Summary:
Almost every homeowner in Alabama has homeowner's insurance and that's not just because mortgage lenders require such insurance - even the vast majority of homeowner's who own their homes free and clear and are not required to buy any insurance still insure their homes.
The reason is obvious. For most people their home is their most valuable and important asset and they want to do whatever they can to protect it. This is simply good sense.
Even so, nobody wants to pay a...
Almost every homeowner in Alabama has homeowner's insurance and that's not just because mortgage lenders require such insurance - even the vast majority of homeowner's who own their homes free and clear and are not required to buy any insurance still insure their homes.
The reason is obvious. For most people their home is their most valuable and important asset and they want to do whatever they can to protect it. This is simply good sense.
Even so, nobody wants to pay any more than they have to for their homeowner's insurance. Everyone wants to save money and get discount homeowner's insurance in Alabama - and why not?
The good news is that there are several things you can do to lower the cost of your homeowner's insurance, and the more things you are able to do, the bigger your savings will be each month.
Start with your credit. That's right. Your credit rating affects how much you pay each month for your homeowner's insurance. The higher your credit rating, the lower your monthly homeowner's insurance bill.
Next, cut all weeds and brush back away from all structures on your property. This will reduce the fire risk.
Adding motion-sensitive floodlights and trimming bushes away from all windows will discourage burglaries, as will making sure that every exterior door has a deadbolt lock and that all windows have a working lock.
Repair any cracked or broken cement walkways on your property and make sure there are no potholes or other booby traps that could cause visitors to your property to trip or fall. Replace or repair all loose decking or porch floorboards and make sure all railings are good and solid.
Let your agent know about everything you've done.
Most people think the biggest claim that homeowner's make against their insurance is for fire, but, in fact, most claims are filed due to water damage caused by a broken pipe or a faulty appliance connection. If your home is 10 years old or older ask your agent how much you could save each month if you made a one-time investment in upgrading your plumbing and wiring. See if the numbers add up for you.
Install the proper number of fire and smoke detectors for the size and layout of your home. Change the batteries in your detectors twice yearly to keep them operating efficiently. Buy a kitchen-rated fire extinguisher and keep it handy in your kitchen.
A home security system that's monitored 24/7 can save you 20% or even more on your homeowner's insurance, but talk to your agent before deciding on a company to go with since not all systems qualify for the same reduction in your monthly premium.
How much of a deduction can you afford to pay each time you make a claim? The larger your deduction the less your insurance will cost every month.
When deciding how much insurance you need to purchase, keep in mind that you need enough to rebuild your house from the foundation up and you need enough to replace all of your home's contents - but don't make the rookie mistake of insuring for the value of the land that your house sits on.
Now it's time to go online and find at least 3 websites that make it easy to compare the price of a homeowner's policy between different insurance companies. Be sure that you enter the exact same information into the form on at least 3 different comparison websites so that your comparisons will be valid and you can be sure of seeing the prices from as many different insurance companies as possible.
Now all that's left is for you to choose the lowest price from a company that you trust to still be in business 30 years from now and your job is done! You have now saved money and gotten the best discount on homeowner's insurance in Alabama that you possibly can!