Your house isn’t just a house, it is a home for you and your loved ones to share. This is why it is so important to protect your home and pocketbook, by purchasing home owner’s insurance now, instead of waiting for problems to damage your house. Below are a list of tips to help you find the right home owner’s insurance for you.
Even if renter’s insurance isn’t mandated where you are living, it is highly recommended. You simply never know what is going to happen. Renter’s insurance covers all your valuables in the case of some disaster like a fire or a flood.
Check with your homeowner’s insurance before adding any major recreational structures to your property. Adding on a swimming pool, above ground or in ground or even children’s toys, like swingsets and trampolines, can significantly raise your homeowner’s insurance rates. The increased cost of these items should be considered before any major renovation.
After purchasing your homeowner’s insurance policy, go around your home and take photographs of your belongings so you have a visual inventory. Store these photos in a fireproof safe or at a relative’s house. These photographs will help the insurance company document your claims, and help you get your money faster.
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.
For things like homeowner’s insurance, there are things that you can do to help lower the cost of your coverage. Things like a home alarm that is monitored by a central location, can help drop your premium almost as much as 5%. You need to have proof of the alarm to show your insurance company, so you have your contract or bill of sale to show them.
Make sure you have homeowner’s insurance that includes a guaranteed replacement value policy. Doing so means that the insurance company will have to cover the whole cost of rebuilding your home in case of disaster. Since these costs tend to rise as time goes by, this policy will guarantee that you can afford to replace your home.
If you have a family, you should evaluate your homeowners’ insurance needs as your household shrinks and your material valuables (hopefully) increase. You should look over your policy to determine if any coverage limits on valuable items exist. It is possible to have special coverage placed on specific items.
Don not, under any circumstances, allow your hazard insurance on your home to lapse. Most mortgage companies have a clause in the agreement you signed that in the event you don’t pay it, they will find a new policy for it, sparing no expense, and charge you for the premium. It will usually be at least double what you were paying before. You are better off doing whatever you need to in order to keep your policy current.
There are numerous things that may damage your home. Fire is one way that your home can be damaged or totalled. You have to buy a policy that protects your home from arson, fires caused by wilfires and human error, as well as cars, earthquakes and storms. Find out if the policy you’re considering covers these events before you buy it.
Insurance for your house is a must as long as you still owe a mortgage. This protects the bank on their investment. Once you own your home in full, you will still want your insurance in case of theft or other damage so that you are not left fully covering all the repairs and loss.
Risk Areas
Flood insurance is an extra insurance type that can truly help those who live in high risk areas. It may add a bit more to your total premium costs, but it can save you from losing everything in case of a flood. High risk areas are flood insurance musts to help you protect your investments.
Fire alarms and smoke detectors can reduce your homeowner’s premium up to about 10 percent a year. Insurance companies have piece of mind knowing that your home is better protected in case of fire and are more willing to offer you insurance. Depending on the company and policies they offer, you could actually get a bigger reduction in your premium if you have many fire alarms installed.
Before purchasing a homeowner’s insurance policy, investigate your insurance company’s financial stability. You should make certain that they have funds to payout claims if you ever have to file one. Continue to do this regularly.
Install a centrally monitored security system in your home. This will ensure the safety of your family and reduce your insurance by at least five percent. You have to send proof of monitoring to the insurer to get this discount.
Increase your home owner’s insurance deductible. There are quite a few pros and cons to increasing the deductible amount on your insurance. However, if you are having trouble paying your home owner’s insurance, you might want to seriously consider it. It can end up saving you anywhere from 10% to 37% off your premium.
When doing home renovations, look into how your decisions will affect your insurance premiums. Many times choosing materials such as steel or concrete can lower your premiums. These materials are not going to be affected by natural disaster or time, which means you may not be charged as much.
Protect your home and family’s finances by getting home owner’s insurance. So many things can hurt or damage a home. Do not leave your home to chance by not getting home owner’s insurance. Use the tips above to find a policy right for you so that you can protect the place you call home.