What Might Cause Homeowners Insurance to Cost More?

When purchasing a home, it’s essential to invest in homeowners insurance in the event of accidents and emergencies along with normal wear and tear that could lead to repairs and renovations. Regardless of whether you want to sell the property in the future or pass it down to your children or grandchildren, you’ll need to keep the home well maintained, and insurance coverage can reduce maintenance costs. The type of house you buy will typically determine the variety of homeowner insurance San Diego options available as well as premium costs. However, some factors could make your policy more expensive than others.

Room Additions

Adding another room or expanding one could make your home more expensive to insure. This is due to more footage needing to be repaired in the event of property damage, including fires, flooding caused by burst pipes, and other rebuilding factors. Be honest with your insurance provider ahead of building to ensure you get the best coverage options. In addition to higher premiums, you’ll need to pay for more furniture, appliances, electrical devices, and cleaning supplies, so keep this in mind when adding the space. However, the added square footage could increase the property value, making the higher insurance premium worth the cost.

Finished Basement

Whether you want to host gatherings for family and friends or you want to make a recreation room for your children complete with a spare bathroom, a finished basement could cause your insurance premium to increase. The portions of the area you complete will need to be covered at different rates with most providers. For example, if you plan to add a bathroom at some point but haven’t finished that aspect, it’s not included in your costs. However, suppose you have added an electrical system, level ceilings, and finished floors and walls. In that case, those fixtures will need to be covered under your policy in the event of issues such as pipe damage or fires.

Swimming Pool

The privacy of swimming at home is perfect for families, whether the activity is for fun, exercise, or mental health benefits. However, as a homeowner, you need to protect the pool, leading to expensive insurance coverage. The structures of the pool that need to be safeguarded typically lead to the need for more personal property coverage. Before installing a pool, speak to your homeowners insurance provider and builder about adjustments to lower your rates without causing you to let go of the luxury addition.

Kitchen or Bathroom Upgrades

Homeowners insurance can go up when you decide to make changes after purchasing the property. For example, if you choose to renovate your kitchen or bathroom, you should expect your premium to increase. There are various structural costs associated with the insurance, such as dwelling coverage that typically increases due to renovations like changing the countertops in your kitchen or building custom cabinets. When making these upgrades, make sure to choose high-quality renovations that increase the value of your home. 

For information on choosing homeowners insurance that suits your needs, call on the experienced agents at Altra Insurance Services. In addition to homeowners coverage, we offer a variety of reliable insurance products, including business, renters, and car insurance Chula Vista. Call us today at (800) 719-9972 to learn more about our high-quality service and affordable coverage.