Ensuring your peace of mind.

If you own your own home, even if you don’t have a mortgage, it is imperative to have homeowners insurance. As a local independent agent, Cato Insurance Group represents several different carriers so we can find one that is right for you at a price you can afford. You can rest assured that all of these insurance companies have a rating from Demotech of an “A Exceptional Financial Stability Rating” or better.

If you shop around for prices on homeowners insurance, it is most important that you are getting a policy that gives you guaranteed replacement cost coverage. That means the policy will pay for what it costs to replace your loss today, not what it cost when you acquired it.

Give us a call today at 1-888-775-CATO (2286) and we’ll make sure you have the coverage you need to protect your home. If you already know the coverage you want, click here for a free quote.

The basics of homeowners insurance.

- Dwelling is actually the home you live in. The price you paid for your home or what you could sell it for in today’s real estate market is not the amount you would insure it for. As an independent agent, Cato Insurance Group will determine what it will cost to replace your home if it became unlivable, whether due to a hurricane, fire or other peril.

- Loss of use covers living expenses if you can not live in your home while repairs are made or you are denied access by a government order.

- Other structures covered by your homeowners policy are detached garages, storage sheds and fixtures attached to the land such as fences, sidewalks, patios, and retaining walls. If you have a screened-in pool, you should be aware that many carriers don’t insure pool cages unless you request it. Cato Insurance Group will find a company that will insure it.

- Personal property covers the contents of your home and other personal items owned by you or family members who live with you. That would include furniture, electronics, household items and the like. Some policies have coverage limits, but extra coverage is available by adding endorsements to your policy. The policy can be based on actual value or replacement cost. You’ll want to be sure you are getting replacement cost.

If you’re a non-renewable State Farm or Nationwide customer, we offer a special option. We will insure your jewelry for the first 12 months when you submit the declarations page. When your new policy is up for renewal, only then will we need an appraisal to write the endorsement.

- Liability insurance provides coverage against a claim or lawsuit arising from bodily injury or property damage to others caused by you or family members on your property or elsewhere in the course of your activities. We will help you determine how much liability insurance you need to protect yourself against unfortunate events. We also offer a Personal Umbrella policy that will provide coverage for higher amounts and additional claims.

- Medical coverage pays for medical expenses for people who are accidentally injured on your property.

Flood insurance is not covered under your homeowners insurance policy.

What determines the cost of my homeowners
insurance policy?

There are several factors that will determine the price of your policy. We will ask you many questions about your home such as:

• When was your home built?
• What kind of roof do you have? (hip, gable, mansard etc. with tile, metal or shingle)
• Do you have a pool?
• Do you own a pet?

Other factors that are considered are:

• Claim history
• Continuous coverage
• Coverage limits on the dwelling and personal property
• The deductibles: the higher deductible the lower the premium, but that increases your out-of-pocket expenses. In Florida, there are two deductibles. One for hurricane (2 percent of the dwelling) and one for all other perils.
• Credits and discounts: The most common credit is for wind mitigation which can represent a 60 percent savings on the premium. Discounts are given for monitored alarms for burglar and fire.


The companies we keep.

All of these insurance companies have a rating from Demotech of an “A Exceptional Financial Stability Rating” or better.

• Castle Key, An Allstate Company
• St. Johns Insurance Company
• Universal Insurance Company of North America
• Argus Fire and Casualty
• Citizens
• Homeowners Choice
• Southern Fidelity
• Southern Oak
• United Property and Casualty
• Royal Palm Insurance Company
• Chubb
• Fireman’s Fund