Just because you have Columbia SC homeowners insurance doesn't mean it's a smart move to file a claim when something happens. Whether it's a water heater that leaks and causes some damage to your drywall, or a toilet that leaks and causes damage to your wood flooring, filing a claim on your Columbia SC homeowners insurance is not always a smart thing to do.

Before you file your claim, you need to consider your past claim history and what this new claim might mean to your future relationship with your insurance company. Even though insurance companies exist to protect you from loss, they also need to make a profit. So they look for ways to minimize what they pay out.

That means dropping people they see as bad or low-profit—risks. Whether or not they drop you depends on a number of factors that may have nothing to do with your loss in the scenarios above, including your credit rating, where your house is located and whether or not you've filed any (or many) claims before.

Columbia SC Homeowners Insurance Claims Can Cost You Big Time

One of the best ways to wind up in the company's cross-hairs is to file a number of minor claims with a low deductible policy. Even worse, moisture-related claims are put in a central database that all insurers can access. Once one insurer drops you, it becomes much more difficult and expensive to find coverage from another company. That could be a much bigger problem for you than paying for a new water heater and drywall now, or replacing some hardwood flooring.

Read your Columbia SC homeowners insurance policy carefully. Pay particular attention to what the policy says about water damage. Failure of a water heater is usually a "covered peril," but you should also look to see if the policy covers the mold and fungus damage that often results from waterlogged drywall. Bear in mind that even if the policy does cover mold, the very word is a red flag to many insurers because so many homeowners filed claims for mold damage after a rash of storms a few years ago.

Talk to your insurance agent. If you've filed claims in the past, ask how this new claim would affect your premiums and policy renewal. You may not get a completely candid answer or one that will still be in effect when renewal time rolls around, since insurance companies often change their guidelines, but it will give you some insight.

Consider raising the deductible on your Columbia SC homeowners insurance policy to the highest level you can afford. That will eliminate the potential problems that come with making small claims, and will lower your annual premiums as well. The money you save on premiums may be enough to cover any small claims you might otherwise think about filing.

Find more articles pertaining to Columbia SC homeowners insurance under our Columbia SC Insurance section of articles to your right under Columbia SC Real Estate Categories. We also post tips daily on Twitter and Facebook, sometimes pertaining directly to Columbia SC homeowners insurance.

You should give careful consideration before even filing a Columbia SC homeowners insurance claim. Filing just one claim — even a small one — can send your premiums soaring through the roof (no pun intended!)

Factors Affecting Columbia SC Homeowners Insurance Rates

According to a new study from InsuranceQuotes.com, the average premium increase is 9 percent for the first claim. Even a denied claim can cause your premium to go up. Make sure to know your policy's specific guidelines and only file a claim when absolutely necessary. Winning a small claim could actually cost you money in the long run.

The type of Columbia SC homeowners insurance claim also matters. Liability claims, such as from personal injuries, are the most expensive type of claim, with insurers raising premiums by an average of 14%.

Other claims that lead to big premium increases are theft and vandalism, which often indicate that the home is in a neighborhood that is unstable or possibly falling prey to various forms of contamination or corruption. In bad neighborhoods, these crimes can recur, and the high premiums reflect that.

Once your Columbia SC homeowners insurance premiums are raised, it can be difficult to get them reduced.

Insurers keep a database called the Comprehensive Loss Underwriting Exchange, or CLUE, which tracks seven years' worth of your auto and property insurance claims, as well as any inquiries you may have made about a claim. The database then compiles a report based on your claims history that is then used to determine whether to cover you and how much to charge.
The information is available to all insurers so even if you switch providers, your rate with the new carrier may be just as high.

Ways to Try and Keep Columbia SC Homeowners Insurance Costs Down

Raise your deductible. But not so high that you can't afford to pay out-of-pocket costs if damage occurs.

Don't make small claims. Getting a few hundred dollars back if a tree limb falls on your shed may feel good but you could be paying that back to your insurer over the next few years — and then some.

Don't use Columbia SC homeowners insurance as a maintenance tool. Don't file a claim to pay for small repairs, such as when wind blows some old shingles off your roof. Use it for catastrophic repairs only.

Shop around often. Look for quotes once a year. There's lots of competition in the industry and you may be able to buy equal coverage and service for a lower price.

Get more Columbia SC homeowners insurance information in our section on Columbia SC Insurance to the right under Columbia SC Real Estate Categories.

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Getting Columbia SC homeowners insurance is not considered a dumb buy, but some forms of insurance do qualify as a dumb insurance. Some insurance is a total waste of your money, as outlined in this short video…

Many prospective homebuyers in the Columbia SC real estate market don't consider the risk of natural disasters like hurricanes, earthquakes, tornadoes,  and flooding when buying a home. But like many markets throughout the U.S., the Columbia SC real estate market is at some risk of a natural disaster.

Darren Blomquist, Vice President of RealtyTrac, takes a look at the risk of these natural disasters, and their impact on the Columbia SC real estate market, and other markets across the country…

It pays to be informed, and that also applies when buying a home in an area that may be at risk for some sort of natural disaster like the Columbia SC real estate market. It's very hard to find any place that is totally immune from some sort of natural disaster. So make sure when you buy a home anywhere that you are adequately covered for things that could strike which you have no control over, like storms and earthquakes.

