Why You Should Review Your Insurance Regularly

"Life events can have a massive impact on your financial affairs and trigger the need for a review of your insurance portfolio. If you experience or have recently experienced any of the following events in your life, it's time to call your insurance professional and schedule a comprehensive insurance evaluation."

If you're like many people, you purchased your first life insurance policy because of a significant life event, a marriage, the arrival of a child, or starting a new business. You were probably a lot younger, less experienced in financial matters, and frankly, not that interested in learning about insurance. You paid your premium, threw the policy in a drawer somewhere, and forgot all about it.

But, a lot happens in a few years, events that have enormous implications for your financial life. Many people who take the time to evaluate their portfolios thoroughly are shocked to find their insurance may be in imminent danger of lapsing or that they have coverage gaps, limitations, and perhaps the wrong beneficiaries.

If you've had any of the following occurrences in your life, you should probably contact your financial advisor or agent as soon as possible.

• You get engaged or married,
• You divorced or became legally separated,
• You adopt or have a child,
• Your child goes to college,
• You start a new business,
• You change careers,
• You become a caregiver to an elderly or disabled person,
• You move to another state,
• You buy a new or second home,
• There's a death in your immediate family,
• You receive an inheritance,
• Your net worth increases or decreases,
• You have a child or grandchild with special needs,
• You've added additional debt,
• Your children become legal adults.

This list is by no means exhaustive. There are dozens of events that might necessitate changes to your insurance. Chances are if anything happens to you that changes your life, it's likely to alter your insurance needs as well. Many agents think an annual policy review is a best practice for anyone wanting to create a more efficient and effective financial plan.

A yearly review gives you a chance to determine if and how life changes affect your insurance coverage needs and policy designs. A thorough assessment will help discover ways to save on premiums, find new, more innovative options, and take advantage of discounts. You can ensure that all beneficiaries are listed correctly and that an ex-spouse isn't still on your policy. (Shockingly, this happens a lot!) You may also find policies to convert, upgrade, or cancel if appropriate.

Summing it up: You can't afford to have a "set and forget" mentality regarding insurance. Insurance, especially life insurance and annuities, is a core component of sound financial planning. Not only do you want to review the basics of each of your insurance contracts, but you will also want to dig into the policy details. An astonishing number of people, for example, aren't even aware of the kind of life insurance they purchased years ago or that specific policy provisions put them in danger of losing their coverage. For the most thorough analysis of your insurance coverages, make an appointment with your trusted agent.

They can help you evaluate each feature of your policy and help you understand whether or not that feature fits your current circumstances.