Monday, June 3, 2013

Finding the Gaps in Your Florida Insurance Coverage

It’s easy to let certain things ‘slide’ when you’re short on money, but living with gaps in your Florida insurance coverage isn’t the best idea. It is important to analyze all of your insurance policies—health, life, auto and more—in order to determine where the gaps are and how to fill them on a budget.

Life Insurance

Life insurance isn’t a luxury; it’s something that everyone needs to have in place whether or not they have a family depending on their income. Many of the people who maintain life insurance believe that they have enough to cover their expenses and their families’ way of life once they’re gone, but this isn’t always the case. You should take the time to carefully review your life insurance policy and ensure that the amount of money your family or beneficiary will receive after your death is enough to cover all of your final expenses, outstanding bills and current lifestyle for a period of at least one year—perhaps even two. If you have young children, you may even want to consider carrying enough to cover their living expenses until beyond their college years.

Homeowner’s Insurance

If you are a homeowner, you should carefully examine this Florida insurance coverage, as well. Depending upon where you live, flooding, earthquakes and more could be potentially devastating to your home and therefore your family. Unbeknownst to many, some insurance policies simply do not cover floods or earthquakes—especially in areas that are prone to these events—and you will have to purchase it separately. If you’re not sure what your policy covers, call your insurance agent and discuss it. It may cost more annually to add these forms of coverage to your plan, but it could make a world of difference if disaster strikes.

Auto Insurance

If you’re on a serious budget, you may think you can get by with carrying only your state’s minimum insurance coverage. Although this will get you by legally, it may not suffice if you’re involved in a serious accident. Your $50,000 in liability coverage may cover a car that is totaled when you are at fault, but it certainly won’t cover all of the expenses if the totaled car is a brand-new Porsche or other luxury car. When this happens, if your insurance isn’t enough to cover the damages, you will be sued for the rest—and you’ll be ordered to pay out of pocket. You should take a look at your Florida insurance coverage as it relates to your automobile as well as those of others and ensure that there is enough there to cover even the most unlikely of accidents.


While it likely isn’t your intention to have serious gaps in your Florida insurance coverage, they likely exist as they do for millions of people. If you aren’t sure where the gaps are and how to fill them, talk to your insurance agent as soon as possible to review your policies. Your situation—as well as your insurance needs—can change over time, and it is crucial that you maintain insurance policies that will cover you in any possible event. 

No comments :

Post a Comment