This one is from Century 21 – we’re sharing it because we think it’s a great ad, but also because we want to remind you that when you buy a new home, you also have to shop for homeowners insurance – you can’t have one without the other.

In any case, enjoy the video, and the game.

According to the Louisiana state insurance department, Allstate wants an average increase of 5.9 percent for 73,000 homeowners with policies from Allstate Indemnity Co, and an 11.3 percent rate increase for 71,000 homeowners with coverage from Allstate Insurance Co. Added together, these rate hikes represent $17 million.

If Jim Donelon, the Louisiana Insurance Commissioner, approves the rate increases, they would go into effect with new and renewal policies effective March 1st.

Allison Hatcher, speaking on behalf of Allstate, explained that this rate increase is meant to cover the corporations cost of reinsurance, which is basically the coverage that Allstate takes from other companies in order to help cover damages caused by catastrophic events like hurricanes and floods. Such reinsurance charges are usually built into homeowner’s policy premiums, and are generally higher for homeowners in coastal areas.

Allstate’s last rate increase in Louisiana was in August, 2010, when the higher rates ranged from 2.9 percent to 11.6 percent depending on the specific Allstate branch writing the coverage.

State Farm, the state’s largest insurer of private homes, has already asked for and received a rate hike of it’s own this year.

Commissioner Donelon has 30-45 days to consider Allstate’s request before making his decision.

The company, which is run by the state, released a memo to its agents stating that it will be eliminating homeowners insurance coverage for most structures beyond the main residence listed on a policy. Specifically excluded will be car ports, patios, screen porches and pool enclosures that are not constructed from the same materials as the actual residence.

The exclusions don’t end there, however. Citizens is also excluding coverage for gazebos, tiki huts, or any other similar structures likely to be open to the weather, or any structure that has a roof or wall built from lattice, thatching, or similar materials.

Citizens is also instituting a $10,000 cap on cosmetic damage to floors that cover less than five percent of the total square footage of a home.

According to company spokesperson Christine Ashburn, these changes will go into effect on all new and renewal policies on January 1, 2012.

Nevertheless, that’s what’s happening in Georgia.

The heirs of an 83-year-old woman, Gwyneth Williams, have sued her HOA, The Landings Association, after she was found dead in a lagoon in her suburban Savannah subdivision.

The lagoon in question was also home to an eight-foot-long alligator. Williams’ heirs believe the HOA should have removed the animal.

The Georgia Supreme Court has decided to hear the case.

Earlier, a split Georgia Court of Appeals panel ruled that the golf club and homeowners association may be held liable for damage inflicted by alligators in its lagoons.

It’s unclear whether an alligator killed Williams. Her mangled body was found in one of the lagoons in October 2007.

The club and the association have argued that Williams may have died from a heart attack before encountering the alligator.

Overall, the three states that saw the most damage to insured property (topping $500 million) were New Jersey, New York, and North Carolina, with Virginia and Maryland rounding out the top five.

This information comes from an insurance data provider, Verisk Analytics, and was released on Monday, however, the Verisk cautions that while the numbers are fairly solid, technically, they’re still just an estimate.

In total 191 counties in states along the eastern seaboard saw damage from Hurricane Irene, including Vermont, which doesn’t even have a coastline.

Not surprisingly, many of the people who suffered property damage did not have wind or flood insurance as part of their homeowners coverage – these must be purchased separately.

Specifically, about 350,000 homeowners who currently have either Texas Family or Next Generation Home Policies through Farmers will see higher rates, which are set to take effect on March 16th. The last rate hike on Farmers homeowners policies was an increase of 3.9 percent in March, 2011.

Speaking on behalf of the insurance company, vice president and executive director for Farmers in North Texas explained that the higher rates are required in order to offset the fact that claims in Texas tend to be more expensive.

The rate increase was filed with the state insurance department on October 7th.

The first law, Senate Bill 101, bars exterior repair contractors, like roofing and siding companies, from offering to cover a prospective client’s insurance deductible in order to make a sale, and also prohibits such companies from negotiating with insurance companies on an insured homeowner’s behalf.

The other law, Senate Bill 132, allows insurance companies to legally set up mobile service centers in storm-damaged areas, to make it easier for affected policyholders to file claims. Under the terms of this law, counties, cities, and other political subdivisions may not restrict insurers from establishing temporary operations. Previously, there were cases where cities and other municipalities wanted new business licenses before mobile service centers were allowed to operate after a weather-related disaster.

Earlier this week, the Dallas Morning News also reported another proposal from State Farm, shifting the deductible on homeowners coverage to 1 percent of the home’s insured value rather than the current schedule of flat-rate deductibles that can be as low as $500.

Representatives of State Farm explained that the new deductibles reflect the increased cost to repair homes after claim-worthy damage.

The requested start-date for these changes is October 15th for new customers and December 1st for those who are already State Farm customers.

A recently established Texas law mandates that the state insurance commissioner completes a review of such requests within thirty days.

According to the Alabama state actuary, Charles Angell, this increase is not designed to account for losses caused by a spate of tornadoes which struck the state last April. In fact, he says, all insurers in Alabama will be able to offset only a fraction of such losses via upcoming rate requests.

Nevertheless, according to Alfa spokesperson Jeff Helms, the increase in the severity and frequency of such storms is putting pressure on insurance rates.

Alfa is an affiliate of the Alabama Farmers Federation, and the new, higher rates actually went into effect on September 1st.

Charles Angell insists that his calculations support the rate hike.