Feeling like homeowners insurance is a black box that just makes your mortgage payment higher, this conversation is for you.

If you’ve ever felt like homeowners insurance is a black box that just makes your mortgage payment higher, this conversation is for you.

On this episode of Between Two Doors, I sat down with Alyssa Kapinos, a Goosehead Insurance agent based in Flower Mound, serving clients across Texas, Oklahoma (coming soon), Utah, Montana, Missouri, and North Carolina. She’s the person behind the scenes helping buyers actually understand what they’re paying for—and how to avoid some very expensive surprises later.

Podcast: https://www.betweentwodoors.com/episode-50-alyssa-kapinos-on-smarter-insurance-for-your-new-home/

Youtube: https://youtu.be/JMN_H1PCqL0

From Charleston Steeples to North Texas Storms

Alyssa’s story starts in Charleston, South Carolina, where downtown buildings can’t outgrow the historic church steeples that define the skyline, giving the city a “big but small” feel. Wikipedia+2Going+2

She’s a proud Clemson Tiger, where she worked in Clemson Athletics, serving boosters and season-ticket holders and discovering she loved building relationships, not just “making sales.”

Her family later moved to rural Oklahoma with her stepdad’s active-duty Air Force role, and Dallas–Fort Worth became the natural big-city hub nearby. Once she landed in North Texas, insurance felt like the right fit:

Her mom works in premium financing.
She wanted a relationship-driven career.
She saw that everyone needs insurance—and very few people truly understand it.

That combination led her to Goosehead Insurance, an independent personal-lines brokerage that represents hundreds of carriers and is known for shopping the market on behalf of clients rather than pushing a single company’s product. ir.gooseheadinsurance.com+2GooseheadInsurance+2

Why Goosehead (and Independence) Matters to Homeowners

When Alyssa says “independent,” here’s what she means in plain English:

She can shop multiple companies instead of forcing everyone into one carrier’s policy.
Different carriers may favor different risk profiles (roof ages, claim histories, locations, etc.).
Her job is to find the best fit of price + coverage, not just the lowest quote.

In a state like Texas, where home insurance premiums jumped roughly 21% in 2023 and another ~19–22% in 2024, having options matters more than ever. Star-Telegram+1

For North Texas specifically, storm losses and roof claims are driving higher rates and tighter underwriting. Many insurers have responded by:

Raising wind/hail deductibles from 1% to 2% of the insured value.
Adding roof payment schedules or ACV-only coverage on older roofs.
Requiring home–auto bundles to keep or secure coverage. Monumental Construction & Restoration+3Wall Street Journal+3Insurance for Texans+3

That’s the world Alyssa is navigating on behalf of your clients.

Homeowners Insurance in Plain English: The 3 Big Things

When Alyssa reviews a new homeowner’s policy, she wants them to walk away understanding at least three critical pieces.

1. How Much Is Your Home Actually Insured For?

Your policy is built around replacement cost, not what Zillow says your home is worth.

Market value = what the house would sell for.
Replacement cost = what it would cost to rebuild if the home burned down or was destroyed.

Underinsuring your dwelling means you could be on the hook for a big gap if the worst happens—and some policies include coinsurance penalties if you’re too far under replacement cost.

2. Your Deductibles (Especially Wind/Hail in Texas)

In Texas, most policies have at least two deductibles:

All Other Perils (AOP) – things like fire, theft, certain water damage.
Wind & Hail – almost always separate and frequently a percentage of your dwelling limit.

In DFW, it’s increasingly common to see 1%–2% wind/hail deductibles. That doesn’t sound like much until you do the math:

$400,000 insured value @ 1% = $4,000 out of pocket
$400,000 insured value @ 2% = $8,000 out of pocket

Statewide, more carriers are moving from 1% to 2% deductibles and shifting more cost exposure to homeowners.

