Homes, renters and small multi-unit buildings in Amherst
The median Amherst home was built in 1971, 30.9% of local housing went up before 1960, and 8.2% dates to 1939 or earlier. Put a median owner-occupied value of $311,600 next to that 1971 build year, and you can see why sale price and rebuild cost can part ways here. Insure the home for what it would cost to rebuild, because an older home can cost more to rebuild than it would sell for. Owners of older houses should expect carriers to ask when the roof, electrical, plumbing and heating were last updated; bring those years along and we can answer up front when we shop your home insurance.
About 3 in 10 occupied homes in Amherst are rented (30.1%), and 15% of housing units sit in buildings with 2 to 4 units. If you rent, your landlord's policy does not cover your belongings or your liability; renters insurance does. If you own one of those small multi-unit buildings, the right policy depends on where you live. Owners who rent out the units and live elsewhere need rental property coverage. Living in one unit while renting out the others is a different setup, so ask us about owner-occupied multi-family coverage for that.
Amherst drivers and the solo commute
Long commutes are rare in Amherst. Only 4.7% of workers who do not work from home spend 45 minutes or more getting to work, while 73.8% of all workers drive there alone. For nearly 3 in 4 Amherst workers, then, the car is how the workday starts, and New York requires auto liability of at least 25/50/10, $50,000 of no-fault (PIP) coverage and uninsured motorist coverage. Our first pass at your auto insurance compares 45+ companies, and under the Willoughby Guarantee that comparison runs again automatically at every renewal.
For Amherst's solo commuters, two lines on an auto policy are worth knowing apart: comprehensive, not collision, generally covers hitting a deer, and collision generally covers sliding into another car or a guardrail. If you are one of the 73.8% of Amherst workers who drive to work alone, ask us about a DMV-approved defensive driving course (PIRP), which cuts the base rate of liability and collision premiums by 10% for three years. Questions about the course or your coverage go to a real person at 716-885-8100.
Snow north of Buffalo and Amherst's flood discount
Lake effect produces over half of the area's yearly snowfall, per the National Weather Service in Buffalo, and prevailing winds carry much more of it to places south of the city than to places north of it. Amherst is north of Buffalo, so it sits on the side that gets less. Standard homeowners policies generally cover a collapse caused by the weight of snow or ice, burst pipes and ice-dam leaks, while wear and slow leaks are generally excluded.
The Town of Amherst (FEMA community ID 360226) takes part in the National Flood Insurance Program. Amherst has had a flood insurance rate map since December 18, 1984; the one in effect today is dated June 7, 2019. The town is Class 8 in FEMA's Community Rating System, which gives NFIP policies a 10% premium discount inside the high-risk flood zone (Special Flood Hazard Area) and 5% outside it. No homeowners or renters policy covers flood. It takes a separate policy through the NFIP or a private insurer, and because an NFIP policy generally waits 30 days before it begins, raise it with us well ahead of time.