| How does your homeowners insurance company | | | | resources track insurance company ratings and |
| rank? The one time you don't want to find out | | | | custom satisfaction scores to help you be a more |
| they rate at the bottom of the list is when its | | | | well-informed consumer. |
| time to file a claim. Insurance companies are good | | | | A.M. Best ( is one such source that provides |
| at taking your premium payment every month, | | | | information about the financial health of your |
| but when it comes to paying out claims some | | | | homeowners insurance company. They track the |
| companies rate better than others. | | | | ability of insurers to pay for losses in the event |
| Most of us never think about our homeowners | | | | of a major disaster. Their rankings are the |
| insurance until its time to file a claim. In fact, we | | | | industry standard for measuring the financial |
| can go years of just sending in our premium | | | | well-being of all property, casualty and life |
| payments and never even so much as calling up | | | | insurance companies. |
| our agent to say hello. Then comes the day when | | | | When it comes to actual consumer satisfaction |
| you need to file a claim and you find out that red | | | | ratings the data isn't as well-kept as the financial |
| tape and bureaucracy are the name of the game. | | | | ratings. A number of websites offer consumer |
| Recently this situation played out all too well during | | | | feedback on insurance companies as well as |
| Hurricane Katrina where certain homeowners | | | | reports from policy holders on general insurance |
| insurance companies fought tooth and nail to keep | | | | company handling of routine inquires. The best |
| from paying out claims to victims of this | | | | source of insurance company satisfaction ratings |
| devastating event. | | | | may come from others in your community who |
| Thankfully there are a number of ways you can | | | | often have first-hand experience with many of |
| find out just how good your insurance company is | | | | the local homeowners insurance companies in your |
| and if they can do more than just issue a quote | | | | area. |
| without a fight. A number of online and offline | | | | |