Earthquakes and floods and fires, oh my! These are just a few of the countless reasons that you need to make sure your home is protected with an insurance plan. When you need help putting together a policy, just give the tips in this article a quick read and you’ll be well on your way.

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.

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.

Keep a current inventory of your personal belongings to facilitate fast processing of your insurance claims. Suffering through a major disaster can be overcome without losing everything, but only if you remain diligent and update the insurance agency frequently. A simple method of doing so involves snapping a picture of everything inside the house, including inside closets.

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.

It will be hard to get a claim for electronics, jewelry and other valuables approved if you do not have photographic evidence of them. This will help to give you the best possible value for your items in the event of an accident.

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.

Unexpected Damage

Having homeowners insurance can save you a great deal of money should your house ever experience some unexpected damage due to a natural disaster or other random cause. If you have your home insured, it will provide money for the repair costs from unexpected damage that can come with owning a home.

One way to save on your home owner’s insurance is to increase the amount of the deductible on your policy. Increasing your deductible can usually help bring your premiums down. Make sure, though, that in the case of a claim you are financially comfortable with paying the deductible amount you are choosing.

Install a security system. If you have such an additional measure of security, it will often pay for itself due to the savings you get on your policy. You’ll save money, have more home resale value, and be safe from danger.

Insurance Company

If you have your home paid off and don’t have any liens on it, you may want to ask your insurance company if they offer a discount for that. If you are lucky enough to have your home paid off, you may receive a discount because of this if your insurance company offers it.

When searching for another policy, make sure you search for companies that are user friendly. Locate a company that can easily process your claims. Look online or ask around for customer reviews before you select an insurance provider.

When signing up for home insurance, shop around. Insurance costs up to one-fifth of your income, so you shouldn’t take it lightly. Don’t go with the first company you contact – they’ll still have the same offer on the table if you go back to them tomorrow or the day after.

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.

Be sure to use a digital camera with flash as you make a photo portfolio for home owner’s insurance. Another option is to use a digital video camera so you can move smoothly from item to item and take a full pan of your room.

Make sure your pets are covered on your home owner’s insurance policy. Depending on breed, some dogs may be excluded from coverage on a policy. It is better to know up front, if accidents or damage caused by your pet are not covered, than to find out after a claim event occurs.

In the event of a natural disaster such as a windstorm or tornado, take photographs of damage as soon as it is safe to do so. These photographs can help your homeowner’s insurance carrier determine appropriate claim coverage and can simplify the process. Having photographs of damage also allows you to begin the clean-up process even if it takes your carrier a few days to send an adjuster or inspector to your home.

Homes seem to follow the same laws of nature as anything else. If anything bad can happen, you can bet that it will happen. That’s why it’s so important that you remain covered. In the article above, you learned some great tips on how to get an affordable and high-quality insurance package. Make sure you use them.