Wednesday, April 11, 2007

And you thought your homeowners insurance was expensive!













Thursday, March 15th, 2007

No one likes to over pay for anything, especially not for insurance.While the cost of Auto insurance and Life insurance have fallen in resent years, for most of us the cost of our homeowners Insurance has risen steadily. This is particularly true in the Gulf States. Many insurance companies saw five years worth of profit wiped out in one hurricane season. These losses occurred even after companies had dramatically increased their deductibles and placed restrictions and limitations. In addition to some large losses, scientists are warning that the United States might be in a 20-year cycle of greater storm activity coupled with the global warming. The actuaries at the carriers are looking at warmer seas, higher sea levels combining with new construction being built at a dizzying pace and in ever more dangerous locations. All of this while natural reserves and buffers are being lost, and more and more land is being paved reducing the areas ability to handle flooding. The average cost to insure a U.S. home in 2004 was $729, according to the most recent National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) data. The cheapest state was Idaho, where the average home insurance premium was $448. In Texas, the most expensive state, it was $1,362, or 2.5% of the average Texans’ household income.
“Every disaster known to man can happen in Texas, even earthquakes,” says Jim Hurley, a spokesman for the Texas Insurance Department, a state organization for insurance agents and consumers. “We’d love to be lower on the list, but our geography and weather patterns won’t allow it.” Any real-estate agent will tell you the three greatest factors that effect the price of property are, location, location and location; that pretty much holds true for property insurance. Below are the 5 Highest States for Homeowners Insurance.

1: TexasAverage Annual Premium: $1,362


2: LouisianaAverage Annual Premium: $1,074


3: OklahomaAverage Annual Premium: $991


4: FloridaAverage Annual Premium: $929


5: MississippiAverage Annual Premium: $907


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