KSBY News at 6pm from 18:29 to 18:34 in US/Pacific

LAST YEAR. HOME INSURANCE PREMIUMS HAVE SKYROCKETED. SOME CASES, THESE MONTHLY COSTS HAVE RISEN BY AS MUCH AS 40%. JEN SULLIVAN LOOKS AT WHAT'S CAUSING THE PRICE HIKE AND WHAT HOMEOWNERS CAN DO TO TRY AND SAVE MONEY.

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WHEN DISASTER STRIKES HOME INSURANCE IS THERE TO HELP COVER SOME OF THE CALLS YOUR HOME IS WHERE YOUR LARGEST ASSET AND THE INSURANCE INDUSTRY OF ITS WISE AND PRUDENT T PROTECT THAT ASSET, THAT THE PRICE OF THAT PROTECTION IS BECOMING MORE EXPENSIVE HOME INSURANCE BROKER TRAVIS HODGES SAYS HE'S SEEN AVERAGE INCREASE OF 27% YEAR-OVER-YEAR. SOME CASES, THE COST INSURING YOUR HOME CAN GO EVEN HIGHER. WE'VE HEARD AS MUCH AS 40. WHAT'S CAUSING THE PRICE HIKE? HODGES SAYS THERE ARE A FEW REASONS. CHANGING WEATHER PATTERNS AND EVENTS SUCH AS TORNADOES AND WILDFIRES. THE COST OF MATERIALS IS GOING UP SO IT COSTS MORE TO FIX ANY DAMAGE. PRETTY VALUES HAVE RISEN. LET'S LOOK AT THOSE NUMBERS FOR A MOMENT. IN JANUARY, THE MEDIAN HOME SALE PRICE WAS $379,100, ACCORDING TO THE NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS. IT'S 5.1% HIGHER THAN JANUARY OF LAST YEAR, ANY TO THE 7TH MONTH IN A ROOM, HOME PRICES HAVE GONE UP. EVERYTHING ELSE HAS GONE UP. INSURANCE IS JUST MERE THAT AND THEN PROPORTION. SO WHAT CAN YOU DO TO SAVE MONEY IF YOU'RE WILLING TO INCREASE YOUR DEDUCTIBLE MUCH AS $500? HODGES SAYS YOU CAN SEE IT ANYWHERE FROM 15 TO 20% AND SHOP AROUND FOR DIFFERENT POLICIES. WE ACTUALLY DO THAT PROACTIVELY FOR OUR CLIENTS. EVERY TIME THERE'S A RENEWAL, WE'VE LET THEM KNOW WHAT OTHER OPTIONS ARE OUT THERE. AND REMEMBER, FLOOD INSURANCE IS A SEPARATE PLAN FOR CNSUMER WATCH ON JENN SULLIVAN.

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NO TICKET MATCHED ALL 6 NUMBERS DRAWN IN THE MEGA MILLIONS LAST NIGHT, WHICH MEANS THE ESTIMATED JACKPOT FOR FRIDAY'S DRAWING WILL SURPASS 600 MILLION DOLLARS FOR JUST THE 8TH TIME IN THE LOTTERY'S HISTORY. MEGA MILLIONS HOLDS THE DISTINCTION OF BEING THE ONLY LOTTERY GAME TO HAVE AWARDED 5 DIFFERENT JACKPOTS WORTH MORE THAN 1 BILLION DOLLARS. STILL AHEAD IN OUR NEXT HALF HOUR, HUNTER BIDEN GAVE A COSED DOOR DEPOSITION TODAY REGARDING CLAIMS THAT PRESIDENT BIDEN WAS INVOLVED IN HIS SON'S BUSINESS DEALINGS. WE'LL HAVE DETAILS WHEN WE RETURN.

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I'M NEIL HEBERT, YOUR COMMUNITY REPORTER IN SAN LUIS OBISPO, WARY FORMER SAN LUIS OBISPO COUNTY. IT