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Your home is probably your biggest investment, which means protecting it should be one of your highest priorities.

A homeowners insurance policy will give you that kind of financial protection—insuring your home and possessions in the event of a fire, theft, or other accident.

There are a handful of companies that will offer you great coverage at an affordable rate. Here are four of the best homeowners insurance companies to consider.

1. Credible

With the Credible homeowners insurance marketplace, you could find out right now with just a few clicks if there is a cheaper rate for the same exact homeowners insurance you currently have.

Why we like it: Find affordable coverage fast. Just enter some basic information about your home and your current insurance and Credible will show you multiple insurance carriers at one time instantly. Saving you a ton of time and potentially a good amount of money.

Licensed agents are available to help. No robocalls or personal info sold.

Why wait? Check your homeowners insurance right right here.

Credible Insurance, Inc. d/b/a Credible Insurance Agency (CA Lic. # 0M90597). Insurance services provided through Credible Insurance, Inc., 1700 Market St. Ste. 1005, Philadelphia, PA 19103

2. Liberty Mutual

As the sixth-largest property and casualty insurance company in the world, Liberty Mutual is a name that is familiar to most people. The company is known for offering many different types of coverage. When you bundle homeowners and auto insurance, the company claims you could save $842.

Why we like it:

You can file a claim online in just 5 – 10 minutes. Liberty Mutual offers all sorts of discounts, from purchasing online to insuring a newly purchased home.

You can get multiple quotes in minutes, compare options in one place, and get rates from companies you might not have thought to check out.

3. Lemonade

Lemonade is a homeowners insurance company that is able to keep premiums low, thanks to a 100% digital service. Using the company’s artificial intelligence bot, you can get insured in as little as 90 seconds, and you can submit a claim and get paid in as little as 3 minutes. Lemonade even helps you make the switch from your current policy.

Why we like it: Policies start as low as $25 per month. From your premium, Lemonade takes a flat fee, pays claims quickly, and uses leftover money to give back to causes of your choice.

What Do Homeowners Insurance Policies Cover?

Homeowners insurance is designed to provide financial protection for not only your home but also your belongings. Most basic policies will include the following:

• Dwelling Protection. This provides coverage for the basic structure of your home (foundation, roof, walls, etc.) and may often cover other structures, such as your deck or garage.
• Personal Property Protection. This provides coverage for your personal belongings up to a certain amount. Of course, the more protection you need, the higher your policy will typically cost.
• Liability Protection. This provides coverage in the event that someone (not living with you) is injured on your property, covering medical bills and legal expenses.
• Additional Living Expenses (ALE). This provides coverage for hotel bills, restaurant meals, and other extra costs in the event that you cannot live in your home for a certain period due to damage on an insured claim.

It’s worth noting that there are certain disasters — such as earthquakes and floods — that are not always covered in homeowners insurance policies. If you live in an area that is prone to these types of events, you will need to purchase the necessary insurance or make sure it is added to your homeowners insurance policy.

How Much Homeowners Insurance Do I Need?

In most cases, your homeowners insurance company will be able to recommend a coverage limit for your home’s structure — based on how much you paid for your home or the current market price — but it’s also wise to consider factors such as local rebuilding costs and your home’s “hard-to-replace” features.

As for personal property protection, it’s easy to underestimate how much stuff you own. The term applies to furniture, appliances, clothes, electronics, jewelry, and much more, so you should do a full inventory check to determine the total value of your possessions. It’s also important to note that high-ticket items, such as expensive jewelry or musical instruments, may require additional coverage.

Most homeowners insurance policies have a minimum liability coverage amount of $100,000, but it’s highly recommended that you get at least $300,000 – $500,000 in liability coverage if possible.

Finally additional living expenses (ALE), you will need to estimate the difference between your typical cost of living and what you would need to spend as a result of not being able to occupy your home for a certain period. So, if you typically spend $150 a week for groceries and now need to pay $300 a week because you’re going out to eat, ALE would cover the $150 difference — not the full $300.

What Is the Best Home Insurance?

