Tag Archives: Home
Tips On How To Arrange Cheaper Home Contents And Buildings Insurance
Tips On How To Arrange Cheaper Home Contents And Buildings Insurance
If you are looking for tips on how to reduce the yearly premiums you pay on your home contents and/or home buildings insurance policies, the following are some sure-fire ways to do it:
Increase the insurance excess amount
While still maintaining a sensible threshold, why not increase the excess amount on the insurance policy? The excess amount is the amount you and the insurance company agree you’ll be liable to pay you can make a claim on the insurance policy. In theory, with an increase in the excess amount should come a reduction in the premium – as there is less chance you’ll claim.
Increase your home security
Insofar as home contents insurance is concerned, security is a major contributing factor. Therefore, if you want to reduce your home contents insurance premiums, you should seriously consider beefing up your home security system. Depending on the valuation you have put on your home contents, ideas here should include putting in a home alarm system.
Rent a safety deposit box
While none of us like the idea of keeping our most prized possessions safely locked away in a safety deposit box, if you have one or two very valuable personal items, you may well find that it is a lot less expensive to keep these in a safety deposit box and only bring them out on special occasions than it is to pay an expensive insurance premium to keep them on-hand all the time.
Look around for a new insurance provider
Although you do need to consider whether or not your home buildings insurance provider is an approved insurance company, so far as your mortgage lender is concerned, these days the insurance industry is a very price competitive one. As such, take advantage of this and look around to see if you can get a cheaper deal either on the Internet or in the real world.
Insure against the mortgage value
Although it is never recommended practice that you only insure your home buildings against the mortgage loan outstanding, if money is tight and the amount of your mortgage outstanding is not too far off the real value of your home, you may want to consider insuring your home for the value of the mortgage loan outstanding. This way, with a lower home valuation should come reduced premium payments.
Although there are a number of ways that you can reduce both your home contents and home buildings insurance, where possible it is best practice that you try to maintain adequate insurance to reflect the real value of all your wonderful possessions.
Play It Safe And Get Home Owner’s Insurance 5
Play It Safe And Get Home Owner’s Insurance
Most of us never really think something like a burglary can happen to us, but over a million homes are burglarized every year. If your valuables are stolen or if your property is damaged, a solid home insurance policy can see that you are compensated. Make sure you read these tips to find out how you can get the best insurance.
Update your insurance policy if you make any structural changes or renovations to your home. If you have done any improvements that will increase the value of your home, you should let the insurance company know so they can update your policy to reflect the current value of your home.
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.
When you sign a new home insurance policy, be sure you get all the discounts available. Alarm systems that report to a central station can get you up to a 10% discount. Those over 50 can also be eligible for a discount. One of the most common discounts available is a multi-policy discount. This will help to lower the cost of both your auto and home insurance policies.
When buying a new home that needs extensive renovations, know that your home insurance premiums will reflect that work. The insurer will see the new work and factor in the cost of replacing the upgrades, which would be costly in the case of total destruction. This will increase your premiums to cover the cost of reconstruction.
Lower your annual home insurance premiums by raising your deductible. The higher the deductible, the less you pay. Even though you will be stuck with footing the bill for smaller problems you may encounter, it is worth it in the long run. Insurance companies tend to raise a homeowner’s premium after any claim they make, no matter how small.
Consider moving. The area in which your home is located has a great impact on the cost of your home insurance. If your house is located in a rough neighbourhood which has a high crime rate, your home insurance is likely to be very expensive. By moving to a safer neighbourhood, you could significantly reduce your annual home insurance premiums.
Know your insurance terminology. Replacement cost value is the maximum an insurance company will pay out for property that is damaged. This means they pay you the total amount, without deducting depreciation. Make sure your policy pays replacement cost instead of actual cash value, which reduces the payout by the amount of depreciation for each item.
Taking out the best possible home insurance policy is just smart on your part, whether you rent or own your home. No one can predict when something bad will happen. And although you can prepare for the worst, there is often no way to stop it from happening. It’s best if you’re protected, though, and the tips you just read, can help you find the right protection.
Discounts When Bundling Your Home Insurance With Car Insurance Rates With The Same Company (4)
Discounts When Bundling Your Home Insurance With Car Insurance Rates With The Same Company
Comparison shopping is how you can work to save some money on just about any item out there, including home owner’s insurance. But looking at side-by-side companies isn’t always enough. Sometimes you need more tips to assist you in your search for the right insurance. Here are some tips to help you out.
