Buying a home is a huge accomplishment and a serious investment. Therefore, it is crucial to ensure that your investment is protected. One good way to achieve that is to have a homeowners insurance policy. However, finding the best home insurance can be a bit confusing if you are a first-time homeowner. That’s why it is important to research and understand how homeowner insurance premiums work.
What is Homeowners Insurance Premium?
A homeowners insurance premium is money that is paid each year to keep an insurance policy active. In most instances, this amount is paid monthly. However, others choose to make a lump sum payment at the beginning of each year. For those with mortgages, this amount can also be paid together with the mortgage.
Several factors come into play when a homeowners insurance provider is trying to calculate your premium. These include personal factors like age, credit score, and marital. Other factors are linked to your home. They include the zip code, the age of the home, its size, and its general condition.
The insurance company will also try to determine how risky it is to ensure your home. For instance, a newly built home might be considered less risky to insure than an old one. It is also considered less risky to insure a home belonging to someone with a good credit score than a homeowner with a poor credit rating. This level of risk is used to determine the premium you pay on a home. The riskier it is, the higher the premium will be.
Every homeowner or prospective homeowner must understand how a typical homeowners insurance premium works. There are many money-saving tips that you can take advantage of if you understand homeowners insurance premiums. It is also crucial to understand what will happen if you miss your premiums so you don’t end up losing your home’s coverage.
How do Homeowners Insurance Premiums Work?
Like any other type of insurance, a homeowners insurance premium is calculated based on the level of risk associated with insuring your home. If your insurance provider thinks you are likely to file frequent and costly claims, you will pay higher premiums.
One of the most significant factors that are taken into consideration when calculating your premiums is your home location. This is because there are some areas with a higher risk of severe weather, and policyholders who stay in such locations are likely to pay high amounts for their insurance. However, it is important to note that you must always pay your insurance premiums to ensure that your policy stays active and your home remains covered no matter where you live.
What Factors Affect Homeowners Insurance Premiums?
Several factors affect homeowners’ insurance premiums. Some of these factors will cause our premiums to increase, and some will cause them to decrease. For instance, if you have filed a large insurance claim within the past 12 months, you will likely pay a higher rate upon the renewal of your policy.
In some cases, if your credit score drops by a few points, it’s also highly likely that your rate might go up. Similarly, your premium might increase if your state gets affected by natural disasters, even if your particular area isn’t directly affected.
Some factors can cause your premiums to go down. For instance, if you improve your credit score by a few points, your insurance provider might reward you by lowering your premiums. You can also save money on your premium by increasing your deductible and taking advantage of discounts.
Upgrading or renovating your home can also lower your premium. If your home becomes safer and more resilient, there will be less risk associated with insuring it. Here are some updates and renovations that may cause your premium to be lowered:
- Upgrading to an impact-resistant roof
- Upgrading your home security system
- Installing storm-proof windows and doors
How to Calculate Homeowners Insurance Premium
The easiest way to calculate homeowners insurance premiums is to use a homeowner’s insurance premium calculator. These calculators consider a variety of factors to come up with an estimate of what you might need to pay for your premiums. However, it is important to note that all the calculator will give you is an estimate; other factors may affect the actual cost of your insurance premium.
What is the Average Homeowners Insurance Premium?
One of the key driving factors in how much you are likely to pay for your home insurance is your home’s rebuild value. This is the amount it would take to build your home from scratch in the event of a total loss. Here are some estimated homeowners insurance premium amounts using coverage amounts and average annual costs:
- $100,000-$200,000 – $1,485
- $200,000-$300,000 – $1,723
- $300,000-$400,000 – $1,971
- $400,000-$500,000 – $2,169
How to Pay Homeowners Insurance Premiums
There are a few options when it comes to the payment of homeowners insurance premiums. Here are some common methods used by people to pay their premiums:
- Via a Mortgage Lender – the mortgage lender will combine your mortgage and insurance costs to get the total you need to pay.
- Directly through the insurance company – this is another common method. With this option, you can just pay your premium like any other bill. People usually set up direct deposits from their bank accounts. It’s up to the policyholder to either pay annually, bi-annually or monthly.
Insurance companies tend to give discounts to people who pay their annual costs in full. On the other hand, you can also get a discount if you set up automatic payments using a credit card. It is highly recommended that you don’t miss your home insurance payments. However, if you skip a payment, most insurance providers will give you 30 days to make up for the missed payments. If you still don’t pay within those 30 days, you’ll risk having your policy canceled. Once the policy is terminated, it can be very difficult to get another one in the future.