Have A List Handy Before You Apply.

When applying for homeowners’ insurance, the agent or company you call will have a number of questions for you. Until they know these answers, they will be unable to provide you with a homeowners insurance quote. By having the answers written out ahead of time, you can save yourself and your insurance company time.

When you first call an agent or begin filling out an online form, you will need to give the physical address. If you live in one town, but have another town for a mailing address, list the town you actually live in. They will also require you to provide the county you live in.

After these basic questions, be prepared to answer when the house was built (basement, crawlspace, shingled roof, brick siding, vinyl siding, etc.), how it was framed, the home design, the number of rooms, the square footage, how many fireplaces or woodstoves are present and the number of smoke alarms, sprinkler system set up, carbon monoxide detectors and fire extinguisher placement.

You will also need to provide how close your home is to the nearest fire department or hydrant. If you do not have hydrants in your neighborhood, they will want to know where the nearest water source is located. In some towns, people with in-ground swimming pools are extended a discount on their property taxes if they offer use of their pool for area fires.

Your security system also plays a part in setting your rates provided when you request a homeowners insurance quote. Deadbolts help lower your rates, but an actual security system/alarm makes a larger difference. Certain dogs cause spikes in your homeowners insurance rates. Dog breeds known to be aggressive, Akitas, Chows, German Shepherds, Pit Bulls, Rottweilers and Wolf Hybrids for instance, will often increase your premium because there is a higher risk they will attack someone who comes past your yard.

Believe it or not, your roofing counts. Older roofing material may contain asbestos raising your premiums. Newer roofing is fire retardant and comes with higher wind ratings. In older homes, your electrical wiring can cause higher rates. Insurance companies will ask how your home is wired and how old the wiring is.

Finally, you will be asked how much you paid for the home or what the current town appraisal is. They will ask for your mortgage information to ensure that the right bank or company is in their documentation should a claim become necessary. We highly suggest that you seek and obtain at least three free insurance quotes!