There are many, many reasons that you need to be protected by insurance as a homeowner. Even if someone is trespassing on your property and gets attacked by your dog, you could be on the hook for the hospital bills. It’s crazy, yes, but that’s how the system works. Use these insurance tips to make sure you’re always protected.
When getting homeowners or renters insurance make sure you tell your insurance agent to add an addendum for flood and water damage. Most policies do not cover water damage unless it is added to the policy. Even if you don’t live in a flood zone, your home can suffer water damage from extreme weather and after a fire.
If you have had your home owner’s insurance policy with the same company for five or more years and have not filed a claim, you should call up the company and bring their attention to it. You just may find that they are willing to keep your business at a reduced rate given your track record.
Purchase a burglar alarm with central monitoring to save money on your home owner’s insurance. Most insurance companies will discount your policy price by up to five percent if you can show proof of a centrally monitored alarm system. The price you pay for the insurance may very well be offset by the discount on your insurance premiums.
If you have more expensive items in your home that need to be covered under your insurance policy, make sure that you are open with your agent about this. These can be listed separately on the policy and have a specific limit imposed on each of them to ensure that they will be covered.
For the biggest reduction in your homeowner’s insurance premiums without sacrificing coverage, raise your deductible. Raising a $500 deductible to $1000 can net you up to a 25% reduction in homeowner’s insurance costs. Your premium savings will allow you to easily save the additional money needed to satisfy the deductible in case of a claim.
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.
Use a home insurance broker. Insurance brokers have huge buying power with insurance providers, and even when taking into account their commission, you can still save a ton of money on your home insurance policy by using one. Check out the online reviews from the broker’s previous customers before using them.
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