Fall Insurance Checkup: 7 Things to Review | All Graham Insurance

As summer winds down and fall approaches, many of us start thinking about cooler temperatures, changing leaves, football season, and the upcoming holidays. But fall is also a great time to review your insurance coverage.

Life and business can change quickly. A new vehicle, home improvement project, new driver, business vehicle, or major purchase could mean that the insurance coverage you selected months—or even years—ago may need an update.

At All Graham Insurance Solutions, we encourage our clients to periodically review their policies to make sure their coverage continues to fit their current needs.

Here are seven areas worth reviewing this fall.

1. Review Your Auto Insurance Coverage

Have there been any changes involving your vehicles or drivers?

Maybe you’ve purchased another vehicle, paid one off, added a new driver to the household, changed your commute, or started using your vehicle differently.

This is a good time to review your:

Liability limits
Comprehensive and collision coverage
Deductibles
Uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage
Roadside assistance
Rental reimbursement coverage
Drivers and vehicles listed on the policy

Don’t focus only on finding the lowest premium. Understanding what your policy actually covers is just as important.

2. Take Another Look at Your Homeowners Insurance

Your home may have changed since your homeowners policy was originally written.

Renovations, additions, new appliances, upgraded kitchens and bathrooms, detached structures, and other improvements can affect your insurance needs.

Fall is a good time to check your dwelling coverage, deductibles, personal property coverage and other important policy features.

You should also let your insurance agent know about significant changes to the property so they can help determine whether your current policy should be updated.

3. Don’t Forget About Renters Insurance

If you rent your home or apartment, your landlord’s insurance generally doesn’t replace your personal belongings after a covered loss.

Renters insurance can provide coverage for personal property and personal liability, subject to the terms and limits of the policy.

Think about how much it would cost to replace your furniture, clothing, electronics and other belongings. The total may be more than you expect.

4. Prepare Your Home for Cooler Weather

Insurance is important, but preventing a loss is even better.

Before colder weather arrives, consider checking your roof and gutters, inspecting heating equipment, looking for plumbing leaks, testing smoke and carbon monoxide detectors, and trimming branches that could damage your home during a storm.

A little preventive maintenance now could help you avoid a much larger problem later.

5. Business Owners Should Review Commercial Auto Coverage

Businesses change throughout the year.

If your company has added or removed vehicles, hired drivers, changed business operations, expanded into another state, or started providing new services, those changes may affect your commercial auto insurance.

This is especially important for businesses that depend heavily on vehicles, including trucking companies, contractors, delivery businesses and other transportation-related operations.

Don’t wait until a claim or renewal to discover that important information on your policy is outdated.

6. Review Your Life Insurance Needs

Fall is also an opportunity to look beyond property and vehicles.

Major life events can change how much life insurance your family may need. Marriage, divorce, having a child, purchasing a home, starting a business, changing income, or taking on significant debt are all reasons to revisit your coverage.

If you haven’t reviewed your life insurance recently, consider adding it to your fall financial checklist.

7. Schedule an Insurance Review Before the Holidays

The end of the year can become busy quickly. Reviewing your policies now gives you an opportunity to ask questions and understand your coverage before the holiday season arrives.

An independent insurance agency can also help you explore available coverage options rather than assuming your current policy is still the right fit.