About, sources & methodology
Plain Policies is an independent educational resource. This page explains exactly what the site does, where its information comes from, how that information is kept current, and how to reach us.
1. Our mission
The goal here is simple: help people understand how insurance actually works, in plain language, before they ever have to talk to an agent, file a claim, or compare a policy. Everything on this site is built from public information and general industry concepts, not from any single insurer's products.
What this site does
- Explains how auto, renters, homeowners, life, umbrella, and gap insurance generally work
- Defines common terms in an interactive glossary
- Shows public average costs and general rating factors, clearly labeled as aggregates
- Offers interactive, educational tools to explore concepts hands-on
- Cites where every figure and concept comes from
What this site does not do
- Sell insurance, generate quotes, or collect underwriting information
- Recommend, rank, or endorse any specific insurer, agent, or broker
- Give personalized financial, legal, or insurance advice
- Require an account or collect personal insurance details to use any tool
- Guarantee that any figure shown matches your own rate
2. Data sources
Every cost table, rate-factor list, and general statistic on this site is built from one or more of the following categories of public source. Individual tables cite the specific source category and year directly in their caption or a nearby note.
Insurance Information Institute (III.org)
Independent, nonprofit industry data and consumer education on all major insurance types.
National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC)
Standard-setting body for state regulators; source for regulatory concepts like credit-score and gender-rating restrictions by state.
U.S. Census Bureau & federal agencies
General population, housing, and household data used for broad context (for example, typical homeownership and rental patterns by state).
Public rate-comparison and analytics sites
Sites including ValuePenguin, MoneyGeek, Insurify, The Zebra, Experian, NerdWallet, Forbes Advisor, LendingTree, Bankrate, Insure.com, WalletHub, and Compare.com regularly publish aggregated analyses of public insurance rate filings. This site draws its cost tables from these published analyses, not from any single insurer's data.
FEMA & state insurance departments
Used for general concepts like flood zones, FAIR Plans, and state-specific regulatory notes.
3. How & when data is refreshed
This is a static, independently maintained educational resource rather than a live feed connected to any insurer or rate database. Cost tables and statistics are pulled from the public sources listed above at the time each page is written, with the source and year noted directly next to the figures. Because insurance rates shift with market conditions, pages are reviewed and refreshed on an ongoing basis, generally at least once a year, using the same categories of public sources. If you notice a figure that looks out of date, the feedback method in Section 5 is the fastest way to flag it.
4. Interactive tools, explained
Every tool below is built from public data and general concepts. None of them collect personal information, generate a quote, or recommend a product.
Life-Stage Decision Maps
Concepts that often become relevant at common life stages — educational only, not a personal plan.
State Explorer & Trend Viewer
Public average premiums and rating rules by state, sourced from aggregated rate-filing analyses.
Policy Language Decoder
Generic, non-branded policy phrases translated into plain English.
Coverage Gap Visualizer
A conceptual illustration of typical protection versus a typical gap.
Claim Path Simulator
An illustrative walkthrough of how common claims typically unfold.
Myth vs. Data Cards
Common beliefs paired with general public data.
How Insurance Pricing Works
A neutral look at risk pools, data sources, and rating factors.
Learning Pathways
Self-paced modules with local-only progress tracking, no account needed.
Teacher & Educator Resource Hub
Free classroom materials built from the same public data.
Seasonal & Event Guides
General guides tied to common times of year, like storm or wildfire season.
5. Feedback & contact
Plain Policies is part of Codebead LLC.
No personal or insurance data required
Have a correction, a broken link, or a suggestion? Email hello@codebead.com. This inbox is for site feedback only — it's not a way to request a quote, and we'll never ask for your policy details, date of birth, or other personal or underwriting information.
6. Privacy & analytics
This site never requires handing over personal information to use it. There are no accounts, no lead-generation forms, and no fields anywhere that ask for anything resembling underwriting or quote information. It does use Google Analytics and, in most regions, Google AdSense — both described below.
What stays on your device
- Learning Pathway progress (which lessons you've completed)
- Dismissed disclaimer, seasonal banner, and onboarding tour state
- Any State Explorer or Coverage Gap Visualizer selections you make
- Your ad-consent choice, if you were shown the ad-permission banner
All of this lives only in your browser's local storage. It's never transmitted anywhere, and clearing your browser data clears it.
Analytics
This site uses Google Analytics (GA4) to understand general traffic patterns — which pages are visited, roughly how people find the site, and similar aggregate trends. Unlike the cookie-less approach originally planned here, Google Analytics does set cookies and can involve cross-site measurement, consistent with Google's privacy policy. It is not used to identify you personally, and none of this site's own tools or content require it to function.
Advertising
This site shows ads through Google AdSense to help cover hosting costs. Outside the EEA, UK, and Switzerland, ads load automatically. In those regions, Google requires your permission first, so you'll see a short banner asking whether to allow ads before any ad-related script loads — declining doesn't limit anything else on the site. Region detection uses Vercel's built-in, IP-based geolocation and isn't tied to any personal account or identity.
7. Standard disclaimer
Please note: This site provides general educational information only. Insurance is regulated by state and rates vary widely. Consult a licensed professional or insurer for advice specific to your situation. Data is based on publicly available averages and may not reflect current individual rates.
This same disclaimer appears on every page of the site and within every major interactive tool.