An independent insurance agent can shop your policy to multiple companies. If you are having difficulty getting coverage through the standard insurance market, other options may be available, including surplus lines companies or the Oregon FAIR Plan.
Surplus lines: Surplus lines insurance protects against a financial risk that a regular insurance company will not take on. Surplus lines insurance is generally more expensive than regular insurance because the risks are higher.
Oregon FAIR Plan: The Oregon FAIR Plan is a nonprofit insurance provider of last resort. The coverage is limited and provides only the basic perils of fire, extended coverage (which includes windstorm or hail), explosion, riot or civil commotion, aircraft, vehicles, smoke and volcanic eruption, and vandalism and/or malicious mischief.
Self-insure: If you are under insured, cannot get coverage you can afford, or have a high deductible, you may decide to self-insure. That means put aside money in a savings account to help you if a loss occurs. You may start it up with funds from a tax refund, a yard sale, or a year-end bonus, then try to add money to it each month to build it up.
Force-placed coverage: This is coverage put on by your lending institution when you do not provide evidence of insurance. Force-placed insurance will cover only the amount due to the lender, which may not adequately protect the home in the case of a loss. Also, these policies usually do not include personal property or liability protection. It is usually extremely expensive, compared to standard policies. The insurance premium is rolled into your monthly loan payment.