Wednesday, February 22, 2012

Home Owner's Insurance Can Be Intimidating Without The Right Information

By Shanda Carragher


As lots of people end up finding out in any flood-stricken area , having a good insurance policy covering their house was a great idea. After the flood waters tore up most of the property, homeowners had some recourse and now many of them are back in new homes courtesy of the insurance companies. Here are some tips to help you find solid insurance for your home.

To decrease the amount of time it takes for your insurance company to pay you for losses or damage to your home, document your home's contents ahead of time. In the aftermath of disaster, it can be difficult to remember everything you had and the insurance company will want a list. Take photos or video of your possessions, especially electronics. You should record all model and serial numbers. You can store this documentation in a fire-proof box in your home, but leaving a copy at a relative's house or emailing one to yourself is a good idea, as well.

Check with local agencies for renter's coverage. Online and out of state companies generally have a one size fits all type policy structure. A local agent will be more familiar with the risks in your area and will be available to send someone out quickly to start working on your claim after a disaster.

If you're about to turn 55, this is a great time to shop for a new homeowner's policy, or at least ask your current insurance carrier for a policy review. Many companies offer discounts for senior citizens, starting with folks who are only 55. If your company doesn't offer this discount, take the time to shop around.

Take care to make sure that you do not over-insure in your home owner's policy plan. The lender can't require you to insure your loan amount if it costs more than the cost of rebuilding, so long as you have some kind of extended replacement value plan. Keep in mind that much of the value of your house is due to the land it's on.

Keep your homeowners insurance policy up to date. If it's been a few years since you purchased your policy, you might be under insured. If you've made improvements to your home, your policy might not reflect the increased value. Building costs have gone up too, so review your policy yearly, and if needed, make changes to be adequately covered.

Be aware of what your home insurance actually covers. A regular home insurance policy doesn't cover things such as flood damage. This type of insurance needs to be purchased separately through the Federal Emergency Management Agency. Another thing to consider is earthquake damage. If this is something that you may experience, you will have to buy specialized coverage from a private home insurance company. Luckily, both of these types of coverage are relatively inexpensive.

Homeowners who pay off their mortgages faster will see less costly insurance sooner. Insurance companies believe that if you own your home outright or have a greater stake in it's equity, you will be more likely to take good care of it and keep it's value higher. Try to increase the amount you pay each month to pay it off sooner.

Having a package that's custom-tailored to your particular needs is what every homeowner should be after. A one-size-fits-all policy, while it might be affordable and practical, may not provide everything you need. So be sure to heed these tips when shopping your insurance and work up the best deal for you.

We know you want to discover more about Home Insurance Quotes Online, and coming up next is something we believe will help you in ways you do not know, yet. We guarantee that there is much more than you have found because it took us quite a long time to investigate the following. It is so simple to find information that is lacking in important finer points, we will say, but we do have the full story.




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