Scottsdale, Arizona
Home insurance that pays what it said it would
Almost nobody reads a homeowners policy until they need it, which is the worst possible moment to learn what is in it. We read it first — the rebuild figure, the roof settlement terms, the wind deductible — and put it in writing.
An independent agency in Scottsdale, comparing more than thirty carriers. Writing Arizona homes since 2016.
Get a free coverage auditRebuild, not resale
The number most policies get wrong
A homeowners policy is meant to rebuild your house, not to buy you another one. Those are different numbers — market value includes the land, and the land does not burn down.
The trouble is that rebuild cost moves. Labour and materials have gone one direction for several years, and a dwelling limit set when the policy was written can quietly stop being enough while the premium keeps arriving on time. Nothing tells you. It surfaces at the claim.
Re-rating that figure is the first thing we do, and it is free.
Monsoon season is a settlement question
Arizona wind, blown debris and hail are typically covered. What varies — a lot — is how the policy settles a roof, and whether the wind deductible is a flat amount or a percentage of the dwelling limit.
On an older roof, actual cash value settlement pays the depreciated value rather than the cost of a new one. That is often the whole difference between a repaired roof and a bill you were not expecting. Worth checking in May, not August.
What we check
Six lines that decide what you collect
You can read these off your own declarations page in about ten minutes. We do it for free and send back a signed letter, but there is nothing stopping you checking first.
Dwelling limit
The rebuild figure. Check it against what building actually costs now rather than what the policy was written at.
Roof settlement
Replacement cost or actual cash value. On an older tile or shingle roof this single line decides most of what a monsoon claim pays.
Wind and hail deductible
Often separate from your standard deductible, and sometimes a percentage of the dwelling limit rather than a flat figure.
Loss of use
What the policy pays to house you while the home is repaired. Easy to overlook and expensive to discover you are short on.
Scheduled items
Jewellery, art, firearms and collections are capped low under standard contents limits unless they are listed individually.
Liability and umbrella
The limit that answers a lawsuit. A pool, a trampoline, or a teenage driver all raise the number you ought to be carrying.
Questions
What Scottsdale homeowners actually ask
How much should my Scottsdale home be insured for?
For what it would cost to rebuild it today, not what it would sell for. Market value includes the land, which does not burn down. Rebuild cost moves with construction labour and materials, and a policy written years ago is often still rating on the older figure.
Why did my Arizona home insurance go up when I had no claims?
Rates are set on the pool, not on you individually. Statewide claim costs, the price of the reinsurance your carrier buys, and what it now costs to repair a roof all move your premium whether or not you filed anything. It is a normal reason to re-shop, and not a reason to assume you did something wrong.
Does my policy cover monsoon and haboob damage?
Wind and windblown debris are typically covered, but the deductible and the roof settlement terms decide what you actually collect. Some Arizona policies settle older roofs on actual cash value rather than replacement cost, which can be the difference between a repaired roof and a fraction of one. It is worth knowing which you have before the season, not after.
What if my insurer non-renews me?
A non-renewal is not a claim against you and it does not make you uninsurable. It usually means the carrier changed its appetite for a roof age, a location, or a claim pattern. An independent agency shops the carriers whose appetite still fits. Bring the notice with you — the reason stated on it narrows the search considerably.
Do you write condos and rentals as well as houses?
Yes — condo, renters, and landlord policies on rental property, alongside standard homeowners. Second homes and seasonal properties are common in this market and are written differently from a primary residence.
How many carriers do you compare?
More than thirty. Sullivan James is an independent agency, so the comparison is across carriers rather than within one company's product list.
Just been non-renewed? Arizona gives you more rights than the letter suggests. Insuring a home above roughly $2M, or one with collections, custom construction or trust ownership? That is a different market and a different page — high-value home insurance.
Send us the declarations page
One document, and within 48 hours you hear exactly where you stand — with the signed letter following in the post. Free, and no obligation to move anything.
Request your coverage auditOr call (480) 382-7332.