Car insurance –or some sort of proof of financial responsibility — is pretty much required by state law, no matter where you live. However, home insurance is different in that it is not required by law. Your bank or mortgage lender though, will require that you have home owner insurance coverage or they won’t finance your home. This is so they can protect their interests; if you’re home is damaged or burns down and you default on your loan, they can still recoup their investment.

What’s more, if you live in a flood-prone region your bank or mortgage company will probably require flood insurance which is sold as a separate policy.

So if you own your home free and clear, you probably won’t be required to purchase home insurance. However you are still liable for lawsuits on your property, and all costs of repairs from damage to keep your home habitable. Unless you have enough assets to protect yourself from these financial risks, home owner insurance is your best bet.

Your standard policy will provide coverage for your dwelling (the home), contents (personal belongings), liability and living expenses while your home is being repaired. You can also get extra coverages for such items as jewelry and computer equipment. You can also purchase an umbrella policy which provides much higher coverages especially for liability.

If you want to save money on home insurance, the best thing to do is shop around for comparison quotes. You may also save by taking advantage of discounts such as insuring your car and home with the same company. When you shop for quotes, provide the same desired coverages to each company to get an accurate comparison. For convenience, visit an online site that allows you to enter your information once and get several quotes back.

Fact: Standard home insurance does NOT cover damage caused by a flood. If you feel that you need coverage for a flood you should purchase a separate flood insurance policy.

Myth #2: The Medical Payment portion of my homeowners insurance will cover injuries to me and my family.

Fact: MedPay, a common feature of standard home insurance policies, is there to protect you in the event that someone other than you or your family (a neighbor, friend, etc) gets hurt on your property and they do not want to sue you. MedPay will typically cover up to $1,000 for each covered claim to someone outside of your family. If you or your family, however, gets hurt on your property they are not covered by your home insurance policy.

Myth #3: If my home is ever lost, my insurance company will reimburse me for whatever I tell them I owned at the time of loss.

Fact: In the event of a covered loss your home insurance company will ask you to make a list of everything you own and include specific details such as purchase price, date of purchase, serial numbers, etc. (Imagine trying to do this from memory!) The best way to avoid this situation is to have a home inventory already put together. Use a checklist like this one: http://homeinsurance.com home insurance home inventory checklist. Make sure to include photos, receipts, serial numbers and anything else that will help you prove ownership. Don’t risk not having everything replaced in the event of a disaster. Make sure to keep your inventory in a fire proof safe or at a friend’s house so it is still around when you need it!

Myth #4: If I file a home insurance claim, my home insurance premium will definitely go up.

Fact: While many home insurance companies do look at your claims history, there are many other factors that determine how much you will pay for home insurance. Filing one claim over a period of a few years might not increase your home insurance premium. To be on the safe side, always think twice before filing a claim for minor damages to your home. Consider your deductible. If the total cost of repair is not too much more than your deductible you might want to consider paying for the repairs yourself. While this might cost you more upfront, it might save you from an increased premium. If, because of a stroke of bad luck, you have to file multiple claims over a period of a few years and your premium is steadily increasing, rest assured there are other ways to save on your home insurance. Ask your agent about home insurance discounts. Sometimes simply installing a smoke alarm, burglar alarm system or by adding your auto policy to your home policy, you can save a great deal of cash.

Myth # 5 All of my valuables- like jewelry -will be covered in the event of a burglary.

Fact: There are limits on the amount of coverage you can receive for valuable such as jewelry, furs, etc. For example, most companies put a cap of $1500 on total jewelry lost during a burglary of your home. If you find that your jewelry values over $1500 you should talk to a home insurance agent and schedule an endorsement on your policy giving you additional coverage.

Myth # 6: My home insurance covers mold and/or other issues related to lack of maintenance.

Fact: Actually, a standard home insurance policy does not cover issues related to a lack of maintenance. For example if a plumbing leak that was left unfixed caused mold to grown in the interior walls of your home- mold removal and remediation would NOT be covered in your home insurance. Remember that your home insurance only protects you from damage caused by covered perils such as wind, hail, lightening, fire and theft. Keeping your home well maintained and safe for others is your responsibility and your home insurance company will decline coverage for maintenance related claims.

Myth #7: Flood Insurance is only for people who live in a flood zone.

