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Whether you’re getting married, putting your teen behind the wheel for the first time, or buying your first home, a big life change can have a ripple effect on your finances.
While it might not be top of mind, one of those effects could be your car insurance. There’s a lot more that goes into calculating your rates than the standard questions about age, gender, and driving record. When you hit a major milestone in life, your new status can impact those rates in unexpected ways.
Here are five events that might trigger a change in your insurance.
1. Getting Married
Good news for honeymooners: in most cases, being married will lower your car insurance rates! Adding a partner to your insurance could spell savings for your household, especially for younger couples. It turns out that married people are less likely than single people to get into accidents. Ah, the perks of true love.
2. Buying a Home
One of the biggest milestones in life is buying your first home. While homeowners coverage is a must, becoming a homeowner might actually affect your car insurance, too.
Like married people, homeowners tend to see better rates on car insurance. Those savings could be even higher when you bundle your auto and homeowners policies with the same insurer (not to mention more convenient).
Buying a home also means that you might want to take a look at boosting your auto coverage. Look for polices that protect your assets and take care of legal costs-bodily injury, uninsured/underinsured motorist bodily injury and property damage are your best options. As you build up equity in your home, you’ll want to make sure your investment is safe, no matter what happens.
3. Adding a Teen Driver
As nervous as you may be to see your teenage child in the driver’s seat for the first time, you’ll feel better when they’re protected under your insurance policy.
Teen drivers need to be covered as soon as that driver’s license is in their hands. Your rates will probably increase, because this age group has much higher accident rates than older drivers, which makes them riskier to insure.
However, there are a few things you can do to help keep your rates low. For instance, when you add your teen to your policy, check to see if you qualify for a multi-driver discount. Likewise, if your teen has his or her own car, you could get the multi-car discount. Good students can help lighten the load as well. Many insurers offer discounts to young drivers who keep their grades up.
4. Getting Divorced
If you and your spouse are parting ways, it’s important to make sure both of you-and any dependents you might have-are still covered.
Once you’ve divvied up the cars, you and your ex will need to get separate policies. The change in circumstances makes this a good time to comparison shop, especially because you may be losing out on discounts you enjoyed as a married couple (for instance, a multi-car discount).
If you’ll be sharing custody of teen drivers, check with your insurance company to find out whether you both need to list your teen on your policy-and factor that into any quotes you get.
5. Getting a Raise
Now that you’ve got a little extra cash in your pocket (and perhaps some financial benefits, like stock), it’s time to take another look at your policy. Consider upping some of your coverages, like bodily injury and property damage, to make sure that if an accident happens, your income (and growing savings) will be protected. These policies cover medical bills as well as legal fees if someone involved decides to sue. Putting a little extra money toward your premium today can pay off big time down the road.
During a major life event, there’s a lot to think about. If you need help figuring out how to handle the big changes (insurance-wise, that is), talk to your insurer to make sure you’re adequately protected-and getting the best deal possible.
Eric Madia is Vice President of Product Design at Esurance, where he is responsible for designing the company’s personal lines products. Eric has 23 years of experience in the industry, focused primarily on underwriting, pricing, and product innovation. You can follow him on twitter @Erictheactuary.
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You’ve probably seen embedded insurance in the wild. Here’s an example: Let’s say you buy a new refrigerator. During checkout, you’re asked if you’d like to get insurance for the item. That insurance policy, or “protection plan,” gets embedded into your purchase as a single transaction.
Companies can offer insurance policies on everything from buying the latest iPhone to renting a U-Haul. But if getting insurance can be so easy, then why is it such a hassle when you buy or lease a new car?
In order to understand whether embedded car insurance is right for you, it helps to get context on how it all works. More importantly, that should also answer a bigger question: Can this actually save you money?
Rising anxiety about the cost of owning a car
Getting a new car isn’t all that different from any other purchase. If you’ve ever bought a laptop, an espresso machine or even a high-end electric toothbrush, you know the feeling: That sense of excitement that comes with being a new owner, especially after weeks or months of research.
But when it comes to big purchases, the word “ownership” can also cause anxiety. According to a 2023 NerdWallet survey, 53% of Americans plan to buy or lease a vehicle in the next 12 months. However, 23% of Americans who own a personal vehicle consider the cost of vehicle ownership to be a source of stress.
