Ranking Homeowners Insurance Companies - The Good, the Bad and the Ugly

By Marvin Toller

How does your homeowners insurance company rank? The one time you don't want to find out they rate at the bottom of the list is when its time to file a claim. Insurance companies are good at taking your premium payment every month, but when it comes to paying out claims some companies rate better than others.

Most of us never think about our homeowners insurance until its time to file a claim. In fact, we can go years of just sending in our premium payments and never even so much as calling up our agent to say hello. Then comes the day when you need to file a claim and you find out that red tape and bureaucracy are the name of the game. Recently this situation played out all too well during Hurricane Katrina where certain homeowners insurance companies fought tooth and nail to keep from paying out claims to victims of this devastating event.

Thankfully there are a number of ways you can find out just how good your insurance company is and if they can do more than just issue a quote without a fight. A number of online and offline resources track insurance company ratings and custom satisfaction scores to help you be a more well-informed consumer.

A.M. Best (www.ambest.com) is one such source that provides information about the financial health of your homeowners insurance company. They track the ability of insurers to pay for losses in the event of a major disaster. Their rankings are the industry standard for measuring the financial well-being of all property, casualty and life insurance companies.

When it comes to actual consumer satisfaction ratings the data isn't as well-kept as the financial ratings. A number of websites offer consumer feedback on insurance companies as well as reports from policy holders on general insurance company handling of routine inquires. The best source of insurance company satisfaction ratings may come from others in your community who often have first-hand experience with many of the local homeowners insurance companies in your area.

Marvin Toller is a writer and internet publisher who likes to write about how to find the best & cheapest homeowners insurance as well as other insurance issues. Check out his news and in depth information website http://www.best-cheapest-homeowners-insurance.com/

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Homeowners insurance – how important homeowners insurance for your financial stability

By Adams Bridges

The Homeowners insurance is very important. Therefore, When you are in the market for homeowners insurance or your mortgage lender requires you to purchase home insurance before giving you the loan, you should bear in mind that cutting corners on the homeowners insurance to save money would eventually put you through a financial catastrophe, If your home which is your biggest valuable investment partially or completely was damaged through unforeseen mishap. On the other hand purchasing more coverage than necessary will lead you to the same financial consequences.

Homeowners insurance is not mandatory like car insurance. However, the majority of homebuyers across the country prefer to obtain a loan from mortgage lender in order to build or buy a home. Therefore, the mortgage provider or the bank will require you to buy homeowners insurance policy as a mortgage guarantee, before you receive the loan and start to build or purchase your new home. In most cases your lender chooses a particular insurance provider. Some other lenders let you choose the insurer.

Homeowners insurance is a must have not only as a protection from minor losses resulting from man-made disaster but also to compensate serious losses due to natural disasters. Unfortunately the standard homeowners insurance excludes most of natural disasters damage like flood, hurricane and earthquake damage. However, you have the ability to buy separate flood insurance from government insurance program also known as NFIP in case you live in flood-prone property. Earthquake or hurricane insurance rate depends on the common building materials and the likelihood of natural disasters in your area.

Your homeowners insurance carrier encourage you as a policyholder to reduce your dwelling vulnerability to theft and fire. Therefore, the insurance provider offers you security discount when you install theft deterrents like deadbolt locks and burglar alarm system. If you have fire protection systems such as smoke detector and fire sprinkler you are eligible for safety discount. The insurer would appreciate it if you update your electrical and plumbing systems to meet the standards code. While you're trying to be eligible for these discounts you make your family more secure.

Your homeowners insurance is a necessity. And, having an adequate coverage is the key to protect your home form damage.

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Tampa Homeowners Insurance – Make Sure Your Policy Adequately Covers Your Home

By Adams Bridges

Your homeowners insurance is the perfect financial plan to guarantee your home safety, And to gain peace of mind. Your home is the safe shelter which protects your family, your pets and your possessions. So it is your responsibility as a homeowner to protect your biggest investment and maintain your financial stability by purchasing adequate homeowners insurance coverage. However, having sufficient coverage doesn't mean unaffordable premium rate. In such a situation you should know about your policy hidden limitations.

Homeowners insurance carriers increase insurance rate in case the insured's property is not well-maintained, that is due to the likelihood of recurring damage related to the house plumbing and electrical systems. Therefore, most of claims arising from losses in dwelling structure and contents will be denied, if the homeowner doesn't put enough effort to keep his premises well-maintained. Hence common tear and wear is not included in your homeowners insurance. However, the unexpected mishaps are not excluded from your policy.

Your homeowners insurance policy has many limitations. For example the insurance provider limits contents coverage up to 60% of the dwelling structure coverage amount. If you have an expensive items in your home like valuable paintings, diamond rings, fur clothing, plasma HDTV set or high-priced laptop the insurer will only compensate you for $2500 of these items total value in case of loss. Therefore, you should take advantage of extra insurance endorsement such as homeowners insurance rider that may cost you no more than $55 annually.

