You’ve found the house in Columbus, Powell, Dublin, Westerville or maybe New Albany, Upper Arlington, Lewis Center or Delaware… and then your lender says, “You’ll need a homeowners insurance binder before closing.” Cool. What exactly are you buying? And how do you know if you’re covered—or overpaying—for that Evans Farm craftsman or Westerville cul-de-sac home?

Let’s break it down in normal language.

1. What Homeowners Insurance Really Covers (Big Picture)

At its core, a standard homeowners policy is designed to protect you from three big categories of pain:

1. The structure – if the house itself is damaged (fire, wind, hail, certain types of water damage).

2. Your stuff – furniture, clothes, electronics, etc.

3. Your liability – if someone gets hurt on your property and decides to make it your problem.

So whether you’re in a Dublin two-story, a Powell ranch, a Westerville condo, or a place in Worthington or Delaware, the idea is the same:

“If something big goes wrong, you’re not starting from zero.”

2. Replacement Cost vs. Market Value (This Confuses Everyone)

Big one that trips people up:

• Your purchase price in Columbus or Powell includes land + structure + “what the market will pay.”

• Your insurance is mostly worried about: “What would it cost to rebuild this house if it burned down?”

So your coverage amount might be lower than what you paid—especially in established areas like Upper Arlington, New Albany, or older Westerville—because the land itself isn’t what burns. That doesn’t mean you’re underinsured; it just means the policy is focused on rebuild cost, not Zillow value.

If the quote looks “too low” compared to your purchase price, that’s a good question to ask the agent—not a reason to panic.

3. Deductibles, Premiums & Why Your Neighbor Pays Something Different

Insurance math in places like Dublin, Lewis Center, and Evans Farm works like this:

• Deductible = what you pay out of pocket before insurance kicks in.

• Premium = what you pay every year to have the policy.

Higher deductible → lower premium.

Lower deductible → higher premium.

Why your neighbor’s premium is different from yours:

• Different credit profiles

• Different claim history

• Different deductibles and coverage levels

• Different home age, roof condition, or even fire hydrant distance

So when you hear, “My buddy in Westerville pays way less,” cool story—but it doesn’t mean your quote is wrong.

4. The Extras That Might Actually Be Worth It

Most policies have a base level, then a menu of “do you want fries with that?” add-ons. Some to pay attention to in Central Ohio:

• Sewer & drain backup – gross, but very real.

• Extended replacement cost – extra buffer if rebuild costs spike.

• Service line coverage – things like water/sewer lines from the street to your house.

• Higher limits on valuables – jewelry, art, collectibles.

In a higher-end home in Dublin, New Albany, or Upper Arlington, or a nicely upgraded place in Westerville, Lewis Center, or Delaware, these can be smart, not just “upsells.” The key is matching coverage to the actual house and lifestyle—not just checking yes on everything.

5. How I Tell Clients to Shop & Sanity-Check Their Policy

I’m not your insurance agent, but I am the one watching people close on homes all over Columbus, Powell, Dublin, Evans Farm, Westerville, Upper Arlington, New Albany, Lewis Center, Delaware, and Worthington—so here’s how I like to see it done:

• Get at least two quotes so you’re not married to one company by default.

• Ask for the quote both with a standard deductible and a higher deductible, so you can see the trade-off.

• Confirm:

  • Dwelling coverage looks reasonable for a full rebuild

  • Liability coverage is strong enough (often cheap to increase)

  • You’ve added anything relevant to your house (finished basement? sump pump? big tree over the roof?).

My goal is simple: by the time you’re wiring funds for that home in Columbus or any of the surrounding suburbs, you actually know what your homeowners policy would do for you on your worst day—not just that you “have one because the lender said so.”

If you’re starting to look at homes and want a walkthrough of how insurance, taxes, and monthly payments all fit together on real houses in our market, that’s exactly the kind of conversation I love having.

[Contact Patrick Murphy, REALTOR® — Columbus, Powell & Dublin Expert]