodSmart.gov), and many have dollar limits on jewelry, firearms, collectibles and similar items. Ask about extras like sewer or sump pump backup and equipment breakdown. Insurers may also look at a credit-based insurance score and your CLUE claims history. Type the quote numbers into any chat AI and it builds the side-by-side table and the questions. It doesn't pick a policy for you. Your agent and your state insurance department can answer what it can't.

Copy-paste prompt

No bot needed: paste this into Grok, ChatGPT, or Claude.

Help me compare home or renters insurance quotes side by side. Use the NAIC's "A Shopping Tool for Homeowners Insurance" and "A Consumer's Guide to Home Insurance" as background. Explain and compare; don't recommend a company or tell me which policy to buy.

I'm: [buying a home, closing on [date] / renewing my homeowners policy / renting / buying a condo]. Home: [year built, roughly how many square feet, roof age; or "apartment"].
For each quote (no policy numbers, names or address):
- Company: [ ]; policy form (HO-3, HO-5, HO-8, renters, condo, not sure): [ ]
- Dwelling limit: [ ]; ACV or replacement cost: [ ]
- Other structures: [ ]; personal property limit: [ ]; ACV or replacement cost: [ ]
- Liability: [ ]; medical payments: [ ]; loss of use / additional living expenses: [ ]
- Deductibles: all-other-perils [ ]; wind/hail or hurricane [ ]; roof [ ]
- Extras: sewer/sump backup, ordinance or law, equipment breakdown, scheduled jewelry or other items: [ ]
- Annual premium: [ ]
[repeat for each quote]

1. Put all the quotes in one table, same rows in the same order. Mark anything missing as "ask."
2. Point out the differences that matter most: different dwelling limits, ACV vs replacement cost, flat vs percentage deductibles, separate roof or wind deductibles, and missing extras. Show the deductible in dollars if it's a percentage.
3. Remind me the dwelling limit should be based on the cost to rebuild, not the price I paid or the market value. For renters, that line doesn't apply. Focus on belongings and liability.
4. Ask me about things that often aren't covered: flood and earthquake (separate policies), sewer or sump pump backup, and limits on jewelry, firearms, collectibles or other valuables I own.
5. Write 5-8 questions to ask each agent, like: Will you pay full replacement cost up front or only after repairs? Does the dwelling limit adjust for inflation? What discounts are available? Does the policy cover my roof differently?
6. If I'm buying, remind me to send the lender proof of insurance before closing and keep coverage from lapsing. Suggest my state insurance department's website for complaint information about the companies.

What you need

• Any chat AI (Grok, ChatGPT, Claude)
• Two or three written quotes
• Your home's basics (year built, square feet, roof age) or your apartment details

Sources

• NAIC: A Shopping Tool for Homeowners Insurance (PDF, comparison worksheet, ACV vs RCV, questions to ask)
• NAIC: A Consumer's Guide to Home Insurance (PDF, policy forms incl. renters and condo, flood)
• Related: Check the flood map before you buy or rent
• Related: Room-by-room home inventory for insurance
• Related: Read your escrow statement in plain words

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