Just like most insurance products, homeowners insurance is customized, and your homeowners insurance estimate is based on many different factors. Still, there is some basic information that you can make sure you have on hand before calling for a homeowners insurance estimate. Having this information available before making the call will speed up the process. It is important to have accurate information as well. The more specific and accurate your information, the more accurate your homeowners insurance estimate will be.
So, before making that call, make sure you know:
- The size of your home: You will generally need to know the square footage of your home and the number of rooms. You may also want to be ready to discuss additional structures on the property like garages, pools, and others.
- The age of your home: The year your home was built tells the insurance company a lot about construction techniques and materials.
- The location of your home: The distance of your home from a fire hydrant and the fire department affect the cost of insurance, along with many other location-based factors.
- Details about the construction of your home: What type of materials were used to build the home? What type of roof does it have, and how old is the roof? Have the windows ever been replaced? These are the types of questions you may need to answer.
- Any prior claims history: If any claims have previously been made on your homeowners insurance, it may affect future premiums of new policies.
- Information about the homeowner: The marital status and credit score of the homeowner also impact the estimate. You may also be asked about pets that will live in the home.