7 Sure-fire Ways of Reducing Your Home Insurance Premium

Home security improvement:

All insurance companies will happily offer you a discount for burglar alarms and smoke detectors. Homes with fire and burglar alarms that communicate with a third party monitoring company receive a higher discount on their insurance premiums.

When possible, choose a higher deductible:

To reduce your premium, it is best advised to increase the deductible to the extent you can afford. Your home insurance premium will fall by as much as 20% if you increase the deductible from $200 to $1000.

Multiple insurance ? Same provider:

If you consolidate your home insurance and auto insurance with one insurance company, expect a premium reduction between 10 ? 15%. This also means you are making one payment for all your insurance needs. Consolidate and win.

Discount for non-smokers:

Some home insurance companies will offer a non-smoker discount to the tune of 15%. Check with your insurance company if they offer a non-smokers discount.

How far is the fire station?

If you live more than 5 miles from the nearest fire station and more than 1,000 feet from a fire hydrant, you can expect a higher premium. Also if you live in the country, you will probably pay higher insurance rate than if you were living in the city.

Type of construction:

The construction type of your home also plays an important role in determining your insurance premium. A wood frame home will cost more to insure than the one built mostly of concrete.

Claims free record and renewal discounts:

If you have not had a claim under your current home owners policy for the past 3-5 years, you will get a 15% discount on your premium. Expect additional discount if your policy has been in force with the same insurance company for 3 years or more.

Conclusion:

I am hopeful you have gained preliminary knowledge on the subject of home insurance premiums. With these helpful tips you will be able to understand and demand discounts on your home insurance premiums. Good Luck!

Copyrights 2005 - Bill A Smith is an insurance agent and insurance advisor for Sunshine home and auto insurance services. Bill has over 10 years of experience in providing insurance services to clients.

In The News:

Yahoo! News: Top Stories

Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich talks to the media at his home in Chicago, Friday, Jan. 9, 2009. The Illinois House voted Friday to impeach Blagojevich. (AP Photo/Paul Beaty)AP - Gov. Rod Blagojevich says the Illinois House's decision to impeach him was no surprise because he's been engaged in a struggle with lawmakers since his re-election in 2006. The governor spoke to reporters Friday in Chicago hours after members of the House voted 114-1 to impeach him.



Smoke caused by explosions from Israeli military operations hangs in the sky over the outskirts of Gaza City as seen from the Israel-Gaza Border, Friday, Jan. 9, 2009. The U.N. Security Council called for an 'immediate' and 'durable' cease-fire in Gaza, but an intense bombardment of missiles from Israeli jets and helicopters early Friday and a barrage of Hamas rockets indicated there would be no rapid end to the fighting. (AP Photo/Anja Niedringhaus)AP - Israeli jets and helicopters bombarded Gaza Friday and Hamas responded with a barrage of rockets on at least two cities as both sides defied a U.N. call for an immediate cease-fire.



Steve Pruitt, from Belle Chasse, La., fills out an employment application during a Dollar General job fair in Metairie, La., Thursday, Jan. 8, 2009. The nation's unemployment rate bolted to 7.2 percent in December, the highest since early 1993, as nervous employers slashed 524,000 jobs. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)AP - The nation's unemployment rate bolted to 7.2 percent in December, the highest level in 16 years, as nervous employers slashed 524,000 jobs, capping one of the worst years in modern history for American workers.



President-elect Barack Obama speaks about the economy at George Mason University in Fairfax, Va.,  Thursday, Jan. 8, 2009. (AP Photo/Charles Dharapak)AP - President-elect Barack Obama said Friday that he and Congress will "hone and refine" his nearly $800 billion economic recovery plan, as he seeks to patch fissures with senior Democrats over key features of the still-emerging plan.



