Many people have the impression that you can save a ton of money and get cheap homeowner's insurance if you simply buy your homeowner's insurance online. While it's true that you probably can save a few dollars simply by buying online, you can save considerably more if you buy your homeowner's insurance online in an intelligent way.

What I mean by an intelligent way is that before you start filling out the forms on homeowner's insurance price comparison websites you take five minutes to learn a few of the things that you need to do in order to get the cheapest homeowner's insurance to begin with - and then use the knowledge you've gained to fill out the forms on the comparison websites intelligently so that you get the cheapest homeowner's insurance you possibly can here in Massachusetts.

Start with your credit rating. Did you know that your credit rating affects how much you pay for homeowner's insurance? It does. Use credit wisely because the higher your credit score the lower your monthly payment is going to be for your homeowner's insurance.

Fill in all potholes on your property and replace any cracked or buckled concrete. Replace lose or rotting boards on porches and decks and make sure all railings are secure. This will reduce the chances of an injury-causing accident on your property and should reduce your homeowner's insurance.

Install motion sensitive floodlights on your property and trim all bushes back away from windows so burglars don't have any convenient hiding places. Install deadbolt locks on all exterior doors and make sure every single window has a working lock.

A home security system can help everyone to sleep better at night and a good system can also save you up to 20% (or even more in some cases) on your monthly insurance bill. Take the time to talk to your agent first, however, since not every system qualifies for the highest discount.

If you have a home-based business ask your tax advisor if a portion of your home security system can be deducted from your taxes - if so you can reap a double savings!

Is anyone living in your home who is retired? Ask your agent if that qualifies you for a discount on your homeowner's insurance. Generally it does.

The biggest concern insurance companies have is not that there will be a fire in your home. Their biggest worry is that a water piper will break or an appliance connection will rot away, flooding your home. Ask your agent if you can get an on-going monthly reduction in your insurance if you spring for a one-time investment in upgrading your plumbing and/or electrical system.

Combining all of your different insurance policies with the same insurance company will earn you a Multi-Policy Discount on all of them, including your homeowner's insurance.

Make sure you have installed the proper number of smoke and fire detectors in your home and that they all have a fresh battery. Batteries need to be changed twice yearly.

Buy a fire extinguisher that is specifically designed for home kitchens and mount it within easy reach.

Can you afford to increase your deductible? If you increase your deductible you will lower the monthly cost of your insurance - but keep in mind that you have to come up with the amount of your deductible in cash any time you have a claim, so don't offer to pay more than you can actually afford.

Now it's time to take the hints you've learned in this article and find 3 different websites that let you compare the prices of homeowner's insurance from different companies. Using what you have learned in this article fill out the forms on all three websites exactly the same so that you are comparing the same policy across the board.

Now all you need to do is to review your results and choose the lowest-priced company that you feel confident will still be around in 30 years and you are done. This is how you do it right and get cheap homeowner's insurance online in Massachusetts.