Get more insurance information as it pertains to the Columbia SC real estate market at the Columbia SC Insurance link to your right under Columbia SC Real Estate Categories.

As May rolls around on the calendar, many people start making plans for vacations, or either already have those plans in place for summer. But planning for a vacation means more than just arranging flights or tuning up the car and changing the oil (if you plan to drive to your destination.) It also involves preparing your Columbia SC home for your absence.

No matter how long you'll be gone, whether a few days or several weeks (short-term absences generally mean one week or less), here are steps you can take to make your Columbia SC home safer and lower your utility bills. Keeping your home safe while you're away can also go a long ways towards keeping your homeowner's insurance costs down.

Yard

Details: An untrimmed lawn can be a sign to burglars that you are away from home. Depending on how it looks, it also can be considered neglect.

Short-term: Mow your lawn and trim shortly before your trip.

Long-term: Arrange for a lawn service or a neighbor to take care of your landscaping while you are away.

Air-conditioner (during cooling season)

An air-conditioner accounts for about half of your annual electrical bill in your Columbia SC home. Every degree you turn up the thermostat will save you 2 percent on your cooling costs.

Short-term: Turn up the thermostat to about 85 degrees. Doing so will still protect your plants, furniture and other belongings without running up your electric bill.

Long-term: Again, turn up the thermostat to about 85 degrees. Ask a friend or neighbor you trust to water your plants.

General Plumbing

Details: No one wants to come home from a relaxing vacation to a plumbing leak in their Columbia SC home.

Short-term: Turn off water at the main shut-off valve, unless some household items require it to stay on. Such items may include an ice maker, an automatic sprinkler system that doesn't have a separate shut-off, and a pool.

Long-term: Do the same. While you're gone, have a neighbor or friend turn on the water and run the faucets at least once a month (if you're gone that long.) This will help prevent sewer gas from entering your Columbia SC home while you are gone and can keep parts of plumbing fixtures from drying out or cracking. Also, have the friend flush toilets and run the dishwasher.

Water Heater

Details: Why run up your electric bill heating water that you're not going to be there to use?

Short term: Set the temperature on "vacation" mode. Most newer water heaters are equipped with a vacation setting. The water heater will run occasionally but not nearly as often as it does normally.

Long-term: Set on vacation mode. Some experts recommend not turning it off while you're gone, but instead flushing it out when you return. One way to do this is to run the water heater until it has used all the hot water and let it refill again.

Toilets

Details: Toilets can collect bacteria, which can cause stains.

Short-term: Pour a half cup of chlorine into the bowl (not the tank).

Long-term: Do the same. Have a friend periodically flush the toilets while you are gone.

Lights

Details: A continually dark house, both inside and out, can be a signal to a burglar that your Columbia SC home is vacant.

Short-term: Turn off all lights except the ones you want as security measures. Put the security lights on variable timers, not the ones that come on and go off at the same time every day. Smart burglars watch for this and it's a sure sign that lights are on timers.

Long-term: Do the above. Make sure your security lights are outfitted with CFL bulbs, which save on energy and are long-lasting.

Refrigerator

Details: Don't come home from your trip to a refrigerator filled with spoiled food.

Short-term: Throw out perishables such as milk that will expire while you're gone.

Long-term: Clean out the refrigerator; either throw items away or give them to a neighbor. You have two choices. One is to unplug the refrigerator and leave the door open to prevent mildew, odor and mold. The other is to keep the refrigerator running. Don't let it sit empty, however. Fill it with bottles of water so it will run more efficiently.

Other considerations For Your Columbia SC Home for Vacation Time

• Small appliances, computers, televisions: Unplug these items.
• Smoke detectors: Make sure they are in working condition.
• Security company: If you have one, notify the company that you will be away.
• Disposer/drains: Run the disposer. Mix a half cup of vinegar with a cup of water and pour down.
• Newspaper: Put delivery on vacation hold.
• Leaks: Check for water leaks before you leave. Feel the valves underneath faucets to make sure they aren't moist. Get any leaks fixed.
• Mail: Contact the U.S. Postal Service to put your mail on hold. If you are going to be gone long term, arrange for your mail to be forwarded.
• Phone: Don't leave a message that you are out of town.
• Car: If you park your car in the driveway normally and are leaving it while on an extended trip, arrange for a friend or relative to drive it (or at least move it from time to time) so it looks like it is being used (and so cobwebs don't develop, a sure signal that no one is home).
• Banks/credit cards: If you plan to use your credit or debit cards while you're out of town, especically out of the country, notify your bank and credit-card company. Provide the dates you will be gone and where you are going. That way, they won't be surprised — or put a hold on your card — when they see charges from abroad.
• Emergency contact: Leave your contact information with a friend or neighbor. Include the names and contact information for your plumber, electrician, yard service, pool service or other contact should a problem happen while you are away.
• Locks: Make sure all your windows are shut and doors are locked before you leave your Columbia SC home for vacation.

For more articles and tips on homeowners insurance for your Columbia SC home, check out our Columbia SC Insurance section under Columbia SC Real Estate Categories to your right.