If you own a house and are thinking about adding some smart home features to it, you should know that the things you add could affect your homeowner's insurance rates in a positive way. Smart home features are designed to increase the safety of a home and to offer a way to remotely change or check things in a home, and here are a few things to know about smart home features.

Types of smart home features you could add

Today, smart home features are becoming very popular and are more affordable than they were in the past. Because of this, many people are installing them in their homes, and a lot of smart home features can be controlled remotely from a cellphone. With a cellphone and the right devices, you can do things such as turning on or off lights, changing the thermostat, locking the doors, and checking the moisture levels in the house. Smart home features also allow you to see who is at your door even if you are not home, and there are many other types. All of them are designed to make a home safer or to give you a convenient way to make changes in your home when you are not home.

How these features make your home safer

Smart home features, such as video cameras that detect motion, are a great example of one type of device you can purchase that can increase the safety of your home. Whether you are home or not, you can get an alert on your phone if you have a camera system set up outside that tracks motion. The cameras will detect motion if someone walks up and will alert you of this. The camera will also record the video footage, which is ideal if someone tries breaking into your home. There are a lot of other features you can get that will also improve the safety of your home.

Why your insurance rates might decrease

Insurance costs are always based on risk factors, and because smart home features make a home safer, they will cause your risks to decrease when it comes to your home insurance. Because of this, you can get a discount on your insurance by installing the right features in your home.

If you are interested in adding smart home features or if you recently did already, talk to your homeowner's insurance agent to learn more about possible discounts you might be eligible for.