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Keep in mind several factors that could affect how much
you'll pay for homeowners insurance.
Below are some tips that may help you lower your premiums:
Home
and Automobile Insurance.
Many of our carriers offer a 10% discount on your homeowners
insurance policy if you also obtain an automobile policy from that
same carrier.
Roof
types. Different
types of roofs could either raise (wood shakes) or lower (concrete
tiles) your homeowners insurance rates. Some types, like composition
shingles, have no impact on your premium.
Building
materials. Brick
or masonry homes may cost less to insure than wood-frame homes,
except in earthquake-prone areas because wood withstands tremors
better than brick.
Construction
costs in the area. Because
they vary widely, the costs of building materials and labor in your
area are taken into account when your rebuilding cost is calculated.
Burglar
and smoke alarm system. You
may receive a discount if your alarm system is connected to a
monitoring company and the fire and police stations.
Distance
from the nearest fire station and hydrant. Every
neighborhood is assigned a fire protection class based on the
location, water sources. and whether fire protection is provided by
full-time professionals or volunteers. Although
they're less exposed to crime, rural homes may cost more to insure
because they are often miles from a fire department.
Coastal regions. Homes in windstorm and
hurricane-prone areas are generally more expensive to insure.
Similarly, homeowners living in areas with a high frequency of hail
damage can expect to pay higher insurance premiums.
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