The basic Homeowners insurance coverage doesn't protect your property from damages related to basement water leaks, or the property maintenance lack resulting in plumbing damage and water damage caused by flood or hurricane. In this situation you have to purchase additional coverage such as separate flood or hurricane insurance or a policy rider. However your homeowners insurance company will pay out for the cost of repairs in case of unforeseen incidents like unexpected pipe bursts, home contents loss as a result of heavy rain.

Your homeowners insurance exclusions are unknown section of your policy. Therefore you need to read the small print carefully to make certain your homeowners insurance covers you.

California Homeowners Insurance – Top 3 Common Factors Raising Your Premium Rate

By Adams Bridges

If you decided to purchase homeowners insurance you have to do your homework first to be aware of the factors that raise your homeowners insurance rate and other factors that lower your premium tremendously. It is important to know all factors that determine your home safety too, because these factors can affect your premium rate significantly.

The homeowners insurance provider considers your home as a high risk, if you live near the forest area. Therefore the owners of houses located in wildfires prone areas could never find homeowners insurance company accepts to insure their dwellings. On the other hand most of companies insure high-risk property with higher premium rates. You should ask your agent to make sure your policy does not exclude the forest fires from the insurance coverage. You also can purchase extra insurance if you don't have adequate coverage.

Homeowners insurance carriers calculate your insurance rate upon many factors like the dwelling construction materials and what is the common peril in your state region. For example if you own frame wood home you will face higher insurance rate than if your house with a concrete block structure in case you live near forest edge area. On the other hand frame home is more resistant to earthquakes damage than brick house, hence you as frame home owner will benefit from cheap earthquake insurance premium.

Your homeowners insurance rate depends on how quickly the firefighters can arrive at your dwelling to put out the fire, in case you are facing fire accident. Therefore the distance between your premises and the fire department has the biggest impact on how much damage in your dwelling could occur. So your home will be considered low risk if you live near fire station. Many other factors can affect your homeowners insurance rate such as firefighters training and whether they are professionals or not and how far your home from the fire hydrant.

Your homeowners insurance rate depends on living in high risk area, your home construction materials and how far is your home from fire deterrents.

Mississippi Homeowners Insurance – How to Lower Your Rate and Save Money?

By Adams Bridges

Your home is your most valuable asset and the place where your family and your pets find safety and protection. You keep your expensive belongings such as artwork, jewelry and hi-tech appliances in your home too. Therefore leaving your home without homeowners insurance protection against natural and man-made disasters most likely put you through financial disaster. Buying homeowners insurance is a wise decision and you have a good chance to lower your insurance rate after reading this article.

Homeowners insurance companies could label your home as a high-risk investment if you own a swimming pool. And that is due to the likelihood of injuries may happen around and in the pool. Therefore your insurer will significantly increase your premium rate in case you planning to build in-ground swimming pool. So ask your agent whether you have enough swimming pool coverage or not before constructing the pool. On the other hand you have a great chance to lower your premium by asking for discounts after you take safety precaution such as pool safety fencing and automatic pool cover.

The majority of homeowners insurance providers calculate insurance rate on the basis of variety of elements such as home building material like wood frame or brick, the dwelling value and your claim history data stored in the C.L.U.E. the Comprehensive Loss Underwriting Exchange is a huge database containing most of homeowners claims history. Avoid filing claims regarding limited damage in your property to keep your history report with no claims by doing the low-cost repairs from your budget and keep your homeowners insurance rate low.

The competitive Homeowners insurance market has a huge potential for the customers to shop around and get the lowest prices to save hundreds of dollars off premium payments. Therefore the homeowners insurance carriers offer their clients loyalty discount up to ten percent of homeowners insurance premium. If you were satisfied with your insurer and your home insured for years by the same insurance provider, you are eligible for loyalty discount. Call your agent to ask him or her for loyalty discount.

Your homeowners insurance is your safeguard, but don't pay more for your homeowners insurance premium than you should.

California Homeowners Insurance – How to Make Your Premium Affordable?

By Adams Bridges

Purchasing homeowners insurance in California is a simple way to gain a peace of mind. Property Insurance protects your most valuable asset against natural disasters such as earthquake. homeowners insurance is a must have for Californians. You have to do your homework and shop around to find a good coverage with a reasonable and affordable rate. Before you buy the policy, make sure the company you're dealing with is financially stable. Ask your agent about all the discounts that you may be eligible for.

Homeowners insurance protects only the occupied homes. Vacant property is likelihood to be stolen or vandalized specifically when the homeowner leaves the dwelling unoccupied for weeks. On the other hand if a member of your family is senior citizen or if you are retired and over 55, you more likely to spend most hours per day in your house. Therefore the probability of damage to your premises due to burglary or fire accidents will be limited in your insured premises. Hence, you are eligible for senior citizen discount.

Group homeowners insurance is practical plan for lowering your monthly premium payments. Insurance carriers put a discount on organizations and associations insurance. If you belong to a business association or social organization such as Fraternities or sororities you can purchase your homeowners insurance through a group insurance plan. Therefore you can take advantage of significant discount off your insurance premium. In case you don't belong to any group, try to find suitable group insurance coverage from the company you work for.

