Does my age matter for homeowners insurance rates?

I'm married and we own our home together. My homeowner's insurance policy is using my husband's age of 78 to determine our policy's premium, but I am only 69. Can we use my age to help save money on our homeowner's insurance? I know age matters a lot for car insurance, but is it an important factor for home insurance?

Thank you for reaching out to The Zebra! This is a great question. Car insurance is much more dependent on your age than home insurance. When it comes to home insurance, the age of the house is usually a much more important factor than the age of the homeowner! However, some carriers will use your age to help determine the premium on homeowner's coverage. Typically it is not a big change in the rates, and oftentimes, it's to evaluate a potential discount as a senior citizen, which could be a benefit in keeping your husband as the primary insured. The easiest way to find out for sure is to ask your current insurer if changing the primary insured could impact your premium.

If you call your insurance company and ask about changing the primary name on your home, you will want to be sure that you are also listed on the title of the home. If not, insurance companies would not be able to list you as the primary insured (the one whose age/credit determines the premium). This important detail can be easy to overlook, especially if you've been in the home for many years.

As you're considering updating your policy, it might be a good time to look at your coverage and determine if any other updates or changes should be made. Enjoying your retirement should be a higher priority than worrying about your home insurance at this point in your life. If you have an older home, if you've done any remodeling or made big changes to the property, or if you're considering downsizing in the next few years you may have other considerations. You can also save money by bundling your home and auto policies if you aren't already.

For your existing policy, reach out to your current insurance company to go over any potential changes or concerns. Keep in mind that some insurers are known for tailoring policies to senior citizens, like The Hartford. If you'd like a new quote or to explore other insurance companies, you can call our agency (888-444-8949) to get a personalized quote and assistance from one of our great agents.