Home insurance on top of your other monthly home expenses can be quite a lot. This can make owning a home more stressful than it should be, which is why you should know what you can do to keep costs as low as possible. This will make life as a homeowner as enjoyable as it should be. Here are four little-known tips to help keep costs on home insurance low

1. Don't Auto-Renew:  Many insurance companies may ask you to sign up for auto-renewal of your home-insurance policy, and some companies even provide a discount for doing so. However, in the end, you may be overlooking some major changes that could be made at this time. When you auto-renew, your policy is going to continue with the same coverage. This may not be beneficial, especially if you have had a change in income and are now able to increase the deductible on your policy, which can lower rates. You may even be eligible for new discounts that weren't previously added on to your policy. 
2. Always Negotiate:  When your policy is up for renewal, it's best to check rates from other companies before you continue with the same company. This gives you room to negotiate on your current rates. Let your current home-insurance company know what other companies are willing to do for you. Since your current home-insurance company likely wants to retain their relationship with you, they will help reduce their rate for you to match one of the lower rates offered to you by another company. 
3. Try Not to Pay Monthly: This is difficult for some, but if you are able to, it's best not to pay monthly for your home insurance. This is because there are additional monthly fees tacked onto your monthly price for your home insurance. The best way to avoid these monthly fees is to pay for your home insurance yearly. Another benefit of this is that there will be one less bill for you to worry about every month. 
4. Avoid Making Claims: Once you make a claim with your home-insurance company, your rates are going to go up. This is why it's best to avoid making a claim unless it's truly necessary. Don't make a claim if the cost of repairs is going to be just as much as your deductible, for example, because you will be paying out of pocket either way without your home-insurance company's help. 

When you know these four little-known tips for saving money on home insurance, you can be sure that you make the most out of your policy and save money. Talk to a variety of companies, such as Reinhardt's Insurance Agency, to see which one will give you the best rates.