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Most homeowners leave money on their premiums because they never asked. Insurers do not always apply discounts automatically, and some of the biggest ones require you to tell the company you qualify. Here are the discounts worth asking about, with realistic savings ranges.
Bundling: the biggest single discount
Buying your homeowners and auto insurance from the same carrier typically saves up to 25% on the home policy, and sometimes on both. Industry analyses put typical combined savings in the 10% to 25% range, and some carriers are more aggressive. Farmers, for example, raised its California home/auto bundle discount to 22% in 2026.
The catch is worth one sentence: bundling locks both policies to one carrier, so re-shop each line independently at renewal to make sure you are still getting a competitive price on both. Our breakdown of how much bundling home and auto actually saves runs the math.
Safety and security discounts
- Monitored security system: up to 15% off. This is the security discount that matters most. A self-monitored camera system usually earns less than a professionally monitored alarm.
- Smoke detectors and fire alarms: around 5%. Most homes already have them, which means most homeowners already qualify and never asked.
- Sprinkler systems: can reach 15% to 20% in some states, though installation costs mean this one pays off mainly in new construction.
- Water leak detection: growing fast as a discount category. Automatic shutoff valves that stop a burst pipe before it floods the house earn credits with an increasing number of carriers.
Home and policy discounts
- New home: homes under 10 years old can earn discounts up to 25%, since newer construction means newer wiring, plumbing, and roofing.
- Claims-free: five years without a claim typically earns around 5%, with some carriers going higher. This is also an argument for paying small repairs out of pocket.
- Loyalty: staying with one carrier usually earns 5% to 8% after several years. Compare it against what a new carrier would quote before you let loyalty decide.
- Higher deductible: raising your deductible from $1,000 to $2,500 commonly saves 10% to 15% on premium. See how to choose your home insurance deductible for the tradeoff.
Payment and profile discounts
- Pay in full: paying the annual premium upfront instead of monthly typically saves around 5% to 6%, and you avoid installment fees on top.
- Autopay and paperless: small individually, usually a few percent, but they stack and they cost nothing.
- Retiree and senior: many carriers discount for homeowners 55 and older, around 10% to 15% at some companies, on the logic that retirees are home more and spot problems earlier.
- Non-smoker: a quiet discount at several carriers. Smoking raises fire risk, and the surcharge for it works in reverse.
Renovation and mitigation discounts
If you have replaced the roof, updated the electrical or plumbing, or added storm shutters or impact windows, tell your insurer. Roof documentation alone can earn 5% to 12% depending on the age and material, and wind-mitigation credits in coastal states are some of the largest available. Updated systems typically earn 3% to 7%.
How to actually get them
Once a year, ideally a month before renewal, call your agent and run through the list. Ask specifically which discounts you are receiving and which ones you could qualify for. Bring documentation: the alarm contract, the roof replacement receipt, the leak sensor model. Discounts that require proof do not get applied on your word.
One honest caveat: total discounts are usually capped around 30% to 40% depending on the carrier, and the advertised “up to” figure goes to the best-qualified applicants. Still, most homeowners who do the annual review find at least two or three discounts they were not getting. On a $3,000 premium, that is real money.
