{"id":320722,"date":"2025-11-10T17:34:04","date_gmt":"2025-11-10T22:34:04","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.reviews.com\/?p=113859"},"modified":"2025-11-10T17:34:05","modified_gmt":"2025-11-10T22:34:05","slug":"lower-home-insurance-premium","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.reviews.com\/insurance\/homeowners\/lower-home-insurance-premium\/","title":{"rendered":"8 Ways to Lower Your Homeowners Insurance Premium"},"content":{"rendered":"\n\n\n

In 2025, the rate you pay for homeowners insurance depends on many factors that are out of your control, and premiums have generally trended higher nationwide, especially in catastrophe\u2011exposed states (Federal Insurance Office<\/a>). Still, there are practical ways to pay less: bundle your policy, install home security or smart\u2011home risk\u2011mitigation devices, increase a deductible you can afford, disaster\u2011proof your home, adjust coverage to today\u2019s rebuild cost, shop around for quotes (both bundled and unbundled), and manage dog\u2011related liability in line with your state\u2019s rules.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

1. Bundle your insurance policies<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Bundling insurance policies is when you purchase two or more policies from the same insurance carrier (most commonly home + auto). Many insurers offer multi\u2011policy discounts, and the typical advertised range today is about 5% to 25%, depending on the carrier, policy pair and state (Insurance Information Institute<\/a>). For example: Allstate<\/a> markets \u201cup to 25%,\u201d Progressive<\/a> cites average savings around the low single digits for auto+property bundles, USAA<\/a> lists up to 10% off homeowners when bundled with auto, and Travelers<\/a> shows up to about 13% on auto and around 10% on home when bundled. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

One important note: Even if bundling insurance policies<\/a> will earn you a discount, that doesn\u2019t mean it will necessarily save you money. Base rates can differ by carrier and state, and \u201cup to\u201d discounts are ceilings. Get side\u2011by\u2011side quotes for both bundled and separate carriers to see which is cheaper for comparable coverage.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

2. Install home security devices<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Installing security and safety devices can reduce risk and may earn premium credits. Basic devices like smoke detectors, deadbolts, and local burglar alarms often earn small credits (around the low single digits). Professionally monitored burglary\/fire systems commonly fall in the 5%\u201315% range, and pairing monitored systems with a residential sprinkler system can reach roughly 15%\u201320% with many insurers (Insurance Information Institute<\/a>; see also Travelers Protective Device Discount<\/a>).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

While these systems can save you money, remember there are installation and monitoring costs. Some insurers now offer small \u201csmart home\u201d discounts, program credits, or even subsidized devices for leak detection or electrical fire hazard monitoring; availability and savings vary by state and company (Nationwide homeowners discounts<\/a>).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

3. Increase your deductible<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Your deductible is the amount you\u2019ll pay out of pocket before insurance kicks in and covers your financial losses. For example, if your deductible is $2,000, and a fire causes $5,000 worth of damage to your house, you\u2019ll have to pay $2,000 yourself, while your insurance will cover the remaining $3,000. (See our guide to insurance deductibles<\/a>.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Some deductibles are dollar amounts, while others are a percentage of your overall coverage. Wind\/hail or hurricane percentage deductibles are increasingly common in many states. By increasing or decreasing your deductible, you can adjust your premiums; in general, a higher deductible lowers your premium (and vice versa), but increases your out\u2011of\u2011pocket if you have a claim.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A higher insurance deductible can be advantageous in that it saves you money each month on your premiums. But doing so also has its downsides. If you increase your deductible too much, you may end up with out-of-pocket costs that are unaffordable if something goes wrong.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

4. Disaster-proof your home<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Extreme weather such as wind, hail, and fire continue to drive large insured losses, with severe convective storms a major recent contributor in the U.S. (Munich Re<\/a>). As a result, more insurers and some states offer credits or grants for verified mitigation\u2014especially recognized standards like IBHS FORTIFIED roofs and wildfire hardening (IBHS FORTIFIED<\/a>).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Disaster-proofing your home means upgrading construction and materials to reduce damage from local perils (hurricanes, tornadoes, hail, earthquake, wildfire, or flood). Prioritize measures aligned with programs insurers recognize, such as IBHS FORTIFIED for wind\/hail, IBHS Wildfire Prepared Home<\/a> for wildfire, California\u2019s Safer from Wildfires<\/a> measures, and FEMA\u2011recognized flood mitigations like elevation and flood openings that can lower NFIP premiums (FEMA<\/a>).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mitigation can save money on homeowners insurance and reduce loss severity, but costs vary. To improve ROI, look for grants and programs that defray upgrades, such as Florida\u2019s My Safe Florida Home<\/a> or Louisiana\u2019s Fortify Homes Program<\/a>, and time upgrades (like reroofing) to meet FORTIFIED standards.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

5. Choose certain dog breeds<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Homeowners policies typically include personal liability that can cover dog-related injuries, a loss category that remains costly. Nationally, dog-related injury claim costs totaled $1.12 billion in 2023, with an average cost per claim of $64,555 (Insurance Information Institute<\/a>). Breed-based rules are changing in some states: Colorado and New York prohibit underwriting or rating solely on breed, though insurers may consider an individual dog\u2019s documented bite\/attack history (Colorado law<\/a>; New York DFS guidance<\/a>).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Dog breeds<\/a> that may result in higher insurance premiums or restrictions in some states include:<\/p>\n\n\n\n