With dozens of companies all vying for your business, it is no surprise that home insurance quotes are difficult to manage at the best of times. When there are just so many carriers to to choose from we need some tips to navigate the inky waters;
If you want to reduce your premiums and who doesn’t – here are some tips that could save you money on your next homeowner’s insurance policy.
Tips on finding cheaper home insurance quotes
- Request Your Broker Shop Around –Insurance firms apply different underwriting criteria when assessing home insurance quotes, hence the variation in premiums in search results. For example, if a postal-code has a history of past claims with one insurer, you’ll receive a more expensive quote, but another insurer may have a good experience of that postcode, resulting in a cheaper quote.
- Increase Your Excess – Volunteering to pay a higher excess on any claims will get you a discount on your home insurance quotes from your insurer on both your buildings and contents insurance (though a higher excess will mean a higher cost to you in the event of a claim).
- Don’t Over Insure #1 – Give an accurate total of the value of contents within your property to be insured. Don’t guesstimate as this could result in a higher home insurance quotes.
- Get Combined Buildings and Contents Insurance – Taking out a combined home policy in favor of separate buildings and contents insurance will usually bag you a discount on your premiums from the insurer.
- Install a Burglar Alarm – Burglar-proofing your home could reduce your contents insurance premium. Fit a burglar alarm or security system, preferably one that is NACOSS-approved.
- Fit Secure Locks to Doors and Windows – Ensure all windows and doors have locks. Fit key-operated window locks to accessible windows and fit five-lever mortise deadlocks (British Standard BS3621) to all external doors. Fit a door chain or bar and spy-hole, and use them every time someone calls.
- Ensure Doors are in Good Condition – Doors should be at least 44mm thick. If you need to replace doors and windows, get ones that are certified to British Standard BS7950 (windows) and PAS 24-1 (doors). Consider using laminated glass (for windows) as it’s much harder to break, and fit a letterbox cage to stop thieves from reaching through to open the door.
- Install a Safe – Many insurers charge extra to insure high-value items. Locking expensive jewellery away in a sturdy safe will go some way to offsetting the extra home insurance quotes.
- Neighbourhood Watch – Join a neighbourhood watch scheme. Not only will you have more people looking out for your home, but you will also receive grass-roots tips on how to protect it. And place a sticker in your window to advertise that you’re part of a scheme.
- Make Fewer Claims – as with any home insurance quotes, if you have a history of making claims, this will be reflected in higher insurance premiums. Try and take preventative steps to ensure you don’t become a serial insurance claimant.
Who is Front Row?
Widely regarded as Canada’s preeminent music & special events commercial liability insurance provider, Front Row began pioneering music insurance programs for independent artists in the late 1970’s. Today our policies are used by the biggest names in show business and have expanded to cover major tours and special events. While we are known for insuring Canada’s top grossing touring acts, we also have a wealth of experience in protecting commercial enterprises, privately owned homes, pleasure craft, property and collections.