The Ins and Outs of California Homeowner’s Insurance

When comparing different homeowner’s insurance policies, you’re going to see some key differences. This is why looking at several options is so important. At the same time, homeowner’s insurance can vary to some degree from one state to another.

As a large state, you’ll have no problem finding an excellent assortment of home insurance plans in California. However, the goal is to select the best homeowner’s insurance. With a robust and diverse housing market, you’ll find homes of every size, shape, and style. To keep up with homeowner demand, companies throughout the state offer a variety of policy types. 

The Average Cost of Home Insurance in California

With homes priced anywhere from $200,000 into the millions, people from all walks of life live in California. Not only do insurance providers know they need to offer different plans but also keep their prices competitive. 

In this state, the average cost of homeowner’s insurance is $1,280 a year. However, where you’ll see the most significant price difference is the premiums. An independent insurance agent will factor in all kinds of things to get you an excellent policy at the lowest price possible.

Some of the things an agent looks at include the age of the house, its style, current condition, and location. As you can imagine, a property in a higher crime area would warrant more expensive premiums on home insurance. While you can’t do much about these things mentioned, except perhaps improve the home’s condition, you can take action on other contributing factors.

For example, both your claims history and FICO credit score will, in part, determine how much you pay for home insurance. The higher your credit, the lower your premiums. So, if you’re thinking about buying a house, it’s worth it to spend about six months to a year to clean up any adverse reports or discrepancies with all three reporting agencies to include Equifax, TransUnion, and Experian.

Not only will an excellent credit score lower your home insurance premiums, but it’ll also make qualifying for a mortgage loan much more straightforward. As mentioned, even your history of filing claims can impact what you pay for homeowner’s insurance in California. If you’ve had this type of coverage before and had filed numerous claims, an insurance company would see you as “high risk.”

Now, that doesn’t mean a company wouldn’t sell you a home insurance policy, just that you’d likely spend a lot more in premiums than if you had only a few or no claims at all.  Homeowner’s insurance is kind of a catch-22. You have it so that if something goes wrong, you can file a claim to have the issue resolved or to get reimbursed for money spent out of pocket. At the same time, each claim puts you a little closer to paying higher premiums or having the insurer drop you as a policyholder.

Select Your Insurance Provider Carefully

Fortunately, there are some excellent insurance companies in the state of California. These insurers will work with you if you need to file more than one claim. They’ll also compare different coverage to make sure you have what you need and can afford. This is super important in this state.

Especially if you live in a high-risk area, you’re going to need additional protection. For instance, if your house is near the ocean, in an earthquake zone, or perhaps in an area prone to mudslides, you’ll need either an addendum added to your current policy or you’ll need to purchase specialized coverage. However, the right agent will walk you through each step of the decision-making process so that you end up with the best homeowner’s insurance.