While you often only need your address and contact information to get a homeowners insurance quote from Kin, binding your policy requires us to check a few other boxes. We automate everything we can to save you time and legwork, but we don’t have access to all the information we need about your home (and rightfully so – privacy matters!).
So to get you insured as fast as possible, here is some information and documents to have on hand when you apply for home insurance – whether it’s with us or not.
Personal information
The personal information you need includes your:
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Full legal name.
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Marital status.
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Current address.
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Phone number.
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Email address.
You will also need to give your Social Security number, age, and date of birth so the insurance company can run your insurance score.
Property attributes
The physical aspects of the property are key components in determining a quote for homeowners insurance. These include your home’s:
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Size.
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Age.
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Construction materials.
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Number of floors.
The roof’s age and materials used for the roof are often particularly important, as is the location of the home.
Financial information
Insurance companies often need financial information, such as the purchase price of the home, its current value, and whether there is an outstanding mortgage or loan on the property. If there is an outstanding loan balance, you will likely be asked for details about the loan, such as the loan number and the lender’s contact information.
Desired policy coverage, limits, and deductibles
Knowing the amount of coverage you want (or in many cases, what coverage is required by your lender) can make getting an accurate homeowners insurance policy price quote easier. Here are some questions to consider:
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Should I insure my home for its full replacement costs?
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What is the value of my personal belongings?
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Do I want additional coverage, such as law or ordinance coverage?
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Do I need flood insurance?
Thinking about coverage ahead of time can streamline the process, but our representatives can help you consider your options when you get a quote.
Eligibility for discounts
Some factors that impact your homeowners insurance price quote in a positive way are discounts. For example, you may qualify for a good customer discount if you haven’t made any qualifying claims under your homeowners insurance policy in the past.
Bundling, or combining your homeowners policy with other insurance coverage, may be another way to receive a discount. Insurers often encourage bundling to lower underwriting costs, and then pass the savings onto you.
Improving the safety and security of your home may result in lower homeowners insurance premiums. Replacing your roof, upgrading wiring and plumbing, for example, or improving windows by installing safety glass, or even adding smoke alarms or a security system, can help you get a lower rate. Plus, taking these steps may qualify your home for additional discounts.
Documents homeowners need to apply for insurance
Here’s a list of some documents you may need on hand when you request a home insurance quote.
Proof of prior insurance or closing disclosure
- If your house isn’t a new purchase, you typically need to have proof of prior home insurance. Your current insurance policy’s declarations page can do the trick.
The declarations page is simply the first page of your insurance policy. It lists key details about who is covered by the policy, who your mortgage lender is, policy limits, etc.
On top of providing proof of prior coverage, your dec page also lets us know if you have a co-mortgagee your policy should cover.
If you can’t find your declarations page, then a copy of your full insurance policy is usually enough to satisfy this requirement. Another option is a letter from your insurance company or agent certifying coverage may be enough.
If you’re a new homeowner, you’ll need to provide your closing disclosure. This document lists:
We reference this to confirm any other mortgagees and your mortgage lender’s information.
The sales contract or Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) settlement statement (also called a HUD-1 Settlement Statement) are also acceptable substitutes.
Alarm certificates
Having a centrally monitored security alarm may qualify you for a premium discount.
At Kin, we just need an alarm certificate that affirms your security system is monitored by an off-site company. You can request this from your monitoring company. Other insurers may accept other documentation.
Wind mitigation inspection report
If you live in a coastal region, you know the damage hurricane winds can do to your home. Several states encourage protecting homes from wind damage through wind mitigation, and that may mean we need a wind mitigation inspection to tell us how wind-resistant your home is. As you might have guessed, the more fortified your home is, the lower your premiums will be.
Once a certified inspector checks out your home, they’ll offer a wind mitigation inspection report. In most cases, this report details what safety features your home has and offers suggestions for improvement. Whether or not you implement those suggestions is up to you.
We’ve listed what we need below.
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Florida: A wind mitigation inspection report that is no older than 5 years.
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Louisiana: Homeowners whose homes were built before 2007 may need a Louisiana Hurricane Loss Mitigation Survey Form that has been completed by a qualified professional.
In Louisiana, you’ll receive the wind mitigation discount automatically if your home was built in 2007 or later. (If you have trouble finding a qualified professional to complete the loss mitigation survey, the Louisiana State Fire Marshal may be a good resource.)
A note about home inspections
There are several types of home inspections that both new and old homeowners may need in order to get home insurance. Often, home insurers ask for these when you apply for a quote.
We may also ask for home inspection in certain situations. For example, we often want an exterior inspection of your house if it’s more than 10 years old. In Arizona, homes in some locations may need a wildfire inspection.
The most common inspection we ask for is an interior self-inspection where you take photos and upload them to our site. Either way, we don’t need an inspection report until your policy is bound.
You can get more details in our article Do you need an inspection for home insurance? But if you prefer, we’re a phone call or email away: 855-717-0022 or support@kin.com.
