Things like checking your smoke detectors, having your car inspected, and visiting your doctor, reviewing your insurance coverage is something you should make time for once a year. Follow these 5 steps to evaluating your current insurance coverage:
1) Look at your deductibles.
You may want to raise them to lower your monthly premiums or lower them to decrease your overall exposure in case of a claim.
2) Examine your coverage.
Do you need to increase the coverage amount on your home to account for a rise in the cost of building materials and labor in your area? Have you renovated or expanded your house? You want to be sure that you have sufficient coverage to rebuild the structure and replace your possessions in the event of a total loss.
3) Account for individual items.
Have you acquired, purchased, or been given something of value that might need to be insured? This could include expensive jewelry, works of art, antiques, or other items. Depending on the type and value of the item insured it may be able to be added as a rider on your homeowners or renters policy, or it may require a standalone policy.
4) Review your premiums.
Request quotes from a few reputable companies to see if you are paying more than you need to. Ask about discounts for having all your policies with one company.
5) Get prepared.
Though hopefully you’ll never need to make use of it you can help yourself get the most out of your insurance coverage by preparing documentation of your possessions in case you need to make a claim in the future. Take photos or a video of the things in your home or create an itemized list. Make copies of receipts of high value items such as electronics and appliances. Keep all of this stored in a safe deposit box or electronically in secure online storage so you can access it even if your home is damaged or destroyed.
Once you’ve completed your annual insurance checkup give yourself a pat on the back and mark it on the calendar for this time next year. Keep it up every year to avoid overpaying for insurance and ensure you have the coverage you need.
