Home Insurance St. George, UT

Home Insurance in St. George, Utah

For homeowners, nothing needs to be protected more than your home. With surging home prices in the past years and rebuild costs skyrocketing it is more important than ever to ensure you not only have a great home insurance company, but also home insurance coverage that meets your needs. This is one reason that having an independent insurance agent is so important.

You see, independent insurance agents represent multiple home insurance companies, not just one like some others. We provide you with multiple options, coverage choices and pricing possibilities so you can choose that company and combination that works best for your situation.

Other types of homeowners insurance we provide include:

  • Vacation home insurance -insurance coverage for your home away from home. More on vacation homes later.
  • Short-term vacation rental insurance (think AirBnB & VRBO) – a type of landlord policy that allows for short-term rentals.
  • Vacant Property Insurance – coverage for property that is not occupied for extended periods of time.
  • Landlord Insurance (also referred to as investment property insurance) – coverage for traditional rental property where one renter stays for longer than 6 months.
  • Flood Insurance – Not included with traditional home insurance policies, flood insurance protects you from water entering the home.
  • Earthquake Insurance – Also not included with a traditional home insurance policy, earthquake coverage protects your home from damage that occurs from an earthquake.
  • Difference in Conditions – Not included with a standard policy, Difference In Conditions protects your home from land movements such as landslides.
  • Water & Sewer Coverage – Not included with homeowners insurance, this coverage protects your home from claims arising from sewer or drain water backing up into your home. This typically occurs during heavy rain events.

Homeowners Insurance Coverages

Dwelling Coverage: Dwelling coverage helps cover the cost of repairing or replacing your home if it is damaged or destroyed in a covered loss. It is important to regularly review your coverage to ensure you have enough to replace your home should it be deemed a total loss. Talking to your agent once per year can help you calculate your needed coverage.

Other Structure Coverage: If you have a detached structure on your property such as a barn, gazebo, shop or greenhouse, be sure to let your agent know. These structures are not a part of your dwelling coverage and need to be endorsed separately.

Personal Liability Coverage: This coverage helps protect you from lawsuits arising from several scenarios if you’re sued for bodily injury or damage to someone else’s property. This coverage is also commonly used for dog bite claims.

Personal Property Coverage: Coverage for your personal items such as your furniture, clothes, electronics and more. It is important to document your personal property before a loss occurs to ensure you remember what you lost and can easily document you had it.

Loss of Use: Loss of use will provide you with financial reimbursement when your home is being repaired and is not habitable. Loss of use can include things like food and hotels and even a rental home if you’re out of your home for an extended period.

Homeowners Insurance Deductibles Explained

It is important to understand the deductibles that you choose with any insurance policy. Homeowners insurance deductibles are typically between $500 and $5,000. You should always select a deductible that balances your risk as well as your policy premium. A higher deductible will typically mean a lower premium, but in the event of a claim, you will have more out of pocket expenses to repair your home.

Example of a $1,000 deductible: If a tree falls on your home and the cost of repairs is $10,000 your insurance company will write you a check for $9,000 to repair the home. You are responsible to pay the contractor or come up with the remaining $1,000 to repair the home. Your settlement with the insurance company will always be less your deductible amount.

Deductibles are not applied to all coverage losses. For instance, personal liability, medical payments and loss of use do not carry a deductible. Whereas Dwelling Coverage, Other Structure Coverage and Personal Property Coverage will have a deductible applied. Typically, only one deductible is applied per loss.

What Discounts and Rating Factors Will Lower Your Home Insurance Premiums?

Everyone loves a discount and there are many available for home insurance policies. In addition to discounts, certain things you do can also lower your premiums. Let’s review some discounts and rating factors that impact what you pay for your insurance premium:

  1. Multi-Policy Discount: Most all insurance carriers will offer a discount for bundling your home and auto insurance together. Typically, this discount is between 5 and 20 percent. However, sometimes it doesn’t make sense to bundle so be sure to talk to your agent about your situation.
  2. Credit: Your credit can be the largest factor when getting insurance quote. Insurance carriers say that having good credit is a sign the policyholder will be more responsible and less likely to have a loss.
  3. Longevity: Some carriers offer discounts based off how long you stay with them. Several even send out checks prior to your renewal period.
  4. Shopping With an Independent Agent: Independent Agents represent several companies, not just one. By shopping with an independent agent, you can choose the company, pricing, coverage, and deductibles that work for you. This can lead to better overall premiums.
  5. Security: Having a security and fire system installed in your house that is monitored can get you a discount.
  6. New Home: Newer homes may qualify you for a home insurance discount. Typically, the newer the home, the steeper the discount.
  7. Paid in Full: Policies that are paid in full for the year typically get some form of discount. If you can afford it, it can save you.

