It was about a year ago when I reported that Texas led the nation for highest insurance premiums in 2010. Well, the results are in for 2011 and Texas has once again topped the nation as the state with the highest insurance premiums in the land. Roger Mares of KTXS News reports that Texas homeowners pay an average of $1,511 annually for their home insurance. That’s $50 more than Florida, the state that came in second place.
Mares explains that part of the reason for our higher rates stems from the sheer size of our state leading to our weather being more diverse than that of most other states. That may be true, but I suspect part of the reason our rates will continue to rise for the foreseeable future is that insurers are trying to make up for the losses they experienced as a result of Hurricane Ike, which CNBC ranks as the third most expensive hurricane in U.S. history.
The article gives tips for trying to reduce your homeowner’s insurance premium. Suggestions include performing routine maintenance on your home to avoid preventable losses, buying a new roof for your home, equipping your home with an alarm system, and taking advantage of renewal discounts. The best piece of advice from the article is to visit yearly with your insurance agent. The agent can fill you in on any legal changes, as well as informing you of discounts that may apply to your policy.
