Guides
Free plain-English walk-throughs of the stuff our tools analyze. Read any of these to understand the basics — or skip straight to the $9.99 analyzer if you just want a verdict on your specific document.
May 13, 2026
What does my insurance actually cover? How to find out in 10 minutes
How to find out what your insurance covers — a practical guide to reading the declarations page, coverage limits, exclusions, and the specific questions to ask before filing a claim in 2026.
May 13, 2026
Insurance policy exclusions: the coverage gaps most people discover too late
What insurance policy exclusions actually mean, the most consequential exclusions in homeowners, auto, health, and life insurance, and how to find the gaps in your own policy before you need to file a claim.
May 13, 2026
Health insurance deductible vs out-of-pocket maximum: the difference that can cost thousands
Health insurance deductible vs out-of-pocket maximum explained — what each means, how they interact, what counts toward each, and why many people hit their out-of-pocket max and still owe money.
May 12, 2026
What does my homeowners insurance actually cover? (2026 plain-English breakdown)
A complete plain-English breakdown of what a standard HO-3 policy actually covers in 2026 — dwelling, other structures, contents, loss of use, liability, medical payments, and the specific limits, sub-limits, and triggers behind each.
May 12, 2026
Umbrella insurance in 2026: who needs it, what it covers, and the math on $1M-$5M coverage
A complete 2026 guide to personal umbrella insurance — what it covers beyond home and auto policies, typical pricing ($200-$1,200/year), the asset and exposure tests for whether you need it, and how to stack it correctly on top of underlying liability.
May 12, 2026
Term vs. whole life insurance in 2026: which to buy, when, and the math behind each
A complete 2026 comparison of term and whole life insurance — coverage structures, pricing, cash-value mechanics, the scenarios where each makes sense, and the sales tactics most commonly used to oversell whole life.
May 12, 2026
Renters insurance in 2026: what it covers, what it doesn't, and the math on whether to buy it
A complete 2026 guide to renters insurance — coverage breakdown for contents, liability, loss of use, and additional living expenses, plus the math on coverage limits, deductibles, and when the $180/year premium pencils out.
May 12, 2026
Insurance deductible explained (2026): types, math, and the deductibles that quietly cost the most
Standard, percentage, named-storm, and per-occurrence deductibles work differently — and a $2,500 default can become a $20,000 out-of-pocket without warning. A line-by-line breakdown of every deductible type on home, auto, flood, and umbrella policies in 2026.
May 12, 2026
Auto insurance liability limits explained (2026): 100/300/100 and why most people are underinsured
A complete 2026 guide to auto insurance liability limits — what 100/300/100 actually means, the math on bodily-injury and property-damage limits, when state minimums leave you exposed, and how umbrella policies sit on top.
Apr 26, 2026
What homeowners insurance doesn't cover (2026): 14 exclusions and the riders that fix each
A complete 2026 guide to homeowners insurance exclusions — what every standard policy refuses to pay for, the typical dollar exposure of each gap, and the specific endorsements that close them.
Apr 26, 2026
Insurance declarations page explained (2026): home and auto, line by line
A complete walkthrough of every line on a homeowners or auto insurance declarations page — what each number means, where the costly defaults hide, and the five fields that decide your worst-case payout.
Apr 26, 2026
ACV vs Replacement Cost (2026): which one your policy actually pays — and how to tell
Actual cash value pays the depreciated price; replacement cost pays today's price. The gap can be 30-70% on older property. A practical guide to how each works, where the silent ACV downgrades hide, and how to find which one your policy uses.
Apr 22, 2026
What Should Homeowners Insurance Cost in 2026? (State-by-State Data)
Average homeowners insurance cost in 2026 is $2,300/year nationally — but your state, home value, and coverage level make the real number wildly different. Here's how to check yours.
Apr 22, 2026
How Much Life Insurance Do I Need? A Step-by-Step Calculator for 2026
How much life insurance do I need? Use the income replacement rule, debt coverage method, and real dollar examples to find the right coverage amount for your family.
Apr 15, 2026
Why insurance claims get denied in 2026 (and the 8 clauses most likely to deny yours)
72% of claim denials cite a clause the policyholder never read. Here are the 8 clauses doing most of the damage, with dollar examples and the exact endorsements that fix them.
Apr 13, 2026
How to read your homeowners insurance policy (2026 guide)
A complete walkthrough of every section of a modern homeowners policy — declarations, coverages, exclusions, sub-limits, endorsements, and deductible math — with real claim examples and the specific numbers that matter.
Apr 9, 2026
How to actually read your insurance policy (without falling asleep)
A plain-English walkthrough of the only 6 sections of your homeowners or renters policy that actually matter, and the specific numbers to check in each one.
Apr 9, 2026
Do I actually need flood insurance? A decision framework for homeowners
Flood insurance is expensive and nobody wants to pay for it — but one flood will wipe out your savings. Here's how to decide in 10 minutes whether you actually need it.