How Much Home Insurance Do I Need?

How do I know how much home insurance I need? What factors in to finding the right coverage amounts? It's important to make sure you are adequately covered by your insurance policy including enough to rebuild your property and the value of its contents. On the other hand, your coverage amount directly impacts your premium amount and you don’t want to pay for more than you need. Here are a few examples of factors to consider to help determine what’s right for you:

1. Cost to rebuild – How much would it cost total to repair or rebuild your home and other structures covered by your policy? This factors in labor and materials in your area.
2. Location – Proximity to potential natural risks as well as crime rates in your area may impact your bottom line.
3. Age of Home – An older home may require more building code standard modernizations in the case of a loss.
4. New or Upgraded Features – Any upgraded feature in your home should be factored into the overall coverage as it would cost more to replace.
5. High Value Property in the Home – silverware, jewelry, expensive clothing and furs, all need to be individually valued and scheduled for coverage
6. Liability Risk – How much liability coverage do you feel comfortable with?

There are ways you can help lower your premium amount without lowering your coverages.

1. Risk Mitigation devices – Discounts can be applied for home security systems, smoke alarms, and leak detection technology
2. Deductible – The higher the deductible you select will help lower your premium cost. However, it’s important you choose a deductible you are comfortable with in the event of a claim.
3. Loyalty and other discounts – Ask us about available discounts on your policy!