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Tips on How to Get the Right Home Insurance for You

If you don’t know how to go about getting home insurance, you’re not alone. The insurance industry can be complicated, and it’s easy to be intimidated by all the terms and numbers used by the professionals in the industry. But if you take your time and do your research, you can make an informed decision that will protect your finances in case of an emergency or disaster. Before contacting the best homeowners insurance Florida company, read our tips on how to get the right home insurance for you.

Understand What Coverages Are

Before you buy a home insurance policy, make sure you understand what kinds of coverages there are: structure, personal property, expense and liability. Structure coverage covers damages and repairs to your home and its contents, whereas personal property coverage covers damaged or stolen belongings in your house. In cases where your home is damaged and in an unlivable state, your expense coverage can help cover your additional living fees while you are away and waiting for your home to be repaired. On the other hand, liability coverage covers you when someone gets hurt in your home or you accidentally damage their stuff and they sue you for it.

Determine Your Deductibles

Most homeowners insurance policies require you to have a deductible before your insurance coverage kicks in. This is essentially an amount of money that you’ll have to pay out-of-pocket when filing a claim. Some home insurance companies offer low deductibles, ranging from $250-$500, while others can be higher than $1,000. As such, it’s important that you determine how much money you’re willing and able to spend in case of an incident or accident (or even if nothing happens at all). To determine your desired deductible, ask yourself: What would I feel comfortable paying out-of-pocket?

Lower Your Home Insurance Cost

There are two common ways of lowering your home insurance cost: raising your deductible and switching from a broad policy to a more specific one. If you increase your deductible, you’ll have to pay more out-of-pocket when something bad happens (like a burglary), but it will also decrease your monthly premium. Alternatively, if you purchase an umbrella or excess liability policy, that will raise your overall coverage and lower your premiums. There’s no right answer here; deciding how much risk is right for you comes down to personal preference.

Ask Your Agent

It’s important that you get a homeowners insurance policy with the best homeowners insurance Florida company. But how do you know what kinds of policies each company offers? A good way to find out is to ask an agent or ICS expert. The professional will be able to explain coverage types, what they cover and any limitations there may be. From there, it’s up to you whether or not you want coverage in certain areas (ex: earthquake insurance).