Why You Need Home Insurance Coverage

The simplest reason you need home insurance is to protect you from massive financial losses. A home is typically a person’s most-valuable asset and without it you’re exposing yourself to losing your entire equity in you’ve gained in your home. Additionally, without liability protection, you open yourself to lawsuits from 3rd parties who may be injured while visiting your property. In short, don’t go it alone without insuring your property.

If you have a mortgage on your home, the bank will require you to carry a homeowners insurance policy and keep it up to date; oftentimes paying for it through escrow.

Commonly Asked Questions Regarding Home Insurance

Who offers the best home insurance?

Many carriers offer sufficient insurance options for you. The better question here is: “what is the best insurance coverage for my situation?” Many insurance companies offer similar insurance coverage so the choice is really up to you who you feel offers the best home insurance coverage.

Independent Agents like us offer options from several of the top carriers in the state so with just a single phone call we can quote you with multiple companies saving you a lot of time shopping.

Who has the cheapest home insurance?

Sometimes the cheapest home insurance isn’t the best option because you need sufficient insurance protection. To get your insurance premium as low as possible maximize your discounts. Several discounts are listed above so if you missed them be sure to check them out.

Lastly, have us compare several of our carriers for you so you can compare pricing. Most companies offer similar coverage options, so find a price that works for you by working with an independent agent.

How much coverage do I need for my homeowners insurance policy?

How much coverage you need is determined by your homes overall replacement cost as well as how much liability coverage you need, if you have accessory dwellings such as detached shops and greenhouses and several other factors. It is worth calling an agent to discuss how much coverage you might need. Additionally, consider supplement policies to cover earthquakes, floods and landslides if you live in an area prone to these disasters.

How can I get a homeowners insurance quote?

Getting a homeowners insurance quote today is simple. We have licensed agents ready to assist you with quoting your home. Fortunately, with today’s technology, minimal information is typically needed from you. Additional information such as when your roof was last replaced can be helpful and give you a better premium.

What type of home insurance do I need for a rental property?

Rental properties need a specialized insurance policy for landlords. Landlord insurance gives you financial protection for you home, but also some additional perks such as liability insurance and loss of income coverage should the property be damaged by a covered loss. If you’d like more information on landlord insurance, please visit our page on landlord insurance or call us to discuss it with an agent.

What isn’t covered by homeowners insurance?

There are many things that are not covered by a home insurance policy. Some of the more common questions about what things are excluded include damage lack of proper maintenance. Taking care of your home is essential to keeping it in good condition (and even insurable; homes that are clearly in neglect may be uninsurable).

Additionally, damages from rodents, insects, termites are excluded from coverage. Keeping rodents and insects away from your home is preventable with proper care.  Supplemental coverage is also required for earthquake, flood and landslide damages. If you have questions about what is included or not, please be sure to speak to your agent.

What You Should Understand About Vacation or Secondary Home Insurance Coverage

When looking into insuring a vacation home, the insurance coverage landscape can look slightly different from that of primary homes. While the threats are relatively comparable, you’ll find that some added dangers come with vacation homes. These threats differ with just how you intend to use your second house.

Individual Use

If a vacation home is frequently left vacant for extended periods, the possibilities of theft, criminal damage, and undetected damages may climb significantly. Furthermore, your home’s location can expose it to more problems such as flooding, fires, or wind damages, which may not be addressed soon considering the vacant condition of your house.

Insurance coverage companies take all of this right into factor to consider when determining your policy costs. You’ll likely be provided a detailed insurance plan in order to cover all risks appropriately. Make sure to make clear whether you mean to keep your home vacant for extended durations or check out regularly. Uninhabited house insurance policy and vacation home insurance policy, while comparable, are not the exact same.

Renting Your Vacation Home

If you’re considering leasing your vacation home or enabling others to stay in it, your policy will look different. In addition to shielding your 2nd residence framework, it’s a good suggestion to make certain that you have sufficient individual obligation coverage. An Umbrella insurance policy can cover any type of claims against you because of injury or damages that occurred on the property.

Make certain to investigate liability coverage, which covers any accidents received by someone while they get on the property. This policy can also include medical settlements protection.

Additionally, rent-loss insurance coverage could be a rewarding financial investment taking into consideration that it covers any type of economic losses accumulated throughout times when lease cannot be paid (problems, natural catastrophes, and also a lot more.) It is also worth considering a property owner policy, which can cover you for damages while also replacing lost income if the home is being reconstructed following a covered claim.

The very best way to obtain more details vacationing home insurance is to ask a licensed agent in our workplace. We can assist you with evaluating your insurance needs and provide you with some quotes from numerous of the top insurance companies.

Get a homeowners insurance quote today

Our qualified team is ready to aid you with your new home insurance policy. Because we’re an independent insurance agent we can shop from multiple insurance companies to assist you locate the right protection at the right price.