My current insurance company, who has me in good hands, essentially doubled what I pay on a monthly basis.

The 14k lender placed insurance showed up on my HUD during the sale and HouseMax advised I just pay it and get reimbursed afterwards. 

If you are looking to hold long-term, I would bring on a private lender for the rehab and then refinance and pay them off. 

They got sued when they refused the pay and the magistrate told them they should settle and pay because he would rule in the landscaper's favor based on that concept.

For Conventional, there is no percentage/factor reduction where there is historical income figures to work with (reported a tax form)- the figures from the tax return are used.

If the tenant does not pay the electric bill, the utility company would be responsible for filing a lawsuit to get their money from the tenant if the tenant is unwilling to pay.Best of luck, David

Alabama has the second lowest property taxes in the nation behind Hawaii. 

Is there a specific dollar amount threshold under which you'll just pay for a repair yourself vs. going through insurance?

All improvements would be added to the cost of your property and depreciated over 27.5 years.Any interest or taxes paid on the property for the full year are fully deductible. 

When you use a Big bank you avoid having to pay the extra "middleman" fees and points.