With so much competition in the construction industry these days, it seems like your bottom line is being squeezed thin. Want to try adding some bulk? Consider these ways to save on your rates for commercial construction insurance or residential construction insurance.

• Shop around for construction insurance rates and policies. If you've simply been sending in your premiums every year without looking at your construction insurance coverages—and asking how you can save on your construction rates—it's time to take a good look. Markets change and insurers change with them, and a commercial construction insurance policy or a residential construction insurance policy that was a good deal two years ago might be on the expensive side today.
• Think about your own company's needs for construction insurance have changed. Maybe you've had to lay off people because of the recession, or maybe you've been fortunate enough to get into a booming construction market niche and have added employees. Have you sold equipment? Bought it? Moved back into a home office? Moved from residential to commercial construction, so that you should now have commercial construction insurance? All of these changes will impact the rates that you pay for your construction insurance policies.
• Consider raising your construction insurance policy deductibles. A quick rule of thumb to keep in mind: the higher the deductible, the lower the annual premium.
• Get help. Once you've narrowed your construction insurance search down to a few companies (for a good suggestion on how to do that, see below), take advantage of the advice that the experienced business insurance agents from those companies can provide. They know about available discount programs and about combined programs like business owners policies that can save you money.
• Compare construction insurance rates the easy way—use LocalInsurance.com. Unless you really enjoy making phone calls to many different agents and filling out countless forms, you'll find that localinsruance.com answers your need to get competitive insurance quotes quickly and effectively. Just point your Web browser to LocalInsurance.com, fill out a single form, and get back quotes from several leading insurers in your area. Localinsurance.com is the fast way to get a break on your insurance rates—and your bottom line will appreciate the savings.