Imagine the following scenario. It is a stormy night outside, and you decide to stay in with your children. The wind howls outside. All of the sudden, you hear a loud CRASH. A tree from your backyard has fallen through your kitchen and office. A large portion of your house is destroyed. Would you be protected with insurance? Use the tips in this article to learn more about home owner’s insurance.
You can do two things to lower homeowner’s insurance premiums. Get a security system. You’ll see that this can actually lower the cost of your insurance by up to 5%! However, you must prove to your insurance company that your home possesses an actual security system that is properly working. This proof can be either a bill or contract. Next, have smoke alarms installed in every room. Smoke alarms can reduce insurance premiums by 10 percent.
Save money on your homeowner’s insurance by not purchasing items that are potentially injurious. Building a swimming pool or buying a trampoline can raise your annual premium by as much as ten percent or even more. Instead, visit the neighborhood pool or playground and get the same enjoyment for a lower price.
Make sure you have enough smoke detectors installed in your home. Older homes especially may need additional ones in order to get a better homeowners insurance premium. Even some newer homes can benefit financially from adding additional detectors apart from those necessary to meet the requirements.
Take a look at your insurance needs whenever your number of valuable items increase. You should just look at the policy to determine whether you have coverage limits on high-value things like jewelry. Many times valuable items such as jewelry or art must have an additional rider to be covered.
Create a comprehensive list of the valuables that are in your home, and provide a copy to your insurance agent. Take pictures of your items, and have them stored somewhere away from your home. Confirm with your agent that all of these items will be covered, and make sure to update your agent on new valuable purchases that should be covered.
If you have home insurance and also have a dog, make sure that you look for policy options that cover people who may be attacked by your dog. It’s a strange and backwards world sometimes, but an intruder can actually sue you if your dog attacks him. Yeah, it’s crazy, but that’s why they have these coverage options.
If you are purchasing a home, consider purchasing flood insurance. Traditional homeowner’s insurance policies don’t always cover floods, and you never know what can happen, even in the least expected places. There are few things worse than having a home damaged by a flood, so buy flood insurance while you can.
Security System
To pay lower home insurance premiums, install a home security system. Insurance companies typically give a discount of 5% or more, to homes that have a maintained security system. You may have to pay more for your security system up front, but the purchase will save you money in the long run.
If roommates share your space, review your coverage to determine what would be covered should a disaster occur. Some policies cover everything, and some only cover your things. See what is covered to avoid making out a check to a roommate following a disaster.
Before you purchase a policy with a homeowners insurance company, be sure to look at reviews of the company. The truth is, some companies are simply better and more fair than others, and you do not want to be stuck with a policy from a less than ideal homeowners insurance company.
Alarm System
Pay off your entire mortgage before trying to get insurance for your home. That can help cut your premium in a large amount. Insurers believe that people will care for homes better if they are the full owners.
Cut your insurance costs by getting fire and smoke alarms for your home. Besides protecting your home and its contents from fire, most insurance carriers provide policy discounts to those who have a home protected with a fire or smoke alarm system. Installing an alarm system in a home that is on the older side can help to reduce your overall premiums.
If you look only at cost when seeking homeowner’s insurance, the company you choose may well be one where you deal only with a distant call center. But if a tree falls on your home, you want someone with an office nearby, someone who will actually come out and look at the damage.
It is always a wise idea to do a little research into any insurance companies you are thinking about doing business with. Look for clear evidence of financial stability. This will ensure they will pay claims if you have to file one. Try to get this done at least four times each year.
Make sure you have adequate additional living expense coverage on your home owner’s policy in case you are unable to live in your home due to a claim. This coverage provides funds for temporary housing and expenses due to an insured property being uninhabitable because of a claim. These living expenses can mount quickly, so carrying enough coverage on your home owner’s policy can save you expense and worry should a disaster occur.
The scene depicted in the beginning of the article is just one example of how unexpected life can be. Now that you know how important home owner’s insurance is, apply the tips in this article to stay informed about this kind of insurance. The more knowledge you have, the more protected you will be.
If you are thinking about remodeling your home, find out how much your insurance will be. Extensions or extra rooms will end up costing you more money on your policy. Wood is more pricy than cement and steel in terms of being insured, because it can be damaged by weather or fire.