The best home insurance company for you will depend on a handful of factors, such as the state you live in and what you value most in a home insurance company.

The four homeowners insurance companies on our list are only a few of the top options you should strongly consider.

Who Has the Cheapest Home Insurance?

Home insurance rates vary from state to state and are also dependent on the type of coverage you need.

For someone who needs minimal coverage, company “A” may have the lowest rates, whereas for someone who needs additional coverage, company “B” may have the lowest rates.

It’s wise to get multiple quotes before ultimately purchasing a new home insurance policy, as the cheapest policy for someone else may not necessarily be the cheapest policy for you.

What Is the Typical Cost of Home Insurance Coverage?

On average, homeowners insurance costs $1,445 annually and roughly $120 per month, but the average premium also varies by state.

A state such as Delaware has some of the lowest home insurance rates, while a state such as Oklahoma has some of the highest rates.

How Can I Lower My Homeowners Insurance?

There are a handful of ways to lower your homeowners insurance costs.

To start, shop around. Get quotes from multiple companies and find out who is offering the lowest premium for the coverage you need.

Also, if you think you may have more coverage than what you actually need, or if are willing to pay more money out of pocket during a claim, you might choose to reduce your coverage or raise your deductible — which may also lower your annual premium.

Do I Need Homeowners Insurance If My Home Is Paid Off?

If your home is paid off, you are not legally required to purchase homeowners insurance.

With that said, it’s not recommended that you drop your homeowners insurance. The reality is that disaster could strike at any time, and you would still want to have financial protection for all of your assets.

Is Flood Insurance Included with My Homeowners Insurance Policy?

Neither flood insurance nor earthquake insurance is typically included in a standard homeowners insurance policy.

If you want flood insurance, you should consider purchasing special insurance or adding it to an existing policy — particularly if you live in a high-risk flood zone.

Make Sure Your Home and Belongings Are Safe

You never know when disaster will strike or when theft will incur, so it’s critical that you purchase a homeowners insurance policy. The relatively small premium paid towards your policy each month could pay off in a big way if the unexpected were to happen.

With four of the best homeowners insurance companies and some key information to help you determine the coverage you need, shop around for a few quotes today and get protection for your assets!

The post 3 Best Homeowners Insurance Companies Of 2024 appeared first on Wall Street Insanity.

Chewy

Owning a home or owning a pet are two huge responsibilities. If you do one or more of these things, chances are that you have your hands full and that balancing your budget each month might be easier said than done.

But there are also unique opportunities for you to make better decisions with your money. Here are 8 money moves for the person doubling as a homeowner and/or pet owner.

1. You Could Leave Your Family with Millions

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We love our pets and family and want to make sure they’ll always be taken care of. You might not have millions of dollars right now, but you might be able to give your family up to 8 million dollars by applying for a term life insurance policy. And it may not even cost you all that much.

Because today is the youngest you’ll ever be again, today might be the best time to look into life insurance. Here’s why — the longer you wait and older you get, typically the more expensive life insurance becomes.

And with Ladder, it’s easy. All you need is 5 minutes to complete the company’s application form, and you won’t even need to provide a medical exam or fill out physical paperwork.

Plans start at just $12 a month — a price that most people can afford. Plus, Ladder offers coverage up to $8 million. That’s more than enough to make sure your family is taken care of if you were to pass unexpectedly.

Your premium might be higher tomorrow, so don’t wait to get life insurance. Apply for Ladder life insurance today and find out how affordable life insurance can be.

2. Prioritize Your Pet’s Health with an Affordable Life Insurance Policy

Chewy

Your pet is like a family member to you. At the same time, stacks of bills from the vet can put a lot of pressure on your wallet. That’s why one of the smartest money moves you can make as a pet owner is to get an insurance policy for your pet.

Started by actual pet parents, Embrace is a pet insurance company that has you and your pet’s health at heart. In 2019, Embrace covered more than 93% of all of their pet insurance claims.

Policies cover illnesses and injuries, hospitalizations, emergency care, treatment, therapy, medications, and more. Just choose between dog insurance and cat insurance, and you’ll get a policy designed for your animal’s health needs.