This Dec. 15, 2008 file photo shows Baltimore Mayor Shelia Dixon in Baltimore. Baltimore City Councilman Helen L. Holton and developer Ronald H. Lipscomb were indicted Wednesday  Jan. 7, 2009, on public corruption charges, the first major indictments in a long-running probe of City Hall that has also targeted Dixon. The mayor has not been charged with any crimes in the indictment. (AP Photo/Rob Carr, File)AP - Mayor Sheila Dixon was indicted Friday on charges that she accepted illegal gifts during her time as mayor and City Council president, including travel, fur coats and gift cards intended for the poor that she allegedly used instead for a holiday shopping spree.



Texas death row inmate Andre Thomas is shown in this undated handout file photo released Friday, Jan. 9, 2009 in Huntsville, Texas. Thomas, who has a history of mental problems is being treated at a prison psychiatric unit after authorities said he pulled out his only good eye and ate it.  He similarly had plucked out his right eye before his trial in 2004. (AP Photo/Texas Department of Criminal Justice, FILE)AP - A Texas death row inmate with a history of mental problems pulled out his only good eye and told authorities he ate it.



Tyre Dawn and her son, Lukyan, 4, are seen  outside an organic food store, Tuesday, Jan. 6, 2009, in Ashland, Ore. There are so many parents in this outdoorsy, Zen-loving, organic-eating town who won't get their kids vaccinated that federal doctors are paying just to hear their side of things. On Saturday,  Jan. 10,  locals will get $50 apiece to talk about their worries over the risks of childhood shots. This town doesn't trust the government.  (AP Photo/Jeff Barnard)AP - There are so many parents in this free-spirited, unconventional small town who won't get their kids vaccinated that federal researchers are paying money just to hear their side of things. On Saturday, 80 locals will get $50 apiece to talk about their worries over the risks of childhood shots.



In this Nov. 28, 2005 file photo, actor Patrick Swayze poses for the photographers, prior to the premiere of his new film 'Keeping Mum' at a Leicester Square cinema in central London. (AP Photo/Lefteris Pitarakis, file)AP - Patrick Swayze has checked himself into the hospital for observation after contracting pneumonia, A&E President Abbe Raven announced Friday at a meeting of the Television Critics Association.



AP - A man may have tipped his intentions when he stood in line at an Ohio bank wearing a ski mask before staging a holdup. Police in Stow near Akron say a 24-year-old man was arrested minutes later on Thursday following a brief car chase.

In this Nov. 23, 2008 file photo, Indianapolis Colts quarterback Peyton Manning rolls out as he looks for a receiver during the first quarter of an NFL football game against the San Diego Chargers in San Diego. Manning made The Associated Press 2008 NFL All-Pro team announced Friday Jan. 9, 2009.  (AP Photo/Denis Poroy, File)AP - A changing of the guard — and tackles and running backs and receivers — saw 15 first-timers make The Associated Press 2008 NFL All-Pro team announced Friday. While such standbys as three-time NFL Most Valuable Player Peyton Manning and six-time All-Pro Ray Lewis made the squad, there was plenty of room for newcomers. Ten of the 14 offensive players and five of the 13 on defense had never been All-Pros.



Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich gestures as he announces former Illinois Attorney General Roland Burris as his choice to fill the vacant U.S. Senate seat of President-elect Barack Obama during a news conference in Chicago, Illinois December 30, 2008. (Frank Polich/Reuters)Reuters - The Illinois House of Representatives impeached Gov. Rod Blagojevich on Friday for abuse of power, including a charge that he tried to sell President-elect Barack Obama's former U.S. Senate seat.



Palestinians collect their belongings from their destroyed house after an Israeli air strike in Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip January 8, 2009. (Ibraheem Abu Mustafa/Reuters)Reuters - Israel rejected a U.N. resolution calling for a ceasefire in the Hamas-ruled Gaza Strip on Friday and warplanes and tanks pounded the Palestinian enclave.



Reuters - Robert Rubin, the former U.S. Treasury Secretary, has resigned from Citigroup Inc, following months of criticism of his performance at the bank.