3. What’s Included vs Excluded—Especially Water

Alyssa spends a lot of time on the “fine print” around water:

Water backup / sump overflow
Seepage or leakage
Foundation water coverage

These are often optional endorsements, not automatic protections. Meanwhile, in Texas, almost half of homeowner claims are now closed without payment, often because the damage isn’t covered or falls below the deductible. Houston Chronicle

That’s why she wants every homeowner to know: the exclusions and endorsements matter just as much as the headline premium.

Real-World Wins (and Painful Lessons)

Alyssa shared a couple of stories that make the paperwork very real.

The Septic Backup That Could Have Broken the Bank

She recently rewrote a client’s policy, adding:

Seepage/leakage coverage
Foundation coverage
Water backup endorsements

A few weeks later, the client’s septic system failed. Every sink and tub started backing up; flooring and cabinets were destroyed.

Because those optional coverages were in place, insurance helped cover thousands of dollars in damage. Without that endorsement, the client would have been fully out of pocket.

The Landlord With No Tenant Liability

Another client owned a rental property. A tenant lost control and punched multiple holes in the walls.

The landlord’s prior dwelling policy didn’t include tenant liability—an optional coverage that can help when a tenant causes damage. He paid for repairs himself.

When he moved his business to Alyssa, tenant liability became a non-negotiable part of his new landlord policy.

For investors and “future investors” (like Nate’s client Cash), these details can make or break returns.

Silent Killers in a Policy

When Alyssa talks about “silent killers,” she’s not being dramatic. She’s talking about decisions that feel smart in the moment—but cost you dearly later.

Common examples:

Cranking up the wind/hail deductible to save a few hundred dollars now…
- But then needing a new roof and realizing you’re on the hook for $20k–$30k before insurance pays a dime.
Stripping off optional water coverages to get the premium down…
- Only to discover that the particular kind of water damage you suffered isn’t covered at all.
Filing lots of small claims, which follow you via claim-history databases and can drive up premiums on your next home—even with a new carrier. Houston Chronicle+1

Her rule of thumb:
Short-term savings are only worth it if they don’t create long-term financial landmines.

Roof Age, Claim History, and Why the Home Itself Matters

In North Texas, roof age is one of the hottest underwriting topics:

Newer roofs (often under ~10 years) can qualify for discounts and full replacement cost coverage.
Older roofs may:
- Trigger higher premiums
- Be covered on actual cash value (ACV) only
- Or have restricted coverage

Meanwhile, insurers are looking more closely at:

Your personal claim history (even from prior homes)
The home’s claim history
Updates to plumbing, electrical, roof, HVAC, and more

Realtors who can answer questions like “How old is the roof?” and “When was the plumbing/electrical updated?” make Alyssa’s job easier—and help their clients qualify for better coverage more quickly.

How Alyssa, Lenders, and Realtors Work Together

From Alyssa’s perspective, the best time to loop in insurance is:

As soon as your buyer is under contract and working with their lender.

Here’s her ideal timeline on a 30-day closing:

Intro from the lender or agent
- Name, contact info, property address, target closing date.
Quick discovery call (≈15 minutes)
- Confirm property details (roof age, updates, square footage, special features).
- Learn about the buyer (prior claims, autos to bundle, valuables).
Behind-the-scenes shopping (1–2 hours)
- She runs quotes across multiple carriers and works through any underwriting quirks.
Deep-dive review call (30–45 minutes)
- Walks the client line by line through the policy: coverage limits, deductibles, endorsements.
- Adjusts based on their risk tolerance and budget.
Same-day binding
- Once the client is comfortable, she binds the policy and sends the binder to the lender so the mortgage side can finalize escrows and disclosures.

As Nate says often: the earlier everyone talks, the fewer “last-minute fires” at closing.