Homeowners insurance carriers calculate your insurance premium rate on the basis of many factors such as living in high crime neighborhood, how far is the nearest police station from your home, And your financial stability as well. One of the most common factors that have a great impact on your insurance rate is your credit history. homeowners insurance provider will look into your debt balance to make sure that you don't spend beyond your means. If you pay your bills on time, your credit score will be clean. Therefore you will pay less for your premium.

Take advantage of senior citizen, group insurance plan and high credit score discounts to lower your homeowners insurance rate.

Homeowners Insurance – What is Covered and What is Not in Basic Policy?

By Adams Bridges

The mortgage lender requires you to purchase a basic homeowners insurance before lending you the money. The standard policy coverage may not be adequate for your specific needs. In this case you can buy homeowners insurance policy from a provider other than the one your lender recommended for you. Insurance is a competitive industry and it is up to you to take advantage of shopping around to get the best deal. But, bear in mind good deal doesn't mean cutting corners and you should put quality first.

The basic homeowners insurance protects you against certain number of perils. The policies coverage differs according to the homeowners insurance provider. The majority of companies cover your home structure and contents against any damage due to fire, smoke, unforeseen burst or frozen water pipes, unexpected air conditioning system failure, hail, weight of ice, snow, sleet, falling object such as a tree causing the roof to collapse, burglary, vandalism, riot, unrest , damage related to vehicles, and one natural disaster: volcanic eruption.

The basic policy does not cover the most natural disasters. The common homeowners insurance exclusions are earthquake and hurricane damage. After hurricane Katrina, insurance companies raised the insurance rates or stopped insuring homes in the gulf coast states at all. If you in the market for homeowners insurance and your property in hurricane-prone area, you should purchase hurricane rider. The earthquake coverage is not included in the standard policy. If you are a resident of earthquake-prone regions such as California, you are compelled to buy endorsement or a separate earthquake policy.

Homeowners insurance carriers offer a special policy for older home. The older homes are more vulnerable to damage than the new ones. Electrical and plumbing systems in older properties are not up to date and do not meet current code requirements. The insurance companies increase your rate if you own older house. In case you file a claim the company will reimburse you for your loss on the basis of actual cash value not replacement cost due to older property depreciation.

You should know the Basic homeowners insurance coverage limits and what perils not covered in your policy.

Homeowners Insurance - the Most Common Uncovered Perils in Homeowners Insurance Policy

By Adams Bridges

Homeowners insurance exclusions are a significant part of your policy. To make sure that your home is adequately covered read your insurance small print carefully. In this article you will be informed of these widespread exclusions.

The Christmas season has a great impact on your homeowners insurance. In holidays season you buy a lot of valuable gifts for your family. A home filled with new expensive items is a hotspot for thieves. The homeowners who spend Christmas away from their homes will have a higher risk than others. During the holidays you don't have enough time to make an inventory list of all your new presents and the gifts receipts.

In case you file a claim your insurer will ask you to show your proofs of ownership of stolen items and that will put you through hassle with your insurance company. Ask your agent to make sure your home contents are fully covered during the holidays. Fix security devices in your premises to reduce your home vulnerability to burglary.

Homeowners insurance coverage remains valid, unless. you leave your home unoccupied for more than one month. Some homeowners insurance providers extend the vacant period for two months. Unoccupied homes are high-risk for burglary, vandalism and electrical or pipe systems damage. The insurance company denies any claim if it has been filed for any loss while the property was unoccupied. It's advisable to buy rider policy if your home is usually unoccupied for more than thirty days a year.

Your homeowners insurance doesn't cover your dwelling against termite attacks. The insurer considers any damage caused by termite as kind of lack of maintenance. Therefore, the homeowner is responsible for preventing any damage due to pests. Make sure your home is fully protected against termite infestations. If you suspect that your house exposed to termite, hire well-trained professional termite inspector. Keep your home clean and throw any broken branches away from your home. Keep your house wooden structures moisture-free.

After you purchase your homeowners insurance you should find out the exclusions related to water damage in your policy. The standard homeowners insurance doesn't cover your home against flood damage. If you live in flood-prone region you can purchase a separate policy from National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP). Your insurer doesn't cover water damage due to Wear and tear or maintenance negligence. But the company will pay out to reimburse you for any unforeseen losses such as damage due to frozen or burst pipes.

Bear in mind these homeowners insurance exclusions like lack of maintenance and unoccupied home.

Texas Homeowners Insurance - How to Lower Your Homeowners Insurance Rate?

By Adams Bridges

Homeowners insurance is the best protection for your most valuable asset. In the recent years the global warming results in climate change especially in Gulf States like Texas. Therefore, insuring your home is a necessity to protect your property against any natural and man-made disasters beside your mortgage lender will require you to purchase home insurance.

1-Bundle Insurance Policies:

If you didn't purchase your homeowners insurance yet, and at the same time you own auto or life insurance policies. It's recommended to buy your homeowners insurance policy from the same insurance provider. In this case you will deal with your familiar agent, and save your time when you pay your monthly premium payments along with your auto or life premium. More than that you can benefit from this multi-policies discount and make your premium more affordable by saving up to 10% of all your insurance policies.

