Home Credits That Save You Money, Heartache, & Headaches

I wanted to highlight some of the ways you can get a discount on your home insurance premium that also in the long term can save you money, heartache and headache. Any of the claims these help prevent are devastating, take a long time to figure out, and disrupt your life. 

While some of these credits only reduce your premium by a small amount compared to the cost of implementing them, the long-term gains are where the main benefit lies. You will save that money every year, and dealing with any claim is a headache. In the long-term, having claims on your insurance record is going to cause your premium to increase, so it is important to do what you can to reduce your risk.

Monitored Alarm System – Including Fire

Having a monitored alarm system can give you a discount on your home insurance for deterring burglars. It is very important to have a monitored fire alarm as well. It will detect fires early and help prevent damage. It’s not just the monetary cost – but potentially the loss of human life. A monitored fire alarm will notify the fire department even if you aren’t home or if you are sleeping and take time to wake up and react. For example, say no one is home and an outlet starts to smolder. A smoke detector will pick it up, and then automatically notify the fire department. This allows the fire department to show up as soon as possible and can save the house, versus waiting for a neighbor to see it at the point when there’s flames. 

Automatic Water Shutoff

This one pays dividends – with water damage being the most common type of claim, avoiding this scenario will save you a lot of money, a headache, and possible displacement from your home. Automatic water shutoffs are a computer that pays attention to how you use water and if it senses water change, it will shut the system, stop the flow of water, and prevent damage throughout your home and send an alert to you. 

Permanently Installed Backup Generators 

These will keep the power on your home running in the event of a power outage or natural disaster. This will keep frozen and refrigerated products from spoiling. It can also keep pipes from freezing if the outage occurs during below freezing temperatures.

Lightning Rods 

If your home is on top of a hill, it is recommended to have these installed on your roof to prevent fires and electrical damage. So, how do lightning rods work? The rods stick atop the highest point of the building, aiming to attract the lightning bolt. Once the bolt strikes, the rod safely channels the millions of volts of energy through copper or aluminum cables around the home and into the ground.

Roof Replacement 

Right now, many insurance carriers offer a discount on premium if you have recently replaced your roof. In addition, dealing with the damage from a leaking roof is a headache.

There are other potential credits you could claim on your home insurance. If you have any questions or would like to discuss home credits that could apply to you, please contact us.