Those numbers might seem contradictory, but the reality is that the total cost of owning a vehicle is hard to calculate. You can budget your car purchase to the dollar, but it can still be hard to predict gas prices and car insurance rates. In fact, the average car insurance price for 2023 is nearly 32% higher than the average rate for 2022, according to NerdWallet’s annual analysis.
The burden of financing, insuring and paying off a vehicle lasts years after the initial excitement wears off. So drivers are looking for ways to save wherever they can, including at the dealership.
What is embedded insurance?
One way to reduce the stress of buying a new car is to find ways to simplify the process. This is why bundling auto insurance into a car purchase (not unlike our example of buying a new fridge) appeals to drivers.
“There’s no need to call your agent, spend 20 minutes on the phone digging up and providing details then waiting for your proof of insurance. With embedded insurance, it’s instant and seamless,” said Cassi Conrad, chief insurance officer at Sure, in an email. Sure is a digital insurance platform that supports embedded insurance providers.
Almost every state requires drivers to have liability insurance, so you’ll need proof of coverage before you can purchase a vehicle at a dealership. But having the car dealership bundle an insurance policy into your financing package might save you time and effort, both during the “checkout” process as well as when it’s time to make payments.
Additionally, consumers are more likely to buy insurance at the time of a car purchase. 50% of Gen Z (ages 18-26) and 54% of millennials (ages 27-42) believe the best time to shop for auto insurance is when buying or leasing a vehicle, according to the NerdWallet survey.
The convenience of bundling insurance into a purchase — combined with a rise in digital insurance as a whole — has created a demand for embedding policies into the car buying experience, Conrad said.
But can embedded insurance save you money?
All of this lines up with what drivers actually want when buying a car: 72% of recent car buyers would have liked to purchase insurance directly from the dealership, according to an online 2022 survey of recent car buyers by Polly, a company that sells embedded auto insurance. That same survey states that 42% of car buyers received no support from the dealership about actually getting insurance in their most recent car purchase.
Part of this disconnect is tied to availability. Embedded insurance is sort of an ongoing experiment for both insurers and car dealerships, and there just isn’t enough information available to predict whether it will save you money.
In fact, while embedded car insurance is definitely convenient, you could end up paying more for insurance over time. If you’re offered a single price for financing that includes a car loan and an insurance policy, you may end up paying interest on your insurance, which is unnecessary as well as expensive.
Choosing insurance is subjective. It’s largely dependent on how much coverage you want as well as what you feel comfortable paying, and the factors that determine pricing vary by person. But because there isn’t a standardized embedded auto insurance offering right now, the details could depend on the dealership, insurer and financing terms rather than what you want or need.
Ways to save on new-car insurance right now
If you do get offered embedded insurance at a dealership, it’s probably in your best interests to decline at this time. But that doesn’t mean you can’t find other ways to save money on insurance for a new car.
Remember all those hours you spent selecting the perfect year, make and model? Apply that same process to finding car insurance. Spend one hour getting a few different quotes for the specific vehicle you want, then compare those rates to find the best fit for your situation. If you do this before you get to the dealership, you can compare their offers to the quotes you already have.
Embedded auto insurance is still an evolving thing. Until some sort of standard policy offer exists, we recommend prepping before you get to the dealership to decide if embedded insurance is a good fit. You may still decide to add insurance to your cart at checkout, but at least you’ll know whether its the best deal before you sign the paperwork.
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If there’s one thing in life to always bank on, it’s to expect the unexpected. While we like to think we have everything figured out, it’s hard to predict when certain events will occur. Whether it’s an accidental fender bender in stop-and-go traffic, a crushed roof from a fallen tree branch, or an unanticipated medical emergency, having the right insurance coverage might save you time, money, and headaches.
One insurance coverage policy that may be worth investing in is renters insurance. Pew Research Center found that more people are renting today than at any point in the past 50 years. This study also found that certain demographic groups, such as those with lesser education, young adults, and non-whites, are more likely to rent than other groups. With more renters on the market than ever before, it’s important to consider the various financial protections renters can take advantage of.
