Cheap Home Insurance - A Few Tips to Save Money.
Is there such a thing as cheap home insurance? There may be a better question. Is home insurance really that expensive? Homeowner’s insurance may very well be the consumer’s best buy when it comes to insurance. There are multiple benefits and features that make the home policy unique. Most everything that the homeowner owns including the dwelling can be covered in some way by homeowner’s insurance. When you think of the magnitude of the coverage afforded by homeowner’s insurance versus the premium paid then you would have to agree that homeowner’s insurance is a very good buy. The rates on property insurance in general, have increased over the last ten years. Much of that has to with increased catastrophes like the hurricanes in Florida. The toxic mold problem that originated out west has also caused premiums to increase on a national basis. The home insurance buyer really needs to focus on a few areas to get the most for the premium dollars paid.
Accurate Dwelling Amount – This is the first most critical decision that you will make. The square footage of your dwelling has to be correct in establishing the replacement value of your home. The market value is of little use to you when you purchase insurance to rebuild the structure. Replacement cost is better for homes that have been built within the last 40 years. Check with your insurance company underwriting guidelines.
Replacement Cost or Actual Cash Value – This facet of your home insurance policy should be clearly understood. Replacement cost insurance on both your dwelling and its contents means that the insurance company will rebuild or replace your loss with like kind and quality. Actual Cash Value will calculate the replacement cost and then subtract for depreciation. The actual cash value policy is cheaper but you will have to come up with the depreciable amount out of your own pocket.
Deductible – Higher deductibles bring your premium down substantially. $500 to $1000 deductibles are common. This is a huge savings to you over the years and is your most valuable tool in lowering the cost.
Home Insurance
Understanding Factors Affecting Your Home Insurance Premium
Homeowner’s insurance can be a confusing topic. Because of this, many homeowners don’t fully understand why insurers charge the premiums they do, and as a result, premium charges often go unquestioned by policyholders.
But when you know how insurers determine your premium, you can work with those factors to lower your premium and say goodbye to expensive home insurance rates!
How Insurers Gauge Your Risk
When an insurance company determines your rates, they’re really determining your risk. And according to the Insurance Information Institute (I.I.I.), insurers consider some of the following to determine exactly that:
- Where your home is located. Living in high risk areas like the Gulf coast or in crime-riddled neighborhoods drastically increase the chances that your home will be significantly damaged, ruined, vandalized or stolen from. It’s for this reason that you’ll pay more to insure your home in a high risk area.
- The cost to build in your area. Some insurers will look at the construction costs in your area to see how much it would cost to rebuild your home if it were destroyed. The higher the construction costs are in your area, the higher the likelihood that you’ll pay for it in your home insurance rates.
- The materials used to construct your home. Materials like brick and other stone tend to better withstand the high winds that come with tornadoes and hurricanes. If your home is constructed (or partially constructed) from these materials, you’ll probably see a dip in your homeowner’s insurance premium.
- Other risk factors on your property. Insurers will also want to know if you have any swimming pools, hot tubs or trampolines on your property, as well as the kind of breed the family pooch is. All of these factors increase the risk of injury on your property and insurers may increase your rates accordingly.
Saving Money on Home Insurance
With all these factors, how can you save money on homeowner’s insurance? Aren’t some of these factors out of the hands of homeowners?
Yes and no. While you may not be able to control the weather or the actions of others, you can do the following to save money:
- Make upgrades. While you may not be able to change the location or construction of your home, you can lower your premium by upgrading plumbing and heating systems, installing sprinkler systems, additional smoke detectors and deadbolt locks. While these upgrades may take a little elbow grease and money on your part, it’ll lower the risk for insurers—and your home insurance rates.
- Make your home safe. If you have a pool or trampoline, fencing can keep children away from these areas without your supervision. If you have a dog that fits into a “high risk” breed category (like a pit bull), there may not be a lot you can do, and some insurers won’t cover dog bite liability; ask your insurer for details regarding your pooch.
- Insure for the replacement cost. Your home would probably cost more to rebuild or replace now that it did when you bought it. Insuring your abode for the replacement cost will help you avoid any large depreciation if you need to file a claim.
- Review your policy annually. If you sold grandma’s expensive china last year, you no longer need coverage for it. Reviewing your policy annually will ensure that you have the coverage you need—no more and no less.