2-Raising Deductible:

Your homeowners insurance deductible is the amount of money you pay out before the insurance company start to reimburse you. It's up to you to determine how much you can afford to pay for loss in case your home structure damaged or your items were stolen. It's also depends on whether you live in high-crime neighborhood or not. How much the distance between your home and the fire department or the fire-hydrant? If you live in a safe area and you keep your home well-maintained, reduce your premium by raising your deductible.

3-Boost your Home Safety:

Homeowners insurance companies reward their policyholders who own more secure and safe homes, By offering large discounts on monthly premium. You can save your money and reduce your homeowners insurance rate by taking your home security to the next level. Installing Smoke detectors in your premises and fixing Sprinklers systems will protect your home against fire. If you have fire-alarm connected to fire or police department your insurer will appreciate that and you will be eligible for security and safety discount.

4-Ask About Loyalty Discount:

Keep your home insured by the same company for more than two years if you comfortable with them. The homeowners insurance providers offer the loyal consumers a loyalty discount. If you stayed with your company for more than five years, ask your agent how much you can lower your rate, but don't overlook shopping around to compare your company discounts and other companies' rates the loyalty discount is up to 4% after 3 years and another 4% after six years.

Your homeowners insurance rate is a changeable factor. You can lower your rate and reducing your premium to save your money.

Homeowners Insurance - All You Need to Know about Insurance Riders

By Adams Bridges

Homeowners insurance rider is an endorsement policy. You can purchase this insurance endorsement if your basic insurance policy doesn't adequately protect you against all unexpected risks.

1-High-Dollars Items Rider

The basic homeowners insurance policy has limited coverage on expensive items such as jewelry, artwork, and personal computers. The homeowners insurance provider will compensate you with two thousand dollars in case you lost those valuable belongings. If you own jewelry or paintings worth more than this coverage limit you have to buy insurance rider to make sure your possessions adequately covered and the insurance company will reimburse you if your home high-dollars items were stolen. It's important to take inventory for all your valuables and keep its purchase receipts.

2-Flood Rider

Homeowners insurance companies labeled gulf states as high risk area. Some insurance providers stopped insuring against damage caused by floods in states such as Alabama, Mississippi and Texas. On the other hand flood damage insurance is dirt cheap and available in zones far from prone-floods areas. The standard homeowners insurance policy doesn't protect your dwelling against flood. You should purchase flood rider in case your home in flood-prone area. If you need to purchase flood insurance The National Flood Insurance Program provides you with flood coverage.

3-Mold Rider

Your homeowners insurance exclusions is an important part of your policy. Before you purchase the insurance you should ask your agent about what is covered and what is not. You have to read the fine print carefully to make sure you are not under-insured in case you need to file a claim. One of the most common exclusions is mold infestations. Due to increasing claims related to mold, Homeowners insurance companies decided to exclude mold from the covered perils. You need to buy mold rider to be certain your mold claim will not be denied in case you need to file one.

4-Umbrella Liability Rider

Standard homeowners insurance has limited liability coverage. If someone injured in your premises or your pet attacked a visitor and he sued you, the insurance company will pay out for legal and medical expenses but not more than $100.000. In this case you may lose your high-dollars assets due to the lack of your personal liability coverage. Therefore, you should raise your premium and expand your liability coverage amount up to $500.000. You should consider umbrella rider too. This policy has liability coverage up to 1 million dollars.

Homeowners insurance endorsement such as jewelry, flood, mold and umbrella riders is an extra-coverage added to your standard policy.

Homeowners Insurance - How to Prevent Your Dog from Raising Your Premium?

By Adams Bridges

Homeowners insurance is a necessity to protect your dwelling against any unforeseen perils. You have to keep your insurance rate low and make sure your pet impact on insurance at bay. Dog is man's best friend but it is genuinely wild and territorial animal. If you own a dangerous dog-breed in your place, bear in mind the following factors to avoid raising your homeowners insurance rate.

Homeowners insurance companies pay out hundreds of millions of dollars every year for insurance claims related to dog bites. About thirty percent of liability claims arising from accidents relevant to man's best friend attacks. Therefore, homeowners insurance providers tend to label you as a high-risk, if you breeding an aggressive dog breed. As a result, the insurance company may refuse to insure you against dog-bites liability. On the other hand, the majority of insurance companies opt for raising the dog-owner rates.

If you in the market for homeowners insurance. Make sure that your dog breed is covered by the insurance company before you purchase your policy. It's recommended to shop around and search online for insurance quotes to find dog-friendly insurance company. Conversely, in case you already have an insurance policy consult your agent before deciding which dog breed you will get. And to make sure your premium will not skyrocket. Due to the Insurance companies consider certain dog breeds high risk such as Pit Bull, German shepherd and Saint Bernard.

Be on your insurer good side and enroll your pet in obedience training by professional dog-trainer. When your dog completes the training course send a copy of the training certification document to your agent. This will keep your homeowners insurance premium affordable in the long run. Socialize your dog to people. The well-trained dog is unlikely to bite or attack, therefore your liability claim history will be clean. And that will lower your homeowners insurance rate and decrease you premium.

