Athens, GA Homeowners Insurance
Find the right homeowners insurance policy for you.
Jeff Green has held a variety of sales and management roles at life insurance companies, Wall street firms, and distribution organizations over his 40-year career. He was previously Finra 7,24,66 registered and held life insurance licenses in multiple states. He is a graduate of Stony Brook University.
Athens, GA is located about 70 miles northeast of downtown Atlanta. It is home to the University of Georgia and has a thriving music scene. Over 125,000 people live in Athens.
Homeowners in Athens can experience break-ins, fires, and severe weather that can easily damage or destroy their personal property at any time.
Athens homeowners need affordable home insurance that covers their risks. Having reliable, responsive homeowners insurance means having peace of mind in the face of unpleasant events.
Local independent insurance agents can help you find the best and most affordable insurance coverage for your home. A local agent can help you start comparing quotes today.
The Importance of Liability Insurance for Athens Homeowners
Your home insurance policy covers your home’s structure and your belongings. It also includes liability coverage, which is designed to help you pay for a variety of expenses if you are sued for negligence.
If someone is injured on your property, your liability coverage will pay for their medical expenses related to the accident. If that person sues you for additional damages, your liability coverage pays for attorney fees, court costs, and any settlements or judgments that you are required to pay to the injured party.
Consider these examples of when your homeowners liability coverage is invaluable:
- A guest in your home trips on loose carpeting and breaks her ankle.
- Your child hits a baseball through a neighbor’s window.
- Your dog bites a passerby.
- You are accused of libel or slander because of something you posted on social media.
You can learn more about liability insurance from a local independent insurance agent. You might find that you need more coverage than your home insurance policy allows. In this case, you can purchase a personal umbrella policy, which offers liability coverage beyond what is provided in your home or auto insurance policy.
Homeowners Insurance Covers Your Property
Homeowners insurance is designed to cover you against a variety of hazards you face as a homeowner. Dwelling coverage pays for repairing or replacing the physical structure of your home. Contents coverage pays for replacing or repairing lost or damaged possessions.
In Athens, tornadoes and severe weather can cause significant damage to your home. And without home insurance, you’d have to pay for repairs on your own.
- Number of declared disasters in Georgia: 67
- Most common reasons for disasters in the state: Severe Storms and Tornadoes
- Average number of tornadoes per year in Georgia: 29.4
- Average amount of property damage per year in Georgia: $1,773,172,000
- 1 in 15 insured homes has a claim each year
There is a real threat of severe storms and tornadoes in Georgia. An insurance agent can help you review your dwelling and contents coverage limits so you can be sure that they are high enough to enable you to rebuild, repair, or replace if necessary.
Does Athens Homeowners Insurance Offer Coverage for Burglaries?
The home burglary rate in Athens is higher than the state average, and burglaries can be a problem for local residents.
- Number of burglaries per 1,000 homes in the US: 4.69
- Number of burglaries per 1,000 homes in Georgia: 6.14
- Number of burglaries per 1,000 homes in Athens: 7.36
No matter where you live, you can be the victim of a home burglary, break-in, or vandalism. Your home insurance is designed to reimburse you for loss or damage following such an event. But remember, you have to pay your deductible first, and your insurance company will handle the rest.
Don’t wait until it’s too late. Take precautions to protect your home from burglaries, and remember that having a home security system is one of the best ways to keep the burglars out.
What’s more, homes with burglar alarms often qualify for extra discounts on home insurance.
How Much Does Homeowners Insurance Cost in Athens, GA?
Georgia is the 20th most expensive state for home insurance in the US, and the average cost of homeowners coverage in Athens is slightly higher than the state average.
- National average yearly premium: $1,173
- Georgia average yearly premium: $1,152
- Athens average yearly premium: $1,184
Your home insurance rates may be higher or lower than average, depending on your home’s unique characteristics (size, location, age, value, etc.) and other risk factors (crime rate, severe weather risk) in your neighborhood.
If your property’s location comes with more hazards than most, expect to pay more. You will also pay more if your home will cost more to repair or rebuild than others.
Comparing quotes from multiple insurance companies and making sure you are maximizing your discounts is the best way to make sure you’re getting the best rate on your home insurance.
A local independent insurance agent can help you do just that, and can guide you through the process to ensure that you are getting the coverage you need.
Insurance Coverage for Second Homes and Vacation Homes
Georgia offers a wide variety of recreation opportunities across the entire state. Perhaps you are lucky enough to own a cabin or a lake cottage. Or you might own a rental property that you lease to university students.
If you own any kind of second home, vacation home, or rental property, you need to ensure that you have appropriate coverage for how each property is used.
- Hunting cabins and lake homes may only be occupied seasonally or on weekends. These properties are often targets for thieves, and property damage that occurs while you are gone can go unnoticed for long periods and get worse. Vacant home insurance may be needed in these situations.
- If you own a rental property or a vacation home that you rent out to tenants, landlord insurance can help you cover the specific risks you face as a landlord.
An independent insurance agent can help you review the unique coverage needs for all of your residential properties. You can review competitive quotes to make sure you’re getting the best price.
Why Work with an Independent Insurance Agent in Athens?
Independent insurance agents in your city can help you find a reliable and affordable home insurance policy. Independent agents aren’t tied to one company, so you can be sure you are getting honest, unbiased advice.
Contact an agent in Athens to start comparing customized home insurance quotes.
http://www.naic.org/prod_serv/AUT-PB-14.pdf
https://www.census.gov
http://www.city-data.com