Independent agency
Your policy should be read before it’s needed, not after.
Common Cove places home, auto, renters, small business and umbrella cover with a panel of regional and national carriers — then goes through the limits and endorsements line by line with you, in plain language.
What we place
Five lines of cover, quoted with the detail that decides a claim
Every quote lists the limits we asked for and the endorsements we added. If a carrier comes back cheaper because something was removed, we tell you what was removed.
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01
Home & condo
We setDwelling limit against current rebuild cost, not the purchase price. Replacement-cost contents where the carrier offers it.
We checkWater backup, ordinance and law, scheduled items for rings and instruments, and the wind or coastal deductible wording.
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02
Auto, boat & trailer
We setBodily injury and property damage limits matched to what you own, plus uninsured and underinsured motorist at the same level.
We checkRental reimbursement, towing, glass wording, layup season for boats, and whether a trailer needs its own physical damage cover.
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03
Renters
We setContents limit built from a room-by-room list, loss-of-use cover, and personal liability that satisfies the lease.
We checkWhether a bicycle, laptop or studio gear needs scheduling, and whether roommates are named or separately insured.
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04
Small business & trades
We setGeneral liability, tools and equipment cover, and business personal property for a shop, van or home workshop.
We checkAdditional insured wording your client contracts demand, waiver of subrogation, and whether a hired-and-non-owned auto endorsement is required.
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05
Umbrella & term life
We setExcess liability stacked above the home and auto limits, and level term life sized to the mortgage and years of income you want covered.
We checkThat the underlying limits meet the umbrella carrier’s minimums, so the layer cannot be voided at the moment you rely on it.
Buying guidance
Four things to compare before you sign anything
Two quotes with the same premium are rarely the same policy. These are the clauses we read first, whether or not the policy comes from us.
01 Replacement cost or actual cash value
Actual cash value pays what a fifteen-year-old roof is worth today, not what a new one costs. Check the setting separately for the building, the roof and the contents — carriers often differ on all three.
02 Deductible arithmetic
A higher deductible lowers the premium, but only helps if you can pay it in a bad month. Compare the annual saving against the extra amount you would carry, and watch for separate percentage deductibles on wind or water.
03 Liability limits against what you own
Liability should reflect the assets and future earnings a judgment could reach, not the minimum that makes a quote look competitive. Raising it is usually the cheapest improvement on the page.
04 Endorsements and exclusions
Water backup, service line, ordinance and law, and scheduled valuables are frequently missing from the cheapest quote. Read the exclusions list alongside the premium, not after it.
If something happens
How a claim moves, start to close
You will not be handed a call centre number and left to it. Here is the sequence, so you already know it before you need it.
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Make it safe, then document
Stop the damage spreading and photograph everything before clean-up. Keep receipts for emergency repairs — most policies reimburse reasonable mitigation.
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Tell us first
Send a short description and the photos. We confirm what the policy actually covers before a claim is opened, so a small loss below your deductible is not filed for nothing.
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We file and track it
We submit the loss notice, pass the adjuster your documentation, and chase the file if it stalls. You are copied on everything we send.
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Repairs, payment and review
We check the settlement against the policy limits and endorsements, flag anything missed, then review your renewal so the cover reflects what you learned.
Timing
When it is worth asking for a review
Policies drift out of step with life quietly. Any of these is a good reason to have the declarations page read again.
- You bought, sold or refinancedMortgage clauses, dwelling limits and lender requirements all change at once.
- You finished a renovationA new kitchen, roof or extension raises rebuild cost — and sometimes lowers the premium.
- A driver joined or left the householdNew licences, a student moving away, or a vehicle changing hands all affect rating.
- You started earning on the sideClient work, rentals or deliveries are often excluded from a personal policy.
- You received a non-renewal noticeThere is usually more time to re-place cover than the letter suggests.
- Nothing changed for three yearsRates, rebuild costs and available endorsements all moved even if your life did not.
Your agent
I read the policy, not the brochure.
I spent nine years inside carrier claims departments before opening Common Cove, which is a useful education in how a policy behaves under pressure. The wording that matters is rarely in the marketing summary; it is in the endorsement list and the exclusions.
So every quote here comes with a short written note: what the limits are, what was added, what was deliberately left out, and what I would change if the budget allowed. If a competing quote is genuinely better for you, I will say so.
Rowan AlderLicensed agent · Common Cove Insurance
Questions we get weekly
Straight answers, before you get in touch
Do you charge a fee to quote or review a policy?
No. Quoting, reviewing your current declarations page and helping with a claim are all part of the agency relationship. We are paid a commission by the carrier that ultimately writes the policy, and that commission does not change which carrier we recommend.
What do you need from me to compare policies properly?
The declarations page from your current policy is the single most useful document — it lists limits, deductibles and endorsements together. For a home policy, add the year built, roof age and any renovations. For auto, the vehicle identification numbers and licence details of everyone who drives.
Is bundling home and auto always cheaper?
Often, but not always. A bundle discount can be outweighed by one carrier being poorly priced for your roof age, postcode or driving record. We quote the bundle and the two policies separately, then show you both totals side by side.
How much liability cover do I actually need?
Enough to protect what a judgment could reach: equity, savings, and future earnings. In practice that usually means raising the home and auto liability limits to the carrier’s highest tier and then adding an umbrella layer above them, which is typically the least expensive improvement available.
Will my premium rise if I file a claim?
It depends on the claim type, whether it was at fault, and your claims history. Weather claims are usually treated differently from liability claims. Before anything is filed we estimate whether the likely settlement is worth the rating impact, and for small losses near your deductible that answer is often no.
Can you help if I am mid-term with another agent?
Yes. Most policies can be cancelled mid-term with the unused premium returned pro rata, and we time the new policy to start the same day so there is never a gap. If your renewal is close, we usually hold the paperwork until then instead.
Do you issue certificates of insurance for contractors?
Yes, for commercial policies we place. Send the client’s requirements and the additional insured wording, and the certificate is issued the same working day. If a contract asks for cover your current policy does not carry, we will tell you what endorsement is needed before you sign it.
Request a quote or review
Tell us what needs covering
One short form. No obligation, and no call unless you ask for one.