Fact: Lending institutions, such as the bank that holds your mortgage, will require you to obtain flood insurance if you live in a major Flood Zone. However, keep in mind that all homes are at the risk for flood and standard home insurance policies do NOT cover flood related damage to your home. Due to the recent flooding in the Midwest the importance of this type of coverage for homeowners outside of a major flood zone has become even more apparent. If your home is flooded and you do not have flood insurance you will be on your own to replace your home and its contents. Flood insurance is a wise idea for every homeowner.

Myth #8: I will have to skimp on my coverage in order to save money on my home insurance.

Fact: Saving on your home insurance does not mean that you have to give up important parts of your coverage. It is very important to always be adequately insured in the event of a loss. However, there are lots of ways that you can save money on your home insurance that do not involve changing your coverage. Home Insurance discounts are available for homeowners who use burglar alarms, smoke alarms, deadbolts and other protective devices. Want more savings? Ask your agent about combining your home insurance and your auto insurance policies- you can usually save up to 15% this way.

Myth #9: When determining my coverage, I should use the purchase price for my house as my dwelling coverage amount.

Fact: A common mistake when homeowners are getting quotes for their home insurance is that they use the purchase price of their home to determine their dwelling coverage. Yet, the purchase price of your home includes the land under your home- which does not need to be replaced in the event of a fire or other peril to your home. For this reason, your dwelling coverage should always reflect the replacement cost of your home- or how much it would cost to rebuild your home in the event of a total loss. To determine this amount, multiple the sq. footage of your home by local construction costs. You can use a http://homeinsurance.com/calculators/ home insurance calculator to help you determine the amount if necessary.

Myth #10: You can not buy a home without purchasing homeowners insurance.

Fact: This is a tricky one. Because while you actually CAN buy a home without home insurance (a lender may not require it or you may, although rare, pay cash for the home) you should still always have home insurance on any property you own. Whether a lender requires it or not, the risk is always there. It would only take one fire or lightening storm to destroy your home and leave you uncovered.

First, there is the premium which is the amount of money that you will pay monthly or at another time interval. An installment fee will be added if you choose anything other than the annual payment.

Then there is your deductible. If you have a covered claim your deductible is the amount of money that that you will be responsible for before the insurance company begins to pay the claim. The higher the deductible, the less you would have to pay for your premiums. Note that you should choose an affordable deductible because t is the money that you will have to pay at the time of claim.

Now lets discuss what is not covered by your homeowners’ insurance. And this is the damage caused by floods and ground seepage. A separate policy is needed for flood insurance. This coverage is only provided at actual cost value and will not pay to rebuild your home. New Orleans is the perfect example for the need for flood insurance. A homeowners policy does not pay for damages caused by flood waters.

Yes, insurance can be very expensive but there are certain steps that you can take to lower your costs down. Here are some of the discounts that consumers should look into. Most insurance companies provide a multiple insurance discount. If you buy both your home owners and your auto insurance from the same carrier, the discount could be as high as 15 percent on your premiums.

For getting an alarm system or other anti theft devices your insurance company will provide a discount. If your house is monitored by security cameras, the discount will be even larger.

Also, maintaining a good credit score is another way you can save money on your home owners insurance. Many home insurance companies believe credit is an indicator of future potential loss and it is up to you to check your credit report for inaccuracies and to keep up with your payments in a timely manner.

A clue report is something else which you would want to look into. The insurance industry maintains a claims history database called the comprehensive loss underwriting exchange. Companies use this data to help gauge the insurance risk of potential clients. If a home has extensive claims or water damage then you may want to keep looking especially online at other homes or providers because you could be paying too much to insure your new home.

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Basic Insurance

What do you think your basic home insurance policy covers? Everything that could possibly happen to your home? Not quite. While many of the things you would expect to be covered by your homeowners insurance, like fire or theft damage, will be covered by the policy, there are other things you may think would be covered that aren’t.

Windstorm Insurance

Many people who live in hurricane prone areas think their typical homeowners insurance will cover the price of repairing their home if they are the victim of a hurricane. However, many of the insurance companies that serve these areas insist that you have additional windstorm damage tacked on if you want to be covered for a hurricane.

Flood Insurance

What if your home were to flood? Think your regular home insurance will cover it? Not if you don’t have flood insurance. Flood insurance is almost always an additional coverage you have to tack on to your basic insurance policy. Even if you think your home is built high enough that it will not flood, consider what would happen if sewage was to back up into your home or rain poured in and damaged your home after a storm. Without flood insurance, you would be out of luck.

