Buying something special for an important someone in your life is one of the best things about the holidays. After all, they’re an important person in your life who deserves something equally as important as a gift. When you’ve got a plan together, take some time to think about any official changes you’ll want to consider as well, such as additional insurance options.
Protect your valuables
If you are looking at buying a piece of jewelry, fur, antique or artwork for yourself or a loved one in your home for the holidays, you’ll want to make sure that you add it to your home insurance policy. You’re paying a lot of money for these special pieces; you’ll want to make sure that you are going to have them protected the worst case scenario.
A lot of the time, you can also choose to purchase an insurance policy specific to your new addition, which can be another option if you prefer to do it that way. This can be done through the store where you purchased your item, or even through a special add-on in your home insurance policy. It’s definitely something to talk to your insurance agent about.
Don’t forget vehicles!
Since new vehicles such as cars and motorcycles are common gifts, particularly for teens, don’t forget to add those to your vehicle insurance policy when you purchase them. Not only will this protect the driver and their new addition, it will protect the car from theft or mishaps while you are storing the vehicle before the big reveal. Plus, it will ensure you take care of everything in terms of insurance before the new year arrives and life settles back to normal.
Not sure? Get an annual review
If you are feeling unsure of how to take charge of the insurance “thing”, why not get your insurance agent to help you? Before you make a purchase, discuss your plans with your agent and consider what your options are going to be as far as adding it to your home or auto policy and how they compare to getting an item-specific insurance policy in the case of jewelry or the like.
Your agent will often be able to walk you through your options before shopping and then, after you’ve made the purchase, you can set up an appointment with them to officially add your special purchases to the right insurance policy, or likely take care of it over the phone pretty quickly. This is especially important with cars and potential new drivers to add to the household.
It’s also a great idea to meet with your insurance broker after the holidays and you are taking a look at any big additions to your home that you weren’t expecting. You’ll be able to review your home insurance policy and make sure that everything is properly documented and adequately insured in case of a fire, theft or more. This helps you start off the new year on the right foot.
While the holidays can be a busy time of the year, making time to meet with your insurance agent is going to be well worth the effort — mentally and physically. After all, it’ll make that Christmas morning reveal all the better and you’ll be able to rest easy knowing that it is perfectly and properly protected as well.
Should you need to add something to your personal insurance policies or need to have a chat or review of all of your insurance policies, contact Paula Smith Insurance at (281) 488-8880 to get started.