The following is a guest post.
Now that the entire country is back up and running after spending concerns, it’s a time that a lot of homeowners in the US are worried about their own outgoings. It’s not the easiest time to save money – it hasn’t been for a long time now – but we all still have our priorities. Protecting a home is certainly one of them; whether you’re renting an apartment or have a mortgage loan on your own home, you’ll want to make sure that nothing happens to it – or all the personal items you keep inside it.
With this in mind, here’s how you can lower your monthly outgoings on home insurance. Some of the tips you’ll know, but hopefully some may have slipped you by – because now you can take advantage of them!
Use an online rates comparison engine
Online comparison tools are getting bigger by the day, and they’re extending their reach to all kinds of insurance products. The best thing to do straight away is to check the internet to see average policy prices, as well as the best deals. Obviously, some companies don’t list their products online, and a lot of local banks will only offer them in-store, so don’t be afraid to hop in your car to speak to them personally.
Opt for a higher deductible
Whatever you do, don’t overlook this option – particularly when you plan to renew your policy. Choosing a higher deductible – even if it’s just $200 or $300 – can really lower your costs. It’s obviously much better to do this if you’ve never had any problems before, and you feel secure in your decision.
Choose a specialist insurer
While we’re not quite so specialised as our European partners when it comes to insurance, there are still a few places in the country that do deals based on your job, age and even your family. In the UK, for instance, they’ve even got special deals for those in trade unions – UIA, for example, supports a network of over six million people in big national organisations such as UNISON. You never know – you may be entitled to a discount.
Finally, as strange as it sounds: ask for discounts – there’s no harm in it!
Insurers fight to keep customers, so don’t be backwards in coming forward and asking your policy provider for a better deal – they’ll probably move a little, especially if you threaten to go elsewhere!