Put your dog on a leash before your visitors come into your home. Keep the children away from your dog especially your visitors' children. If you take your dog for a walk in public places keep him on a leash. In case you own a dangerous breed such as Doberman pinscher, chow-chow or Huskies use a muzzle on your pet. Hang "beware of dog" sign on your fence to avoid raising your homeowners insurance rate if your dog bites any strangers and liability claim filed against you.

Take these simple precautions and make your dog an insurance-friendly animal by training and socializing him to people. Eventually your homeowners insurance premium will remain affordable.

Homeowners Insurance Claims - Top Tips to Keep Your Rate Low

By Adams Bridges

Homeowners insurance is a necessary protection for your biggest investment. Saving money in your insurance doesn't mean leaving your home without an adequate coverage. In case you file a claim your homeowners insurance rate will be raised. Bear in mind these significant tips to avoid unnecessary claims and to keep your premium monthly payments affordable.

Keep Your Claim-History Record Clean

Homeowners insurance companies determine how much your insurance rate on basis of a lot of factors. One of them is your personal claim history. The more claims in your record the higher risk your home insurance investment. Avoid filing unnecessary claims by paying out of your own pocket for minor repairs in your dwelling, rather than raising your rate if you have a claim history.

Increase Your Deductible to Pay Less for Your Premium

Your homeowners insurance policy has its deductible up to $250. You are obligated to pay this amount before your insurer begins to pay out for any compensations or repairs in your house. In case you want to keep away from filing too many claims, you have a good chance to do that by increasing your deductible up to $750 and save about 18% of your monthly premium payment.

Boost Your Home Security and Safety to Avoid Filing a Claim

Installing security systems in your home is an effective method to protect your family, pets and your belongings from fire and burglary. At the same time you will be eligible to security discounts, and you will be able to lower the likelihood of filing claims since your dwelling is highly protected from theft and fire. Install Burglar and fire alarms connected to police or fire stations in your home, in addition to smoke detectors, sprinkler system and dead-bolt locks.

Renovate Your Home Systems

Water damage, heating and electricity repairs some of the most common causes make homeowners insurance policyholders file claims. Therefore, you have to update your home plumbing, electrical and heating systems to meet local and state codes. In this case your homeowners insurance rate will be low. And, your home will be safer place. And potential accidents such as pipe burst or electrical surge would be unlikely to happen within your property.

Your homeowners insurance is your safeguard in case of significant losses. Raise your home security level, update your systems, and increase your deductible, to keep you homeowners insurance claim history clean.

Homeowners Insurance - How to Get Adequate and Cheap Homeowners Insurance coverage?

By Adams Bridges

Homeowners insurance is your safeguard against any dangers could damage your home which is your biggest valuable assets. As a homeowner you should buy the perfect coverage for your particular needs, therefore you have to know what is covered and what is not in your homeowners insurance policy to get rid of any unnecessary coverage raising your premium, on the other hand to be informed about any uncovered property in your house and should be insured.

You should know how much protection your homeowners insurance company gives you. In other words it's important for you to be aware of all exclusions could be exist in your policy to make sure you have a suitable coverage for your specific needs. for example any damage caused by your pet, mice, or mold the company will not pay out to compensate you for those losses. Natural disasters such as floods and earthquake are the most common exclusions in the majority of homeowners insurance basic policies.

After you bought your homeowners insurance policy and make sure that your coverage is adequate. Bear in mind this hidden factor which may leave you uncovered. When you leave your dwelling unoccupied for more than thirty days the insurance company will not reimburse you if your property damaged or stolen during vandalism or burglary. Many homeowners insurance providers may expand this limit up to sixty days.

If you in the market for homeowners insurance. Avoid purchasing more insurance coverage than you need. In case your insurance rate is not affordable, you can save hundreds of dollars in your premium by reducing your coverage amount. You can do that by excluding the land value from the home total cost. You have to insure your dwelling structure and contents only. The land will be undamaged if your home destroyed completely.

The homeowners insurance companies minimize unattached structures coverage to ten percent of your whole dwelling insurance. Due to the separate structures such as gazebo and tool shed and garage may contain flammable materials make your home insurance a high risk investment. Homeowners insurance providers don't insure the contents of those structure like your car in the garage, exercise equipments and any items prone to burglary. To make sure you are adequately protected you should purchase extra insurance coverage for your home detached structures.

Save your money by following these tips and in the same time keep your home adequately insured against any unforeseen perils.

Homeowners Insurance - How to Maximize Your Dog and Premises Liability Coverage?

By Adams Bridges

Your home is the place where you protect yourself, your family and your pets against any danger. You keep your belongings in your home therefore, buying homeowners insurance and contents coverage is a recommended method to gain peace of mind. Liability coverage protects you and your household against any legal consequences may arise in case one of your visitors injured in your house or any property damage caused by your pet.

According to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: dog bite is the third cause of injuries and emergency room visits or hospitalization in the United States. Most of liability claims filed against homeowners insurance policyholders is due to dog bite. Homeowners insurance provider may not pay out for liability if the dog has history of attacking people and the company may consider the attack due to negligence of the dog owner. In many cases the company may not insure the dwelling at all, if the owner keeps dangerous breed.

