If you’re a first-time homebuyer working on a budget for your future plans, you might be wondering about homeowners insurance - how much will it cost, anyway? Unfortunately, the answer can get complicated, as it depends on several factors.
To help you budget for your first home, here is a quick guide to what goes in to determining the cost of your homeowners insurance:
Your home’s location
Geographic location can have a major impact on your insurance coverage limits and premiums. This is because dwelling coverage limits are based on labor and replacement costs, which both vary significantly in different areas.
The hazard portion of your homeowners insurance policy can differ based on location, too. Hazard coverage protects you in case your home is damaged by fire, wind, falling objects and other events included on the list of “covered perils.”
Because natural disasters and weather-related hazards vary by region, so does the level of risk to the insurance company.
Some hazards, like tornadoes and earthquakes, require an additional insurance policy to cover. Additional insurance coverage will protect you from a wider variety of peril, but may cost more.
The overall value of your home and belongings
Homeowners insurance policies also include a personal property coverage component that includes your personal belongings separate from your home. Clothes, electronics, appliances and furniture are examples of property included in this coverage.
Consider the overall value of your personal property when deciding how much homeowners insurance coverage you need, as it will also affect how much you pay.
In the event your personal property is damaged or stolen, this part of your homeowners insurance can help you pay to repair or replace them.
Insurance can be complicated, and homeowners insurance policies are no exception. Until you get a quote from an insurance company, it may be difficult to budget for the expense. However, if you keep these variables in mind, you will have a greater understanding of what goes into your homeowners insurance policy cost.
About the Author
Kimberly Hering
Kimberly Hering's devotion to helping people achieve their real estate goals stems from her genuine enjoyment of the process. Whatever the task, Kimberly makes it her mission to get it done, however she can, without compromising her client's needs. Often, that means thinking outside the box. After working with Kimberly, clients describe her as being Trustworthy, Creative, Patient, Highly Skilled, Attentive to the Process and having a lot of Integrity.
After spending more than 15 successful years working on Wall Street, Kimberly transitioned into Real Estate, joining Alain Pinel Realtors, then moving to Zephyr, now Corcoran Global Living, in 2018. During her career on Wall Street, Kimberly was a Vice President working as an Institutional Equity Salesperson for Montgomery Securities for 10 years. She covered the top money managers throughout the US and Canada. She joined Jefferies & Co as a Senior Vice President managing the Western Region Institutional Sales group, while continuing to cover the top money managers.
Kimberly leverages her extensive experience selling equities to top money managers throughout the US and Canada, to successfully negotiating any Real Estate transaction seamlessly for her clients. Kimberly is well versed in Marin's neighborhoods, towns, cities, and education system.
Living in the Bay Area for 35 years, 25 years in Marin and having 2 sons in local Marin schools, Kimberly spends a lot of time volunteering in the community and serving on various local Boards. Kimberly has a collection of resources ranging from the best local breakfast spots to vetted contractors. With her reliable list of valuable resources, Real Estate experience and unsurpassed knowledge of Marin's many communities, Kimberly can guide her clients through every aspect of a Real Estate transaction seamlessly.
Relocating to Marin, downsizing, upsizing, first time home buying, final home purchase or sale, or a lot to build a dream home, no matter the undertaking, Kimberly works seamlessly until the job at hand is completed with 100% satisfaction.