Having your home features assessed as suggested in the previous blog could offer you the reward of some insurance pricing reduction. This was just a part of all the factors that apply towards lowering of insurance rate. In this blog, I will expand upon factors related to home safety.

1. Smoke detector – These are the most common home safety item used in American households. You should install them in places where they can be easily heard. Moreover, all of them should be interconnected so that if one alarm starts, the rest of the alarms do the same. Make sure you change the dead batteries and change the smoke system if it does not function properly. Installing a heat alarm in the attic and garage ensures a complete protection. However, you should not use heat alarms to replace smoke alarms. Also having fire extinguishers within quick reach and specific locations like kitchen and in all levels of the house will add to better home preparedness against fire, and can help lower insurance rates.
2. Sprinkler System – having a sprinkler system on each floor not only means greater fire protection but it also means lower insurance rates. Insurers offer discounts if customers show measures done to make their homes safer. A sprinkler system helps in minimizing damages to the home and its assets and most importantly to the people living in the house by delaying the intensity of the spreading of the fire.
   
3. Burglar Alarm – Having a burglar alarm that is not connected to a police department will mean reduced discounts provided by insurers. Some may not acknowledge this as an enough protection and might not offer additional discounts. If you have a burglar system, advanced or basic, it makes sense to inquire for discounts from your insurance provider.
4. Deadbolt Lock – Having a better quality lock could be a better investment compared to the insurance savings it could bring along with the deductible savings if a break in happened without a proper lock. Not just the lock, the quality of the door and using longer screws for hinges helps in controlling easy break-ins. This reduces risk of break-ins therefore insurers understand the reduced risk and offers some discount.
5. Lightning Protection System – Lightning is a common weather hazard. Installing a lightning protection system ensures protection of the complete outer boundary of the house. A properly installed complaint lightning protection system with proof of installation done by a certified installer can help get you discounts. Insurers might offer discounts or other incentives for this installation, like how discounts are offered against preparedness for other weather hazards.
6. Security systems that alerts the police station – This advance security system notifies the homeowner of any suspicion and if confirmed or if no response is received, it is alerted to the police department. It costs more and receives more insurance discounts.

These factors offer security and protection, and they get better as you use them as parameters to apply an insurance cost reduction. With completing Part 2 of your assessment of discount eligibility, you are halfway through to getting your insurance cost lowered. The remaining Part 3 & Part 4 will complete your prepping for insurance lowering. Stay tuned.