For any homeowner, insuring this necessary asset is of fundamental importance. Not only can this coverage protect against unfortunate events such as theft, fire or flood, it can also protect the individual should someone become injured while on the property itself. While the benefits of such a policy cannot be understated, one of the most daunting tasks can be to ascertain how much one’s insurance policy should viably cost. Although there is no static algorithm to determine such a figure one can still approach a reasonable conclusion by following a few concrete steps which are listed below.
Gather all important information regarding the house itself. In this case it is prudent to record as much as possible. Some examples are the age of the house, the construction materials used and how many square meters of living space are included. Additional but necessary information should also list heating and cooling systems, alarm services and even any substances which may be contained within but are no longer considered safe such as lead paint or asbestos.
Secondly one needs to determine whether the house and adjoining property lie within any known zones of natural risk. These may include but are not limited to areas prone to wildfires or floods. does the house fall within known earthquake zones or even areas subject to high winds? All of these external factors need to be noted and kept on record.
A more personal variable is that of a positive or negative credit rating. Credit scores will be used by an insurance company to determine how much coverage they will provide and what premiums the homeowner will ultimately pay.
Although this step may be a bit subjective, it is recommended to calculate a rough idea of the liability coverage in the home; that is, identifying items around the house which under certain circumstances cause bodily injury to others. These may be as commonplace as a set of rickety basement stairs to the more apparent risks such as a large dog or slippery pavement.
Ultimately, these factors are some of the most important to consider when calculating home insurance costs. It should be apparent that the only way to receive a true evaluation is from both a private surveyor and by contacting a qualified agency. As there is no reason not to shop around for the best rates, it is recommended to contact multiple providers before making a final decision.
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