Posts tagged "Home Security System"

What is a recommended company for homeowners insurance?

We are buying our first house, and would like to know if anybody has any recommendations on the best homeowners insurance for our money. Thank you!

There is no way around needing Homeowners insurance if you are about to embark on the journey of purchasing a home. Depending on the size of the home, Homeowners insurance can cost as little as $400 a year to as much as $2000 a year, if not more in some parts of the country. The amount of Homeowners insurance you receive will also be determined by the value of the interior property, including the upkeep of remodeling on the home, as well as whether your policy will include valuable electronics and jewelry.

Once you have determined what type of policy you would like to implement, you can begin discussing yearly and monthly costs with insurance agents. One thing to keep in mind while you are searching for Homeowners insurance is that the rates won’t vary that much between each company, but there are small ways to save a few dollars to a few hundred dollars, simply by finding some Homeowners insurance discounts that are available.

One of the easiest ways to receive a discount on Homeowners insurance is to install a home security system, and not the type that barks and growls. Many insurance companies are actually paired up with security companies like ADT or Brink’s and will give you a discount for using that insurance company and that security company as well.

Even if you get Homeowners insurance and decide to go back later and install a security system, don’t forget to go back and call your Homeowners insurance company once the system is installed so that you can receive a discount on your insurance. Further discounts may be given for motion sensors or even for video surveillance cameras installed on the home.

Another great way to receive a small discount on your Homeowners insurance is through fire and carbon monoxide detectors and fire resistant doors, brick and even walls. Remember that not all companies will offer the same discount for fire resistance and fire protection, so it is best to do research on how much of a discount can be received before diving in to remodeling the entire house for fire resistance.

Keeping up with newer appliances is another excellent way to help receive a Homeowners insurance discount. Older appliances are more likely to develop bad electrical connections, which can make the home susceptible to fire.

The first place to begin updating appliances is in the kitchen because kitchens are on the top of the list for places where fires begin. Many other insurance companies will offer a discount for new plumbing and electrical systems, or simply for a home that is less than ten years old altogether.

While some homeowners aren’t willing to consider a higher insurance deductible, or the price they will pay before the insurance will begin paying for loss or damages, asking for price quotes with higher deductibles is an excellent way to receive a discount on your insurance.

Most Homeowners insurance companies start out with a minimum deductible of $250 to $500 dollars, but try raising the deductible by $250 and see how much this will save you a year. Often times, this can make a difference of nearly $100-$150 a year on the total insurance bill.

Remember, though, that if you choose this route, you may end up paying more than that $150 savings a year if something happens to your home and you have to pay the higher deductible. Simply weight the negatives and positives and decide if a higher deductible is right for you.

The final sure fire way to receive a homeowners insurance benefit is to belong to a club or certain group. This could simply mean being in the "65 and older" club and receiving a senior citizens discount, or it could also mean already being a member of the bank where you are looking to purchase Homeowners insurance. Some insurance companies also give a discount if you plan on having both your car insurance and Homeowners insurance with that company.

Before settling for the first set of numbers thrown at you by the insurance company, be sure to ask about these discounts and make your assets work for you when shopping for Homeowners insurance.

How does a home security system affect your insurance rates?

Any advice, negative or positive, would be nice.

We’re considering it, and we’re meeting with the guy who would put it in tomorrow.

How much did you pay?
Is it worth it?
How was your home insurance affected?

I don’t know what things are like where you live, however here (Vancouver, BC, Canada) most insurance companies give up to 20% off depending on the protection you have. The better the system the less risk of loss hense lower rates.

Things which can effect your discount are whether all the windows and doors are contacted, motion detectors, pre-entry protection (Glassbreaks) and of course smoke detectors and sometimes you may get an even higher discount if you have line cut protection. You really should be contacting your insurance company for the specifics.

Many insurance companies will not give you a discount if the system is not monitored, some will. The thing is, an alarm system is about more than just the insurance discount, if you do not see the value of a security system, the peace of mind and freedom it can provide, then maybe you should consider window bars.

As for what a system should cost, well that all depends on the scope of protection, the size of your home and the difficulty of the installation. I would highly recommend staying away from a wireless system. If the sales person tries to tell you they are better than hardwire…. chase him / her out of the house… just my professional opinion. A good hardwired system should range around $ 1,200 upwards. If you have a really small house then you may be able to get it for around $ 900 but that is pretty small. An apartment might be around 350 to 500.

I have written a number of articles on security, both electronic and physical. You can find them on my website at http://www.keepsafesystems.ca. You would probably be interested in Protection 101, false alarm info and one on the truth about wireless security (It is in the archive)

Good luck, whatever you do, do not let the sales person talk you into something you do not feel comfortable with.