If you have any dangerous breed such as German shepherd or pit bull, it's necessary to get your pet well-trained by a professional dog trainer. Never unleash your dog in public. Children are vulnerable to dog bite, therefore don't leave children alone with your dog. It's important to review your homeowners insurance policy to make sure your liability coverage is adequate in case your dog bites anybody and he or she sue you. The standard homeowners insurance policy has a liability amount up to $100.000 you can raise your coverage up to $500.000 to avoid being exposed.

Premises liability coverage is an important part of your basic homeowners insurance policy. Liability coverage is the only guaranty prevents any financial loss could happen to you and your family. In case part of your dwelling's construction collapses over your neighbor roof causing significant damage, your homeowners insurance company will pay out if lawsuit filed against you and the judge find you legally responsible for the loss. Your liability coverage protects you against any medical expenses if one of your visitor injured while he or she is in your premises your liability insurance extended to cover your family, your pets and anyone live within your premises.

Buy adequate liability coverage when you in the market for homeowners insurance to boost your financial stability.

Homeowners insurance - How to Receive your Claim Check in a short time

By Adams Bridges

If you need to file a claim with your homeowners insurance provider, you have to know how to be ready to avoid any dispute concerning how much the company will pay you. And how does it take to receive your check and start repairs. In this article you will learn how to make your claim approved quickly.

The first thing your Homeowners insurance company ask you in case you need to file a claim is a proof of your ownership of damaged or stolen items and how much does it worth. Be prepared and take accurate detailed inventory of every single room, the attic, and the backyard. Use a camcorder to tape every room contents. Make sure your belongings are neat when you make the tape. New or expensive item covered in dust may appear to be worthless.

You will be surprised by the large number of new items you bought over years. Therefore when you made your inventory you should update it annually. After every new purchase you make, it's recommended to send a copy of the purchase bill with a picture of your new item to your homeowners insurance agent and put another copy of those documents in safe deposit box in case your possessions damaged or stolen.

If your dwelling construction completely or partially damaged in a fire or any other unforeseen mishap and you are to file a claim with your homeowners insurance company. You have to seek the opinion of an expert such as contractor to determine the home repairs cost, to know how much money you need to repair or rebuild your home. Before your homeowners insurance adjuster visit your property to estimate how much your claim settlement will be.

Filing a claim is not a complicated procedure. All you have to do is filling in your homeowners insurance claim form with complete and accurate information. Reviewing your updated inventory list makes things easy to you if you face any difficulty to remember every single item's serial number, purchase date and price. Attach your belongings receipts to the paperwork when you file the claim to avoid the hassle with your homeowners insurance company.

Receiving your check after you filed a claim may take a few days or a few weeks. If your claim approval takes time more than that, you should call your homeowners insurance adjuster and if you fail to reach him try to contact his supervisor. It's a great idea to check your homeowners insurance provider financial stability, before you buy your policy. It isn't too late to check your company complaints rate from your state department of insurance website, if your claim takes a long time to be approved.

Filing a claim with your homeowners insurance company is an easy task if you were prepared by taking into account all those tips explained above.

Homeowners Insurance - All What You Need to Know about Your Insurance Policy Exclusions

By Adams Bridges

Your home is your biggest investment and the place where you keep your possessions and your valuable items. Leaving your home vulnerable to any disaster without an adequate homeowners insurance coverage makes you learn the lesson the hard way in case you face any mishap. In this article I mention common homeowners insurance exclusions most of homeowners pay no attention to it while they buy their policy.

Homeowners insurance policy doesn't cover the damage caused by lack of maintenance or common wear and tear. Insurance companies don't pay out for claims regarding losses caused by old pipeline or electrical systems although damage due to sudden accidents such as frozen pipes is fully covered under your homeowners insurance policy. It's your responsibility as a homeowner to keep your home maintenance up-to-date to prevent any unforeseen accident.

If you keep your expensive possessions such as jewelry in your home you need a rider or a special insurance policy for your costly valuables, other than your basic homeowners insurance policy. Most of homeowners insurance companies exclude high-priced items like fur, artwork and laptop from the insurance coverage or may limit the claim payment to $ 1800 in case of loss. You have to read your policy small print to know how much your insurance company compensates you for your valuables.

Standard Homeowners insurance policy covers damages caused by some natural disasters like hail, snow and lightening, on the other hand natural-disasters damages caused by flood and earthquake is not covered in basic policy. If you bought a home in an area prone to flood or earthquake, your mortgage lender will require you to buy a separate insurance policy against any of these natural disasters. Earthquake or flood Insurance costs are low in states far from earthquake and flood prone areas.

Your Personal liability is covered under your homeowners insurance policy. In case one of your visitors was injured in your premises or anybody was hurt or his property damaged by your pet. The insurance company will pay out for any medical or legal costs if a lawsuit was filed against you and the court find you at fault. The insurance company doesn't pay out for any damage in your dwelling caused by your pet or members of your family.

Bear in mind those homeowners insurance exclusions if you need to file a claim. Read your insurance policy carefully and pay attention to the small print.

Homeowners Insurance - 5 Most Common Factors Raising Your Homeowners Insurance Rate

By Adams Bridges

Homeowners insurance is an ideal method to protect your home and your valuables against a lot of unforeseen hazards. You should know the elements raise your homeowners insurance rate. In case you want to lower your premium significantly.