Embrace also offers a diminishing deductible, which means that for each year you don’t receive a claim payment, your deductible will drop by $50.

Get a free quote from Embrace today and find out that prioritizing your pet’s health doesn’t have to cost a fortune.

3. Replace Your Current Auto Insurance Policy with a Cheaper One (with the same coverage you have now!)

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The car parked in your garage that you use for vet visits, trips to the grocery store, and more — you’re probably paying way too much to keep it insured.

At the same time, many people put off shopping for lower rates because of how long it takes. But with EverQuote, you no longer have to do the shopping.

Provide a few details about your vehicle and this insurance comparison site will find rates from multiple companies — including ones you wouldn’t have thought to check out — and put them all in one place for you to compare.

This could help you save hundreds on auto insurance this year, and it might only take up a few minutes of your time.

Check out your rates with EverQuote today and make the switch to a better auto insurance company!

4. You Could Potentially Save Thousands on Your House You Share With Your Pets With This Simple Move

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If you own a home, your mortgage is probably your biggest investment, which means it’s also one of your greatest opportunities to save money. Which also means more money for food and toys for your furry pet.

By refinancing, you could potentially save thousands of dollars on your house. Here’s how it works — you find a new home loan that, ideally, has a lower interest rate and better terms, and then use it to replace your current home loan. Sounds simple enough, right?

Because it is. And with Figure, you can check your mortgage refinance rates in just a few clicks without even impacting your credit score!

Find a loan with a lower interest rate and apply with Figure’s 100% online application. Once you’re approved, Figure will help you close out your new loan quickly so that you can start enjoying your new savings as soon as possible.

To start, check your mortgage refinance rates with Figure today and find out how much you could be saving on your house!

Figure Mortgage Refinance is only available in the following states: AK, AL, AR, AZ, CA, DE, FL, GA, IA, ID, IN, KS, LA, MA, MI, MO, MS, MT, NC, ND, NE, NH, NJ, NM, NV, OH, OK, OR, PA, SD, TN, WA, WI, WV.

5. Use a Personal Loan To Get Up to $100K to Pay Off Your Credit Card Debt and More

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One of the fastest ways to blow money, is by accumulating credit card debt. A personal loan could help you save money now, money you can use toward your home and pet.

What’s great about a personal loan is that you can use it for just about anything. If you’re drowning in credit card debt and heavy interest fees, you can use a personal loan to pay off your debt completely—potentially saving you thousands of dollars in interest in the process since personal loans usually have lower rates.

Credible is a marketplace that allows you to check out up to 11 personalized rates from top lenders in as little as 2 minutes. Loans range from $600 all the way up to $100,000.

Once you apply for a loan you like and are approved, your funds will be deposited right into your bank account as soon as the very business day!

Don’t have credit card debt? Use a personal loan to make additions to your home, pay medical bills, plan your next family vacation, or something else. The possibilities are virtually endless.

Look at your personal loan rates with Credible today and get money deposited into your bank account in as little as one business day!

6. Swap Out Your Homeowners Insurance Policy for a Cheaper One in Minutes

Your monthly mortgage payment isn’t the only expense related to your home. There’s homeowners insurance as well, which allows you to safeguard your property and possessions.

But for a service that you hope you’ll never need to use, homeowners insurance can be pretty expensive, too. Instead, find out if you could be paying less for your policy in minutes with EverQuote.

This insurance comparison site might help you save hundreds on your homeowners insurance policy — all you have to do is provide a few details about your home and they will hunt down multiple rates for you to compare in one place.

Get your free quote from EverQuote today and potentially find a better policy in minutes!

7. You Can Invest in the Stock Market with Just $5 to Grow Your Future

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As a homeowner or pet owner, you’ve probably got money coming out of your account for all types of expenses. You might not be thinking about investing.

With Stash, you can get started in 2 minutes with as little as $5. They’ll even give you a $5 welcome bonus when you sign up and add at least $5 to your personal portfolio.

Stash allows you to invest in fractional shares, so you can virtually invest in any company.

