Home Insurance Articles
How Winterizing A House Can Save On Home Insurance
2009-12-13
The colder seasons can be as hard on houses as they are on people. Burst pipes, frozen and dying trees, and ice damage can mean big repair bills. As a result, home insurance claims tend to go up during the winter months. Experts say that spending a bit of time on prevention for winter damage is the best way to prepare a home and avoid increasing home insurance costs that occur when claims are made. Winterizing your home can save big money, prevent stress and help avoid hassle down the road. Luckily, it's not too difficult to manage, either.
There are homeowners out there of the "leave it alone" mindset. They often think that since home insurance covers large repairs from weather damage, it's not worth the extra effort to winterize a house. Remember, though, that home insurance costs are in part determined by the number of claims you make against your policy. An extra claim or two because you opt not to winterize your home can cost you hundreds of dollars per year through increased home insurance premiums. Damage to your home can also force you to leave your house for while repairs are completed, especially in the often harsh weather of the winter. Some home insurance companies will also charge much higher premiums on claims if the damage was preventable. So, it's worth your time to take some easy steps to avoid the hassle and extra cost.
There are several ways to go about preparing your home for changing weather. Cleaning out the gutters keeps rain away from a house, and if you live in a warm climate that gets lots of rain in the winter, do so can also prevent a basement from flooding. Cut down large dying trees, or trim the branches that hang near your house (or near neighbors' houses, too - your policy might require you to make a claim if their property is damaged due to an act of God such as a storm that knocks a limb off of one of your trees). You can also cut down on heating bills while you're at it by checking windows and doors for cracks and sealing any cracks that you find. You can also pay to have your chimney cleaned and to have your furnace checked, which reduces the risk of a house fire that can destroy your home.
Contact your home insurance company for more ideas regarding the winterization of your home, and remember to keep documentation showing everything that you've done. Depending on your insurance company, you might be able to get an active decrease in your home insurance premiums just by taking a few simple winterizing steps.