Insurance savings
How to Lower Your Homeowners Insurance: 10 Ways That Actually Work
Premiums are up across the country. The good news: most homeowners are paying for coverage they don't need, missing discounts they qualify for, or carrying a deductible that no longer matches their finances. Here's the short list of moves that actually move the needle — in roughly the order we'd try them.
01Raise your deductible — carefully
Going from a $500 to $1,000 deductible typically cuts your premium 10–20%. Going to $2,500 saves more, but only do it if you can comfortably write that check tomorrow.
02Bundle home and auto
Most carriers offer a 10–25% multi-policy discount. It's the single biggest lever for most households — and it usually takes one phone call.
03Ask for every discount you qualify for
New roof, monitored alarm, smart water shutoff, gated community, claim-free history, paid-in-full, paperless billing, loyalty, retiree, military. Carriers rarely apply these automatically.
04Re-shop every 2–3 years
Loyalty is quietly punished in homeowners insurance. Get three quotes from independent agents — not just the captive carriers — and compare apples-to-apples coverage.
05Improve your home's risk profile
Replacing an old roof, upgrading electrical, adding wind mitigation features, or removing a trampoline or aggressive-breed dog can each move your premium meaningfully.
06Strip riders you don't need
Scheduled jewelry you sold years ago, ID theft coverage you already get from your bank, equipment breakdown on a house with no central HVAC. Audit annually.
07Right-size dwelling coverage
You insure rebuild cost, not market value. Many policies are inflated 15–30% above actual rebuild cost — a licensed agent can pull a current replacement-cost estimate in minutes.
08Keep your credit-based insurance score healthy
In most states, your insurance score directly affects your premium. The same habits that help your credit score (low utilization, on-time payments) help here too.
09Avoid small claims
A single claim can raise your premium 10–20% for 3–5 years. For anything close to your deductible, paying out of pocket is often the cheaper long-term move.
10Have a licensed advisor read your policy
Most homeowners overpay because their declarations page has gaps and overlaps no one ever explained. A 15-minute review usually finds 1–3 line items worth changing.
Not sure which of these apply to your policy?
Upload your declarations page and our AI reviewer will flag the specific discounts, gaps, and overpriced riders on your policy — usually in under two minutes. Free, no account required to start.
Get my free policy reviewThis article is general information, not legal or financial advice. Coverage, discounts, and savings vary by carrier and state.