1-Living in high-crime area

It's a reasonable idea to do your homework and ask the neighbors and the police about crime rates in the area you plan to buy your home in. Homeowners insurance companies keep maps of a high-rates crime areas which accordingly has high insurance rates. If you live in high-crime neighborhood you will be considered as a high-risk homeowners insurance policyholder and your premium will be expensive. If it's not easy to move, you have a chance to lower your premium by fixing safety devices such as security screens and window bars then ask your agent for security discount.

2-Your home is far from fire department

Insurance providers calculate your homeowners insurance rates on basis of many elements. One of those prominent elements is the distance between your home and the nearest fire station and fire hydrant. If you live away from these fire deterrents or the fire station in your area has only volunteer firefighters. You will pay more for your homeowners insurance rate.

3-Living in flood-prone area

Global warming has a great impact on increasing probability of flood perils (especially in the Gulf States) in the recent years. That makes the insurance premium raises in these areas due to the high-risk of flood damage. Homeowners insurance providers don't pay for claims regarding floods caused by storms. If you buy a home in a flood-prone area your lender will require buying separate flood insurance and that will cost you an additional hundreds of dollars.

4-Keeping dangerous dog breed in your home

Homeowners insurance companies pays hundreds of millions of dollars in liability pertaining dogs bites every year, therefore it's not easy task for the owners of aggressive breeds such as Rottweiler, Pit Bull, German shepherd and Doberman pinscher to find insurance company provides them with an adequate coverage. If you have dangerous dog breed or considering buying one, it's recommended to consult your insurance agent to be sure your premium will not skyrocketing.

5-having Trampoline in your backyard

Trampoline is considered by the homeowners insurance companies as a high-risk factor. In 1998 about 100,000 Americans had been injured when they were using trampoline. If you own a trampoline in your backyard and want to buy insurance policy be sure that the trampoline related injuries liability is covered in your insurance in case one of your visitor get injured, then the insurance company pays for you the legal and medical costs if any one sue you.

You have a good opportunity to minimize your homeowners insurance premium and at the same time keep an adequate insurance coverage if you bear in mind all factors raising your insurance rate.

Homeowners Insurance - Take Advantage of These Insurance Discounts to Save Your Money

Adams Bridges

Homeowners insurance discounts are great chances to make your insurance rate an affordable deal. You have to spend some time with your agent and let him or her inform you about the discounts before you sign up your policy. These discounts vary from company to another and it depend on changeable and non-changeable factors .in this article I will explain how you can benefit from homeowners insurance discounts to lower your premium.

Most of fire incidents happen at homes because of smoking. If you are a non-smoker and no one in your home smokes, a risk of fire accident in your home will be limited. Therefore the insurance company offers you a non-smoking discount. In case you bought your policy, when you were a smoker and after that you quit smoking. Take advantage of this discount and renew your policy to benefit from non-smoker discount and save your money.

No-claims discount is a good opportunity to lower your homeowners insurance premium, if you keep your record in your insurance company claims-free for a several years. You can take advantage of this discount by making repairs at your expense when you face a limited loss in your dwelling. You have to ask your agent for no-claims discount because the insurance companies don't voluntarily inform their clients about this discount.

Make your home more secure by fixing security devices like deadbolt locks, burglar alarms and burglary proof bars on your windows to make your home well-protected against theft. All homeowners insurance companies offer you as a homeowner a security discount because your property safety level is high.

You can reduce your homeowners insurance rate by reducing your home vulnerability to fire accident by installing sprinklers, smoke and fire detectors and keeping fire extinguishers within reach. Fire-proof home is the first choice of insurance company to give a safety discount

Update your home plumbing and electrical systems. Old home is prone to fire accident or water damage. If you upgrade your old home systems to meet the codes then you make yourself eligible for another discount on your homeowners insurance premium

Homeowners insurance companies provide their customers with several types of insurance policies for example: auto, health or any other type of insurance. In case you have more than one type of insurance policy beside your homeowners insurance, it's recommended to bundle all your policies and purchase multiple-policies from the same provider to be eligible for multiple insurance discount.

It's up to you to decide how many dollars you pay to make your insurance premium affordable by taking all these discounts in account.

How much does the Average Tampa Homeowners Insurance Cost?

By Adams Bridges

Homeowners insurance is the best method to keep your biggest valuable investment safe against man-made disasters or any climate perils your dwelling vulnerable to. If you are a resident in Tampa, buying a homeowners insurance policy is more important to protect your home against hurricane, flood or thunderstorms. The insurance companies take Tampa as a highly-risk area. Therefore it isn't easy task to find affordable homeowners insurance in Tampa.

You have a chance after reading this article to buy lower homeowners insurance policy, if you figure out the elements determine the homeowners insurance cost in Tampa. Some of those elements are unchangeable like the distance between your home and the coast, the far your home from coast the low your premium will be. On the other hand you have a full control over other elements like raising your home safety by fixing sprinklers and deadbolt locks which leads to decreasing your homeowners insurance cost.