How Realtors Can Set Their Clients Up for Success

If you’re a Realtor, you’re a critical part of this puzzle. Alyssa’s wishlist from agents:

Accurate roof information
- Approximate age, material, and any recent repairs or replacements.
Heads-up on prior claims
- If your buyer has filed multiple claims previously, note that this can affect pricing and availability.
Update details on major systems
- Has the plumbing, electrical, foundation, or HVAC been updated? That’s gold for underwriting.
Warm introductions
- A quick email or text introduction to Alyssa right after the contract is executed can shave days off the process.

From my side as a lender, teaming up with pros like Alyssa means we can give clients a realistic total monthly payment—principal, interest, taxes, and insurance—earlier in the process and help them stay comfortably within budget.

If you’re a Realtor reading this and you don’t have a go-to insurance pro and mortgage partner yet, let’s fix that.

Coaching First-Time Homebuyers Through the Jargon

Buying a home is like learning four new languages at once: real estate, lending, title, and insurance.

Alyssa’s approach with first-time buyers:

Ask questions first
- She gauges whether they know terms like “escrow,” “market value,” “replacement cost,” and “ACV.”
Translate everything into plain English
- Real-world examples instead of legalese.
- Visualizing a claim scenario so deductibles and coverage limits make sense.
Cross-coach for the mortgage side
- She’ll explain how insurance fits into the escrow and overall monthly payment so buyers know what to expect when they talk to Nate’s team.

Her goal is simple:

“Review your insurance policy, find an agent you like and trust, and keep them for life.”

A Quick Homework Assignment for Homeowners

If you already own a home and haven’t looked at your policy in a while, Alyssa suggests one simple action step this week:

Figure out who your carrier is.
- Many people genuinely don’t know.
Pull your “Declarations Page.”
- The first few pages of your policy summarizing your coverage, limits, and deductibles.
Look for these key items:
- Dwelling limit (Coverage A – is it enough to rebuild?)
- Wind/hail deductible (% and dollar amount)
- Whether water backup/foundation/seepage coverage is included
- Roof coverage: replacement cost or ACV?
If anything is confusing, call a human.
- If you’re in TX, OK (soon), UT, MO, MT, or NC and want a pro to walk you through it, Alyssa would love to help.

Meet Alyssa Beyond the Policy

Part of what makes Alyssa so relatable is who she is outside the office:

She can write with both hands—she used to start a sentence left-handed and finish it right-handed as a kid.
She loves pickleball and confidently calls herself “above average.”
She’s a runner eyeing her next half marathon.
And she’s still all-in on Clemson football, celebrating big wins like the recent upset over Louisville.

In other words: she’s the kind of person you don’t mind spending 45 minutes on the phone with while talking through deductibles and dog stories.

How to Reach Alyssa

If you’d like Alyssa to review your current policy or quote a new one:

Call: 972-559-9449
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/insured.by.alyssa?igsh=MXd3b25oYnIwbTIzdA%3D%3D&utm_source=qr (behind-the-scenes insurance stories, tips, and a peek at the homes she’s helping protect)
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alyssakapinos/
Email: alyssa.kapinos@goosehead.com

And if you’re a Realtor or homebuyer who wants your financing and insurance to work together smoothly, I’d be honored to help on the mortgage side.

Apply or schedule a call at https://calendly.com/nathan_carver/15-min-fantastic-phone-call
Or text/call me at 972-832-5761 to talk about pre-approval, payment estimates, and how insurance interacts with your escrow.

About Between Two Doors

Between Two Doors is a podcast where I talk with Realtors about their journey, aiming to connect home buyers and sellers with agents on a more personal level. I ask “right brain” questions that go beyond transactions, focusing on the experiences, values, and passions that make these professionals great at what they do.

Listen to more episodes at: https://www.betweentwodoors.com

Sponsored by:
Premier Lending, Inc.
https://www.natecarver.com

NMLS Numbers:
NMLS: 2004738
Licensed by the Department of Financial Protection and Innovation (DFPI). Equal Housing Opportunity.
https://www.nmlsconsumeraccess.com

Contact: 972-832-5761

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