The Impact of Cost of Living Increases

For nearly a decade, America has trudged through an economic downturn. Many families suffered through stagnant or reduced salaries, on top of the rising cost of living. People have had to tighten their budgets to accommodate higher prices on food, utilities and gasoline. And after paying for these necessities, they have less money leftover for entertainment or even savings.

To compensate for these financial hardships, many people have cut back on things they once spent money on regularly. And while it’s important to get financially creative to stay afloat, one thing you should not get rid of is ample home insurance.

The purpose of home insurance is to trade an affordable sum (your premium) for financial protection against an event that you could not afford otherwise, such as a total loss of your house and/or possessions. Look at it this way. When you’re making budget cuts, it may make sense to cancel the insurance policy you have on your cell phone or laptop. While losing or breaking an electronic device may be inconvenient, the price tag for a new device is something you could probably cover yourself if something does happen. However, the price tag of a new house or new furniture is not an amount that most people have readily available in their savings account.

If a fire burned down your home or a tornado ripped it in two, home insurance may be the only way for you and your family to regain what was lost. And besides this crucial protection, many mortgage lenders require you to maintain coverage during the course of your loan. So, it’s easy to see why home insurance remains important, even in light of increasing living expenses.

However, just because you need to buy home insurance doesn’t mean you have to pay an arm and a leg for coverage. Working with an independent insurance agent provides a great opportunity for savings, because your agent is able to search a network of insurance providers to find a good policy for a lower price. Additionally, many insurers offer various discount options that you may be able to apply to your policy. Talk to your agent today to find out how affordable great coverage can be!