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        • Our Agency
        • Skeele Insurance Agency has a rich history of serving and protecting both the people and businesses of upstate New York for more than 60-years.

          What started out as a single location in the home of its founder, Col. Charles W. Skeele, is now a six-location agency with a staff of local professionals representing dozens of regional and national companies.

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        • Skeele Insurance Agency is an independent insurance agency. We represent dozens of top-rated companies, not just one such as Farmers, State Farm, or American Family.

          By representing multiple companies, we can assure our customers the right fit, which includes the right coverage and a great value when it comes to price.

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      Every so often we publish an article that we think would be of interest to our policyholders. Check back often to learn about personal and commercial insurance, risk management, safety, or home maintenance.

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      • Affordable Home Insurance February 11, 2021
      • How to Find Affordable Auto Insurance December 8, 2020
      • 10 Rules for Buying A Home During COVID-19 December 1, 2020
      • Why You Need Liability Insurance July 15, 2020
      • Open By Appointment Only Effective July 7, 2020 July 13, 2020
  • Locations
        • Waterville
        • 125 W Main St., Waterville, NY 13480
          Phone: 315-797-3515
          Emergency: 315-436-1458 Mike Skeele
          Fax: 315-682-5143
          Email: watervilleoffice@skeele.com

        • Moravia
        • 10 Central St., Moravia NY 13118
          Phone: 315-497-0410
          Emergency: 315-436-1459 Matt Skeele
          Fax: 315-682-5143
          Email: moraviaoffice@skeele.com

        • Manlius
        • 226 Fayette St., Manlius, NY 13104
          Phone: 315-682-5141
          Emergency: 315-436-1458 Mike Skeele
          Fax: 315-682-5143
          Email: Manliusoffice@skeele.com

        • Chittenango
        • 920A East Genesee St., Chittenango, NY 13037
          Phone: 315-687-3901
          Emergency: 315-480-2525 Shawn Skeele
          Fax: 315-682-5143
          Email: Chittenangooffice@skeele.com

        • DeRuyter
        • 1715 Albany St. P.O. Box 459, DeRuyter, NY 13052
          Phone: 315-852-6180
          Emergency: 315-436-1458 Mike Skeele
          Fax: 315-682-5143
          Email: Deruyteroffice@skeele.com

        • Cazenovia
        • 9 Albany Street Ste 2F, Cazenovia, NY 13035
          Phone: 315-655-2878
          Emergency: 315-380-7727 Shea Skeele
          Fax: 315-682-5143
          Email: Cazenoviaoffice@skeele.com

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Affordable Home Insurance

February 11, 2021 By Matt Skeele

Upscale Living Room

Your home may be the biggest investment you ever make, so it makes sense to protect it with home insurance. In many cases, homeowners insurance is required under the terms of a mortgage. Regardless, home insurance is also a sound investment that will keep your family afloat if you ever have a fire, theft or other covered loss. At the same time, it can be a major expense. Keep reading to learn how to find affordable home insurance in New York.

Homeowners Insurance Basics: What’s Covered?

Home insurance policies vary, but a standard homeowners insurance policy will cover the following:

  • Your home’s structure. This can include the house as well as other structures on your property, such as a garage or shed.
  • Your personal belongings. The average family accumulates a substantial value in personal belongings, including furniture, clothes, electronics and more. Coverage may apply to certain losses that occur outside of the home, for example, if your laptop is stolen while you are traveling.
  • Personal liability protection. Homeowners insurance typically provides some personal liability protection. This coverage may apply if a guest is injured on your property, for example, or if your dog injures someone.
  • Additional living expenses. If your home is uninhabitable, additional living expenses (ALE) coverage can pay for your hotel and other associated fees.

Homeowners Insurance: Named Perils versus All Risk

A homeowners insurance policy can operate on a named-perils or all-risk basis.

  • A named-perils home insurance policy lists the types of losses that are covered. Losses that are not listed are not covered.
  • An all-risk home insurance policy lists the losses that are excluded from coverage. Losses that are not excluded are covered. Despite the name, all-risk home insurance policies don’t really cover all risks – they just cover all risks that aren’t specifically excluded.

Whether you go with a named-perils or all-risk homeowners insurance policy, some losses will typically be excluded. For example, standard homeowners insurance policies do not cover flood or earthquake damage, but these coverages can be purchased separately. Standard homeowners insurance policies also typically exclude damage caused by wear and tear or the homeowners negligence – the homeowner is responsible for regular maintenance. Other losses may also be excluded, and coverage may vary from policy to policy.

