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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 $100-$5000 or more. The majority
of homeowners will carry a $500 deductible, but the savings one can receive by
raising your deductible to $1000 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.
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