By Lisa Koerner, Insurance Advisor
Many people think that once they have a life insurance or disability policy in place, they can file it away and forget about it. However, as your life changes, your needs often change as well. The policies that you took out when you were young, single and starting your career may not still cover your needs after you get married, buy a house, have children and start your dream job. As your life changes, it’s a good idea to review your policies.
One of the biggest changes that people often overlook throughout the years is updating the beneficiaries on their life insurance policies. When people are single, they often choose a parent or sibling as their beneficiary. It’s good to change your beneficiaries when you get married, get divorced or if your beneficiary passes away.
It’s also important to alert your insurance agent of contact information changes. If you move to a new home, city or state and don’t update your address you might miss important updates from your insurance company. I recently attempted to contact a client whose term life policy was coming to an end. The phone numbers we had on file were all unavailable, the email address was undeliverable and the letter I mailed to the address came back undeliverable.
The other thing to keep in mind is whether your Disability Policy is keeping up with your income. When you have a significant increase in income, it’s important to review your benefits to make sure you’re covered in the event of a serious injury or illness. If you only have enough disability insurance to cover half of your income, would you still be able to keep up with your bills and expenses if you’re not able to work for a long period of time?
Most people think that the only reason an insurance agent wants to talk to them is to sell them something, so they avoid scheduling a policy review. A good insurance agent will review with you where you are in your life and what your current needs are. When you’re younger, you may need to add coverage as you build your family and career. Meanwhile, you may need to reduce your insurance coverage as you move into retirement or change from term policies to permanent policies. As you approach retirement, it’s also a good time to start researching Medicare, long-term care and wealth transfer ideas. That’s what our Income Defense team at WisMed Assure is here to help you out with.
You may not feel that you need an insurance review every year, but don’t forget to review your policies when you have a significant change in your life.
Reach out to Lisa Koerner or the WisMed Assure team at insurance@wismedassure.org, complete this quick online form or call 608.442.3810 for help with your insurance needs.
Note: This article is for informational purposes only and should not be considered as insurance advice related to your specific policy or situation. Please consult with a qualified insurance advisor or professional before making any policy decisions. Full disclaimer and contact information.