Five questions you need to ask before buying a home insurance 29^th September 2022

Insurance plays an essential role in a person's life and safeguarding hard-earned assets, whether a home, car or business. It is a backup plan to minimise the loss and have efficient damage control when things go wrong. Although most people know the benefits of buying insurance, they often make mistakes due to insufficient knowledge in this field and a lack of in-depth research. Several false pieces of information circulate and get viral on the internet, confusing the buyers, which results in wrong decisions.

In the article, we'll learn about home insurance and people's general queries regarding making the right purchase. Like other insurance products, home insurance pays you for the construction costs and covers the damage due to any unfortunate event.

However, there are numerous things that you need to learn before buying insurance for your home. Before starting your personal research or contacting your desired general insurance company, pen down all your points and doubts. Never take haste steps, and keep control of the entire process in your hands.

Consider these five most frequent questions that ensure you choose the right home insurance.

1. What factors determine the premium on a home insurance policy?
Generally, factors such as location, features, and characteristics of your house determine the insurance policy's premium. Installation of safety and surveillance devices, claims history, and lifestyle habits also affect the policy's premium.
The closer your house is to an area that experiences frequent natural calamities or robberies, the higher it costs to insure it. You can lower your premium if you have good credit history and haven't made any claims. You can also ask your insurance agent how they determine your home's premium to ensure you pay the right premium.

2. What are the replacement costs and the market value of your home?
An insurance company is only interested in your home's replacement cost. You should ask your insurance company about the replacement cost of your home. It is the cost of constructing your house with the equal or similar utility if it was damaged in any unfortunate event. In contrast, your home's market value is your house's price in the real estate market.

3. What does cancelling a home insurance policy mean?
Cancelling an insurance policy means the company no longer covers the insured house. Policyholders and companies can cancel an active policy. Ask your insurance agent when their company can cancel your active policy. Carefully understand all the clauses and possibilities that may void your home insurance.

4. Are there any limitations in a home insurance policy?
Most home insurance policies don't cover losses due to the earthquake or war. Check the list of exclusions on your insurance policy before you get it. However, some policies have specific limits for items, including securities, jewellery, money, and silverware.

5. Does the home insurance policy cover water damage?
Most policies don't provide coverage for water damage. If your general insurance company doesn't offer water damage coverage, you can ask for other policies or add-ons that cover water damage to add more protection to your house. It would be best to look for water damage coverage in the policy, including damage from the spring thaw, snowmelt, burst mains, overflowing rivers, and heavy rains.

Make a list of these five crucial questions before considering any home insurance plan. These questions help you select the best general insurance company. You can also add more questions to your list. Don't forget to ask for a discount when buying multiple insurance plans together. Buy smart and buy the best!

Click HERE to buy home insurance from a general insurance company that suits your requirements.

Disclaimer: The information provided above is for illustrative purposes only. To get more details, please refer to policy wordings and prospectus before purchasing a policy.