Get a stable income, job and start with going the simple route.

Can you suggest an insurance company and contacts for our rental houses?

However, they approach financial health from different angles.The 50% Rule is a quick estimate that suggests operating expenses (excluding mortgage principal and interest) will roughly equal 50% of the property's gross income.The DSCR is a more precise calculation (Net Operating Income / Total Debt Service) that determines if a property generates enough income to cover its debt obligations.Deal example:- Class C middle class neighborhood- 4bd / 2ba single family house- ARV: 190k- Purchase: 105k- Rehab: 35k- Market rent: $1,400-1,525- Section 8: $1,475- Property manager: 10%- Taxes: 125 month- Insurance $1250 yr- HOA: $55 month- purchased and rehabbed with all cash.

You want this to be your backup plan if things take longer than anticipated, you do not want to dip into personal credit cards so i would use a heloc to help with down payment but try to keep a nice available balance on a heloc as your insurance policy. 

That's easy compared to trying to fight and erroneous $13k water bill (a real issue we had) or an insurance policy tripling (that too).

But 1031ing your current land into better production land that you rent out can be a very stable platform.  

I'm sure there are great, stable areas in Columbus but I'm not convinced the appreciation has been as strong as most would lead you to believe.I don't know much about Cincinnati, but one glance at the median list price over the past 5 years (attached below) would be enough for me to write it off as not appreciating.I'm personally partial to Detroit and that's where I invest and do a lot of business with other folks as well.

For example, we need proof of renters insurance and proof they put electricity in their name.So, it seems odd that you are accepted but they keep wanting more information. 

My monthly payments (mortgage, insurance, taxes) are roughly $3,600, leaving me netting about $4,600/month.I have four years left until military retirement, after which I’ll have a pension, some disability income, and rental income from this property.

Insurance companies are always looking for MTR that are furnished like ours  never stays vacant more than a week.