In addition to the exclusions, you also need to pay attention to the limits in your homeowners insurance policy. Insurance companies will only pay claims up to the limit of the policy, so it’s important to make sure your limits are high enough to cover your expenses if you experience a total loss, such as a fire that destroys your home. Many home insurance policies also include a coinsurance clause that can penalize the policyholder for underinsuring a home, even if the claim is lower than the limit. If the value of your home changes, you will need to update your limits occasionally.

Choosing the Right Affordable Home Insurance

The terms HO-2, HO-3, HO-5, etc. are often used to describe different types of homeowners insurance policies. HO-3 home insurance is common, but HO-5 home insurance can provide more robust coverage. HO-2 home insurance, on the other hand, provides less coverage and may not be accepted by mortgage providers. Other types of home insurance fill different needs, such as insurance for renters.

If you’re looking for cheap homeowners insurance, you might be interested in a bare HO-3 policy with only standard homeowners insurance coverage. However, the cheapest homeowners insurance isn’t always the best homeowners insurance. If a loss occurs, you may not have the coverage you need, and that’s not a situation you want to find yourself in.

Build the Homeowners Insurance Coverage You Need

Instead of going with the minimum home insurance possible, consider adding home endorsements that give you exactly what you need.

Popular New York home insurance endorsements and options include the following:

  • Replacement cost coverage. Homeowners insurance policies can pay claims based on either the actual cash value or the replacement cost. Because the actual cash value can be less than the replacement cost – due in part to depreciation – this can leave you with less money than you need to recover. Replacement cost coverage addresses this issue.
  • Water backup and sewer. Many homeowners insurance policies exclude damage caused by water backup and sewer issues. These losses are fairly common and can be devastating, so consider a policy that includes coverage for these losses.
  • Personal injury. Homeowners insurance policies don’t typically provide coverage for personal injury claims, but this coverage can be added through an endorsement.
  • Scheduled personal property. Separate limits may apply to home insurance coverage for personal belongings. High-value items, such as jewelry, antiques and fine art, may need to be scheduled separately to make sure you have sufficient coverage.
  • Home-based business. Although homeowners insurance provides some coverage for both belongings and liabilities, business losses may be excluded. If you work from home, you may need additional coverage to cover your home-based business.

There are many other endorsements available. Our agents can help you determine which endorsements meet your needs.

Take Advantage of Common Home Insurance Discounts

Getting the best homeowners insurance coverage shouldn’t require paying an arm and a leg. Common home insurance discounts can help you find affordable coverage that still meets your needs.

Homeowners insurance companies often offer the following home insurance discounts:

  • Package/bundling discounts for homeowners who also purchase other types of insurance, such as auto insurance and umbrella insurance.
  • Loyalty/renewal discounts for long-term homeowners insurance policyholders.
  • Claim-free discounts for homeowners insurance policyholders who have not had to file claims.

Navigate Options from Different Homeowners Insurance Companies

Finding the best coverage can be difficult, especially when different insurance companies offer different coverages and rates.

Independent insurance agents contract with multiple insurance carriers, giving you many insurance companies and policy types to choose from. In addition to helping you compare insurance companies, an independent insurance agent can also help you choose the right limits, deductibles and optional coverage types to fit your needs. For help finding affordable home insurance in New York, contact Skeele Insurance Agency.

Filed Under: Home

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About Matt Skeele

Matt is an agent of Skeele Agency Insurance. He can be reached at 315-687-3901, or by email at mattskeele@skeele.com.

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Thanks for the Reviews!

