You are responsible. Everyone knows that. You get your oil changed on a regular basis. You see your dentist once or twice a year for teeth cleaning. You even schedule a yearly checkup with your doctor. Your financial planner sees you once a year. You are amazing.

Not to burst the bubble, but when was the last time you had a yearly checkup with your insurance agent?

Why Do I Need to do That?

Changes. It is as simple as that. It can be changes in your family, changes in your home, or changes in insurance policies that could affect you. Have you:

• Changed your address?
• Added a driver?
• Added a vehicle?
• Added new people to your home?
• Added on to your home?
• Bought new speakers or other upgrades to your car or truck?

This is Step One, and the most important reason to meet with your insurance agent: to talk about any changes in your family’s life. If, for example, you have added on an outside kitchen complete with fire pit, and if something were to happen there, you might not be covered under your current policy. Your old policy would cover the original dwelling, but not the addition, unless you talk with your agent about the changes. Generally, adding on to your initial homeowners policy costs you very little, but keeps you totally covered.

Also, if you have added a new driver in your family but you have not updated your policy, and something happens, that can be seen as leaving out critical insurance information, which can have extremely negative consequences for you and your family moving forward. It is so important to keep your insurance agent in the loop as your family situation changes through the years.

Show Me the Money!

You need to meet with your insurance agent to make sure you are taking advantage of all discounts to which you may be entitled. For example, your rate could go down if:

• You got married
• A child on the policy recently graduated
• Your child is now in college and no longer drives a vehicle
• You purchased a renter’s insurance policy for your child, which can cut your auto premium

Where’s My Magnifying Glass?

Another reason to meet with your insurance agent is to go over your premium with a fine-tooth comb. Has your premium increased? If so, why? There are a lot of reasons why premiums can rise, and some make sense. You may have had tickets or an accident. Sometimes, premiums will rise and you haven’t had a ticket or accident or claim on your record. If, like so many people, you have the premiums automatically deducted from your checking account, you may not even notice the increase. It is good to have one-on-one time with your insurance agent to get clarification on any changes. Our team at Partners Direct Insurance pride ourselves on getting you the best insurance coverage for your individual needs. We consider our clients part of our extended family.  We know that providing you with a unique policy means giving you service that is personal, thorough and transparent.