I'm an Insurance Agent. Here's What I'd Never Skip on My Own Policy

People ask us this all the time: "What do you actually carry on YOUR policy?"

Fair question. Here's an honest answer. These are the coverages I pay for on my own policies — not because I'm required to, but because I've seen what happens when people don't have them.

Actual cash value sounds fine until you file a claim and the insurance company hands you $200 for a couch that costs $800 to replace. I carry replacement cost on my home and my contents. The premium difference is small. The claim difference is massive.

State minimums exist because someone had to pick a number. They're not recommendations — they're the bare floor. I carry well above minimums on my auto and my home. One bad accident and $25,000 in liability coverage disappears before the ambulance leaves the scene.

This is the one most people have never heard of. An umbrella policy sits on top of your auto and home liability — usually $1 million or more of extra protection. It costs me a few hundred dollars a year. I've seen claims where people needed every dollar of it.

Your homeowners policy covers a lot — but it doesn't cover mechanical or electrical failure of your home's systems. If your furnace dies, your AC unit burns out, or an electrical short causes your water heater to fail, that's not a covered claim on a standard policy. Equipment breakdown coverage fills that gap for a few dollars a month. I've seen these repairs run $5,000-$15,000. I'll keep paying the extra few bucks.

I live in West Virginia. Deer, falling trees, hail, theft — comprehensive covers all of it. And collision is there for the rest. There does come a point on an older vehicle where carrying both might not make sense anymore — but that's a conversation worth having with your agent, not a decision to make on your own based on a guess.

This is the one people overlook. West Virginia roads throw gravel. A lot. Windshield claims are one of the most common claims we see — and most carriers don't charge you more at renewal for a glass claim. Full glass coverage means I get my windshield replaced with no deductible and no penalty. There's no reason not to carry it.

I'm not going to tell you to buy everything. There are coverages I skip because they don't make sense for my situation. That's the point — your policy should fit your life, not someone else's checklist.

But the stuff above? I'd never drop it. I've seen too many claims go sideways when people didn't have these coverages to save a few bucks a month.

Curious how your policy stacks up? Give us a call at our Point Pleasant office. We'll go through it line by line — no pressure, no pitch.

*This is general information, not specific advice for your situation. Every policy is different.*