. Many moons ago I looked into earth-bermed homes . . . and ran into the same thing . . . and not from just one place. It's "unconventional" and there is a relatively small "database" from which to generate loss rates. And; intuitively it seems as though the risk to total loss is higher than with structures that are above ground; in terms of flooding / any other water-type damage; and in this day and age => lets not forget about mold(s) too. Insurance companies are in the business of making money; not being a bunch of nice, reasonable folks. So, just like they won't touch a nuke plant insurance-wise because of the astronomical cost of an "event"; they also have no desire to insure unconventional structures. 20 years ago; I bought a log home => my "major" / natinally known insurance company point blank told me they wouldn't insure it, period; because of "unconventional" construction. This was the day before the closing. If a log home ( which many of our ancestors probably lived in ) is unconventional; then earth-bermed homes are out of this world to them. I applaud your desire to own one; when properly done they've got a LOT of advantages; and DON'T have to be "caves". If improperly done; they can be a nightmare. However; you will likely encounter more and more resistance as you look further for insurance with various other companies. Perhaps ( as I ended up doing ) you can use the same company that presently insures it now . . . Good luck . . . . Bob

Late to the party here but will add my two cents for those looking for auto insurance. I was a PI attorney before retiring, representing plaintiffs, usually. Of all the auto insurance companies I dealt with, GEICO gave their insureds the least amount of problems. So, I also switched to GEICO for auto insurance. They don't directly sell home insurance in my state so can't say anything about that.

And just in case someone want to know how this is done for example... here: Damage in the family room .. wet half wall, connecting soffit , ceiling, exterior wall, and the water leaked into a fireplace and on other room side another part of ceiling, tornado damaged door, baseboards: The adjuster pays: R13 in the attic instead of R38, pays for a bogus 2" paint grade baseboards $1.40lf, exterior wall drywall, install carpet - lowest grade, OSB 4'x4'; re-nail interior door (as exterior door fix) What the adjuster did not pay: R38 insulation, 20'x14' ceilings, 3"-1/4 baseboards clear maple stain grade - $3.50/lf, stain the baseboards, new trim around the window and staining, the insulation behind the wet exterior drywall, paint the drywall [what bag pays for unpainted walls], remove/install/replace drapes next to the windows, half wall + soffit drywall and paint, repairs to the flooded fireplace, the carper removal [not just install], 20'x14' subfloors, and remove and replace exterior door + paint the exterior door + trim. Is that 20 cents on the dollar or 10 cents on the dollar? Best insurance - LibertyMutual.

A few years ago, I had a roof and siding claim for hail damage. The adjuster actually found hail damage on every side so no question about partial replacement. Good thing as the house had aluminum siding in a wider width that isn't available now. The adjuster who came to the house was a private contractor who did not actually work for the insurance company. He noted the damage on the exterior, measured the siding and roof section by section, and plugged all the information into a software program. He had a portable printer with him and printed out the complete damage report on the spot for us to review. The info was quite detailed with cost per square foot for each component , listed section by section, probably totalled 10 pages. He wrote us a check on the spot for actual cash value of the damage. I don't remember the amounts but I think the first check was around 25% of the estimated replacement cost. I don't know if he was especially thorough because he was a contractor but he asked about interior damage and we were paid for the water damage to the ceiling and wall in one room. Our adjuster told us that we could hire a public adjuster if we chose but we thought the report adequately covered the damage. The only issue I had was a misunderstanding about the replacement siding. I did not get the complete replacement cost amount as I chose to use vinyl siding instead of aluminum. They had no issues paying replacement cost for upgraded vinyl. My suggestion is to ask the insurance company to provide a detailed accounting of their estimated cost to repair. You can also ask them for the names of contractors in your area who have worked with other policyholders. I wouldn't necessarily use them, but an estimate from a recommended firm might assist in getting a more realistic settlement. In my area, the insurance company rate was around $375 per square for roof replacement but may be more now with increased material costs. Also, make sure your estimate includes debris removal and whatever you had to do to secure the damaged area.