When you’re looking to protect your home, which for many people is their most important asset, you want to make sure you select a homeowners insurance company that will provide the products and services that meet your needs and keep you safe.

The most important things to consider are the home itself – its location, how it is constructed, and its condition—the cost of a policy, a company’s claims process and financial ratings, as well as your own insurance and credit history. These factors can have an impact on your rates and should be considered carefully when you are ready to select a home insurance company.

The Home

If you are shopping for a home, you may want to take into account how insurers will view the location and structure of a particular dwelling. A house with an old roof may cost more to insure than one with a new roof. A house located in a high crime area will cost more to insure than a one in a more rural location.

When you find a home you want to buy, you should request a claims history report from the seller. This will let you know of any previous issues that may affect your rates now.

If you already own a home, there are things you can do to keep your costs for home insurance down. Adding safety features, such as an alarm system, can bring savings. Replacing a worn-out roof and not adding features such as a swimming pool can also help to keep your rates lower.

The Price

While price should not be your only consideration, it is an important factor for anyone who is read to select a homeowners insurance company. Every company is different so it’s important to be able to compare price to coverage between companies.

Home insurance companies have different criteria for determining rates. Some may be more lenient on factors such as credit history.  In addition, each company has its own set of available discounts such as a discount for bundling or for installing safety features.

Because insurers vary in how they price their policies, the best thing you can do to get the best rate is to shop around and compare.

The Company

It will do you no good if you buy a comprehensive policy from an unstable company. If you file a claim, you may then find that getting what you are due is a difficult and frustrating process.

There are ways to protect yourself and to help determine the strength and stability of an insurer when you are ready to select a homeowners insurance company.

Independent rating agencies, such as A.M Best, Fitch Rating, and Standard and Poor’s can help you determine many important factors about a homeowners insurance company, such as their financial health and the quality of their claims process.

The bottom line when you are ready to select a home insurance company is to shop around and compare rates. InsuranceWay can help. Simply fill out our easy online form to begin to gather quotes from the top homeowners insurance companies. Then compare the same type of policy between companies. You may be surprised by the savings you find!