Most homeowners know roughly what they pay for homeowners insurance.

Far fewer could tell you exactly what their policy covers.

That distinction matters.

A recent national survey found that 41% of home and auto policyholders hadn’t made any changes to their coverage in more than a year. Another 20% said they hadn’t changed it since they originally purchased the policy.

That doesn’t necessarily mean their coverage is inadequate. But it does raise a worthwhile question:

When was the last time you actually reviewed yours?

For Oklahoma City homeowners, I think that’s a particularly good question to ask. We live in a part of the country where roofs, wind, hail and storm damage aren’t theoretical concerns. They’re part of owning a home here.

And the worst time to discover what your insurance policy does—or doesn’t—cover is after something has happened.

Your Policy Can Stay the Same While Your Home Changes

Homeowners insurance is easy to put on autopilot.

You buy a house, arrange insurance before closing and then renew the policy year after year. Unless the premium changes enough to get your attention, there’s a good chance you don’t think much about it.

Meanwhile, the house doesn’t stay the same.

Maybe you’ve replaced the roof. Remodeled the kitchen. Finished an upstairs room. Added a pool or outdoor living area. Bought expensive jewelry, artwork or electronics. Perhaps construction costs have changed significantly since you bought the home.

Those changes don’t automatically mean you need different coverage. They do mean it’s worth asking whether the policy you bought several years ago still reflects the property you own today.

A 2026 survey conducted by The Harris Poll for VIU by HUB illustrates how easily that review gets overlooked. Among 1,663 adults with home or auto insurance, 41% hadn’t changed their coverage in more than a year and 20% hadn’t made changes since purchasing it. (Viuby Hub)

The survey also found that 56% said their provider hadn’t proactively contacted them about their coverage in more than a year—or they weren’t sure it ever had. Twenty-one percent said that kind of outreach had never happened. (Viuby Hub)

In other words, waiting for someone else to bring it up may not be much of a strategy.

Knowing About Coverage Isn’t the Same as Having It

Another study shows a different side of the problem.

The Hanover Insurance Group’s 2025 Homeowners Coverage Awareness Report, also conducted by The Harris Poll, asked homeowners about several types of additional insurance protection.

The differences between awareness and actual coverage were significant.

For example, 87% knew about additional coverage for valuables, but only 26% reported having it. Cyber insurance was familiar to 46% of homeowners, while only 7% had coverage. And although 83% were aware of umbrella insurance, only 39% had discussed it with their insurance company or agent; just 23% actually carried an umbrella policy. (PR Newswire)

Interestingly, after umbrella protection was explained to respondents, 66% said they would be interested in adding it. (PR Newswire)

That’s an important distinction.

The issue isn’t necessarily that homeowners are intentionally choosing to go without certain protections. Sometimes they simply haven’t had a conversation about what the coverage does, what their existing policy includes, and whether an additional policy or endorsement makes sense for their situation.

Claims Are a Bad Time to Learn the Details

This is where an overlooked policy can become expensive.

In the 2026 VIU by HUB survey, one-third of policyholders who had previously filed a home or auto claim said their coverage fell short of their expectations. Fourteen percent said no part of their claim was covered. (Viuby Hub)

There’s an important qualification here: those statistics combine home and auto insurance, so they shouldn’t be presented as homeowners-only claim data.

But the broader lesson certainly applies to your home.

We’ve dealt with enough Oklahoma real estate over the years to know how quickly an ordinary spring storm can turn into conversations with roofers, adjusters and insurance companies.

After a hailstorm is not when you want to begin figuring out your deductible, roof coverage, replacement-cost provisions or exclusions.

You want to know those things beforehand.

Oklahoma City Homeowners Have Some Obvious Things to Discuss

Every policy and property is different, so this isn’t about recommending particular coverage. That’s a conversation for a licensed insurance professional who can review your individual situation.

But there are some logical questions Oklahoma City-area homeowners can ask.

Start with your roof.

If you’ve replaced it since purchasing the home, make sure your insurer has the correct information. Ask how roof losses are handled under your particular policy and what deductible would apply.

Then think about improvements.

A substantial kitchen renovation, room addition, swimming pool, detached structure or major outdoor improvement may have changed the property since your coverage was originally established.

Higher-value homes deserve particular attention. Custom finishes, specialty materials, extensive landscaping, collections, jewelry, artwork and other valuables can make the difference between a fairly straightforward property and one where a standard policy deserves a closer look.

The objective isn’t to buy every coverage somebody can offer you.

It’s to understand what you have.

A Simple Annual Insurance Checkup

You don’t need to become an insurance expert. That’s what your insurance professional is for.

Once a year, pull out your policy and have a short conversation about four things:

1. Dwelling coverage. Ask whether the amount still reasonably reflects the cost of rebuilding the home rather than simply its market value or what you paid for it.
2. Deductibles and major exclusions. Know what you would actually be responsible for if you had a significant claim, particularly for the types of storm losses we see in Oklahoma.
3. Changes to the property. Mention renovations, additions, a new roof, pool, detached buildings or other substantial improvements made since the last review.
4. Changes in what you own. Ask whether valuable personal property or other assets should be specifically scheduled or otherwise addressed.

You may discover everything is exactly where it should be.

That’s a perfectly good outcome.

Five Minutes Now Is Better Than a Surprise Later

There’s another number from the 2026 survey that caught my attention.

Sixty-seven percent of policyholders said an unexpected $1,000 home or auto expense would be a struggle for their household. (Viuby Hub)

Insurance can’t eliminate every unexpected expense, and no policy covers everything. But misunderstanding your coverage can turn an already difficult situation into a much more expensive one.

After working in Oklahoma City real estate since 1995, I’ve seen plenty of situations where insurance becomes important very quickly—particularly after our Oklahoma storms.

My suggestion is simple: once a year, review the policy before you need the policy.

If you’re unsure about the coverage itself, talk with your insurance agent or another qualified insurance professional. And if you’re considering improvements to your home and wondering how they may affect its value or future resale, Heather and I are always glad to help with the real estate side of that conversation.