When a summer monsoon cell parks over Maricopa County, heavy rain can fall in less than an hour. Apache Boulevard underpasses fill with water, the Salt River bed runs brown, and homeowners across Maple-Ash and Hayden Ferry Lakeside end up on hold with their carriers asking the same question: am I actually covered for this?
If you live or do business in Tempe, AZ, that’s the question that matters. Hicks Insurance Group is an independent agency licensed in Arizona and working with 14+ top-rated carriers, so we shop your coverage across the market instead of fitting you into one captive carrier’s box. We hold a 5.0-star rating across 1,400+ reviews because we treat insurance as a relationship, not a renewal email, and we’ve worked that way since 1998.
Independent insurance for Tempe
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Most Tempe houses start with an HO-3 policy. It handles the everyday desert losses well, but flood is always a separate policy and condo owners need a different form entirely. Here is how the coverage layers stack up for a Tempe household.
The HO-3 is the baseline. The other layers fill the gaps that matter most in the East Valley.
| Coverage layer | What’s covered | What’s not | Recommended for Tempe? |
|---|---|---|---|
| HO-3 standard | Fire, theft, wind, hail, sudden internal water | Flood, earthquake, mold that develops over time | Yes, the baseline for most single-family homes |
| NFIP or private flood | River, surface and rainfall flooding, like the water that fills Apache Boulevard underpasses | Wind-driven rain through a damaged roof, which is a homeowners claim | Worth serious consideration within ½ mile of Tempe Town Lake or the Salt River bed |
| Wind/hail deductible | Sets what you pay on roof, AC unit and solar damage from monsoon hail | Cosmetic-only damage with some carriers | Ask for a flat-dollar deductible rather than a percentage of the dwelling limit |
| Equipment breakdown | HVAC compressor, pool pump, electrical panel | Routine wear and tear | Yes; with 110°F+ summers, your AC is a critical system |
| Personal liability | Injury on your property, dog bites, legal defense | Intentional acts, business run from home | $500K minimum, $1M better |
Hayden Ferry Lakeside condo towers and other Town Lake high-rises need an HO-6 (condo-owner) policy, not an HO-3. Your HOA’s master policy covers the building shell, not your unit’s interior, appliances or contents, and that gap is one we check for on every condo policy we review. See condo insurance.
Monsoon flood risk
Standard homeowners and condo policies exclude flooding from rainfall and rising water. A separate flood insurance policy through the NFIP or a private carrier fills that gap. Lenders require it in mapped high-risk zones; see Is flood insurance required in Tempe?
Related:Tempe homeowners insurance guide Homeowners insurance Homeowners FAQs What does homeowners insurance cover in Tempe’s hot, dry climate? How much does homeowners insurance cost in Tempe?
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Arizona’s state-minimum auto liability is 25/50/15: $25,000 bodily injury per person, $50,000 per accident and $15,000 property damage. That’s the legal floor for registering a car, not a sensible goal. Four reasons it falls short in Tempe:
For most Tempe drivers we recommend 100/300/100 with matching UM/UIM. Two-vehicle households and business owners should look at 250/500/250. Comprehensive with a $250–$500 deductible covers haboob windshield pitting, hail, theft from ASU-area lots and animal strikes.
Common discounts include a multi-policy bundle, defensive driving, telematics, low mileage (common in South Tempe and Warner Ranch) and multi-vehicle. See bundle policy and How much can I save by bundling home and auto insurance in Tempe?
Related:Tempe auto insurance guide Auto insurance Auto FAQs What are the minimum auto insurance requirements in Arizona? How does monsoon season affect auto insurance in Tempe?
Tempe’s economy runs from Mill Avenue restaurants and ASU vendors to tech-corridor startups and construction firms. Each needs a different coverage stack, but a few coverages come up with nearly every Tempe business owner we talk to.
The most overlooked coverage for Tempe small businesses is business interruption. When a monsoon storm or haboob damages your building and forces you to close, it replaces the income you would have earned while the covered damage is repaired. Many owners assume their property policy already includes it. Often it doesn’t unless it has been added, and most policies apply a waiting period before income coverage starts, so check how yours is written.
Second on the list is cyber liability. Tempe’s tech-corridor density means many small businesses hold customer data without coverage to absorb a breach, and breach response, customer notification and forensics are costly for a small firm to pay out of pocket. See cyber insurance.
If you have even one employee, Arizona generally requires workers’ compensation from the first day of employment, with narrow exceptions. See workers’ comp and Is workers’ compensation insurance required in Arizona?
Restaurants and Mill Avenue bars usually need liquor liability, assault and battery coverage, food spoilage and employment practices liability on top of standard property and general liability. See restaurants and bars and What insurance do I need for my restaurant in Tempe, Arizona?
Tempe’s steady pace of construction makes contractors insurance and performance bonds common requests from local builders and trades.
Related:Tempe business insurance guide Commercial insurance Business FAQs What insurance do I need for my small business in Tempe?
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Your homeowners policy often caps personal liability at $300,000. That’s not enough if your dog bites a guest who runs up a $200,000 hospital bill, or your teen causes a multi-vehicle Loop 101 accident.
A $1M umbrella policy layers on top of your home and auto liability and pays once those limits are used up. Relative to the protection it adds, it is often one of the least expensive policies a household carries, though pricing varies by carrier and household.
For any Tempe household with assets over $250,000, such as a paid-off home, retirement savings or college funds, an umbrella is among the highest-leverage coverage you can buy. A pool, a dog, a teen driver or a short-term rental adds even more reason to look.
