4 Life Changes That May Affect Insurance Coverage

Corey —  April 23, 2017

Buying car, life, and homeowners insurance are all ways to protect yourself from the unexpected.  However, despite all efforts to prepare, life changes can affect your insurance policies in ways that may surprise you. No matter what types of life insurance policies you currently carry or how you insure your current vehicle, the changes you endure in life may change your coverage, and being aware of them can help you prepare and protect your finances.

1.     A Change in Income

A change in your income, whether you are going to be making less money or more annually, can have an unexpected impact on several of your insurance policies. Depending on the change, you may qualify for new discounts, special incentives, and other perks. However, if your income will be dropping, you may want to report it to your insurance company right away, as your insurance agent may be able to adjust your premiums and make payments less of a burden.

2.     A Marriage

Getting married can impact your life in many ways, but one area you may not consider right away is how this union can change your insurance status. For example, if you are a single woman and then get married, your name change and your marital status should be reported because you may have to merge your existing policies with those of your spouse, or it may be necessary to create new ones. If you and your new spouse plan to have a joint auto policy, this may save you money, so it is something to consider once you are married.

Getting married can also cause significant changes to your life insurance policy. You may want to change your beneficiary, or your spouse may want to add you. You might want to review your policies with a qualified agent to ensure they are modified in a way that will cover your both.

3.     Birth of a Child

The birth of a child is one of life’s most blessed events, but it can also be one of the most life changing as well. Being responsible for the care and protection of an infant will now be a major priority for you, and as such, you may have to adjust one or more of your insurance policies to include your child as a beneficiary or include him or her under a blanket of coverage.

If you adopt an older child and he or she is old enough to learn to drive, adding him or her to your car insurance policy may cause your rates to go up because of their age and driving inexperience. If you live in Northern Ohio, you may want to contact a Cleveland insurance agency to assist you in reviewing your car insurance, as the experts there may be able to help you find discounts and more affordable premiums.

4.     Buying a New Home or Car

You should notify your insurance carriers right away if you plan on buying a new home or auto. The size of home you buy or the type of car you choose could radically change your insurance coverage.

Life can change unexpectedly and change your insurance status as well. However, it does not have to result in higher insurance premiums or policy confusion, especially when you take steps to plan for the future.

Corey

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Corey is currently pursuing a Master of Arts degree in religion. While he enjoys learning and writing about Christianity, another one of his new passions is writing about personal finances in order to help others make wise decisions with their money.