Earthquake

Do you live in an area where there are a lot of earthquakes? You want to make sure you have earthquake insurance to pay for any damage done to your home in the case of this type of natural disaster. Many insurance policies include earthquake damage, but not all of them. You should always double check if you live in an area that is prone to quakes.

The most important thing to keep in mind when you are purchasing homeowners insurance is that it is something that you need to make sure is done right before a disaster strikes. Otherwise, you may find yourself with a lot of damage to your home and without the money to repair your home and reclaim your life.

First, there is the premium which is the amount of money that you will pay monthly or at another time interval. An installment fee will be added if you choose anything other than the annual payment.

Then there is your deductible. If you have a covered claim your deductible is the amount of money that that you will be responsible for before the insurance company begins to pay the claim. The higher the deductible, the less you would have to pay for your premiums. Note that you should choose an affordable deductible because t is the money that you will have to pay at the time of claim.

Now lets discuss what is not covered by your homeowners’ insurance. And this is the damage caused by floods and ground seepage. A separate policy is needed for flood insurance. This coverage is only provided at actual cost value and will not pay to rebuild your home. New Orleans is the perfect example for the need for flood insurance. A homeowners policy does not pay for damages caused by flood waters.

Yes, insurance can be very expensive but there are certain steps that you can take to lower your costs down. Here are some of the discounts that consumers should look into. Most insurance companies provide a multiple insurance discount. If you buy both your home owners and your auto insurance from the same carrier, the discount could be as high as 15 percent on your premiums.

For getting an alarm system or other anti theft devices your insurance company will provide a discount. If your house is monitored by security cameras, the discount will be even larger.

Also, maintaining a good credit score is another way you can save money on your home owners insurance. Many home insurance companies believe credit is an indicator of future potential loss and it is up to you to check your credit report for inaccuracies and to keep up with your payments in a timely manner.

A clue report is something else which you would want to look into. The insurance industry maintains a claims history database called the comprehensive loss underwriting exchange. Companies use this data to help gauge the insurance risk of potential clients. If a home has extensive claims or water damage then you may want to keep looking especially online at other homes or providers because you could be paying too much to insure your new home.

Disaster Planning

In times of disaster, safeguarding loved ones is top priority. That’s why it’s essential to prepare an escape plan ahead of time and make sure your family knows what to do in the event of an emergency. Emergency phone numbers should also be reviewed with family members and posted somewhere (perhaps on the refrigerator) for easy access.

When it comes to protecting your valuable and hard-to-replace items, you can also plan ahead and protect them. Items like birth certificates, insurance policies, home inventories and other valuables should be placed in a safe deposit box during high risk seasons. That way, if your home suffers significant damage, your valuable items are out of the house.

Prevent and Circumvent

While most natural disasters can’t be prevented, you can circumvent damages from disasters like wildfire, floods and mudslides by carrying out certain safety measures. Often times, damage can be minimized simply with smart landscaping.

If you live in a forested area, you can minimize your risk of wildfire damage by clearing all brush, shrubs, sticks and other debris from your property that could fuel a fire toward your home. “Fuelbreaks” like cement and gravel walk and driveways can also slow a fire’s pathway toward your home.

If you live in an area prone to floods or mudslides from heavy rains or hurricanes, you can plan certain diversions for water through landscaping; sump pumps can also drive water away from your home. Furthermore, planting extra grass can “anchor” the soil after a flood or fire, which helps prevent ground erosion around your house.

Finding the Right Insurance

Of course, insuring your home from these perils is also an essential part of safeguarding your property. If you already have home insurance, you should talk to your agent and go over what’s covered and what’s not covered under your policy. Many homeowners are surprised to learn that flood and earthquake damages are not covered under standard policies. And with the large scope of damages these natural disasters can cause, you’ll want to make sure you’re adequately protected.

So how can you get extra coverage?

The National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) is a federal program through which you can purchase flood insurance. Most private insurers also sell additional flood and earthquake coverage.

If there are certain valuables that aren’t covered under your standard policy, you can get coverage for those items by purchasing a rider. A rider is an extension to your home insurance policy which covers selected items.

When it comes to homeowner’s insurance, knowing what you need to protect your property is the best way to save money—resulting in the cheap homeowner’s insurance you want and the insurance coverage you need.

