Owning a home is a huge undertaking. It involves a big investment and a lot of responsibility. It is imperative that you protect your investment by obtaining homeowner’s insurance. This will help reimburse you in case your house sustains damage, you are a victim of theft, or someone visiting your property sustains an injury.
There are two major things that you can ensure are done to help lower your insurance costs. First of all, have a security system installed. This can reduce your premiums by five percent. Be aware that you have to show your insurer a bill or contract as proof that a security system is working in your home. A second round of renovations that will help would include the installation of smoke alarms. This can save you another ten percent!
To make sure that you are paying the lowest amount on your homeowner’s insurance, compare the cost of your insurance policy to another company’s policies at least once a year. You should also review your existing policy and mark any changes that may have occurred which could lower your premium.
There can be many things that can be done to help lower your homeowners insurance. Most people will think about what they have done in regard to safety in their home but most don’t think about the neighborhood around them. For example, if a fire hydrant was put in within 100 feet of your home it might be used to lower your premium. It never hurts to call and ask.
In order to ensure your insurance claims are processed correctly, you should keep an updated list of all of your home’s contents. Anyone who has suffered a catastrophic loss will tell you how hard it is to remember everything that was in the house during a time like that. Take pictures of the contents of your home (remember cabinets and closets) for the most accurate record.
Putting an addition onto your home will increase your homeowner’s insurance rates because there’s now more home to insure. Minimize the increase by being smart with your building choices. If you can arrange for steel-framed construction, you may be able to pay less by choosing this less-flammable material. Consider the new roof’s fire rating as well.
Insurance Policy
Look for ways to save on your policy. Renovations to the home could alter your insurance premiums so ensure you are fully aware of the facts before you decide on your renovation materials.
Consider raising the deductible on your home insurance policy. A higher deductible on your insurance policy can significantly lower your annual home insurance premiums. Unfortunately, by raising the deductible, your home insurance company will no longer pay for small claims, such as broken window repair, leaky pipe repair and minor wind and flood damage repairs.
Keep insurance considerations in mind when you plan a major home addition or renovation. The materials and techniques you use in making additions can have a major effect on your future insurance premiums. Sturdy, fire-resistant building systems like concrete and steel will cost you less to insure than standard wood-frame construction.
Investing in a quality alarm or tracking device is a good way to lower your premiums. Insurers are interested in making safe investments, and if you keep things safe, they will have more confidence. Speak with the company you deal with as soon as you get these things installed so that you can have lower premiums.
Make sure to get homeowner’s insurance when you purchase a house. People sometimes forget about insurance because they are too busy dealing with other matters. If something disastrous happens to your home, such a fire, hurricane, or flood, your homeowner’s insurance will help pay all or some of the repair costs.
Find the ratings for the insurance company that you are considering opening a home insurance policy with. You will be able to learn about the billing, claims, customer service and overall satisfaction ratings. Be sure that the ratings that you are getting are coming from independent customer satisfaction surveys.
If you can, pay your mortgage so you can save for your homeowner’s insurance. When you own your home, your insurance company assumes you will take better care of it. Therefore, many insurers provide significant premium discounts as a result. Immediately after you pay off your mortgage, call the insurance agent to start saving.
Be sure to update your policy if you make changes to your property. If you do things such as remove a trampoline or a swimming pool or pay off your mortgage, you will see a decrease in your premium. If you add a security system it will reduce your rates as well.
All apartments should be equipped with a smoke alarm or two. If your apartment does not have one, you can pick one up for very little money, and it will save you some money on your renter’s insurance policy. It could save your life as well as saving you money.
Homeowner’s insurance is a necessary part of owning a home, even if it’s sometimes expensive. There are ways you can lower the costs. You can get a lower premium by simply choosing a higher deductible. Improvements to your home, such as installing a new security system or repairing your roof, can also lower your rate. Speak with the insurance company to find out which improvements you can make to save money.
No homeowner should forgo purchasing homeowner’s insurance. Once the deductible is met, homeowner’s insurance protects the policy holder from damage that the house may sustain from fire and other accidents, pays for loss from theft, and pays for medical treatment of any visitor who is injured on the property. This makes homeowner’s insurance invaluable to all homeowners.