How to choose the right homeowner’s insurance policy.

Homeowner’s insurance policies are essential for protecting millions of Floridian households from damage, accidents, and more. Whether you’re considering the purchase of a new home or simply want to shop around for a new insurance agent in Clearwater, FL, it’s important you know how to decide on the right policy for your needs. To help you get started, we’ve outlined a few quick tips on how to compare and choose new homeowner’s insurance policies.

Ensure Identical Coverage

Not all home insurance is the same. Just like anything else, there are many options available. When you begin comparing different homeowner’s insurance policies, make sure the coverage is the same. If not, then what you may think is a better deal could have a lower price because coverage limits and other details are dissimilar. If in doubt, don’t hesitate to ask questions.

Pick a Reasonable Deductible

As you’re surely already aware, the higher your deductible, the lower your insurance policy payments will be. Choosing a high deductible is often a very enticing prospect, but it could greatly increase your out-of-pocket expenses if you were forced to make a claim. There is no guideline to choose a deductible, of course, so you’ll need to use your own judgment. Basically, you want your policy to have a deductible that you could afford to pay rather easily.

Check on Potential Discounts

All homeowner’s insurance policies have a variety of discounts that you may be eligible for. These include things like being a non-smoking household or having a security system in place. If you don’t qualify for certain discounts, you can make changes or upgrades that will allow you to add them to your policy. However, you should always weigh the costs of these alterations and the effects that they’ll have on your household to ensure that the savings will be worthwhile.

Research the Insurance Agency

Finding a reputable insurance agency is just as important as choosing the details of your policy. Since these go hand-in-hand, make sure that you research the agency you’ll be dealing with. It’s always a good idea to visit your state’s Department of Insurance website, which not only gives you access to consumer complaint ratios of each insurance company, but will also tell you the average cost of homeowner’s insurance policies in your area. Of course, you can also look for customer concerns by conducting a Google search.

Look into the Agency’s Finances

If an insurance agency’s financial status isn’t stable, then you could find yourself in a difficult position if they were unable to pay on a claim because they didn’t have the money to do so. Although this is not typically a huge concern, it has definitely happened in the past, so why not be safe about it? Two reputable places that you can go are the National Association of Insurance Commissioners and A. M. Best. These will give you a good idea of the financial strength and reliability of an agency.

Speak with an Actual Person

So much of our lives or often spent online or at least connected to the internet in some way. Because of this, you may be tempted to sign up for a homeowner’s insurance policy through an agency’s website. That is definitely your prerogative, but it’s always best to speak to a live person at some point. He or she will be able to answer any questions you may have, go over the policy details, and help make sure that those details fit your needs.

Contact Coleman Insurance Agency for All Your Homeowner’s Insurance Policy Needs

Coleman Insurance Agency is dedicated to providing Clearwater homeowner’s insurance policies that will help households get back on track after an unfortunate incident. If you have any questions about home insurance, auto insurance, or have any other insurance questions, reach out to us today through by calling (727) 441-9911 to schedule a no-cost consultation.