Tips for lowering your homeowners insurance

To lower your homeowners insurance and keep your rates down make sure that you do not file unecessary claims. Sometimes it may be cheaper to fix something at your house yourself than to file a claim, pay the deductible and then have your premiums increase due to having claims in your history. Look into the problem(s) a little bit before calling your insurance company and telling them about the damage. This may save you money now and also down the road.

As with any other type of insurance policy, the higher your deductible is, the lower your annual (or monthly) insurance premium will be.

Homeowners can lower their total insurance bill by insuring their home and automobiles through one company. Insurance companies usually give big discounts to customers that use them for all their insurance needs.

Be sure to ask your Preferred Insurance Agent about multi-line discounts. Many times a small life insurance policy can be added at almost no additional cost if you already have Homeowner's and Automobile policies with the same insurance company.

Homeowner's Insurance premiums are generally more expensive for rural properties. Most suburban homes have fire hydrants near by making the property a bit less risky to the insure.

If you install a home alarm you may be able to reduce your homeowners insurance.

Some insurance companies do not use credit profile for their homeowners programs. Ask your agent if this is a factor for your premium that you will be quoted.

Over insurance is one of the biggest waste in home owner insurance. Some lender banks require home owners to purchase insurance coverages on their homes for the loan amounts, rather than for the full replacement costs of the homes. In most states, such practice is outlawed. Check with your state to see if you can purchase insurance coverage for only the replacement cost of your home, which in most cases is less than the loan amount.

You should research the memberships you currently have, as some of these organizations offer discounts to their members on services like insurance.

By insuring your home car, you can expect to receive a 10% discount on both, with the right company.

If you are in a state that is frequented by hurricanes, hurricane shutters can often knock off several hundred dollars per year.

Insurance rates may also be affected by monitored alarm systems and proximity to fire hydrants and fire stations. If either of these have changed since your policy was written, you may benefit from consulting your insurance agent.

Be aware that not all insurance policies are created equal. Some insurance companies may quote lower rate but may not include important details such as water damage due to foundation problems.

» DISCLAIMER: The information contained in this article on 'Tips for lowering your homeowners insurance' is a collection of contributions by licensed mortgage professionals and is not the opinion of Broker Outpost LLC. Always consult a licensed professional before applying for a mortgage.