Fast and easy service. Biggest plus is they don't blow up your email or text messages with useless information.
John P.
John P.
11:55 16 Dec 20
It was real easy give them your info and they do the work for you. It was all electronic I will definitely reccomend people
Raymond J.
Raymond J.
12:05 20 Nov 20
Easy and extra helpful. What more can you ask for?
brandon R.
brandon R.
16:10 01 Oct 20
Jen is awesome! Absolutely great to work with.
Joe L.
Joe L.
14:46 11 Sep 20
One of the few local insurance companies that will do renters insurance with a bully breed dog. Very accommodating and very personable staff
Pamela C.
Pamela C.
13:49 21 Jul 20
Friendly, patient, and very helpful with our many questions. Open for questions and helped us with pros and cons of our services.
David B.
David B.
15:46 31 May 20
Shayna is fantastic! Anytime we need anything, I just give a call to the office, and they are always there to help.
jen w
jen w
15:54 25 May 20
We have been very pleased with the VERY friendly people at the Skeele Agency. They are always very helpful and professional and pleasant. They are very quick to help and get the insurance in place. We do recommend them to others.
Mary Jane F.
Mary Jane F.
18:57 22 May 20
Great place, nice people, very helpful.
Dan B.
Dan B.
22:16 04 Feb 20
Skeele Insurance Agency has alway provided us with excellent customer service. The employees are always helpful, and they’re always willing to get our questions answered.
Heather H.
Heather H.
18:44 04 Feb 20
Skeele is a wonderful choice for all your insurance needs! They are quick to respond, they're great about answering all questions, make it SUPER easy, and very helpful!
DeAnne M.
DeAnne M.
17:03 04 Feb 20
quick and good prices, friendly staff, highly recommend!
Gethel C.
Gethel C.
16:22 23 Jan 20
High quality insurance agency! Very knowledgable and responsive. They make insurance easy and are adept at finding policies to fit many different situations.
Matthew L.
Matthew L.
10:01 01 Oct 19
Very knowledgeable and courteous staff. Great pricing and good people to do business with.
Julia K.
Julia K.
17:01 16 Jul 19
The personal attention and quick response is terrific. I love that you're available if I have any questions and are willing to work to achieve what is best for me.
sally E.
sally E.
16:15 10 Jul 19
It was very nice to reach out to Jacki and her colleagues and through their vast experience and knowledge they were able to put together an insurance package that pertained to me and my businesses needs. Skeele insurance was able to save me a significant amount of money compared to my prior insurance provider therefore I'm able to put more money back into my business and less time worrying about running costs.
George S.
George S.
18:33 30 May 19
Shayna is great to work with. I have been with the Skeele Agency for over 10 years now and they have all ways been there for my business. If I have a question or need certificates, Shayna is the one to take care of it.
John B.
John B.
14:16 03 May 19
They are very very helpful friendly easy to work with and they know their stuff
Tammy J.
Tammy J.
16:03 30 Apr 19
We were actually referred to Jen and the Skeele Agency by a friend and she bent over backwards with very little notice to help us obtain our home owners insurance! She did right by us and we're very happy.
Corey M.
Corey M.
19:03 27 Apr 19
Very efficient and had the correct information as it pertained to NYS insurance requirements
Gerard T.
Gerard T.
16:55 17 Apr 19
Upfront and perfect. office managerShayna is excellent solving problems.knows the in and out of insurance. I asked her questionsshe responds with knowledge of the subject.Pleasant office. tastefully decorated. We are happy with theSkeele Agency. Thank you.
Barbara S.
Barbara S.
17:46 29 Mar 19
I have been very impressed with not only the savings in money for my personal and business needs (which is a few thousand total) but the genuine concern Skeele Insurance has for myself and my business. Proper insurance is huge and Matt took several hours educating me on how to get exactly what I needed!! Skeele Insurance has won my business that’s for sure!!
Patrick S.
Patrick S.
22:03 19 Mar 19
They are courteous, competent and experienced. Plus their agency is conveniently located right in town 😄. What more could a customer ask for?
Sherry P.
Sherry P.
17:23 15 Feb 19
The Skeele Agency was referred to us by our mortgage broker. They did not disappoint. Very professional, helpful and easy to work with.
Robin L.
Robin L.
20:33 09 Feb 19
Awesome staff
Renata O.
Renata O.
01:21 21 Jan 19
We have worked with Skeele Insurance from the start of our business and it’s been a pleasure every step of the way. Matt always responds promptly to any questions and explains thoroughly any new insurance we need as we grow our business. They also have great communication between all the offices which is very helpful if you’re in the area of an office you don’t usually stop in at.
Harvey Seals L.
Harvey Seals L.
15:32 08 Jan 19
Good people take care of you in your time of need
Mike M.
Mike M.
16:56 06 Jan 19
Service is always top notch. Personnel always pleasant and helpful. I have been a customer for over 38 years
