If you are a homeowner or atleast have aspirations of becoming one, you know that an expensive asset cannot be not insured. However, in the ever expanding world of insurance it is hard to discern which to choose, or more importantly how your insurance offers are calculated. Let us unpack factors used in home insurance rates, as well as steps you can take to reduce your rates.
Home insurance costs are determined by many factors, and every company calculates them differently. There are additional factors considered in setting up how home insurance rates are calculated, but location, water damage, fire damage, and the cost to repair are usually the biggest factors in play. The home location, the value of your home, and the amount of insurance you buy are the biggest factors in determining the annual home insurance costs. Comparing customized insurance quotes from several companies, based on your home’s location, family’s situation, and the needs for your home insurance coverage, is the best way to understand what you will have to pay.
Each insurance company evaluates the risks of underwriting a specific home, including an estimate of how many claims it is likely to cover. Policy rates are determined in large part by an insurers risk that you will make a claim; an insurer estimates that risk by looking at the history of claims associated with a house, the neighborhoods, and the homes condition. Using formulas that consider factors like whether your home is made from masonry or wood-framed construction, the total square footage, number of floors, and number of rooms, an insurer calculates what they think is your homes replacement cost value.
The service provider will estimate the value of your home’s replacement value when you apply for insurance, but there are several ways you can calculate the value of your replacement cost on your own. Once you determine your homes approximate value and the contents, most of the time, your home insurance coverage will be based on your home’s total replacement value. A homeowners insurance assessor will compare your home’s value with others in your area, estimate what your home and contents are worth, and produce a valuation taking replacement costs into account.
In addition, your home’s value and your possessions, the amount of coverage you want, and any discounts you may qualify for all play a role in your home insurance rates. The factors mentioned above related to a home’s structure, history, and an insureds financial situation are important, but there are several other factors that are considered when setting rates that are often overlooked.
Rating factors may differ between companies, but we have put together some home insurance costs and some major things that will impact your home insurance costs to help you understand how they are calculated. Along with your area and your deductible amount, the rebuilt value of your home — meaning how much it would cost to completely rebuild your home from scratch after a disaster — is one of the driving factors insurers use to determine your policy’s rates.