Reuters - President-elect Barack Obama and a key Democratic lawmaker revealed plans on Friday to overhaul the government's $700 billion financial rescue fund as a way to aid struggling homeowners and speed the flow of credit.

Employers slashed payrolls by 524,000 in December, driving the unemployment rate to its highest level in almost 16 years, a government report showed on Friday, suggesting that the year-long recession was deepening. (Graphic/Reuters)Reuters - The U.S. unemployment rate surged to the highest in nearly 16 years last month as a deepening year-long recession forced companies to axe more than half a million jobs, government data showed on Friday.



Reuters - The U.S. Supreme Court said on Friday it would consider a challenge to a central provision of the 44-year-old voting rights law aimed at preventing states and local governments from making it harder for minorities to vote.

A foreclosed home is seen in Stockton, California in this May 13, 2008 file photo. A top bank industry group said on Friday that it opposes an agreement between financial giant Citigroup Inc  (Robert Galbraith/Files/Reuters)Reuters - A top bank industry group said on Friday that it opposes an agreement between Citigroup Inc and Democratic senators that would rewrite U.S. bankruptcy law to help troubled mortgage borrowers avoid foreclosure, saying it could make home loans more expensive.



A man works near a pressure gauge at a district heating plant in Skopje January 8, 2009. (Ognen Teofilovski/Reuters)Reuters - The European Union sought to finalize details on Friday of a gas monitoring deal to allow the resumption of gas supplies to Europe via Ukraine, which have been cut off for days over a pricing row.



An Israeli tank takes position on the border with the Gaza Strip. Tanks and warplanes pounded Gaza Friday as a defiant Israel vowed to pursue a two-week war on Hamas despite a truce order from the UN Security Council and amid warnings of dwindling food supplies.(AFP/David Buimovitch)AFP - Tanks and warplanes pounded Gaza Friday as a defiant Israel vowed to pursue a two-week war on Hamas despite a truce order from the UN Security Council and amid warnings of dwindling food supplies.



This US Navy photo shows the MV Sirius Star as it is observed at anchor by the US Navy. Somali pirates said Friday they had freed a Saudi-owned supertanker, whose capture nearly two months ago caused panic in international shipping and spurred the world into tougher anti-piracy action.(AFP/NVNS/David B. Hudson)AFP - Somali pirates said Friday they had freed a Saudi-owned supertanker, whose capture nearly two months ago caused panic in international shipping and spurred the world into tougher anti-piracy action.




What To Do When You Suffer An Injury On The Job?

For over 30 years I have been representing injured workers in workers... Read More

Discount Insurance - Get Affordable Coverage For All Your Insurance Needs

Insurance is an important part of our lives. If you are shopping... Read More

Why Should You Shop Around for Auto Insurance?

How do you know if what you are paying for your insurance... Read More

UK House Insurance - The Risk of Under-insurance

For many years in the UK, motor insurance has been a competitive... Read More

Long Term Care Insurance

Long Term Care Insurance is needed in the event that a person... Read More

What Are The Auto Liability Insurance State Minimums For My State?

As you shop online for the best auto insurance deals you may... Read More

Choosing Buy-To-Let Property Insurance

Risk is an area often overlooked by landlords, but failing to protect... Read More

Senior Life Settlements- A New Financial Dawn Emerges

When delving deeper into the market-driven research on the myriads of reasons,... Read More

Individual Health Insurance Plans - How To Find The Best Provider Online

Whether you are self-employed or a small business owner, finding an affordable... Read More

What Is Health Insurance?

What is health insurance and why do I need it? Health insurance... Read More

Apply Online for Temporary Health Insurance

There are times when you'll find yourself temporarily without health insurance. You... Read More

Life Insurance Information

Life insurance is a personal insurance plan designed to pay out a... Read More

Disability Insurance For The Long Term

Disability insurance covers you for an extended period of time. Should you... Read More

Canadian Funeral Insurance: Our Final Gift to Those We Love

Most of us don't like thinking about our own funerals, but no... Read More

Origin Of Long Term Care Insurance

In the early 1980's Medicare started using a system called the diagnosed... Read More

Long Term Care and Long Term Care Insurance

A person might need long term care (LTC) if he/she cannot perform... Read More

Life Insurance Providing Little Protection from Terrorism

Recent statements by the City of London Police Commissioner James Hart that... Read More

I Was In An Accident, Will My Car Insurance Rates Go Up?

