Home Insurance Online Checklist

Home Insurance Online Checklist

Buying Home insurance online is now easier than ever thanks in large part to the internet and super convenient websites that allow you to compare several providers at once. Still, if you are like most Americans, fast isn't fast enough – in fact, millions of Americans continue to pay too much when buying home insurance because they haven't taken the time to obtain new rate quotes.

Learn how to speed up the process and save money when buying home insurance online with just a little advance planning and preparation. Use this helpful checklist to collect everything you will need in advance of obtaining competitive quotes for the best rates and coverage.

1. Contact Information. Name, address, social security number and phone. Always use a reputable online home insurance quote provider since you will be required to supply sensitive contact information in order to obtain a valid quote. Remember, sites that do not require contact information are only providing estimates – not actually quotes. Real home insurance quotes require credit history and property information in order to decide the risk involved in providing insurance coverage to your home and family.
2. Age of home, size, construction type and other amenities. If you already reside in the home then you probably know the total square footage of heated versus non-heated space (or what is often called living space versus garage, porch and non-living space) otherwise, you will probably need to contact the real estate agent or county property appraiser. Be prepared to provide additional information on the type of materials used to build the home (concrete block, brick, wood, clap-board, etc) as well as amenities such as fireplace, pool etc..
3. Neighborhood information such as distance to fire hydrant or fire station, commute time to and from work plus whether or not the home is located within the city limit or other special zoning. Don't automatically assume that a home located near a fire-station is actually serviced by that same station! In some instances, homeowners have been surprised to learn a station located just blocks away from their residence actually services an entire different section of town while they are serviced by a station miles away.
4. Flood plains. Homes located in flood prone areas may be required by their mortgage company to obtain an additional flood policy in addition to their standard home insurance policy. Be sure to find out in advance whether or not you need flood insurance prior to beginning your home insurance online quotes search. In most cases, it is a separate stand-alone policy.