Insurance World

There is no way around needing Homeowners insurance if you are about to embark on the journey of purchasing a home. Depending on the size of the home, Homeowners insurance can cost as little as $400 a year to as much as $2000 a year, if not more in some parts of the country. The amount of Homeowners insurance you receive will also be determined by the value of the interior property, including the upkeep of remodeling on the home, as well as whether your policy will include valuable electronics and jewelry.

Once you have determined what type of policy you would like to implement, you can begin discussing yearly and monthly costs with insurance agents. One thing to keep in mind while you are searching for Homeowners insurance is that the rates won’t vary that much between each company, but there are small ways to save a few dollars to a few hundred dollars, simply by finding some Homeowners insurance discounts that are available.

One of the easiest ways to receive a discount on Homeowners insurance is to install a home security system, and not the type that barks and growls. Many insurance companies are actually paired up with security companies like ADT or Brink’s and will give you a discount for using that insurance company and that security company as well.

Even if you get Homeowners insurance and decide to go back later and install a security system, don’t forget to go back and call your Homeowners insurance company once the system is installed so that you can receive a discount on your insurance. Further discounts may be given for motion sensors or even for video surveillance cameras installed on the home.

Another great way to receive a small discount on your Homeowners insurance is through fire and carbon monoxide detectors and fire resistant doors, brick and even walls. Remember that not all companies will offer the same discount for fire resistance and fire protection, so it is best to do research on how much of a discount can be received before diving in to remodeling the entire house for fire resistance.

Keeping up with newer appliances is another excellent way to help receive a Homeowners insurance discount. Older appliances are more likely to develop bad electrical connections, which can make the home susceptible to fire.

The first place to begin updating appliances is in the kitchen because kitchens are on the top of the list for places where fires begin. Many other insurance companies will offer a discount for new plumbing and electrical systems, or simply for a home that is less than ten years old altogether.

While some homeowners aren’t willing to consider a higher insurance deductible, or the price they will pay before the insurance will begin paying for loss or damages, asking for price quotes with higher deductibles is an excellent way to receive a discount on your insurance.

Most Homeowners insurance companies start out with a minimum deductible of $250 to $500 dollars, but try raising the deductible by $250 and see how much this will save you a year. Often times, this can make a difference of nearly $100-$150 a year on the total insurance bill.

Remember, though, that if you choose this route, you may end up paying more than that $150 savings a year if something happens to your home and you have to pay the higher deductible. Simply weight the negatives and positives and decide if a higher deductible is right for you.

The final sure fire way to receive a Homeowners insurance benefit is to belong to a club or certain group. This could simply mean being in the “65 and older” club and receiving a senior citizens discount, or it could also mean already being a member of the bank where you are looking to purchase Homeowners insurance. Some insurance companies also give a discount if you plan on having both your car insurance and Homeowners insurance with that company.

Before settling for the first set of numbers thrown at you by the insurance company, be sure to ask about these discounts and make your assets work for you when shopping for Homeowners insurance.

It seems to be a little known fact that in the last budget, legislation was introduced which has created a tax loophole on a certain type of life insurance. We gather that early indications point to the fact that, for 50% of people, the most economical solution for their insurance needs may be a Pensions Life Insurance Policy.

The policy won’t be suitable for everyone as there are various qualifying aspects of the insurance, but there are certainly tax savings to be made for some people.

The policies have a number of names, sometimes referred to as Pensions Life Insurance and we have seen Level Term Pensions Life Insurance used. The use of the word pension is a little misleading. They are not actually anything to do with pensions. They don’t provide a pension and it’s not necessary to have a pension in place already. It’s a small part of an extensive change in tax legislation relating mainly to pensions and inheritance tax.

Pensions Life Insurance will pay out a lump sum on death of the policyholder or diagnosis of a terminal illness, resulting in death within a year. There is no provision for joint policy holders, so each person participating has to have their own cover. Critical illness cover is a separate issue and cannot be included in the policy.

At present, Pensions Life policies are more costly than the more conventional life policies. They can cost around 15% more and this increase is justified by the insurance companies for the extra work needed to reclaim the tax relief.

The insurance company will deduct the standard rate of tax from your premium. If you pay tax at a higher rate, you will then need to reclaim the difference between the two rates when you complete your tax return. This should only need to be entered once as H M Inland Revenue should then automatically continue to give the relief for the life of the policy.

A couple of points that probably won’t bother too many people:

1.If your pension contributions added to your life insurance premiums come to more than Ј215,000 per annum, you will not be eligible to have a Pensions Life Policy.

2.If the payout from the policy, added to the value of your pension fund, is more than Ј1,500,000, then you will be taxed at 55% on the excess.

Conventional life insurance policies are not included in this calculation.

The extent of the savings look considerable, with standard rate tax payers saving around 15% and higher rate payers reducing the cost of their premiums by 30%.

Because of the complexity of these new rules and the fact that these policies will not be suitable for everyone, it’s necessary for them to be brought via a broker who will advise you. At present it’s not possible to get a live quote on the internet but a call to a broker will result in up to date and competitive quotes being provided.

So, thank you Gordon Brown, for this unexpected bonus. Remember, though, to take expert advice before you take the plunge.