You were on the phone, got distracted and before you knew it... Read More

Inexpensive Life Insurance To Protect What You?ve Earned

Adequate life insurance to cover your income producing ability is a product... Read More

Health Savings Accounts (HSA): Do They Vary From State to State?

The Health Savings Account (HSA) is an amazing tool that a lot... Read More

MSA or HSA: Can I Keep My MSA Or Do I Need to Convert it into an HSA?

The Medical Savings Account (MSA) is an older form of the Health... Read More

Guide to Life Insurance Terms

Listed below is a useful guide to life insurance terms. It is... Read More

Your Cars After-impact Diminished Value

The(ACV)Actual Cash Value Policy DOES NOT insure the property itself but the... Read More

Disability Income Insurance Can Meet All Your Financial Needs

Disability income insurance can cover you in the event of a severe... Read More

Senior Health Care Insurance

Health Insurance For Seniors On The NetWhen a good friend of mine... Read More

Medical Bankrupticies: What You Can Do To Protect Yourself

First the bad news: about 2,000,000 personal bankruptcies each year are caused... Read More

Health Insurance Options for Entrepreneurs

One of the most important benefits employed people enjoy is health insurance... Read More

Sleep-At-Night Coverage With A Private Health Insurance ( Affordable Health Insurance )

Health Insurance: a sense of dissatisfactionThe three C's, customization, consumerization and customer-satisfaction,... Read More

What Are The Differences Between A Cancellation Notice And Non-renewal Notice?

OK, you take that stroll down to the mailbox excitedly as you... Read More

Life Insurance: Who Needs It And How Much Do You Need?

Your friendly, neighborhood life insurance agent is most likely to answer this... Read More

Cheap Car Insurance

Finding good car insurance can be very difficult. Here are a few... Read More

Life Insurance Careers

Do you like to spend all day being sitting around? Fixed income... Read More

Car and Home Insurance Northern Ireland

Don't skimp on insurance. This probably doesn't sound like a way to... Read More

Health Savings Account (HSA): Do I Lose It At the End of Each Year?

The Health Savings Account (HSA) is an amazing tool to reduce healthcare... Read More

What is Home Insurance?

Home Insurance is designed to provide you with financial protection against any... Read More

What Is Homeowners Insurance Coverage?

Before attempting to find the best homeowners insurance coverage you should make... Read More

Tips for First Time Insurance Buyers

The are many scary things in this world. Buying insurance for your... Read More

Affordable Life Insurance!

So, you've decided to purchase life insurance. Well then, you have made... Read More

Risk Retention Groups RRG

In response to a hard insurance market in the mid 1908's, Congress... Read More

Discount Auto Insurance

Whether you are looking for car insurance in Canada, the USA, or... Read More

Car Insurance Online ? Benefits of Applying for Auto Insurance Online

Drivers are applying for auto insurance online not just for the convenience... Read More

Does an HSA Cover Alternative Medicine?

A Health Savings Account (HSA) does not really cover alternative medicine. However,... Read More

Life Insurance Leads, Insurance Leads, and the Online Lead Generation Business

I've long wanted to write an article about Internet Leads (Life Insurance... Read More

Choosing the Best Life Insurance Option for You

Life insurance in the UK is becoming more and more popular with... Read More

Term Life And Whole Life Insurance

Which type of policy is best for you, term or whole life?... Read More

Auto Insurance Information Online - Compulsory Auto Insurance

In 47 of the 50 United States, it is illegal to take... Read More

Ever Wondered What An Auto Insurance Claim Adjuster Does?

An auto insurance claim adjuster works for the insurance company with whom... Read More