Your life and health insurance policies are a key part of your overall financial plan. It’s important to review these policies each year to ensure that you have the coverage you need. If there are gaps, you implement proper coverage. In this checklist, we focus on issues to consider when reviewing your policies, including: Health Insurance
If you are married and both have access to health coverage, does it make sense for you to each take your own coverage or to choose the better of the two plans to cover both?
If you are paying for coverage on your own, has your situation changed such that you should consider shopping for a new policy?
If you are retired and on Medicare, you should review your situation each year to see if you need to make any changes during the annual enrollment period. You also need to ensure that you either have creditable drug coverage or that you select a Part D option in order to avoid lifetime penalties.
Life Insurance
If you are covered by life insurance offered by your employer, have the coverage options or limits changed?
For those who own permanent life insurance, it’s a good idea to review the policy including how any dividends are being applied and how the policy is performing.
For those who own a term policy, review the time left on the policy’s term and consider whether your needs have changed.
Disability Insurance
If your employer provides disability insurance, have there been any changes to this coverage and is it adequate?
Do your other sources of disability income, such as Social Security and your own personal savings, sufficiently cover their potential needs, or should you consider additional insurance?
Long-Term Care Insurance
Does your policy have appropriate covered services, benefit amounts, and riders, such as inflation protection?
Have you experienced a large increase in your premium? If so, it might make sense to review other options.
This is a comprehensive checklist of the types of issues that you should be reviewing for life and health insurance policies. These types of policies play a key part in your overall financial plan and in protecting your family’s assets.