Image courtesy of Bjarne Hansen

Home insurance – and in some cases second home insurance – costs members of the general public in the UK hundreds of pounds every year. While it’s not worth running the risk of overlooking adequate cover, policies are expensive. Help is at hand, though, in the form of these money-saving tips, so read on to see how you can save.

There are several ways that home owners can take a proactive lead in getting cheaper insurance, one of which is to do a bit of DIY in and around a property. An alarm, a couple of CCTV cameras and motion-sensor security lights will all act as visual deterrents to anybody who’s paying any ‘unwanted’ attention to your home. Consider them an investment, but it’s not the end of the world if you can’t afford them. A convincing fake alarm or CCTV camera will hopefully have a similar effect.

Another cheaper alternative is to plant a few prickly bushes under windows to keep potential thieves at bay or at least give them a nasty surprise if they try to enter without permission. Having noisy gravel on the driveway and garden paths will also make it harder for anybody to get in and out of a house without making a sound.

Get deadlocks fitted to all external doors and decent locks installed to windows. Make sure you use them and lock up, even when you’re in the property as it can take only a matter of seconds for someone to steal thousands of pounds worth of your belongings. Bearing in mind that you’ll have spent a lot of time, money, blood, sweat and tears to improve the security of your home, so don’t undo it all by being careless. If you own a lot of expensive jewellery or belongings of high sentimental value then keep them well out of sight and possibly even buy a safe.

Offering to raise your excess should have a positive impact in terms of reducing your home insurance premium, although be mindful that you’ll be required to pay that revised figure in the event of having to make a claim. If you decide that this is an avenue you want to go down, then striking a balance between risk and financial security is important. Talk to your insurers to see what they suggest. One thing they may suggest is pooling together the various different insurance policies you have – like car, home and travel – in return for discounted deals.

Last, but by no means least, use the Internet to your advantage. Log on to a price comparison website and get a real range of quotes from countless insurance companies. When sites such as moneysupermarket claim that they can save customers over £200, it really is a no-brainer. These kinds of resources save you time and money, both of which are the most precious of commodities in modern society.