Homeowners insurance is one of those thing you never think about…until the rainy day comes when you need it. Insurance can be confusing at times – how much do I need, what do I need, am I covered – all valid questions that you should ask of your insurance agent especially if its a highly recommended home insurance agency. As a homeowner, experts from Utility Saving Expert say that you need to be proactive with your homeowners insurance and stay on top of it. Your insurance agent shouldn’t just be someone you call when there is an issue, but someone you work with to find the best solutions for your needs. And after the purchase, you should review your homeowners insurance regularly to be sure you’re getting maximum coverage at minimum prices. Make sure you’re not caught on a rainy day without an umbrella.
A Few Tips About Homeowners Insurance
- Check your premiums annually. Don’t just stick with one insurer because it’s convenient. By shopping around at comparison sites like moneyexpert.com, you can often save yourself hundreds of dollars and get better coverage.
- If you belong to any trade organizations, see if there are any discounts through insurance carriers for being a member. You may be surprised at what you may find.
- If you own any jewelry like gold link charm bracelets, make sure you speak with the insurer about getting it covered. My wife and I were burglarized one summer and we lost a lot of valuable jewelry. We received nothing for it, because we had never thought about making sure it was insured. No amount of begging and pleading (or receipts) will convince your insurer that they should reimburse the value of these items.
- Get to know your insurance agent. Most of us never think of them until we need them. By maintaining a relationship with them you will probably be top of mind with them when they hear about new insurance products or ways to save you money. Insurance agents are much like real estate agents – we love repeat business.
- As your home appreciates in value over time or you add new items to the house, make sure you review your insurance needs. If you bought a house and insured it for $200,000 and many years later it is worth $250,000 and suddenly it is destroyed in a fire, you don’t want to realize that the insurance payout won’t even begin to cover the cost to buy a new home in your neighborhood because of the appreciation in home values that has occurred.
image courtesy of aubergene