Even if you decide to go to your local agent, you will want to be prepared with all the information you need to make a wise decision. You can protect yourself by getting rates and information before you buy your policy. We make every effort to provide you with the best possible information to help you make your decision.

Whether you are buying your first home or looking for the best insurance coverage for the lowest price, you want to be sure you are getting not only the best insurance rate; you want to know that the insurance company will be there when you need them.

A house is an important investment and needs to be protected. For most people a house is not only the largest investment they will make in a lifetime, it is their home. Memories are made in a home. Relationships are built with neighbors. Family heirlooms and treasures that only you may appreciate are kept there. A home provides a sense of security and belonging.

You want the best coverage you can find to protect the financial and emotional investment you have in your home. You want to be sure that in the event of a fire or catastrophe, your home will be repaired or rebuilt and your contents can be replaced. If you have special items that cannot necessarily be replaced, you want to know you will be given enough cash value to compensate you so that you can begin to rebuild your life.

Simple, Honest Rates and Answers to Your Questions

Because we are not insurance agents, we are not invested in selling you something that is not right for you. Our goal is to give you the information that is critical and helpful to make the best possible decision about your home protection. We provide you with the security of knowing you are shopping independently without any pressure to buy something that is inferior or that you don’t need.

You may not realize that Insurance Companies are willing to compete for your business. Your location may determine your costs and if you have not purchased your home yet, you may want to consider the rates for the area you are choosing. You can check area by area and discover the best area for the best price in your shopping range.

Rates will also vary state by state, but you can look at the rates for your state and shop on your own time without having to make an appointment with an agent. You can determine from there what will best suit your needs. If you feel you want to talk with an agent to answer any questions you have you will be better prepared.

We appreciate how important this decision is to your life and we want to make it as simple and easy as possible. Take advantage of all the information provided here so you can feel secure about your choices.

How Much Insurance Do You Need?

Insurance policies can seem confusing and complicated. It is important to understand what you are buying before you decide on a policy. There are many different policies. There are different levels of coverage and different rates depending on the coverage you want or need.

Most banks and loan companies who provide a mortgage will require you to purchase at a minimum, a standard policy that provides enough coverage to replace your home in the event of a fire. The cost of your policy will most often be determined by the cost of materials and labor in your area. An extra amount will be included to cover clearing away damaged portions of the building.

A standard policy will not be enough in some cases. It will only cover the replacement or repairs of your home and contents under certain conditions such as a fire. Consider the potential hazards of where you live and determine if you will need extra coverage. For instance, f you live in an area that is near a river or potential flood area, you may want to purchase extra coverage beyond your standard policy. Some insurance companies will not insure you if you live close to a flood zone.
To determine if your area has a hazard you need to be aware of use this link to check the map for your location: http://msc.fema.gov/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/FemaWelcomeView?storeId=10001&catalogId=10001&langId=-1

In addition to the fire and hazard insurance you will want to be sure your building and contents are covered not only in the event of a fire, but in case of events such as broken water pipes. If you have antiques or special valuables you may need extra insurance to cover those items. You may need appraisals and photos to insure they are covered.

Don’t assume all your contents are covered. You will want to itemize furniture, appliances, kitchen contents, clothing, personal appliances, and other items and check actual replacement costs. Don’t forget possessions in your garage or on your patio or deck. When you have a real value placed on everything you will be better prepared to know whether the policy you are being offered will provide replacement of everything.

Liability coverage is needed to protect you in the event someone is injured while visiting your home or property. Even something as simple as a neighborhood child running after a ball that goes onto your property and is hurt tripping over a sprinkler can be grounds for a lawsuit.Sadly, we live in a time where lawyers are competing for business and encouraging lawsuits. You want to be certain you are covered and won’t lose your home for lack of protection.

You don’t want to overpay for your insurance or buy more insurance than you need. You do want to get the most for your money. Much will depend on your individual circumstances. Many things can affect how you decide what is best for you.

Take advantage of all the information we have provided on this site so you can feel confident about the decisions you are making and secure your future.

1. Combine Home Insurance and Car Insurance: Taking a house insurance policy with the same company that insures your car, can often provide a good discount, package deals are available from many insurance companies. Of course if you find a good home insurance company you should also ask them about car insurance.
2. Deductible/Excess:  Increasing your policy deductible or excess can lead to lower policy premiums. It’s always better to have a large policy deductible to stop you from making small claims, many companies are now adding a surcharge based on the number of claims made in a year, the increase can be anything from 10-85% dependent on the number claims in a given time period.
3. Home Security Systems: Investing in an Insurance company approved burglar alarm system for your home helps prevent loss, therefore reducing insurance risk. It’s worth talking with insurers first to find out which system give the best discount, usually the system that report directly to local police and fire services offer the best discounts. These systems also offer piece of find of mind and are well worth in the investment.
4. Smoke Alarms: Preventing fire loss is very important to you as the home owner, but also to your insurance company. Claims for fire loss are often very high and your insurance company will always offer discounts if you have at least one permanently installed smoke alarm. Of course from a safety prospective  it is always sensible to install smoke alarms and make sure they are checked regularly.
5. Sprinkler Systems: Indoor Sprinkler Systems are obviously a considerable expense, but if you are building a new home or doing some remodelling you may wish to consider them.
6. Non-Smoking Household: Insurance companies are always looking for ways to reduce risk, as many accidental fires are caused by smokers making your house completely non-smoking can help you reduce the risk of fire and so reduce your policy. To benefit from this you must not allow other people to smoke in your property.
7. Dead Bolt Locks and Window Locks: Dead bolt locks are an inexpensive way of protecting your home, most insurance companies offer discounts for them. Window locks are also important especially in properties with first floor access. It’s always worth checking with your insurance company because you may not be getting a discount that you are entitled to.
8. Organization Affiliate Discounts: Many companies offer a discount for being affiliated with certain organizations. These can range from credit unions, college sororities, or just having a certain credit card. Call your service center and ask them for a list of the organization affiliation.
9. EFT Payments: Many companies are now charging up to $5.00 or more for mail payments, but sometimes nothing if you choose to have payments automatically deducted. And sometimes the deductions can come from your credit card, so you don’t have to worry if the money will be in your bank account when payment time comes.
10. Credit Rating Check: Unfortunately, a lot of insurance companies are checking your credit and basing your policy premium on what they found. Make sure you check to see if your credit is in good shape, and if it is not, you may want to seek out companies who do not do credit checks.
11. High Risk Property Insurance: Check with your state insurance commissioner if you feel you may be getting turned down for homeowners insurance or are paying ridiculously high premiums because your property may be a high risk such as in a high crime area. Your state may have an insurance plan especially for your high risk property that other insurers may be charging you an extremely high premium because of the higher than average risk.
12. Additional Discounts: There are many additional discounts that may be available such as a reduced senior rate or being in a gated condo. Make sure to sit down with your agent on a regular basis, preferably right before your policy renews, to see if there are any additional discounts available to you.