Buying a home for the first time can be a stressful process and it’s easy to be overwhelmed by all the steps, tasks and requirements. Finding the right homeowners insurance is also a feat that can bring more questions to an already complicated process. Here are a few tips that can help make moving into and protecting your new home a bit easier.
First-Time Home Buyer Tips
Buying your first home is a big investment, so you probably don’t want to skimp on your home insurance coverage.
Understand Homeowners Insurance Rates
As you shop for homeowners insurance, it’s important to understand the various factors that can influence your home insurance rates. Your home, where you live, your credit score, previous claims and your deductible amount all play a major role in determining how much you pay for home insurance.
Decide What Type of Homeowners Insurance Coverage You Want
There are four basic types of home insurance coverage: dwelling, personal property, personal liability, and loss of use and additional living expenses. The amount of coverage you buy starts with your dwelling coverage. The other coverages in your policy are typically calculated as percentages of your dwelling limit. Our coverage quiz can help get you started on determining how much coverage you need.
Tips for Moving into Your New Home
The first thing to do when you move into your new home is to make sure your home is secure. Whether it’s changing the locks or setting up your security system, it’s an easy line of defense against theft and will give you peace of mind. Even better, the more security you have, the lower the premium for your homeowners insurance. As you move in, you’ll also want to take the time to reinspect the house—you may catch a leaky faucet that you overlooked before moving in.
Home Maintenance Checklist to Lower Homeowners Insurance Rates
Creating a home maintenance checklist can help you prepare for the cost of maintaining your house, but will also help you stay on top of maintenance and repairs to try and avoid spending more than you need to. Additionally, many carriers offer home insurance discounts for certain home improvements such as improving electrical, plumbing and heating systems, adding sensors to detect smoke, gas and water leaks, and more.
SelectQuote Can Help Find Homeowners Insurance for First-Time Home Buyers
Trying to juggle all of the moving pieces of buying a home and home insurance can be overwhelming—especially if it’s your first time. At SelectQuote, we’re here to make it easy. We can help you through the complexities of buying home insurance by comparing prices and homeowners insurance coverage from some of the most trusted carriers in just minutes. We can answer any questions, explain the details of your policy coverage, help you find opportunities for discounts and more.
