Homeowners meeting with an insurance agent to discuss policy details and ask important coverage questions.

Ultimate Guide: 5 Essential Questions You Must Ask Your Homeowner’s Insurance Agent

Sam Simon

July 12, 2025

Don’t wait for disaster to strike before understanding your homeowner’s insurance. This ultimate guide reveals the 5 key questions you should ask your insurance agent — and why Chicago-area homeowners can’t afford to skip them.

Why This Guide Matters

If you’re like most homeowners, you assume your insurance will cover you when disaster hits. But here’s the hard truth: many people don’t understand what’s actually in their policy — until it’s too late.

At ServiceMaster Restoration By Simons, we’ve seen the heartbreak that happens when homeowners face water damage, fire loss, or storm destruction — only to learn their insurance won’t fully cover repairs.

This cornerstone guide is here to help you be proactive, informed, and protected. Below are the 5 essential questions you need to ask your homeowner’s insurance agent today.

Is My Home Insured for Full Replacement Cost — or Just Market Value?

This is the most important question.

Replacement cost: Pays to rebuild your home from the ground up.
Market value: Pays what your home would sell for today — often much less.

If you’re underinsured, a disaster could leave you paying tens or hundreds of thousands out of pocket.

Expert tip: Ask your agent to explain your coverage and consider updating it if your home’s value has risen due to remodeling or market changes.

How Much Coverage Do I Have for My Belongings?

Many policies cover 50%–75% of your home’s value for personal contents like furniture, clothes, electronics, and appliances.

But… have you done a recent home inventory? For many families, their combined belongings exceed this limit.

Expert tip:
Document your items with photos and receipts. If needed, ask your agent about adding a personal property endorsement.

Am I Covered for Earthquakes and Floods?

Standard policies do not cover natural disasters like:

Earthquakes
Flooding
Sewer backups
Sump pump failures

In Chicagoland, basement flooding from sewer backups is a common risk — and we’ve handled hundreds of these jobs.

Expert tip:
Ask your agent if you need additional riders or flood insurance, especially if you live near Lake Michigan, the North Shore, or flood-prone suburbs.

Does My Policy Cover Water Damage from Sewer or Sump Pump Overflows?

Many homeowners assume water damage is water damage. But insurance companies differentiate between:

Burst pipe damage (usually covered)
Sewer backup or sump pump failure (often not covered)

Expert tip:
Consider adding sewer backup coverage or a water backup rider. It’s usually affordable — and can save you thousands.

What’s My Deductible, and Can I Adjust It?

Your deductible is the amount you pay out of pocket before insurance kicks in.

Lower deductible → higher premium
Higher deductible → lower premium

Expert tip:
Ask your agent to help you balance premium vs. deductible, based on your risk tolerance.

Bonus Questions You Should Also Ask

Do I qualify for discounts (bundling, alarm systems, upgrades)?
Does my policy cover temporary housing if my home is unlivable?
How do I file a claim, and what documentation will I need?

How ServiceMaster Restoration By Simons Helps During Insurance Claims

With over 40 years of local experience serving Chicago, Oak Park, River Forest, the North Shore, Lake County, and DuPage County, we don’t just clean up after disasters — we help homeowners navigate the insurance process.

We document damage for adjusters
We provide detailed estimates
We communicate with your insurance carrier
We restore your home and peace of mind

Call us anytime at (773) 376-1110 — we’re here when you need us most.

About ServiceMaster Restoration By Simons

ServiceMaster Restoration By Simons is an MBE/WBE-certified, family-owned disaster restoration company led by IICRC Master Fire & Water Restorer Sam Simon and CEO Nasutsa Mabwa. We proudly serve residential and commercial clients across Chicagoland, offering:

We’re also the authors of RESTORE: A Complete Guide to Protecting Your Home As Your Most Valuable Asset — your expert handbook for home disaster preparedness.

Service Areas

FAQ: Talking to Your Insurance Agent

Q: How often should I review my homeowner’s insurance policy?
A: Once a year, or anytime you renovate or make a major purchase.

Q: Does renters insurance cover the same things?
A: No — renters insurance covers only personal belongings, not the structure.

Q: Can ServiceMaster help if my insurance denies my claim?
A: We can provide expert documentation to support appeals or clarifications.

Sam Simon

Sam Simon is the Co-Owner and Managing Director of ServiceMaster Restoration By Simons, a certified MBE/WBE disaster restoration and specialty cleaning firm proudly serving Cook, Lake, and DuPage Counties in Illinois. With over 30 years of experience in restoration project management, field operations, and emergency response, Sam plays a vital leadership role in overseeing service execution, technician development, reconstruction, and subcontractor coordination.

He holds the IICRC’s highest technical designation as a Master Fire & Water Restorer, a distinction achieved by fewer than 1% of professionals in the restoration industry. His technical scope includes water and flood damage restoration, fire and smoke recovery, mold remediation, and post-disaster reconstruction across both residential and commercial sectors.

Sam has demonstrated a long-standing commitment to helping communities in crisis. He has participated in large-scale disaster recovery efforts across the U.S., providing boots-on-the-ground leadership during Hurricanes Katrina, Sandy, and Harvey, as well as catastrophic floods, wildfires, and deep freeze events throughout Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Minnesota, Ohio, Texas, and beyond. His dedication to serving distressed families and businesses in the wake of national catastrophes reflects both his personal values and ServiceMaster’s mission of restoring peace of mind.

In 2019, Sam was selected for the HACIA Contractor Training Program, a competitive six-month construction management cohort offered by the Hispanic American Construction Industry Association. The program delivers intensive instruction in blueprint reading, estimating, project management, and construction law—skills that support the company’s continued growth in emergency build-back and general contracting services.

Before co-founding ServiceMaster Restoration By Simons, Sam built a successful creative career, contributing to notable film and television productions including Chicago Fire (2012), Juvies (2007), and Image Union (1978). His media and videography background continues to shape ServiceMaster’s marketing strategy, digital training resources, and brand storytelling.
→ IMDb Profile

Sam is also the co-author of RESTORE: A Complete Guide to Protecting Your Home As Your Most Valuable Asset—a practical guidebook for homeowners navigating the challenges of water, fire, and mold damage.

Under the direction of majority owner and President & CEO Nasutsa Mabwa, and with Sam’s operational leadership, ServiceMaster Restoration By Simons has earned numerous regional and national accolades, including:

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