How to Save Money on Homeowners Insurance When You Live in a Criminal Neighborhood
We all want to save money on our homeowners insurance rates, but that's really hard to do when you live in a neighborhood with a high crime rate. Even though it's incredibly unfair we as homeowners end up paying the price for other people's irresponsibility and bad choices in life. The good news is, your neighborhood crime rate doesn't have to completely kill your budget for the month. Here's a look at how real homeowners are saving money on their
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1) Have you replaced your deadbolts? Believe it or not, your front door locks can be a burglar's best friend. Most homes are sporting the $10 general store special, and that takes an experienced burglar less than a minute to bust through. You can save money on homeowners insurance and help eliminate that sense of violation that goes hand in hand with someone breaking into your house by investing in some new door locks-preferably ones that involve installing a deadbolt.
2) Do you have a home security system? Electronic security systems are your homeowners insurance provider's best friend, because they can exponentially decrease the chances that your home will be targeted. Unless they're looking for something in particular, burglars tend to target homes that are easy to access and have minimal security features to catch them in the act. Purchasing a security system, especially one that links directly to your neighborhood police station, can exponentially decrease the chances that your home will be targeted by burglars and save you up to 30% on your homeowners insurance rates.
3) How close is local law enforcement to your front door? Homes that are within easy access to the police and fire department (i.e. those that are in or near the station) are considered lower risk than those out in the boonies. Help can get their faster and minimize the amount of damage that a burglar can do in the meantime. Not to mention that homes near the police station are a lot less appealing to your average B&E man than ones off the beaten path.
4) Have you ever tried to break through a double paned window? If you've never had the pleasure, let me assure you-it's not fun. It takes a fairly decent amount of force to smash through the panes, and once you've broken through one it takes time to get through another. Since burglars need silence and stealth on their side, and the amount of effort it takes to get through these windows puts a strain on both, they may give your house a clear berth. Just make sure you don't forget to lock them in the meantime!
5) Cut your trees away from your house so it's easy to see if anyone's skulking around.
Homeowners insurance providers love well prepared, knowledgeable homeowners who actively take steps to ensure the safety of their home. Being that homeowner can save you hundreds of dollars a year on your homeowners insurance rates and go a long way toward keeping thieves away from your door.