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If you live in an urban area you're probably already well aware of how important home security is, both for your family's well being and to protect your Nintendo Wii and $1600 desktop computer from the things that go bump in the night. But did you know that pumping up your home's security system could save you hundreds of dollars on your homeowners insurance?
Think about it this way. How do insurance companies make money? They take in premiums and don't pay out too many claims every year. That doesn't mean that they won't pay out claims. It just means they don't want to.
A homeowners insurance provider that doesn't pay out claims is going to find itself out of business before too much time has gone by, but a company that can encourage its customers to protect their personal belongings and minimize the chances of needing to submit a homeowners claim in the first place will be able to enjoy the best of both worlds-an increased customer base and more money added on to their profit margins each year. How do they do it? By offering top discounts for customers willing to pump up their home's security systems.
Believe it or not, it doesn't cost a fortune to improve your home's security enough to enjoy a 15-20% discount on your homeowners insurance. Small things go a long way to minimize the chances that you will become a victim of theft and therefore lower your homeowners insurance. For example, you could:
a)Purchase and install dead bolts for your doors. Lock picking kits are fairly easy to come by these days, but if you've ever locked yourself out of your house you're probably already well aware of the fact that dead bolts are MUCH more difficult than regular locks to jimmy, jiggle, pick or otherwise dislodge and therefore offer your home much higher levels of protection.
b)Invest in a home security system like that offered by ADT or other national security firms that links your home directly to your local police and fire departments. (Most large home security providers offer these types of systems.) Recent studies show that 85% of burglars prefer to target homes without sophisticated security systems, making it an automatic deterrent to 85% of thieves.
c)It doesn't directly relate to protecting your home from vandals, but installing smoke detectors and sprinkler systems to minimize the damage your home will sustain if there's a fire will go a long way toward lowering your homeowners insurance premiums while at the same time protecting your possessions from irreparable harm. (Nine times out of ten a fire isn't going to try to hawk your72" flat screen on the black market.)
Protecting your home and its contents from being victimized by burglars with more ambition than sense doesn't just help save you money on your homeowners insurance (although that 15-20% will go a long way toward paving the road to Fiji on your next vacation). It also helps to give you peace of mind-and can you really put a price tag on that?