Insurance

Finding Cheap New Jersey Homeowner’s Insurance

Your mortgage lender will almost definitely insist that you purchase homeowner’s insurance if you are currently making mortgage payments. But even if you’ve paid off your mortgage and are no longer legally obligated to have homeowner’s insurance, you probably still do.

It’s not hard to see why. More than ninety-five percent of homeowners consider their home their most precious asset and significant financial investment.

Still, there’s no need to shell out a dime more than necessary monthly for homeowner’s insurance. And thank goodness it isn’t necessary!

What is the most common reason for a homeowner’s insurance claim? Most would guess fire, but the reality is much stranger. The most common type of claim filed on homeowners’ insurance policies involves water damage from a burst water pipe, a dislodged dishwasher connector, or a malfunctioning ice maker.

Talk to your broker about the potential monthly savings from replacing your home’s electrical and plumbing systems if you own a ten-year-old or older property. It’s likely that you’ll be pleasantly pleased and that you’ll be able to complete the work yourself, at least in part.

All cement walkways on your property should be repaired or replaced if they have cracks or buckles. Decks and porches should have any sagging planks or railings repaired or replaced. Make sure to inform your homeowner’s agent that you have repaired all of the cracks on the property and trimmed back all the weeds, and brushed at least ten feet from each building to find out how much money you will save.

To deter intruders, you should install motion-detecting floodlights around your house and cut back any shrubs that may obscure windows. Deadbolts should be installed on all exterior doors, and all windows should have locks, including those on upper floors.

Your monthly homeowner’s insurance premiums could go down by as much as 30 percent if you set up a home protection service that monitors your home for burglary and fire 24 hours a day, seven days a week. However, talk to your agent before signing up for a system because not all offer the same premium discount.

Does your household include any retirees aged 55 and up? If so, you could be pleasantly surprised by the size of the monthly deduction you qualify for merely by having a permanent resident in the home.

Have you been with the same insurance provider for at least five years? If this describes you, take advantage of your long-term policy discount.

You can save money on your insurance premiums by purchasing many policies from the same provider (known as a “Multi-Policy Discount”).

It is more cost-effective to pay your homeowner’s insurance premium all at once yearly rather than monthly.

Make it a habit to change the batteries in your smoke alarms twice a year and install as many as your home’s square footage and layout calls for. You should also equip your kitchen with a fire extinguisher designed to put out cooking fires.

If you want to lower your monthly premium, tell your homeowner’s insurance agent about all the improvements and repairs you’ve made and then ask if there’s anything further you can do.

O.K. Now that you know how to lower your monthly homeowner’s insurance bill, it’s time to shop online for a new, more affordable policy from all of the insurance providers operating in New Jersey.

Since no single website compares all of the carriers in New Jersey, you should make your comparisons on at least three distinct websites specifically designed to make homeowner insurance pricing comparisons. To discover the most economical New Jersey homeowner’s insurance, compare rates from at least three companies. Knowing you’ve done your homework and found the best deal will give you peace of mind.