Insurance guides, updated October 2026

Insurance guides
in plain English.

Short, honest answers to the questions our agents hear every week, from deductibles to the check that arrives after a storm.

Five guides

Written by our agents

Example figures only

Wooden roof trusses on a new house frame against a blue sky

Newest guide

Home

Oct 5, 2026

Replacement cost vs. actual cash value: the line that decides your claim check

Two policies can cover the same roof and pay very different checks. The difference is one line on your declarations page, and it is worth reading tonight.

6 min read

Four more,
ten minutes or less.

Every guide ends with the question to ask your own agent, and every premium in them is a labeled example.

Sep 21, 2026

How much umbrella insurance do you need?

Liability

5 min read

A smiling young man driving a car with both hands on the wheel

Sep 7, 2026

Hail and your roof: what Iowa policies actually pay

Claims

7 min read

Large hailstones scattered on green grass after a storm

Aug 24, 2026

Term vs. whole life insurance, explained without a sales pitch

Life

6 min read

An older couple on a sofa reading through papers together

Aug 10, 2026

What a business owner’s policy covers, and what it leaves out

Business

5 min read

A barista serving a customer at a café counter beside the register

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Guides are general information, not legal or financial advice, and they do not change any policy wording. Premiums are examples, not quotes. Stellhorn & Kettner is a demo agency, Iowa license # 0000000 (demo).