Marriage, having a child, retirement are just some of the life events that can have a profound effect on insurance needs, so an annual New Year’s coverage review is always a good idea.
Consider the following 5 questions when preparing for an annual review with your Insurance Professional:
1. Have you gotten married or divorced?
If you have gotten married and are merging two households, you may need to update your homeowners insurance. It’s also a great time to create a home inventory wedding registries make it very easy to create lists.
2. Is there a new child in your home?
If you have recently added a child to your family, it is important to review your life insurance and disability income protection. If you are planning for your life insurance to match your survivors’ expenses after your death, the new child will no doubt add to those expenses, requiring more life insurance to keep your family secure. If you plan to save for your child’s college education, life insurance can assure completion of that plan. And if you keep your current life insurance policy, don’t forget to update the beneficiary designations to include the new child.
3. Did your teenager get a drivers license?
It is generally cheaper to add your teenagers to your auto insurance policy than for them to purchase their own. If they are going to be driving their own car, consider insuring it with your company so you can get a multi-car discount. And choose the car carefully—the type of car a young person drives can dramatically affect the price of insurance. You and your teens should choose a car that is easy to drive and would offer protection in the event of a crash.
Also, encourage your kids to get good grades and to take a driver training course. Most companies will give discounts for getting at least a “B” average in school and for taking recognized driving courses
4. Have you switched jobs or experienced a significant change in your income?
If you had life and disability insurance through your former employer, and your new employer does not provide equivalent protection, you can replace the “lost” coverage with individual policies. In the case of an income increase, you may have taken on additional financial commitments that your survivors will depend on. Make sure to review your life and disability insurance to ensure it is adequate to maintain those commitments.
5. Have you done extensive renovations on your home?
If you have made major improvements to your home, such as adding a new room, enclosing a porch or expanding a kitchen or bathroom, you risk being underinsured if you don’t report the changes to your insurance company. And don’t overlook new structures outside of your home. If you built a gazebo, a new shed for your tools or installed a pool or hot tub, you should speak to your agent.
We’re here to help you. Call Loftis & Wetzel Corporation at 405-530-4019 for more information on Oklahoma City life insurance.
(Source: www.iii.org)
