Some Helpful Information when Buying Homeowner's Insurance

Increasing Your Deductible
Just like auto insurance, homeowners policies have deductibles, and the same rule of thumb applies--carry the highest deductible you can afford.  The higher your deductible, the more premium credit you can expect to receive from your insurance company.  Your savings could reach 25% by increasing the deductible from $100 to $1000.

Improving Your Home Security
Most insurance companies offer discounts for smoke detectors, burglar alarms, dead bolts, fire extinguishers, and Neighborhood Watch Areas. Homes with a fire and burglar alarm system hooked up to a third-party monitoring company receive higher discounts than homes with local bell alarms.

Consolidating Policies
Insuring two or more vehicles with the same insurance company can save you 10 - 15% on your premiums. If you cover your home and vehicles together, you can reduce your premiums by another 10 - 15%.

Different Construction Types
Before buying a home, consider its construction type, such as frame or concrete block and steel (CBS).  A wood frame house typically costs more to insure than one built mostly of concrete.

Claims Free Record And Renewal Discounts
If you have not had a claim under your homeowners policy during the past 3 - 5 consecutive years, you could receive up to a 15% discount, depending on the insurance company. Plus, most companies will discount your premium if your policy has been in force for 3 straight years.

Mortgage Free Discounts
Some insurance companies target homeowners who have paid off their mortgage and offer them premium discounts of up to 5%.

New And Renovated Home Discounts
A majority of insurance companies offer a discount for new homes, and you may qualify if your home was built in the last 10 - 15 years. Also, a recently renovated home costs less to insure, so find out when the last major electrical, heating and plumbing update was completed on the home.

Non-Smokers And Early Retiree Discounts
Some companies offer a non-smokers discount of up to 15% to qualified homeowners. To qualify, you must be a non-smoker and you cannot permit smoking in your home by anyone. Retirees or senior citizens are usually offered discounts because insurance companies believe they are home more often and are therefore better able to protect their home against fire and burglary.


These are just some of the things to know that could save you thousands on your homeowner's insurance.  If you are buying a home or looking for a mortgage in the Jacksonville, Florida area, contact us and we can help direct you to the most reputable insurance providers available.