If you’re a homeowner, you know the drill with getting home insurance. You’ve done the whole “insurance shopping” thing and done your research about the best Georgia home insurance companies. You had to choose a deductible, and maybe you looked at all the different options, shrugged, and picked one. But maybe now you’re wondering how your deductible affects your home insurance rates, or maybe you’re considering raising it to save money on home insurance. At any rate, you’re wondering how to choose a home insurance deductible – and, perhaps, what a deductible is. Well, sit tight – we’ll answer both of those questions!
Your home insurance deductible explained.
To explain briefly, your deductible is the amount you agree to pay if you have a claim before the insurance company will step in to cover the claim. Basically, it’s your portion of the loss (you have your piece, the insurance company has the rest.)
For example, let’s say you have a house fire. You end up with $18,000 worth of damage to your home. If your deductible is $1,500, you’d pay $1,500 and your insurance company would pay the leftover $16,500.
How does your deductible affect your home insurance rates?
That’s the question. See, the thing is that your deductible influences your home insurance premium (the amount you pay for insurance.) The higher you set your deductible, the lower your premium. That’s because you’re accepting more risk, and at the same time you’ll be less likely to file a small claim – it’s not worthwhile to file a $1,800 claim if your deductible is $1,500. You would only get $300 back, and filing too many minor claims can lead to your coverage being nonrenewed. If you have a lower deductible, you’ll most likely have higher premiums to compensate.
So. It’s more than just a number to pick out of thin air.
Pro tip: When you’re shopping, ask if you can compare deductibles to see how changing it would affect your premium. That will give you an idea of exactly how much you can save if you can comfortably afford a higher deductible.
How to choose a home insurance deductible
There are a few questions to ask yourself.
- How much cash or savings do you have set aside for emergencies?
- How financially secure are you?
- Would you rather pay more if you have a claim and have a lower premium, or pay more in premium and have insurance cover more of a claim?
It’s kind of like giving yourself an insurance-related interview. You have to consider how much money you can comfortably afford to pay if you have a home insurance claim. Sure, you may want to save some money on your home insurance, but you don’t want to be staring forlornly at an empty piggy bank, turning out your pockets and scouring the couches for change if you have a claim. The idea is to not go broke if you have a claim.
Pro tip: Set aside an emergency fund that can cover your deductible in case you have a claim.
So, you have some choice when it comes to choosing your deductible. You get to set it, but take care not to select an amount that’s more than you can afford to pay if you have a claim. Yes, it’s highly tempting to shave some money off of your home insurance bill, but you need to find the balance that works for you.
If you’re looking to save money on your Atlanta home insurance, we can help you. We can get home insurance quotes from some of the top carriers in the nation, and we would love to team up with you to help you save money on your rates. All you have to do is fill out our online quote form or give us a call today.