The age of your home. Brand-new homes have more reliable electrical and plumbing and are built to specific codes for maximum safety. For this reason, owning a new home will likely cost you less to insure. Other risk factors. Owning a home with a swimming pool can drive up your homeowners insurance costs significantly. Owning a dog can impact your rate, depending on the dog's breed. There's so much that goes into determining the cost of homeowners insurance that it's a good idea to talk to an agent as you determine which coverages are right for you