If you own a home, it’s almost a given that you need home insurance. Unfortunately, choosing between home insurance companies can be more difficult than many think. If you’re looking for a new policy, you should definitely make sure that you keep the factors below in mind.

1. Premiums

The premium is the cost that you’re going to pay for your insurance each year. Most people see their premiums expressed as part of their mortgage payments each month, but it is possible pay off a year’s worth of premiums at a time. You should not only look at your budget to see what you can afford, but you should also look to see what that premium gets you. It’s not always true that paying more gets you more, so do some research to see what you get with your payments.

2. Deductibles

It’s also a good idea to look at your deductible. The deductible is the amount of money you’ll pay out of pocket before your insurance will step in and provide financial help, so having too high of a deductible essentially leaves you in the same place as having no insurance at all. Try to balance what you can afford to pay out of pocket in the event of an emergency with you can afford to pay each month to get a lower deductible. Be sure to contract with a reliable company that offers fair rates and adequate coverage. There is always plenty of time for this.

3. Coverage

What exactly are you getting from your insurance? Does it just cover the structure of the house, or does it cover the items you have inside? Do you know whether or not it protect your assets from flood or fire? What about earthquakes? It’s always good to know exactly what your insurance will and will not cover before you purchase a home insurance policy. Knowing exactly what is covered by your home insurance is incredibly important. Make sure to keep this information on hand at all times for quick reference.

4. Customer Service

Finally, make sure that you look at customer service options. While it’s always a good idea to know what kind of financial coverage you’ll have in the case of an emergency, it’s even better to know how the company will help you. Take a look at reviews of customer interactions online to get a rough idea of what you can expect, but also make sure that you look at basics like the ease of getting in contact with a human when you need your questions answered. Good customer service can really separate insurance companies that might seem similar on their surfaces.

It’s always good to do your research before you choose an insurer. Learn what you get in your policy, what you’ll pay each month, and what your deductible will be if something goes wrong. Once you can figure this out, you can determine whether you can work with a given company to get the protection that your home needs.