Insuring Buffalo's older homes and two-to-four-unit buildings
The median value of an owner-occupied home in Buffalo is $164,200, but that number says little about how much coverage a house needs. With 80.3% of the city's housing built before 1960, sale value and rebuild cost can be very different figures, because older homes can cost more to rebuild than their sale price. We insure a home for what it costs to rebuild, not its market price. Carriers also ask about roof, electrical, plumbing and heating updates on older homes, so have those dates ready when you ask us about homeowners insurance.
Buffalo leans toward renting: 57% of occupied homes are rented, and more housing units sit in buildings with two to four units (43.3%) than in single-family detached homes (36.2%). If you rent, your landlord's policy does not cover your belongings or your liability; renters insurance does. If you own a two-to-four-unit building and do not live there, you need landlord coverage rather than a standard owner-occupant policy. If you live in one unit and rent out the others, ask us about a policy written for owner-occupied multi-family homes.
Driving in Buffalo: commutes, winter claims and New York rules
Of all Buffalo workers, 62.8% drive to work alone, and among workers who do not work from home, only 6.6% have a one-way commute of 45 minutes or more. Whatever the length of the drive, New York sets a legal floor: New York requires auto liability of at least 25/50/10, $50,000 of no-fault (PIP) coverage and uninsured motorist coverage. When we quote your auto insurance, we compare coverage across 45+ companies so you can choose limits with the full picture in front of you.
Sliding into another car or a guardrail is generally a collision claim, while hitting a deer is generally covered under comprehensive, not collision. A DMV-approved defensive driving course (PIRP) cuts the base rate of liability and collision premiums by 10% for three years, so tell us if you have completed one. And the Willoughby Guarantee re-shops your policy at every renewal automatically.
Lake-effect snow and the Buffalo flood map
The National Weather Service in Buffalo notes that over half of the area's annual snowfall comes from lake-effect snow, and that it is very localized: because of prevailing winds, areas south of Buffalo receive much more of it than locations to the north. 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.
No homeowners or renters policy covers flood; it needs its own policy through the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) or a private insurer. The City of Buffalo participates in the NFIP (community ID 360230). Its first Flood Insurance Rate Map took effect on November 18, 1981, and its currently effective flood map is dated June 16, 2021. NFIP policies generally take 30 days to start, so the time to ask is before you need it. Call 716-885-8100 and you will reach a real person.