Chances are, the mortgage on your sweet Georgia home sets you back plenty. In fact, it’s likely to be your biggest monthly bill (or very close to it). Anything you can do to reduce your house payment should grab your attention.
That’s why finding ways to lower your house payment is worth exploring. One often-overlooked option is reducing your homeowners insurance rates, which can make a real difference over time. That’s where a security system home insurance discount comes into play. But what does it mean, and how can you take advantage?
With the right setup, your security system won’t merely protect your family, your house, and your possessions — it will also reduce your insurance premiums and house payment. Read on to see how to take advantage of this insurance discount.
The Link Between Home Security and Insurance Premiums
Insurance companies of all kinds dislike paying claims. Can you blame them? If they pay out more than they take in through the premiums, they take a loss on your policy. That’s why policyholders who file fewer claims typically pay less for their coverage. That’s true whether the topic is auto insurance, healthcare, or any form of coverage, including homeowners.
One way to reduce your risk of having to make home insurance claims in Georgia is to make the dwelling less vulnerable to damage. For instance, install a dependable home security system. If it protects your house against burglary, fire, vandalism, or other cataclysms, that’s a good thing for your family and for your insurer.
Your insurer will likely save money on claims you won’t have to make…and they’ll pass along some of those savings to you.
Win-win.
Unveiling Security System Home Insurance Discounts
So, how will a security system lower your home insurance rates?
The truth is, not all protection measures are equal. Some system elements can save you more in insurance premiums than others.
That’s why it’s beneficial to go as high tech as possible. Home systems with motion detectors placed outside, door and window sensors, glass break sensors, smoke detectors, and an array of surveillance cameras draw the most interest from insurers. Add smart technology (more on this later), and your savings will be all but guaranteed.
Bonus round: a quality system can even improve your home value, an important point if and when the time comes to move on.
Choosing the Right Security System for Your Home
Your home’s needs are going to depend on a lot of factors, including the crime rate in your neighborhood, the layout of your house, your budget, and even the composition of your family. For instance, you might want cameras in the bedrooms of very young children. Also, consider whether you’ll have a professional install your system or if it will be a DIY project. This will have a big effect on the cost and the complexity of your system.
But your top concern as you’re configuring your planned purchase and installation is how much a security system will save you on homeowners insurance rates.
Security Features That Attract Discounts
Any hardware that helps reduce the fire or carbon monoxide risk and discourages housebreakers and vandals will be of value to your family — and might earn you a nice security system home insurance discount in the process. But insurers are particularly impressed by certain components.
Your most significant discounts might be with one that includes professional 24/7 monitoring, such as by a security company that will call the police or fire department as soon as alerted by your technology to a problem.
Insurers also like multiple sensors across the property, including motion detectors along the perimeter and at doors and downstairs windows. Surveillance cameras can also entice savings. And finally, smoke and carbon monoxide detectors are almost mandatory.
If you do business with an independent agent, these professionals don’t just work for one company. Instead, they have contractual relationships with multiplier quality brands. The benefit for you is that they can shop for the best security system home insurance discount program across all the lines they represent. You’ll achieve the best savings possible by choosing the protection features that align with your needs, your family, and your budget.
Beyond Burglary Prevention: Additional Benefits of Home Security
Home security systems offer much more than protection against burglars. They can detect fires, carbon monoxide, and even flooding, providing a comprehensive safeguard for your home. Modern systems also integrate with smart technology, adding convenience and potentially increasing your insurance savings.
Enhancing Safety with Advanced Security Measures
Modern security systems go beyond basic burglary prevention by offering features that protect your home from a wide range of emergencies. Smoke detectors, carbon monoxide alarms, and flood sensors are vital for identifying dangers early and minimizing damage. Some systems even include medical alert devices, providing an added layer of safety for families with elderly members or those with medical conditions. With these advanced measures, you’re not just protecting your property—you’re ensuring the well-being of everyone in your household.
Smart Technology Integration and Insurance Advantages
Smart home technology is a way of digitally connecting your various devices to your phone through apps. In that way, you’ll stay remotely connected to your property whenever you carry your phone: while at work, school, on errands, or a thousand miles away, on vacation.
Smart security systems enable homeowners to check in — night or day — and review cameras or sensors. You can add smart lighting features that allow you to turn the lights on and off from afar, confusing and discouraging burglars and vandals.
Got kids who get home before you do? A smart system might enable you to literally keep an eye on them — and even speak with them — through cameras and audio devices in the house and on your smartphone.
If you have smart doorbell cameras, you can see if anyone comes to the door while you’re away. Then advise the kids, if they’re at the house, whether they should open the door or let you handle the business with strangers on your doorstep. That’s just a sampling of how valuable a smart home security system can be to you and your family.
Insurers love smart technology, too, because they know you’ll be in touch with your home even when you’re far away. Be sure to inform your agent if you install any smart security devices. Better yet, have the discussion with your agent even before you begin your smart security system exploration. You’re likely to learn which system components will earn the best home insurance discount with security system.
How Much Does a Security System Save You on Homeowners Insurance?
The savings you’ll earn can depend on multiple factors, including your location, the elements of the system you’ve installed, and the discount policies of the insurer that’s handling your homeowners insurance coverage. That said, security system home insurance discounts can typically range between about 5% and 20%. That’s significant savings over the years in which you’ll own your house.
Contact an independent agent in order to maximize your savings. They should also be able to show you multiple ways to save, including bundling your home and auto coverage with the same carrier.
Discounts are far from the only reason to protect your home and family with a state-of-the-art security system — but the savings will help defray the cost so you all stay safe and secure on the home front without busting your budget.