Before you close
homeowners insurance checklist before closing.
Know what to ask. Keep the answers together. Prepare for your broker conversation with a fillable PDF checklist and an Excel policy organizer.
PDF + Excel. Use with your current broker. Marketing updates are optional.
one home. a clearer next step.
Start with one property. Keep track as your household grows.
Fillable PDF · 2 pages
for the home you’re buying.
A two-page worksheet for one property purchase and the six broker questions below.
Excel policy organizer
keep your policies together.
The same property-purchase questions plus a filterable inventory for multiple household policies. Not an inventory of belongings.
Both formats are included. You don’t need to move your insurance to Riza.
six insurance questions to answer before closing.
Before closing on a home, confirm who needs to be insured, how the property will be used, what your lender requires, which coverage questions remain open, what the policy terms mean and when coverage takes effect. Keep the answers, the next person responsible and the follow-up date together.
Who will own the property, and who should the policy name?
Tell the broker how the purchase will be titled and who will live there. If a trust or LLC is involved, ask your attorney and broker to coordinate the ownership information and the appropriate policy treatment. Do not guess which names or endorsements belong on the policy.
Record: The ownership question, who will resolve it and the written answer to retain.
How will you use the home, and when will that use begin?
Explain whether this will be your primary residence, a second home or a rental. Flag any gap before move-in, vacant period, renovation or construction plan. Ask whether the proposed policy fits that use and what must be confirmed before it changes.
Record: Planned closing, occupancy and work dates, plus the broker’s follow-up.
What insurance evidence does the lender need?
Request the lender’s exact requirements, recipient and deadline. Share the insurance options you are considering with your loan officer and ask whether they meet those requirements. Keep the lender’s request alongside the broker’s response. CFPB
Record: The requested document, delivery date and person confirming receipt.
What property facts and separate coverage questions need review?
Have the broker explain what property and rebuilding information is needed. Ask how the rebuilding estimate was established rather than assuming the purchase price is the right insurance limit. Discuss flood and earthquake separately: typical homeowners policies exclude these risks. For a condo, ask how the association’s master policy and your own coverage fit together. NAIC: homeowners insurance
For households with multiple homes, ask whether the purchase also calls for a review of umbrella or excess liability and valuables coverage. This is a review prompt, not a conclusion that a particular policy is required or sufficient.
Record: The missing fact or separate coverage question and the person obtaining the answer.
Which limits, deductibles, exclusions and costs should you understand?
Compare the proposed coverage as well as the premium. Ask the broker to explain the applicable deductibles, settlement terms, important exclusions, payment requirements and any conditions still outstanding. A lower premium is only one part of the decision. NAIC: homeowners insurance
Record: The term you need explained and the answer you will use to decide.
Who will confirm coverage and the effective date in writing?
Before relying on the arrangement, ask the authorized broker or insurer to confirm what is in effect, when it begins and which conditions remain. Keep that confirmation with the relevant records. Reconfirm if the closing date, ownership or planned use changes.
Record: The confirming person, the effective date and where the written confirmation is kept.
good to know before you close.
Do you need homeowners insurance before closing?
If you are financing the purchase, lenders typically require homeowners insurance as a condition of the loan. Ask your loan officer what coverage and evidence are required and when they must receive it. Ask your insurance broker to confirm the effective date and any outstanding conditions in writing. CFPB: shopping for homeowners insurance
Start while there is still time to compare written quotes and resolve property questions. Do not assume the move-in date and closing date are the same, or that a quote alone confirms coverage.
Buying a second home, planning renovations or using a trust or LLC? Bring those facts into the conversation early. A standard quote should not be treated as confirmation that your particular ownership and use have been addressed.
When should I arrange homeowners insurance for a new home?
Begin during the purchase process with enough time to obtain written quotes, discuss the property and meet your lender’s deadline. Confirm the required effective date with your broker and lender. There is no single lead time that fits every property or insurer.
Does homeowners insurance include flood insurance?
Typical homeowners insurance does not cover flood damage. Ask your broker about separate flood coverage and your lender about any flood insurance requirement. CFPB: homeowners and flood insurance
Can I use this checklist for a second home or a home owned by a trust?
Yes, as a conversation organizer. Flag the second-home use or ownership structure for the broker, and involve counsel on legal ownership questions. The checklist does not determine the correct policy or establish that coverage is in place.
Do I have to move my insurance to Riza to use the files?
No. Use the organizer with your current broker. Downloading it does not authorize an introduction, insurer contact or a change to an active policy.
How do I turn an open question into a next step?
A useful checklist identifies more than missing information. For each open question, record what you need, who will provide it and the agreed follow-up date.
Example, fictional: You will close before moving in and plan to renovate. Send those dates and the work plan to the broker. Ask whether the proposed coverage fits the interim use and what needs to happen before work begins. Record the answer and the next date. Do not mark the issue complete simply because a quote arrived.
How should I start filling in the organizer?
Start with a short property label and closing date. Use the same label in both files if you use both. Keep exact addresses, policy numbers and supporting personal documents in secure records, and agree how to share them.
For real-estate brokers and wealth advisers
a useful next step for your client.
Forward the blank organizer when a client is preparing to buy a home. It gives them a practical way to prepare for their insurance conversation and gives you a clear follow-up: which question is open, who is answering it and when.
Your client can use it with their current insurance broker. They keep their completed copy and decide what to share. You do not need to interpret the policies to help the client organize the next step.
bring the questions.
keep the answers.
Download the PDF checklist and Excel insurance organizer.
Email is required to deliver the files. Marketing updates are optional. Requesting the organizer does not request an insurance quote or authorize a policy change.