Compare Home Insurance Policies and Rates
Gathering multiple home insurance online quotes is the first step to protecting your home and saving money. Following are tips to compare home insurance rates and identify which quote is best for you:
Check Those Insurance Limits!
Hopefully, all of your online home insurance quotes were obtained using the same information; this approach will give you an “apples-to-apples” comparison. Review each insurance quote carefully to ensure that the limits for property, liability, medical payments, loss of use and other indicated limits are the same.
Watch the Insurance Numbers!
If one of your home insurance quotes is significantly cheaper than others, raise your red flag. These lower rates could be an indication of a significant insurance coverage gap. In addition to checking limits, review insurance deductibles. Some insurance policies may include a deductible that is based on a percentage of the home’s value at the time of the loss rather than a set dollar amount. A difference such as this could result in significant out-of-pocket expenses for you. Review all insurance rates closely to ensure you will be getting a set deductible.
Don’t Sacrifice Home Insurance Coverage!
Look for information about what the home insurance policy actually covers. It may have a fancy-sounding name such as “perils insured against” or just plain “form.” Regardless of the wording the insurance company uses, this is where the insurance policy spells out the types of losses that are covered and those that are not. An “Open Perils” or “Special Form” insurance policy is preferred; because such a policy covers all losses unless specifically excluded.
Check Out Those Home Insurance Discounts!
Insurance discounts are one way insurance companies compete for your business. Most discounts are available without sacrificing home insurance coverage. Insurance discounts may be available for certain qualities of your home, such as a burglar alarm. Others may be company-specific, like a multi-policy discount. When you compare insurance rates be sure to consider both the immediate and long-term effects of insurance discounts.
Learn About the Insurance Company!
Before purchasing a policy from an insurance company check with your insuranceagent, state insurance department or an insurance company rating agency like A.M. Best (www.ambest.com) for information concerning the company’s financialstrength. This is extremely important. Placing the financial securityof your home and family with an insurance company that cannot afford to pay yourclaim is not worth the few dollars you could save on your premium.
Compare rates today! Get your free home insurance quote today.
