Owning a home is one of the most significant investments you will ever make in your life. Protecting your assets is not just smart—it's integral. The best way to do this is to purchase both a homeowner’s insurance policy and a home warranty. Keep in mind that you are only obligated by the mortgage company to have homeowners insurance before you close on your new home. This needs to be maintained as long as you carry a mortgage. A home warranty can be purchased at any time.

Consumers generally think they benefit when they buy insurance direct but is it true? To find out, we’ve asked people what matters to them when buying insurance, and in turn our panel used those criteria to evaluate the differences between buying insurance via a broker and buying direct online. Why do consumers hate the middle man? Primarily, customers perceive any middle man as an unnecessary third party, and conventional wisdom dictates that this means additional cost and p