Here are some tips on ways to save on home insurance:

• Shop around for the lowest possible premiums on your home insurance. Make sure, however, that the coverage is the same when comparing companies. Shopping online is a great way to get comparison quotes.

• Raise your deductible. Hopefully, you’ll never have to make a claim on your home insurance so the deductible won’t be an issue. Having a higher deductible can save you a substantial amount of money. You can save hundreds of pounds each year by increasing your deductible from £250 to £1,000. However, make sure your deductible is not so high that you can’t pay it in the case of an emergency.

• Certain home improvements will provide you with discounts on your home insurance such as piping upgrades, new electrical systems, hurricane shutters, new roofs and more. Speak with an insurance agent to see what kind of discounts they offer for these upgrades.

• Installing a security system in your home will often get you a discount on your home insurance. Sometimes this discount may be up to 20% per year.

• Prevention is still the best medicine. Having a fire-sprinkler system or smoke alarms in your house will save you the cost of worrying about ever having to pay your deductible and may get you a discount on your home insurance.

• Consider combining different insurance policies. Many insurance companies will give you a discount on all your policies if you have all your policies with them (home insurance, car insurance, health, etc.).

• Check out senior citizen discounts if it applies to you. Many insurance companies will provide you with a senior discount.

• If your property comes with acreage, make sure your coverage is on your home and not your home and the land as you don’t need to be paying for home insurance on land.

• Check with a home insurance company if you’re contemplating purchasing a home. Different premiums may apply depending on how new the heating, plumbing and electrical system is in the home as well as the geographical location and overall condition of the home. For instance, if your home is in a flood zone, you are going to pay a higher premium.

• Check your policy every year when it’s up for renewal. If you no longer own something that is still on your policy, you can save money by eliminating it from the policy.

• Many home insurance companies will offer a discount to non-smokers so you check this out if you’re in the market for home insurance. If you do smoke – quit!

• Pay electronically or through automatic bank authorisation as most home insurance companies will charge a small fee for having to mail you a bill in the mail.

• Stick with your regular carrier as many will offer discounts when you’ve been with them for a long time.

Good Car Maintenance

Few people realize how much more fuel an automobile uses when it’s in need of repairs, even small repairs. Simple maintenance like tune-ups (new spark plugs, wires, air and fuel filters) will help your automobile to run more efficiently. Having your tires correctly inflated to the manufacturer’s recommendations can save you a few miles per gallon. Driving 5 km/h less will also save you petrol. While we’re on the subject of petrol, you can save a lot by cutting back on the number of trips you make each day.

Home Appliances

The average home has over six appliances (freezer, stove, refrigerator, washer, dryer, dishwasher, microwave, etc.). All of these appliances use gas, electricity or both, which equates into a lot of expenses to operate.

Children love opening the refrigerator just “see what we got”. Limit the number of times the door is opened on refrigerators and freezers as well as the duration.

Appliances like washing machines and dishwashers should only be run when you have a full load. Unless you absolutely need it, consider using warm or cold water (laundry) as opposed to hot. Hanging your clothes on an outdoor clothes line in the summer will save you money on the expense of a dryer as well as give your laundry a much fresher smell.

When you’re not using appliances, shut them off. Turning off lights when leaving a room can also save money. When you purchase appliances, always look for those that are energy efficient. If you have older appliances, make sure they are running as efficiently as possible.

Heating & Cooling

We go through a lot of money each year on heating and cooling our homes. While comfort is important year round, there are ways we can be comfortable while still saving money. Consider lowering your thermostat a few degrees in the winter, especially when you retire for the night. Using an extra blanket can make up the difference of the heat you may lose. Take advantage of the sunlight during the day by having your drapes open. Avoid using small electric heaters as these use up a lot of electricity. Ceiling fans are very effective for heating and cooling your home and use less electricity than your furnace and air conditioner.

In the summer time, keep your drapes closed during the hottest part of the day to keep your home cooler. Opening your windows early in the day while it’s still cool will lessen the amount of time you’ll need the air conditioner operating at full capacity. Try to avoid baking during the hottest part of the day as this will also make your air conditioner use more energy.

Recycling

Recycling is something we are hearing more and more about every day. By recycling, we are not only saving electricity and money but we are helping our environment as well.