Does where you live impact how much you pay for home insurance? That's a question that may come up as you are considering buying a new home.

Location does matter, to some extent. Home insurance costs vary based on risk. If you live in an area with an increased level of risk, you might pay more for your insurance needs. Most often, insurance rates vary from one region to the next. However, they can vary from one neighborhood to the next as well.

If You Are Buying a Home, Ask Questions Now

Even street to street, home insurance rates can vary. Take the time to sit down with your insurance agent to ask questions.

• Talk about the city in which you wish to buy. Is it overall a safe community? What are the types of risks in that community?

• Is there an area of the community that is safer than others? Is there an area that is more expensive to insure than others?

• And, ask why. What are the risks factors that impact home insurance rates within the community? Every agent will have a different set of factors that play a role in overall costs.

If you do not have an insurance agent yet, you can obtain free, no obligation quotes from our agency. We can compare the policy offerings of different insurers. We can give you an idea of what the cost differences might be.

So, What Could Be Behind Higher Rates?

Many factors play a role in risks related to home insurance. It is up to you, the homeowner, to choose a policy that best reflects your risks. This gives you the ability to know you have protection. However, insurers often base costs on previous incidents in an area. Key factors that may trigger higher rates include:

• More theft and home break-ins

• Flooding risks

• Home values in an area (if an area has higher-valued homes, it costs more to insure them)

• The rate of claims in a community

• Storm-related claims

• Safety features and forces in the area

Many elements play a role in the overall security of any location. Talk to your home insurance agent to learn more. Most importantly, find out what you can do. Most of the time, you can take steps to reduce risk and costs with security systems and other features.

When you need home insurance, we're here to help. Call McCallum Agency at 440-899-2700 for a fast, free home insurance quote.