Questions, answered plainly

Yes. MCIA serves members of Maine Community Home Alliance, a Maine benefit corporation. Not a member yet? Click here to join MCHA, or mention it when you request a coverage review and we’ll send you the details. Membership never requires buying insurance.

No. MCHA membership never requires buying insurance, and insurance through MCIA is always optional. The two are separate businesses.

No. Insurance companies file their rates with the state, so the same policy from the same company costs the same no matter which agency sells it. As an independent agency, we strive to find you the most appropriate coverage at the best available price from the companies we represent. Your policy also comes with MCIA Prevent and our other client extras at no extra premium. We reinvest part of what we earn in our clients, helping lower your risk of a claim before one happens.

As an independent agency we can quote with multiple insurance companies. When we quote, we’ll always tell you which company each option is from.

Every phone call and email is returned by a licensed agent within 24 hours (usually less). We’re a small, growing agency, so we may not answer on the first ring, but you will hear back.

First make sure everyone is safe. Then call your insurance company’s 24/7 claims number, which is on your policy and ID cards. After that, let us know so we can help you through the process.

Yes. Manufactured homes, older Maine homes, and landlord policies are areas we know well. Some properties need a specialty market, and we’ll tell you up front what we find.

Inspections are performed by an experienced inspector from Granite Coast Home Services, our sister home-services company. It’s part of MCIA Prevent: $39.99 for up to 60 minutes, available once every two years when you ask for it. Larger homes that need more time are $25 per additional 30 minutes, and we’ll always ask before going over. Want one more often? Additional inspections are $99. You’ll get a free fire extinguisher with your first inspection and a replacement every 10 years after that. In other inspection years, we may include something else useful instead, like a leak detector.

Your current policy’s declarations page (the summary page that lists your coverage and price) is the most helpful thing to have. Don’t worry that your current price is on it. We never mark up a quote: the price we give you is the insurance company’s filed rate, the same price that company charges through any agency. Seeing your current policy just helps us compare like for like and spot any gaps in your coverage. For auto, we’ll also need drivers’ names and dates of birth, license numbers, and your vehicles. See our Get a Coverage Review page for a full checklist.

Start with our Am I Covered? page. It walks through 116 real situations for homeowners, condo owners, renters, landlords, drivers and business owners, shows how a typical policy usually responds, and tells you exactly which words to look for in your own policy. Every policy is different, so if you’re not sure, send us your policy and we’ll check it with you.

Like most independent agencies, MCIA is paid a commission by the insurance company that issues your policy. Commission rates vary by company and product. Ask us and we’ll tell you what we earn on your policy.

Only when it’s needed for something you asked for, like confirming your MCHA membership or scheduling an MCIA Prevent visit. MCIA never shares your policy details, claims history or credit information with MCHA or Granite Coast without your permission, and none of our companies sell your information. See our Privacy Policy.

We’re licensed in Maine and serve MCHA members across the state.