Most likely, your home is your most valuable possession, so it makes sense that you want to protect it with homeowner's insurance. Still, there's no reason for you to pay more for homeowner's insurance than you have to. Luckily, there are a few things you can do right now, some of which are easy and some of which are more complicated, that will lower the cost of your homeowner's insurance right away.
First, let's take a quick look at how much insurance you should buy. You need enough insurance to cover the cost of replacing all the things in your home (your home's contents) and the cost of rebuilding your home from the foundation up. You don't have to get insurance to cover the value of the land where your house is built.
Keep your record of credit clean. Did you know that your monthly payment for homeowner's insurance will be less if you have a good credit score?
Make your property safe to reduce the chance of getting sued because of an accident. Fix or replace any porch or deck floorboards that are loose or broken, fix any cracked or buckled walkways, and fill all potholes.
Next, make your home harder for thieves to break into. Put in floodlights with motion detectors and trim all the bushes away from any window. Make sure that every outside door has a working deadbolt and that every window, no matter where it is, has a working lock.
You'll want to put in the right number of smoke and fire alarms, and you'll change the batteries twice a year.
Buy a fire extinguisher made for kitchens and put it in a handy place in your kitchen.
A home security system that is monitored off-site 24 hours a day, 7 days a week is not only a great investment for your peace of mind, but it can also save you up to 20 percent or more on your homeowner's insurance bill every month. Talk to your agent before you buy one of these systems, though, because not all of them qualify for the same discount on your premium.
If you run a home-based business, talk to your tax person about how you might be able to write off some of the cost of a system like this. A home security system may seem like a good idea if you can write it off on your taxes and save money on your homeowner's insurance.
Is there anyone in your house who is 55 or older and retired? If so, tell your agent so that you can save even more money each month.
Most homeowner's insurance claims are for water damage, which can be caused by a broken water pipe or a bad connection to an appliance. If your home is more than 10 years old, ask your real estate agent how much you will save if you upgrade your plumbing and electricity. If the math works out, this could be a nice way to save money every month.
Can you pay for your deductible to go up? Your monthly homeowner's insurance payment will go down almost immediately if you raise your deductible, but be careful not to agree to pay a higher deductible than you can afford.
Now that you've read this article, it's time to put everything you've learned to use. Fill out the forms on at least three different websites that compare homeowner's insurance prices. However, make sure that all three forms have the exact same information. This way, you can be sure that you are always comparing the same policy.
Now, figure out which companies you are sure will still be in business in 30 years, and then choose the one with the cheapest policy. All done! You've now done everything you needed to do to compare low-cost homeowner's insurance in South Carolina, and in the process, you've saved a lot of money. Well done!