According to a study was held by NAIC in 2007, the average premium cost was $1830 in Tampa. This is due to the raising of all Gulf States insurance rates after hurricane Katrina. All homeowners insurance companies decided to double the insurance cost or may reduce their business in these highly-risk states. But you still have a good opportunity to find affordable deal by surfing the internet comparing online quotes and get homeowners insurance policy in Tampa.

Although the homeowners insurance cost in Tampa is very expensive, you can lower your premium 25% by increasing your deductible which is an amount of dollars you pay before the insurance company start to pay you if you file a claim and that will minimize the probability of filing a claim and minimize you premium amount. You can decrease your insurance cost if you buy health and auto insurance policies from the same provider. In other words in case you benefit from multi-policies discount.

If you have a trampoline, a swimming pool or a dangerous pet like a German shepherd. That will raise your premium. Because your home will be rated as a high-risk place, in case one of your guests gets injured and the insurance company pays for liability.

The discounts homeowners insurance companies offer to their clients are different from company to another, you have to ask your agent about the discounts that you may eligible for to be sure you minimize your homeowners insurance premium.

Homeowners Insurance - 7 Tips to Avoid Mistakes before Buying Your policy- part 2 of 2

By Adams Bridges

Homeowners insurance is the most important way to protect your most valuable assets. Before you buy homeowners insurance policy, bear in mind these seven tips to avoid wasting your money. In this article I refer to the most common mistakes the insurance buyers make while they buy their first policy. By avoiding these mistakes you can save a hundred of dollars by decreasing your premium.

5- Read the policy carefully before you buy your homeowners insurance

One of the most common mistakes that some homeowners do is signing up their policy without read it thoroughly. The exclusions of the insurance coverage are written in separate part. You should read the small prints patiently. And if you have any question about unclear term on the policy, ask your agent to clarify it. Educate your self about your state insurance laws before you buy your homeowners insurance policy.

6- Review your policy to avoid being under inadequate coverage

Review your policy once a year, in case you build an addition to your home you should include this addition under your coverage. If you update your electrical and plumping systems you have to do the same. The building materials and labor cost change over years and that may leave you under inadequate homeowners insurance coverage if you ignore reviewing your policy

7- Take an inventory of all your valuables items

If you are ready to buy your homeowners insurance policy, it's a good idea to start to perform a home contents inventory to ensure that contents value doesn't exceed the 70% of the price of your home structure. If you have expensive items like jewelry or artwork resulting in exceeding this limit then you need a rider for more coverage. It's an easy way to take an inventory by taking a video of all your belongings by a video cam. Put every receipt beside its item (especially the expensive items) while you taking the video to show brand, date of purchase and sales price in case you need to file a claim.

Having your home adequately insured against any dangers like fire, theft is the best way to protect your most expensive property. You have a good chance to reduce your homeowners insurance cost by shopping around, asking for discounts, read the fine prints and review your homeowners insurance policy from time to time.

Homeowners Insurance - 7 Tips to Avoid Mistakes before Buying Your policy- part 1 of 2

By Adams Bridges

Homeowners insurance is the most important way to protect your most valuable assets. Before you buy your insurance policy, bear in mind these seven tips to avoid wasting your money. In this article I refer to the most common mistakes the insurance buyers make while they buy their first policy. By avoiding these mistakes you can save a hundred of dollars and decreasing your premium

1- Shop around to avoid overpaying for your homeowners insurance policy

Your mortgage lender recommends that you buy a policy from certain homeowners insurance provider. In this case you will lose a good chance to save a hundreds of dollars, by missing the advantage of shopping around. This is due to the fact that insurance rates vary from company to another. Instead of wasting your valuable time shopping for a low-price grocery, spend more time to find an affordable homeowners insurance policy. Your friends are good information source of low-rates providers. And it's a good idea to get online quotes to find your best deal.

2- Don't buy homeowners insurance policy without double checking the provider reputation

A lot of homeowners insurance companies compete in homeowners insurance market. And you should choose the most reputable and suitable company for your unique needs. That's easy now and thanks to companies rating web sites like 'ambest.com' this site provides homeowners with reliable information about insurance companies. Another site 'Standardandpoors.com' compares the companies on the basis of their response to your claim. You can also check any company reputation from 'NAIC.com' or check their complaint levels from your state department of insurance.

3- homeowners insurance is only for the home structure don't insure the land.

Don't miscalculate how much your home need to be precisely insured. By adding the value of the land to the total amount of your homeowners insurance your rate will be raised. While large portion of what you pay to purchase your house is the cost of the land which will be intact even if your house destroyed completely. So there is no need to raise your insurance rate by including the land under your home insurance coverage.

4- Ask your agent about discounts don't miss this chance to save a lot of money

All homeowners insurance providers offer discounts on the premium to attract more customers to their business. It's a good opportunity to benefit from these discounts and save up to 10 percent of your premium by fixing safety appliances like burglar alarms, window locks, smoke detectors, fire sprinklers in your dwelling. There is a senior citizen discount for 55 years old homeowners because they spend more time in home their houses are in low risk. Don't forget to ask your agent about multi-policy discount in case you sign up for car insurance from the same company too. Keep asking your agent until you know all the discounts you are eligible for.

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