Stash is not only an investment platform, but they also offer an online bank account. When you use Stash’s Stock-Back® card, the company will actually give you back stock in well-known brands.

Beyond that, Stash offers banking with no hidden fees, saving tools, personalized advice, and more. Stash has 3 plans, and all of these features are available in Stash’s beginner membership, which costs just $1 per month.

Sign up for Stash today and see how easy it can be to invest for the future.

8. Use a Debit Card That Rewards You For Your Home or Pet Purchases

Aspiration

Your debit card likely doesnt reward you and likely isnt great for the planet. You can get a new debit card in 2 minutes that does both.

Aspiration is an FDIC-insured bank that will give you a $100 welcome bonus after making a minimum deposit of $10 and spending $1,000 within 60 days (terms apply).

What’s more, they will give you a debit card that earns up to 5% cashback from socially responsible companies. These companies include TOMs, Blue Apron, Warby Parker, and more!

An Aspiration bank account also comes with no hidden fees and fee-free withdrawals at their network of over 55,000 ATMs.

And get this — if you upgrade to a paid plan for $7.99 a month, your debit card will start earning as much as 10% cashback and you’ll even earn up to 1.00% APY on your account balance.

Open an Aspiration bank account today and make your first deposit!

Take Care of Your Home and Pet with Smart Money Moves

Being a homeowner and a pet owner is no easy feat, particularly if you’ve also got a family to look after. But with each new responsibility comes a new opportunity to make smarter decisions with your finances.

With these 8 money moves, you could not only strengthen your financial position but also take better care of your home, your family, your pet, and your possessions.

*Wall Street Insanity is a paid affiliate/partner of Stash. Promotion is subject to Terms and Conditions. To be eligible to participate in this Promotion and receive the bonus, you must complete the following steps: (i) click through the link above, (ii) successfully open a Stash Invest Account (otherwise known as your personal portfolio) in good standing, (iii) link a funding account (e.g. an external bank account) to your new Stash Invest Account, AND (iv) initiate and complete a deposit of at least five dollars ($5.00) into your Stash Invest Account.

1Bank Account Services provided by Green Dot Bank, Member FDIC

2Stash banking account opening is subject to identity verification by Green Dot Bank. In order for a user to be eligible for a Stash banking account, they must also have opened a taxable brokerage account on Stash. Bank Account Services provided by Green Dot Bank and Stash Visa Debit card (Stock-Back® Card) issued by Green Dot Bank, Member FDIC, pursuant to a license from Visa U.S.A. Inc. Visa is a registered trademark of Visa International Service Association. Investment products and services provided by Stash Investments LLC, not Green Dot Bank, and are Not FDIC Insured, Not Bank Guaranteed, and May Lose Value.

3. Excludes cash, cash equivalents (including the funding of gift cards and prepaid cards), and transactions through Venmo®, Square, Inc.’s Cash App®, PayPal®, or similar services.

4.Fee-free ATM access applied to in-network ATMs only. For out-of-network ATMs and bank tellers a $2.50 fee will apply, plus any additional fee that the ATM owner or bank may charge. For overdraft, transaction is declined and no fee is charged. Neither Green Dot Bank nor Stash offers overdraft services. Other fees apply to the bank account. Please see the Deposit Account Agreement for details. If applicable, your Stash banking account is a funding account for purposes of the Advisory Agreement. Your Stash subscription fee may be deducted from your Stash banking account balance.

5. Stash Monthly Subscription Wrap Fee starts at $1/month. You’ll also bear the standard fees and expenses reflected in the pricing of the ETFs in your investment account(s), plus fees for various ancillary services charged by Stash and the Custodian. Please see Advisory Agreement for details. Other fees apply to the bank account. Please see Deposit Account Agreement for details.

Stash does not offer an interest-bearing savings account.This material is not intended as investment advice and is not meant to suggest that any securities are suitable investments for any particular investor. Investment advice is only provided to Stash customers. All investments are subject to risk and may lose value.

The post 8 Money Moves For Pet Owners Or Homeowners appeared first on Wall Street Insanity.