Take Action against Disasters

We can’t control natural disasters, but we can plan, circumvent and insure against them. Develop a safety plan, prepare your home to withstand disasters and talk to your agent about finding the coverage you need. You’ll rest easier knowing you’re protected!

Home insurance is sometimes known as contents insurance or buildings insurance and covers the area of property and provides various protections such as loss of property in the home, damage and loss of home contents and also can provide cover for additional living expenses incurred if the home is damaged to the point that the home owner is required to live somewhere else whilst repairs and reconstruction of the property is being carried out.

UK buildings insurance premium costs are generally based upon the rebuild value of the property being insured or put simply what it would cost to replace the house and additional items within the insured property. It is quite wise to draw up an inventory of contents to be covered by the UK home insurance policy in the event of any of the above. Home insurance will also generally cover a number of set scenarios based upon location such as flood insurance and earthquake insurance and what is deemed as Acts of God although some policies will exclude this so make sure you read the small print. Home insurance premiums will increase or decrease depending on a number of factors such as current inflation rates and previous claims made by the UK home insurance policy holder.

UK policies are usually for fixed term of cover with an annual renewal, although it is possible to find shorter term insurance for bridging such events as a house move or relocation.

A better bet might be one of the specialist insurance sites where a number of home insurance deals can be accessed and compared to find you the best possible home insurance deals at the lowest cost. Initially it may take a little longer to compare but at least you will be getting accurate quotes. Many home insurers will also offer a discount for home insurance policies bought online – 10%-15% discounts being offered for some insurance policies bought online.

Also it is worth bearing in mind that the premium price is not the only factor you should take into consideration when choosing the best home insurance policy for you. Factors such as annual renewal discounts and monthly installment premiums should also be taken into account. As with all things the general principal that you pay for what you get will more often than not apply.

Home insurance in its most basic role provides protection for not only our families, but for visitors as well. This is very important, as home ownership is our number one investment, at least for most of us. For that obvious reason making sure you have proper home insurance is an absolute must. In fact, if you borrowed to purchase your home, like most homeowner owners have, your lender will require that you have adequate health insurance. It’s important not to confuse home insurance with mandatory private mortgage insurance. Private mortgage insurance is insurance that protects the lender, should you default on your home loan. Home insurance protects you and your home from damage and liability.

In addition to the obvious protection that home insurance offers, homeowners insurance provides liability protection that insures you and your family. This ensures that if you have a guess at your home, and that guest has an accident your insured, against the liability that can result. Home insurance is often thought of as protection against damage to your own, but the liability protection that comes standard with most home insurance policies can be a real godsend. Now, when it comes to ensuring your valuables, most of your comment items will be protected under your general policy. Though I valued items such as a diamond ring, often require additional coverage.

Home insurance will provide for protection against most disasters. Flood insurance and earthquake insurance are not commonly included in your home insurance policy. If you live in an area that is prone to floods, prone to earthquakes, you’ll need to purchase additional coverage. We learned firsthand the importance of having flood insurance from the Katrina disaster. We learned again, the importance of earthquake coverage from the resent devastation in China. You never know when these disasters will hit; you’ll never know where they are going to hit, so make sure your number one investment is protected today.

In addition to the importance of having home insurance, car insurance plays a very large role in protecting us, our families, and others. In fact, it’s so important that car insurance is required by most states and governments. This is also for good reason, as it is more important than ever to protect ourselves from others who drive irresponsibly, with no car insurance. Unfortunately, it’s extremely difficult to enforce these laws, and frankly, these laws are not strict enough. The last, the enormous number of uninsured motorists on our streets, today. We must take a proactive approach to protect ourselves through the purchase of uninsured motorist car insurance. Uninsured motorist coverage is often made available at an additional cost to your existing coverage, make sure you have it. Uninsured motorist coverage doesn’t just protect you against uninsured drivers, but protects you against under insured drivers. Because many laws require very minimal, car insurance requirements, you’re subject to only partial repairs to your vehicle. This means that without uninsured motorist protection, a legally insured individual with coverage up to $10,000 can only provide a $10,000 settlement. If you’re driving and $50,000 car, you can do the math; you’ll get stuck with the majority of the bill.

The importance of having both car insurance and home insurance if you own a home cannot be stressed enough. Make sure you, your family, and others are protected, get insured today, if you aren’t already. If the cost of insurance is an issue for you, you can shop several different carriers and find a competitive rate. Make sure to go with a high rate company, however, as you’ll want them around when needed.