7 Home Insurance Discounts You're Probably Not Claiming

Most homeowners don't think about their insurance policy until something goes wrong — a burst pipe, a storm, a renewal notice with a number that doesn't look right. And when they do think about it, the whole thing feels opaque. What am I actually paying for? Could I be paying less? Is there anything I should be doing differently?

The honest answer is: probably yes. Insurance carriers offer a range of discounts that many homeowners never take advantage of — not because they're hidden, but because the industry hasn't done a great job of making them easy to find and understand. That's a gap worth closing.

Here are seven discounts that are widely available, frequently missed, and worth a phone call to your carrier.

1. Protective Device Credits (Smoke Detectors, Sprinklers, Water Sensors, Deadbolts)

This is one of the most underused discounts in home insurance — and one of the easiest to qualify for. If you have smoke detectors (required by code in nearly every state), you already qualify for a small credit. Add fire extinguishers, a sprinkler system, deadbolts, water leak sensors, or CO detectors, and the credits stack: typically 1–5% each, up to 10–15% combined.

What makes this discount powerful is that the steps to qualify are the same steps that actually protect your home. Installing a water leak sensor under your kitchen sink isn't just a line item for your carrier — it's the difference between a small alert and a $20,000 water damage claim. Every device you add reduces real risk and lowers your real premium.

Most homeowners don't realize there's a specific process to claim these credits. Carriers call it a "protective device credit review" — not the most intuitive phrase, but it's exactly what you want to ask for.

How to claim it: Call your carrier and request a protective device credit review. Walk through what you have: smoke detectors (how many, where), CO detectors, fire extinguishers, deadbolts, sprinklers, water leak sensors. They'll have a checklist and can tell you what qualifies. If you're not sure what devices would make the biggest impact for your home, that's exactly the kind of thing Rafter can help you figure out — more on that below.

2. Home Security System Discounts

A monitored security system — or even a smart doorbell camera — can qualify you for a 2–10% discount. Professionally monitored systems (ADT, SimpliSafe, Ring Protect Pro) tend to land on the higher end. Self-monitored smart devices typically qualify for 2–5%.

Like protective device credits, security discounts reward you for doing something that genuinely reduces risk. Theft and vandalism claims drop significantly in homes with visible, active security — which is why carriers offer the credit in the first place. The key is making sure your carrier actually knows what you have installed, since the discount isn't applied automatically.

How to claim it: Send your carrier proof of your security system — the monitoring contract, install receipt, or a screenshot of your active subscription. Ask them to apply the protective device credit to your policy.

3. Bundling Home and Auto Policies

If your home and auto insurance are with different carriers, you're likely paying more than you need to on both. Bundling is one of the simplest ways to reduce your premium — most carriers offer 5–15% off when you combine policies, and some go up to 20%.

On a $2,400/year home policy, that's $360 back in your pocket for a 30-minute phone call. It's one of those things that's easy to keep putting off and almost always worth doing.

How to claim it: Call your home carrier and ask for a bundled auto quote. Then call your auto carrier and ask for a bundled home quote. Compare both to what you're paying now. Pick the best option.

4. Claims-Free Discount

If you haven't filed a claim in the last 3–5 years, you may qualify for a 5–20% discount. The longer your claims-free streak, the larger the savings. Some carriers apply this automatically at renewal, but plenty don't — it's worth confirming.

Being proactive about home maintenance is one of the best ways to stay claims-free, and it's an approach that benefits everyone: you avoid the disruption and cost of a claim, and your carrier avoids the payout. A discount for that track record makes sense.

How to claim it: Call your carrier and ask: "Do I qualify for a claims-free discount?" If they say it's already applied, ask for the exact amount and whether it increases at the 5-year mark — it often does, and the update isn't always automatic.

5. New Roof Discount

Your roof is the single biggest factor in your home insurance premium. If you've replaced yours in the last 10 years, you likely qualify for a discount — potentially 10–25% if it's less than 5 years old, depending on your state.

This one matters because water and wind damage from roof failures account for the majority of homeowner claims in the U.S. A newer roof dramatically reduces that risk, and your premium should reflect it. But the discount doesn't always kick in automatically when you get a new roof — your carrier needs documentation.

How to claim it: Send your carrier the roofing contractor's invoice or completion certificate showing the install date and materials used. If you went with impact-resistant shingles (Class 3 or 4), mention it specifically — that often unlocks an additional credit.

6. Loyalty Discount

If you've been with your carrier for 3+ years, you may qualify for a 3–10% loyalty discount, with the amount typically increasing at the 5- and 10-year marks.

Long-term policyholders are valuable to carriers — lower acquisition costs, more predictable risk profiles — and most carriers have a loyalty program of some kind. But it's not always surfaced prominently at renewal, so a quick call can make sure you're getting the full benefit of sticking around.

How to claim it: Call and ask: "I've been a customer for [X] years. Am I receiving the maximum loyalty discount available?" If the answer isn't clear, ask them to walk you through what tiers exist and where you fall.

7. Recent Renovation Discounts

Newer homes (built in the last 10–15 years) typically qualify for a discount because modern construction meets current building codes and uses updated materials. But even if your home is older, major renovations to electrical, plumbing, HVAC, or roofing can qualify you for similar credits.

A full electrical rewire on a 1960s home, for example, eliminates one of the top fire risk factors. That's the kind of improvement that genuinely reduces risk — and carriers want to know about it because it changes your home's risk profile for the better.

How to claim it: Gather documentation for any major system renovation in the last 10 years — permits, invoices, inspection reports. Send them to your carrier and ask: "Does this renovation qualify for a premium credit?"

The Bigger Opportunity: Prevention That Pays for Itself

The common thread across all seven of these discounts is straightforward: homeowners who are informed and proactive get better outcomes. Maintaining your home well, investing in safety devices, and keeping your carrier updated aren't just good habits — they directly lower your cost of coverage while reducing the chance of a claim in the first place.

But here's what most people miss: the discounts with the highest long-term value aren't the passive ones like bundling or loyalty. They're the ones tied to things you actively do to protect your home — the security systems, the leak sensors, the sprinkler installations, the roof upgrades. Those discounts reward real risk reduction, and they compound: a home that's better protected today is less likely to generate a claim tomorrow, which keeps your premiums lower year after year.

That's exactly what Rafter is built to do. Rafter assesses your home's specific risks, identifies the highest-impact steps you can take to reduce them — including the protective devices and security upgrades that unlock carrier discounts — and walks you through getting them done. Then it helps you document everything so your insurance actually reflects the work you've put in. The result is a home that's genuinely safer, insurance that costs less, and fewer claims for everyone in the system.

If you're going to make one call to your carrier this week, start with the protective device credit review. And if you want help figuring out which devices and upgrades will make the biggest difference for your specific home, take a look at Rafter.