Washington Home Insurance

Washington is known for being a rugged and beautiful state, from the scenic coast to the eastern border. This presents special problems for residents to find the right Washington home insurance that will protect and restore life to normal if something happens. Buying home insurance is a little more complicated because of the potential need for special coverage, but it can still be affordable for smart shoppers.

The Basics of Washington Home Insurance

Home insurance policies in Washington consist of several components, each providing a different type and level of coverage. It is important for homeowners to review and adjust each component based on personal needs. The most common components are:

• Dwelling – the cost to repair or replace the home
• Additional Structures –pays for repairs on other structures on the property, like detached garages, tool sheds or green houses.
• Personal Property – covering items in the house, such as furniture, appliances, and clothing.
• Additional Living Expenses – the money to live somewhere else during home repairs
• Personal Liability – funds to pay for damage to other’s property by the home’s residents or on the property.
• Medical Payments – provides money to pay medical bills for someone injured on the property.

Additional Coverage for Washington Homeowners

Home insurance normally covers a list of fourteen specific perils, like fire, theft, wind and hail damage, or vandalism. However, many other things can cause damage to a house. Fortunately there is a way to purchase additional, specialized coverage, called “endorsements” for these risks which provides the full protection needed. Homeowners may consider purchasing endorsements such as:

• Sewer backup – damage caused by sewer backup is not covered by standard policies.
• Code & Ordinance Protection – to pay for any additional changes required to meet current code standards during repairs, including required upgrades to undamaged parts of the home as well.
• Debris Removal – provides funds to remove debris from property, caused by storms or other natural disasters.
• Earthquake – unless this coverage is added to a policy, damage due to earthquake is no covered.
• Boat, RV, ATV or Trailer coverage – standard coverage on these items is quite limited with most policies; buying an endorsement guarantees full coverage against perils.

Factors Affecting Washington Home Insurance

As part of the process to determine insurance premiums, companies look at numerous items to identify the amount of risk being insured. Many factors are controllable, so with a little effort homeowners can easily reduce home insurance rates.

• Security Items – installing dead bolt locks, smoke detectors, and fire extinguishers lowers rates.
• More extensive measures, like a monitored security system or sprinkler system, save even more.
• Age of property – new plumbing, heating, and electrical systems are less likely to cause problems.
• Remodeling – consider protective upgrades, such as choosing fire resistant materials, reinforcing roofs against wind damage, or adding storm shutters.
• Fire Protection – the proximity and quality of the local fire department does matter, as does the distance to the nearest fire hydrant.
• Backyard Items – make sure trampolines or outdoor pools are fully fenced to prevent children from wandering in.

Saving Money on Washington Home Insurance

Despite the rising cost of home insurance, there are ways to reduce the cost of the policy without risking the level of coverage:

• Good Credit Scores – persons with good credit statistically file fewer claims, and enjoy lower rates as a result.
• Multi-Policy Discount – purchasing both home and auto insurance from the same company will produce lower rates for both types of insurance.
• Claim History – Absorb small claims yourself, rather than filing everything with the insurance company. A good claim history will lower rates, while a frequent claim history can eventually result in denial of coverage.
• Non-smokers discount – families with no smokers will pay less for home insurance.
  Seniors Discount – Since retirees are more likely to spend more time at home, they can respond more quickly and thus limit damage during an incident.

The Best Way to Save Money on Washington Home Insurance

The absolute top way to lower home insurance costs is to shop and compare prices on identical policies from several companies. Fortunately this is easy to do online. In fact it’s as easy as clicking on the “Get Quotes” button below to instantly be matched with high quality companies offering home insurance in Washington. Click on the three or four that sound best and request a free quote. Before you know it, you’ll have the right coverage at a great price. Don’t wait one minute longer – click below and start saving now!

For more ways to save on Washington Home Insurance, read Saving Money on Homeowners Insurance
To purchase flood insurance, contact Floodsmart.gov.