A budget for your home expenses will need to include the average cost of home insurance. The amount you’ll pay for homeowners insurance is based on a combination of factors concerning the insurance type, home characteristics and your personal insurance history.
To help you get a better understanding of what goes into the average cost of home insurance, here are the basics:
Home variables
Several aspects of your home can determine the cost of your homeowners insurance. Some examples of these factors include location, age and condition. Houses in certain areas prone to extreme weather or other potentially damaging conditions pose more risk to the insurer and may incur a higher premium. Similarly, older homes may be more expensive to repair if damaged.
Insurance details
Even among standard insurance policies, you often have choices that can determine your overall cost. These options include:
- Dwelling coverage amount - The portion of your policy that protects the physical structure of your home
- Personal property coverage amount - Protection for the value of your personal belongings, such as clothing, furniture and appliances
- Deductible amount - The deductible amount can determine how much you pay monthly and how much you may need to pay out of pocket for a claim. For example, a higher deductible means a lower premium cost, but a more expensive claim if your home is damaged.
Other factors to consider
There are more factors that can go into your average home insurance cost, such as your credit score and personal claims history. Other factors related to your home and location may have an impact as well. Some examples include home security systems, pools, roof type and proximity to the local fire department.
Discussing with a provider is the best way to find out the exact amount you’ll need to pay in home insurance. The more you learn about your insurance coverage, the better financial decisions you can make in budgeting for your new home.
About the Author
Judy Szablak
With over 30 years in the industry, Realtor Judy Szablak has been on national television for her real estate expertise on the HGTV Network, featured on Martha Stewart Living Radio "Morning Living” , NPR radio as an expert real estate panelist, It’s Relevant News channel, and quoted in the Wall Street Journal for her in depth knowledge of Fairfield County Connecticut real estate.
She was also on the local NPR radio station (WSHU) as a Fairfield County CT real estate expert. Judy has provided multiple online respected news sources with her real estate expertise including The Daily Easton, The Daily Weston, The Daily Fairfield, The Daily Stamford and The Daily Greenwich, as well as in print in the New York Post. She is a weekly Real Estate Columnist for WestportNow.com, another real estate column "Real Estate With Judy” is syndicated through Hearst CT Media Online and seen in The Connecticut Post, The Danbury News-Times, The Stamford Advocate, The Greenwich Time, The Hour, Fairfield Citizen, Westport News, Darien News, New Canaan News and the Wilton Villager.
Judy is also the author of the book, The Art of Buying or Selling a Home, available at all major book retailers. Additionally, Judy has been nationally recognized in a number of national real estate trade magazines, some with distribution to over 1 million members. She was featured in Real Estate Today as early as 1994 for her commitment to, and implementation of technology in real estate. Judy appeared in the Certified Residential Specialist Magazine, as she provided advice on marketing strategies and ethics in the article titled "Marketing Makeovers.”
Judy was also featured in REALTOR® Magazine, regarding image enhancement for Realtors. She was again featured in REALTOR® Magazine, in an article on "Achieving Flow” and operating at optimal peak performance. In another article in the same publication, Judy offered guidance to fellow real estate professionals as she explored the topic of implementing and maintaining personal websites. She has appeared in The Council of Residential Specialists Magazine, which featured her ideas regarding technology. Additionally, Judy authored an article on marketing and technology for the Certified Residential Specialist (CRS) Online Magazine. On two occasions, in 2015 and 2017, she appeared as a featured agent in Top Agent Magazine. I have a few other websites- www.TheCtrealtyBlog.com www.CtHomesAndRealEstate.com www.BestWestportHomes.com www.ThePetitePowerhouse.com www,SzablakConsulting.com
