South Carolina Homeowners Insurance Guide

Coastal homeowners in South Carolina may find themselves with higher insurance rates or substantially higher deductibles due to the potential damage that can be caused by hurricanes, particularly in light of the most recent hurricane disasters in this country.

Many homeowners assume their deductibles are based on a percentage of each claim filed. However, in an increasing number of cases, they are based on a percentage of the insured value of the home. For instance, if a $500,000 house with a five percent deductible receives $25,000 in storm damage, the policy would not cover any part of the loss because the deductible is applied to the house's value, for a total of $25,000, not the loss, where the deductible would be $1,250.

The South Carolina General Assembly passed the Omnibus Coastal Property Insurance Reform Act in 2007. This law was created to help homeowners by increasing private insurance availability. Many new insurance companies arrived in South Carolina since the law was passed.

South Carolina home insurance rates rank number 15, along with Arkansas, for its average homeowner insurance costs. But don't despair. While you can't control some factors, you can do some things to lower your rate.

If you have not yet purchased your home, keep these things in mind before you buy, and you can save money on your house insurance rates:

• Disclosure - if the home you are looking at is in a high crime area or has a history of flooding, the rates will be higher. So make sure you get full disclosure before you buy.
• Fire and Flood - the farther your house is from the nearest hydrant and the longer it takes the fire department to respond can negatively affect your rate. Also, obviously, living in an area prone to floods will cost you as well.
• Age and Construction - the older your home is, the more it will cost to insure. This is because, as building materials age, they become less stable, and the home is more susceptible to damage. Getting a brick house rather than wood can save you money.
• Electrical and Plumbing Systems - newer systems aren't as apt to fail, so some insurance companies will give you a discount for buying a new home.

Here are some other factors that can help (or hurt) your rate:

• Credit Score - rightly or wrongly, if your credit score isn't so great, you will have a higher insurance rate.
• Multiple Policies - you can get a discount for buying your homeowners policy with the same company that insures your car.
• Home Security - deadbolts and an alarm system can bring you a discount on your rate.
• Senior Citizen Discount - if you are 55 or older, you can get a discount because insurance companies believe seniors have more time to perform home maintenance, and since they do not have to leave the house to work, they would notice a fire more quickly than a younger, working adult.
• Don't Smoke - where there's smoke, there will often be a fire, so if you don't smoke, you're likely to get a discount.

Ask your insurance agent if you can do other things to lower your rate.