On your homeowners insurance policy, you will be able to save money by choosing a higher deductible on your policy. You will generally start to get a discount at a 0 deductible and the discount increases as the deductible increases. Check with your lender first if you plan to go higher than a 00 deductible as some lenders do not allow this.
Remove unnecessary cover from your home insurance policy. By removing optional extras, such as caravan insurance, personal possessions cover, accidental damage cover, protected no claims discount, bicycle cover, emergency legal protection, key care, computer breakdown insurance and travel insurance, from your home insurance policy, you could save a lot of money.
If you find that you are paying more than you would like to pay for your home owner’s insurance, take the necessary steps to improve your credit rating. If you have better credit, you are going to get better rates on your insurance premiums.
Check the insurance cost for the area you plan on buying a home. Some places that are more prone to natural disasters have higher home insurance rates. Also the neighborhood you plan on buying a home in may affect the cost, as well as how far away the local fire department is.
Choose a higher deductible rather than a lower one. Claims shouldn’t be filed on small problems, so this is a great way to save you money on your insurance premiums. They can be reduced by up to 25% just by making a small change such as choosing a higher deductible.
When creating a photo inventory of your home for your home owner’s insurance, make sure you use a color digital camera which has a flash. 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.
When shopping for a home and thus home owner’s insurance, consider the neighborhoods you are considering. Past claim rates for a neighborhood can affect insurance premium, especially if there is a high crime or vandalism rate leading to high volumes of claims. Being fully informed of the factors affecting insurance rates goes a long way towards keeping your premiums as low as possible.
To keep your coverage up to date, be sure to review your homeowner’s policy every year. Let your insurer know of changes in your home and property that may help keep your premiums down. For instance, if you have replaced a shake roof with something more fireproof, like composite shingles, you may get a premium reduction.
As you can see with these tips, there are many things you can do and many ways to go about saving money on a quality insurance package for your home. You never want to allow your insurance to lapse. Always make sure that you’re fully covered. Use these tips above and find a great policy.
North Carolina Home Owner’s Insurance – Helping You Do Your Homework
North Carolina Home Owner’s Insurance – Helping You Do Your Homework
Home owner’s insurance companies usually take into consideration the location of the home before they offer a potential policyholder a quote. North Carolina home owner’s insurance companies are no different.
Since North Carolina is a high-risk state during the hurricane season each year, having a home owner’s insurance policy is crucial in protecting your home, its contents, and your valuables. Some areas in North Carolina are at a lesser risk for experiencing hurricane-related damage than other areas; therefore, these areas usually do not pay as high a premium for home owner’s insurance as do other areas in the state. For example, the average home owner’s insurance premium for Charlotte residents is 0-0. Charlotte is a good bit inland and not as prone to hard hits from hurricanes. On the other hand, Wilmington, which is right by the water, costs its residents an average of 0 in home owner’s insurance premiums. At the same time, Asheville, Greensboro, and Raleigh residents will pay lower home owner’s insurance premiums than Fayetteville residents.
If you live in a North Carolina city that is close to the water, your home owner’s insurance premiums will be higher, but you can take steps to keep them as low as possible – given your location – as well as steps to better protect and safeguard your home and belongings against such weather damage. A few ideas include installing stronger windows, durable roofs, and ridding your yard of nearby trees that could be blown into your house.
Not only will your North Carolina home owner’s insurance quote vary from location to location, but it will also vary from company to company. Whether you have narrowed your choice down to one insurance company or are still considering two or three insurance companies, talk with each one about the steps you can take to make your home as safe as possible, as well as get the best coverage at the most affordable price.
Confused About Home Owner’s Insurance? These Tips Can Help 2
Confused About Home Owner’s Insurance? These Tips Can Help
There are many different ways that one wrong move, when purchasing homeowner’s insurance, can end up costing you a whole lot of money. If you purchase the wrong type of insurance, it might end up costing you your home. Make sure that you read these important tips before deciding on a package.
Invest in a home insurance policy that has “guaranteed replacement value,” so you are not left living in a mobile home instead of the home that you have spent years paying for. This type of insurance will cover the cost of complete replacement of a home that is much like the one that was destroyed.
Don’t purchase home insurance if you don’t need it. If you own your house outright and you have enough money in your savings account to completely rebuild your home if it was to get destroyed, then buying home insurance could be an unnecessary expense. You need to calculate the chances of your home being damaged and compare them to the emotions you would feel if you had to empty your savings account to pay for the damage.
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.
