Everyone out there needs to purchase a homeowners’ insurance policy. Being a long-time homeowner doesn’t make you exempt. Just because disaster hasn’t struck in 20 years doesn’t mean that it won’t strike in the years to come or even tomorrow. Read and understand the tips in this article if you want to find a great policy.
If you have a child in college, check with your insurance agent about whether the child’s residence requires a separate insurance policy. Nearly all policies will cover belongings stored in a dorm room, while the regulations about off-campus apartment living will vary widely from policy to policy, even within the same company.
You can save money on your homeowners insurance by providing proof that you have made your home a safer place through the installation of a number of safety-related features. Install smoke detectors, fire extinguishers, deadbolt locks, burglar alarms, and/or fire alarms, and your insurer will likely offer you a preferred rate.
Flood Insurance
Flood insurance should not be overlooked when you purchase a house. Flood insurance is not always included in a homeowner’s policy, and recent events make it clear that floods do happen in unexpected places. There are few things worse than having a home damaged by a flood, so buy flood insurance while you can.
Install a security system to help lower your homeowner’s insurance premium by 5%. Your security system must be watched over by a central station or tied directly to your local police station, in order to get this discount. Your insurance agent will want to see proof that your security system is being monitored.
A higher deductible on your homeowner’s insurance can save you money on premiums. While a higher deductible may mean that you will be responsible for small repair costs such as broken windows, more often than not these costs are balanced out by the savings you will receive on your annual premiums.
To ensure the protection of major home improvement projects always report them to your homeowner’s insurance company once they are completed. While this may result in a small premium increase, it is the only way to make sure that the added value of your home is covered in case of damage.
A great way you can save on your homeowners insurance is to avoid expanding on your home too much. Sure, you can fix up those odds and ends, but putting that dream patio in your back yard or that extra bedroom on the second floor is going to cause your insurance payments to spike.
You want to live in a home like the one you lost, so you need to get guaranteed replacement value coverage. This insurance type covers the complete cost of replacing a home with one similar in size and value to the one destroyed.
Insurance Company
If you have recently renovated your home, make sure to let your home owner’s insurance company know. That way, should disaster ruin your newly renovated home, you will be reimbursed an amount that reflects the way your home looked after you renovated. Try to call the insurance company as soon as you make these renovations.
In order to decrease your annual premium, pay off your mortgage. Insurance companies will generally offer savings once a home is paid for.
When it comes to homeowners insurance, make sure you update it if your life changes. If you go through a divorce, make sure the right people are on the policy. If you a built a playground or added something to your house, you will need to update that, too. Being current is what you need to be!
Be sure to purchase the type of homeowner’s insurance that you need, the terms can sometimes be confusing. Replacement coverage actually provides funds to rebuild your home as well as its contents in the event of loss. An actual cash value policy will not cost as much, but pays only what your home is worth at the time of your loss less depreciation for age and ordinary wear and tear.
Before you purchase a home, it’s best to know what it is constructed from. Depending on what it is made of it can cost more to insure it. For instance, a home constructed mainly from wood is more costly and expensive to insure than a home constructed from brick or concrete.
Another way to get a discount on your home insurance is by having some form of fire safety in place. Smoke alarms are a good choice. While these are generally common in most current buildings, installing them in aging homes can save you about 10% or more in annual premiums. The other plus is that they can possibly save you if there’s a fire.
Review your insurance claim report and ensure the information contained in the report is accurate to help improve your risk profile with insurance companies. Just like a credit report, your insurance report may contain errors that negatively impact whether an insurance company considers you an acceptable risk for a home owner’s insurance policy.
Once you’ve wrapped your mind around the idea of having insurance, you can then start to take the steps necessary to craft a personal policy and get the protection you need. The article you just read can help you do this, but you must be willing to put these tips to action in order to secure a policy.