Related:Tempe liability and umbrella guide Umbrella insurance How much liability coverage do I really need? Do I need umbrella insurance if I already have home and auto?
Tempe residents can buy insurance three ways: through an independent agency, through a captive agent tied to one company, or online direct from a carrier. Here’s how they compare.
| Feature | Hicks (independent) | Captive agent | Online direct |
|---|---|---|---|
| Carriers that can quote you | 14+ | 1 | 1 |
| Local Tempe presence | Tempe office on Rio Salado Parkway | Sometimes | No |
| Re-shop at renewal | Yes, across carriers | Limited to one company’s pricing | Limited to one company’s pricing |
| Same person for claims | Yes | Varies | Often a different rep each call |
| Reviews | 5.0 / 1,400+ | Varies | Varies |
| Years operating | Since 1998 | Varies | Varies |
Clients tell us the difference shows up in the advice and in how easy the process feels. Two recent Google reviews:
“I had a wonderful experience working with Kerry. She is incredibly friendly, professional, and truly pays attention to the details that matter to me. What I appreciated the most was her valuable advice, which helped me save money while still getting the right coverage. Kerry first helped me with my auto insurance, and later she also assisted me with my homeowners insurance. Both experiences were smooth and stress-free.”— Chezara S., Google review
“Staci provided fantastic customer service while we were transferring our auto and homeowner’s insurance from our move back from Florida. It was a stressful time and she made it much easier.”— Daniel T., Google review
Our Tempe office is at 60 E. Rio Salado Parkway, Suite 9092, Tempe, AZ 85281. Call (480) 561-6210, email plservice@hicksinsurance.com or see the Tempe office page. You can also learn about Hicks and meet our team.
Straight answers to the questions Tempe clients ask us most.
More Tempe answers:How do I get an insurance quote in Tempe, Arizona? What Arizona insurance laws affect Tempe residents? How do I save money on Tempe homeowners insurance? How much life insurance do I need in Tempe, Arizona?
Tempe sits in the heart of the East Valley, and its climate, roads and economy all shape the coverage local households and businesses need.
Population: About 190,114 (2024) in Maricopa County, part of the Phoenix metro’s East Valley.
Climate: Hot desert, with routine summer highs of 110°F and up; the metro’s record is 122°F at Phoenix Sky Harbor (1990). Monsoon season runs mid-June through late September, and haboobs are common during it.
Major roads: I-10 (including the Broadway Curve at the western edge), US-60 (Superstition Freeway), Loop 202 (Red Mountain) and Loop 101, plus surface arterials Mill Avenue, Apache Boulevard, Rural Road and McClintock Drive.
Transit: Valley Metro light rail with several Tempe stations, including ASU and Mill Avenue/3rd Street, the free Orbit shuttles and the Tempe Streetcar.
Major employers: Arizona State University, State Farm’s Marina Heights campus, JPMorgan Chase, Honeywell and the City of Tempe, plus local headquarters of DriveTime, GoDaddy, Carvana, Circle K and First Solar.
Landmarks: Tempe Town Lake, Papago Park, Tempe Butte (A-Mountain), Kiwanis Park, Sun Devil Stadium, Tempe Diablo Stadium (Cactus League), Mullett Arena and ASU Gammage.
Tempe Chamber of Commerce
The Tempe Chamber of Commerce runs some of the city’s signature business programs, including Business Woman of the Year and Tempe Leadership, and hosts regular ribbon cuttings for new and expanding businesses.
Our Tempe office serves households and businesses across the Phoenix metro, including these nearby cities:
Phoenix metro:Mesa Chandler Gilbert Scottsdale Phoenix Paradise Valley
We also work with clients farther out in Glendale, Peoria and Avondale. For more detail on each line of coverage we write in Tempe, see our service guides:
Tempe services:Homeowners Auto Business Liability and umbrella
In Illinois, we serve Chicago and the southwest and western suburbs from our Mokena home office at 19144 88th Avenue, Mokena, IL 60448, (708) 532-7474.
Illinois:Mokena Frankfort New Lenox Orland Park Tinley Park Homer Glen Lemont Manhattan Lockport Plainfield Shorewood Channahon Minooka Bolingbrook Naperville Lisle Warrenville Oak Lawn Palos Hills Palos Park Chicago
Tell us what you need to protect and we’ll shop it across our carriers. Pick the quote that fits:
Prefer to talk it through? Call our Tempe office at (480) 561-6210 or contact us online.
More resources:Insurance claims FAQs Life insurance FAQs Can an out-of-state agency write my Arizona policy? Hicks blog Client login
Independent insurance for Tempe: home, auto, business, umbrella and life.
Give us a call today and we can help.
What makes our independent insurance agency so wonderful is not our extensive experience or our network of top carriers. It is you. It is the relationship we get to build with you and the trust you place in us.
We want to ensure we deserve your loyalty and trust, which is why we build our agency on the three principles listed below.
We work diligently to find the very best coverage and risk management options for you and your specific needs.
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We want to be your insurance partner for as long as you need coverage. We will stand by your side at all times, and are available when you need us.
If you are new to Hicks Insurance, you probably have some questions. Let's help you get some answers.
If you cause an accident, be prepared to pay your deductible. After you’ve done that, your insurance company should pay the remaining costs, including damages or medical expenses you caused to other parties involved.
Your business insurance needs are as unique as your business itself. While all businesses need certain types of coverage—general liability, business property, and workers’ compensation, for example—your other needs hinge on your type of business. If, for example, you use vehicles in your line of work, you need business auto insurance. Similarly, businesses that manufacture a product should consider product liability insurance. Talk to your agent to determine your exact needs.
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