| Today, many people find themselves paying | | | | risks and therefore charge more for coverage. |
| hundreds of dollars more for homeowners insurance | | | | 4.Be loyal to your insurance company once you find a |
| than they did just a few years ago. And the rise in | | | | good one. Many insurance companies reward loyalty |
| homeowner insurance premiums doesn't show any | | | | with additional discounts of 5% or more. |
| signs of slowing. | | | | 5.Check for additional discounts. If you're over 55, |
| Why are homeowner insurance rates so high? In | | | | you may qualify for a senior discount at some |
| addition to the increase in home values, all you need | | | | companies. Your employer or an association that you |
| do is look at the weather. Major earthquakes, fires, | | | | belong to may offer a better deal than you can get |
| windstorms and other natural disasters take a heavy | | | | elsewhere. |
| toll on insurance companies. When a hurricane hits | | | | 6. Shop and compare rates between a number of |
| Florida or a tornado wreaks havoc in Kansas, you can | | | | different insurance companies. Be sure, however, |
| be sure that if there is substantial damage, | | | | that you are comparing apples to apples. Make a list |
| homeowner insurance rates all over the country will | | | | of the coverages and coverage limits under your |
| rise. Floods are excluded because homeowners | | | | current policy and use that list when soliciting bids |
| insurance policies automatically exclude coverage for | | | | from other companies. |
| flood. Flood insurance is a taxpayer-funded | | | | 7. Review your homeowner insurance policy every |
| government program that you purchase through an | | | | two or three years to keep values up to date. You |
| insurance agent. | | | | may no longer have items of value that you were |
| Of course, there are other factors that affect your | | | | insuring. If you added protective devices, you could |
| homeowners insurance premium like where you live | | | | qualify for discounts. Your bad credit that may have |
| and the age of your home, but weather affects | | | | caused you to pay higher premiums could have |
| everyone's premium no matter where you live. You | | | | improved, thus making you eligible for lower |
| can't do anything about the weather but you can do | | | | premiums. |
| something to help lower your premiums? | | | | 8. If you purchased a home between 2005 and 2007, |
| 1.Choose a higher deductible.Increasing your | | | | your home may be over-insured. With home values |
| deductible to $1,000 can save you as much as 25%. | | | | having fallen by as much as 50% in some areas, you |
| 2.Insure home and auto with the same company. | | | | may be paying more than necessary. |
| Both policies are eligible for a discount of up to 20% | | | | Saving money, whether it be on homeowner |
| at some companies. | | | | insurance, auto insurance, groceries or anything else, |
| 3. Maintain good credit. Insurance companies now | | | | may take a little work, but most things in life that are |
| consider people with bad credit scores bad insurance | | | | worthwhile usually do. |