Ron B.
Ron B.
15:16 22 Dec 18
The Skeele Agency is Awesome!Shayna has always been really helpful and friendly and informative and she has always helped me get everything done quickly and efficiently!
Becky T.
Becky T.
17:23 06 Dec 18
You always promptly answer my call and solve any issues with both my business and personal accounts. You and your staff are courteous and energetic about answering questions and provide excellent customer service. Thank you for always working with me.
Denise K.
Denise K.
16:19 26 Nov 18
Always available, always attentive to my needs, always looking to get better coverage for lower premiums - very much appreciated
Paul B.
Paul B.
18:32 20 Nov 18
Maureen was pleasant, understanding and helpful during a stressful time. She took the extra time to call my previous insurance company for me, in order to complete the process in one visit. Allowing me to purchase a policy and get on with my day!!
Autumn F.
Autumn F.
18:27 20 Nov 18
We purchased our car and home insurance from the Skeele Agency 2 years ago. We wanted to work with a local agency. We were very pleased with our experience with Maurine Brown. She spent lots of time with us and answered all our questions. We just purchased a new car and decided to stay with the Skeele Agency. Couldn't ask for better service.
Jeff P.
Jeff P.
20:48 16 Nov 18
The last time my policy came up[ for renewal I did a comparison with other company's. I did find a quote that was less but I stayed with the Skeele agency. I did not want to risk losing the level of service that the Skeele agency provides.
David M.
David M.
22:19 08 Nov 18
The agents answer any questions promptly and are very helpful.
Willinette C.
Willinette C.
17:25 01 Nov 18
I appreciated that they took time to explain my questions and concerns. They were very honest people to deal with.
Laurie K.
Laurie K.
13:19 31 Oct 18
Shawn Skeele always takes the time to answer my questions thoroughly and make recommendations that are in my best interest. He's never too busy to call and explain an answer in detail or run a quote to see if I can get a better price.
Kristen L.
Kristen L.
16:12 23 Oct 18
The whole process of switching agencies was easy and Matt Skeele couldn't have been any more helpful. Every time a question has come up we will email Matt and he responds almost immediately. Switching from Allstate to Skeele for home owner insurance and car insurance wasn't only a better financial option but has turned out to be one of the best choices we've ever made. Thank you so much for everything and I will continue to refer every person I speak with to your agency.
Tara C.
Tara C.
20:10 10 Oct 18
Great people to work with.
Jonathan B.
Jonathan B.
18:26 26 Sep 18
Your customer service rocks! Your team is prompt and attentive!
Terra J.
Terra J.
02:17 12 Sep 18
Skeele is always there when I have a question. They are the face of my Insurance and they answer my questions and go to bat for me when I need them the most. Skeele is the only insurance agency I would even think about going with.
Christopher M.
Christopher M.
16:20 04 Sep 18
Great personal customer service!! Great people to work with!!
Joleen Viele W.
Joleen Viele W.
23:34 21 Jun 18
Transferred my homeowners and auto insurance to Skeele.
Janice H.
Janice H.
20:35 21 May 18
This is an excellent group to deal with! I've had all of my insurances with Shawn and his people for 15 years and couldn't be happier.
Norman W.
Norman W.
11:55 21 Apr 18
Skeele is a very friendly, helpful agency. We trust them with our home, auto and business insurance and they are very knowledgable.
Susan K.
Susan K.
12:53 10 Apr 18
We have found the Skeele Insurance Agency to be very helpful, and always willing to answer questions.
Colette S.
Colette S.
22:42 26 Feb 18
Very helpful and friendly staff that is always there when I need them.
jon L.
jon L.
00:02 31 Jan 18
Great local company! Family-owned for generations.
Paul H.
Paul H.
22:35 30 Jan 18
Skeele Agency has been insuring my home and property since I first moved to Central NY in 1996: that is 22 years! Their customer service is unparalleled. I have filed claims for wind storms that caused quite a lot of damage, including to boats, trees, roofing-- always with a very high confidence that the insurance policy they advised me to invest in would take good care of me.
Paul H.
Paul H.
22:31 30 Jan 18
Small town friendly, big city responsive. I am very happy with them.
William C.
William C.
15:41 29 Dec 17
Lisa Bancroft is patient, friendly and thorough. She helped me find the best homeowners and auto insurance policies for my needs. I highly recommend Skeele.
Pamela H.
Pamela H.
21:04 21 Dec 17
Excellent Agents find the best insurance fit for each person's needs
Marcia J.
Marcia J.
20:00 21 Dec 17

About Skeele Insurance

Skeele Agency, Inc. is a fourth generation, family-owned and operated, independent insurance agency. Our professional insurance services provide a wide variety of policies to fit your needs along with delivering exceptional customer service to all our clients.

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