Paying off your mortgage may not be easy, but doing so can make your homeowner’s insurance premiums drop significantly. Insurance companies assume that people who own their houses outright are more likely to take good care of them, and so they will file fewer claims that the insurance company will have to pay.
When in the market for a new home, there are many factors to look at, to ensure that your home owner’s insurance will be low. For example, a house close to a fire hydrant will have lower premiums. If your town has a professional fire department, you will also save. Discounts are given for heating, plumbing and electrical systems that are less than a decade old, as well.
Find out what kind of home replacement coverage is offered on your home owners insurance policy. Some will guarantee replacement while others will limit the amount of money you will get if your home is destroyed. Some insurance companies have a cap on the payments to a percentage of the face value of your policy.
The best way to lower your insurance payment is to raise your deductible. A high-deductible policy is a bet against the house, so to speak. You’re preferring the risk of having to shell out for a high deductable over the fact of having to shell out a higher amount of money every month. So, if you are conservative, this may not be the best fit. But if you’re willing to chance having to pay out that high deductible, then this strategy is worth adopting.
It’s not that you cannot trust the insurance companies; it’s that you always need to be informed before you make any type of decision, on this scale. We’re talking about your home here, not just some automobile. Use these tips, in order to find the best type of coverage for your home.
Tips to Reduce Your Home Insurance Costs
Tips to Reduce Your Home Insurance Costs
All homeowners are looking for ways to reduce our home insurance costs. Costs continue to rise and budgets get tighter and tighter with each passing year. Here are 8 tips to reduce your home insurance costs.
1. Increased Home Security
Most homes are fitted with some sort of security device. To make the most of your Home Security Discount make sure that you home is fitted with: dead bolt locks, smoke detectors, fire extinguishers and a burglar and fire alarm that are monitored. You do not have to have all of these to receive a discount on your home insurance so even if you only have one or two make sure that you ask for the savings.
2. Keep your credit score as high as possible.
While it would seem that a good credit score would have nothing to do with insurance rates, it is a fact that they do. Home Insurance companies are using your credit score as an indicator of responsibility. The theory is the more responsible the individual the less claims they will have. So, insurance companies are giving lower rates to those individuals with a better credit score.
3. Consolidate your policies.
Most, if not all companies that sell home insurance, offer discounts for insuring your autos with them. These discounts can sometimes save you up to 30% off of your total insurance bill. Plus, you get the added convenience of having one agent for both your home and auto insurances.
4. Protect your home with updates.
Discuss with your agent about the possibilities of receiving home insurance discounts for keeping your home in good repair. Some home insurance companies will offer savings for a anew roof, electrical, HVAC, plumbing updates. The discounts are generally not enough to warrant the replacement but if you needed it anyway, be sure to get the discounts if applicable.
5. Make sure you are not over insured.
Your home insurance coverage should not necessarily be what you paid for them home. Land values are calculated into the final sales price and should be considered when insuring the structure. In others words you cannot hurt the dirt. A good idea is to call local builders and ask them what new home construction cost per square foot is going for. Take that number, multiply that times your square footage and that is the amount that your home should be insured for. Companies will not pay more than what it is going to cost to rebuild the home anyway, so make sure you are insured correctly.
6. Stay away from low deductibles.
The deductible is your portion of the claim that must be paid before the insurance company pays for the claim. The lower your deductible, the higher your premium will be. Deductibles can range anywhere from 0-00 or more. The majority of homeowners will carry a 0 deductible, but the savings one can receive by raising your deductible to 00 can be significant, up to 20%. It doesn’t take too many claim free years to make up the difference between the two deductibles, but remember you should never raise your deductible to a level that you could not afford to pay.
7. Ask your Home Insurance Agent
Most of the time, an agent will make sure that you are receiving 100% of the home insurance discounts that you qualify for, but it doesn’t hurt to ask. Some insurance companies have discounts that others do not. Some offer discounts that most would never dream as being a discount such as 55 and retired, non smoking, military service, law enforcement, single parent discounts, etc.
8. Don’t be afraid to shop Around
Home Insurance shopping is easy. Insurance shopping online is even easier. Companies like ours at HometownQuotes.com (yes, I am biased) have given you the ability to get multiple home insurance quotes by filling out a form that takes about five minutes to complete. Also be aware that not all insurance companies are created equal. There are some bad ones out there but most, at worst, are pretty good. Getting the best price is great, but check up on the company offering you that price at reputable insurance rating sites like Moodys.com or AMBest.com.