Branch Insurance — Local services in Columbus

This is the second year Branch has refused to renew my homeowners policy — despite jumping through every hoop to prove that my roof is structurally sound and not in need of replacement. It’s clear they’re quick to collect premiums but cancel before there’s ever a chance they might have to pay a claim.

Their so-called “inspection” consisted of someone sitting in a car across the street taking blurry iPhone photos — they never even got out. No formal evaluation. Just long-distance snapshots used to justify a non-renewal.

Below are some snippets from the emails sent and received in the 2-3 years I've been struggling to work with Branch:

Branch: We wanted to let you know that we recently completed an exterior inspection of your home for policy (number). During this inspection, we observed algae and lifting shingles. See attached photo. As a courtesy to our policyholders, we want to alert you when we observe a potential hazard. We are requesting shingles be repaired prior to 10/26/2022 to continue coverage with Branch. When you do have it repaired, please let us know by sending photos so that we can update your policy.

Me: (Roofing Company) was here last week to look at the shingles and algae. He's recommended a roof shampoo to remove/prevent the algae, but after walking the roof, he sees nothing to repair. The roof is only 11 years old. We're not experiencing any leaking. The decking isn't spongy. The shingles aren't loose around the dormer windows...If the peeling shingles need to be corrected, then we need to pay thousands immediately after purchasing to have the front section entirely replaced. I can try to get a second roofer's opinion, but in the interim, could I please have another inspector from Branch insurance come look at the roof? I saw the inspector who came out, but he was in a car, and I don't think he climbed onto the roof to see that the issue was anything besides aesthetic. I appreciate any help you can provide."

Branch: "Thank you for sending the report for the roof. I have updated the inspection that no repairs are needed, but you will want to have the algae build-up cleaned, as leaving on the shingles can cause moisture retention and other costly repairs. I would also suggest that you have any trees trimmed that are close to or touching the house. We recommend at least 3-5 feet from the home and 10 feet above the roof. We will place the policy into a non-renewal status; this will give you until 9/1/2023 to have the algae cleaned from the roof, and for the trees, I will note that it is just a branch FYI. Once the algae are removed, you can send us ground-level photos to update and close the inspection."

I paid to cut down five trees and have my roof washed. The next renewal, same thing...

Branch: "Our inspection revealed the following: There are visible bumps and uneven areas across multiple sections of the roof, which may indicate underlying decking issues or improper installation. Due to the extent of these concerns, a full roof replacement is required. Moss growth on the shingles. Protecting your home is important to us. So, we’re requiring these concerns to be addressed with appropriate repairs prior to 09/01/2025 in order to maintain your Branch coverage. Your policy has been non-renewed."

To top it off, this latest non-renewal letter was addressed to “{First Name},” proving they couldn’t even bother to edit the base template they clearly send out so frequently.

I know all insurance is a headache, but these guys are a migraine. I strongly encourage you to consider a different company before signing...

They will not cancel as told and will refuse to cancel unless you prove you have other insurance which is really none of their business if you do or not. They over charge by way too much. It's the highest price I've had from anyone and will be leaving them by the 1st of the month. Every renewal my policies have increased the last 3 yrs by over $100 each time. With auto every 6 mos it went up by $100 or more. No ticket, no claims nothing and it still went up. My home went up by almost $150 a yr. So yes by switching I will be saving $150 a mo for both home and auto. They took a full month payment and refused to reimburse me any of it except $16 for liability on my son's car. But yet my policy is paid early every month and I still had 4 days left of the previous months payment left when canceling my son off my policy and that made my renewal policy go up again by over $100 even tho I still had a multi policy discount. They took April's payment as requested before it was due and still will not and refuse to reimburse me any $ the money they just took and refuse to tell me exactly how much my liability I paid each month on my son's car. They won't show me any figures and I look on my app to see on previous documents and they took my ability to see any of it from previous months that I've already paid for. I can't even see the breakdowns of any policy or the receipts from the billings that were paid. If my policy goes from the 12th of every month and I pay on the 5th of the month and cancel on the 8th then they would owe me more than what they reimbursed. They gave me back a whole $16 on liability. Everyone know it's cost way more than that especially when I didn't use the whole month of April they just took out of my acct. I was still using the payment I made in March beings I canceled on the 8th and the policy runs from the 12th to the 12th. They will not show me any figures and says they only owe for 24 days. Like how? There's a whole month I just paid for and haven't used 1 day of it yet when I canceled. They won't take my son who is well above age to have his own policy unless I show them proof he has insurance. He's not my responsibility to have to be required to provide insurance for him. How can they hold me liable to carry insurance on him? I have been having issues with them for the last 2 yrs. I had a small claim of $1500 on my house 2 yrs ago they paid $500 on and it took them well over a month to satisfy so no they don't pay out on claims very fast either. You will be waiting a while. Took 3 weeks for them to even come out to look at it and ask them not to process it depending on what it was and they did it and then told me the outcome. So whatever. No I would not recommend them to anyone. The only good I've see in 3 yrs is that if someone you refer summits a quote to them they will give a $25 Amazon gc. Rather they get a policy or not they only need to quote so yes that's the only good thing I've had during my whole 3 yrs of being with branch insurance. They are not worth the headaches you have while being insured and paying hundreds of dollars a month for low coverage. Home with a $2000 deductable and I'm still paying almost $300 a month. 1 car no ticket or claims $1000 deduct $367 a month not many discounts what so ever either. What they do have is not worth it either. Customer Service is nice yes but still they try to justify in nice ways why there math is so much different than yours. For sure. Again I would not recommend. You will Start having migraines for sure and stressing over every...

I recently had the unfortunate experience of a personal property loss due to a theft incident in my home. Dealing with the aftermath of such a situation can be incredibly overwhelming, but thanks to Allison Young, the insurance adjuster from Branch Insurance, the entire process became much smoother and less burdensome. I am delighted to share my positive experience with Allison and express my gratitude for her exceptional service and unwavering compassion. From the very first interaction, Allison displayed a remarkable level of professionalism and expertise. She listened attentively to my account of the incident, taking meticulous notes and asking pertinent questions to ensure she understood the full extent of my loss. Her empathetic demeanor immediately put me at ease, providing reassurance during a challenging time. Allison's knowledge and expertise in insurance claim assessments were evident throughout our interactions. She thoroughly explained the coverage and claim process, guiding me step by step and addressing any concerns or uncertainties I had along the way. Her ability to simplify complex insurance jargon and ensure my understanding was truly commendable. What truly sets Allison apart is her exceptional attention to detail and dedication to ensuring a fair and accurate assessment of my personal property loss. She meticulously documented every item affected by the fire, leaving no stone unturned. Despite the tedious nature of the process, Allison remained patient, diligent, and committed to securing the best possible outcome for me. Her determination and thoroughness were evident in the final claim report, which surpassed my expectations in terms of comprehensiveness and accuracy. Thanks to Allison's exceptional efforts, my personal property loss claim was resolved swiftly and fairly. Branch Insurance is fortunate to have such an outstanding adjuster on their team. I cannot recommend Allison Young highly enough for her professionalism, expertise, attention to detail, and above all, her heartfelt compassion. Her outstanding service has turned what could have been a daunting experience into one filled with gratitude and appreciation. If you ever find yourself in the unfortunate circumstance of a personal property loss, rest assured that with Allison Young at Branch Insurance, you will be in the most capable and...