Home insurance policies are long, complicated, and written in legalese. But it can really pay to know what’s in yours and how it works.

“Insurance is a complex product and there’s no harm and no shame in not fully understanding it,” says Alessandro Iuppa, former president of the National Association of Insurance Commissioners. “Most people don’t read a policy until they’ve had a claim denied, and that’s too late.”

Finding an insurer
Get recommendations from friends, relatives, co-workers, or other people you trust. Be sure to check out the companies.

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