Homeowners Insurance

Also called homeowners insurance, home insurance is an agreement between the homeowner and the insurance company. In exchange for a regular premium payment, the insurance company covers certain damages to the structure of your home, detached structures like fences and garages and your personal belongings. It may also provide liability protection if someone is injured on your property and takes legal action against you.

When evaluating an online home insurance quote, recognize that separate policies may be needed to cover damage due to certain events like earthquakes and floods. Home insurance does not cover normal wear and tear to the home or damage that resulted from homeowner neglect. 

Home insurance is not legally required by the state you live in, but typically is required by your mortgage lender. 

There are several different home insurance policy types, depending on the…

• Type of home covered, e.g., house, condo, mobile home; 

• Specific coverage included, e.g., structure of home, personal belongings, liability; and

• Events that are covered, e.g., flood, earthquake, etc. 

Factors that impact the amount of an online home insurance quote include the location of your home, the deductible (lower deductible increases your premium and vice versa), the age of the home, your credit history and marital status.

1. Pay annually to avoid the interest charged on monthly premiums. 

2. Do not pay for coverage you wouldn't need. 

3. Do not auto-renew. Get into the habit of comparing homeowners insurance policies periodically to see if there are better deals elsewhere. 

4. As you get your online homeowners insurance quote, ask for a discount. Also, if you have not made a claim all year, ask for a no-claims-discount before renewal. 

5. Take good care of your home because poor maintenance can result in claim rejection and reduced or removed coverage.

While searching for home insurance quotes:

• Collect the information that the provider requires in order to give you a quote.

• Check what coverage you need for your home.

• Determine whether you need extra insurance for things like earthquakes or floods.

• Compare quotes from several insurance providers and choose the most affordable rates for the level of protection provided.