If you’re living in a rental property and want to ensure you, your belongings, property, and guests are covered from any unforeseen circumstances, continue reading our guide to renters insurance coverage below.
What is Renters Insurance?
Renters insurance is a form of risk management that protects you and your property, and generally provides legal defense fees and medical costs for anyone who may become injured on your rented property if you are found at fault. Renters insurance is like most insurance policies, such as home and auto insurance, where you buy a policy and make recurring payments. Then, if anything were to happen, such as a burglary, you can make a claim, and your renters insurance will provide a certain level of compensation for the stolen items.
What Does Renters Insurance Cover?
If you’re wondering, “What does renters insurance cover?” the answer is, quite a lot, depending on the coverage you select. From vandalism to explosions and everything in between, renters insurance coverage may give you peace of mind knowing your valuable items are protected.
Personal Property
You can never predict when disaster strikes. Your roof caves in after a blistering snowstorm, freezing you out of your home. You run down the street to get some groceries and return to find your apartment was ransacked. Or, a clueless driver plows right through your living room. It’s either happened to you or someone you know and while sympathy can ease some of the pain, usually money is the only way to replace valuable items like furniture and electronics. That’s where renters insurance coverage comes in handy.
Here’s a list of some events where a renters insurance policy might have tenants covered:
Theft: If someone breaks into your house and steals your personal property, such as your laptop, cash, or other items, your renters insurance may cover you once you pay your deductible. Renters insurance doesn’t only cover items in your home either. If you go on vacation and get pickpocketed, or someone breaks into your car while shopping at the mall, you can file an insurance claim for those losses as well.
Vandalism: If someone breaks into your home and decides to destroy your property with mischievous intent, you can file a claim to get reimbursed. So, if the neighborhood kids decide to drive by and smash your mailbox with a baseball bat, your renters insurance policy will have your back.
Fire, windstorms, lightning, hail, or volcanic eruptions: Basic renters insurance may cover damage inflicted by fire, windstorms, lightning, hail, and even volcanic eruptions. If a flash storm rolls through during the summer and your home gets struck by lightning, many of the damages might be covered.
Smoke: While fires are covered under renters insurance, so is smoke. Sometimes, smoke can damage your personal property without a fire even being present. For example, if you live in an apartment complex and a neighboring unit catches on fire and smoke seeps into your apartment, your renters insurance coverage can help with smoke-related damages.
An aircraft or vehicle that’s not your own: Unfortunately, if you happen to drive your car into your home, renters insurance usually won’t cover the expenses. However, if another driver or an airplane crashes into your apartment, renters insurance might come to the rescue and pay for damages that are covered within your policy.
Snow, ice, or sleet collapse: While it’s a good practice to shovel snow off of your roof, sometimes it’s extremely difficult or impossible. If heavy snow, sleet, or ice causes your roof to collapse, your renters insurance policy can help cover replacement costs for damaged items.
A short-circuit: A short-circuit is when an electrical device malfunctions or fails. A short-circuit can cause a variety of problems, such as a damaged TV or appliance. And, if your power goes out and all of your food in your fridge and freezer spoils, you can file a claim to cover the cost of your perished food.
Water or steam overflow: You never know when a pipe will burst, and when it does, it can lead to all sorts of problems. Rest assured knowing your renters insurance policy may cover damages that result from water or steam overflow.
Frozen plumbing: Sometimes, the sheer cold is strong enough to freeze the water in plumbing and HVAC systems. Then, if you try and run hot water, the frozen water can expand and may lead to a cracked piped, pouring water throughout your home. Some renters insurance plans may cover these damages. However, if you were away when the frozen pipe burst and you didn’t take necessary precautions to keep your home properly heated, you may be at fault and left with no coverage.
Water or steam-heating appliances: Additionally, any water damage from water or steam-heating appliances, such as your dishwasher or laundry machine, may be covered by your renters insurance policy.
Falling objects: Have you ever wondered what would happen if an asteroid came crashing through your home? If so, have peace of mind knowing your renters insurance coverage may take care of the destruction from falling objects such as fallen trees and space debris.
Riots: If a riot breaks out around your apartment and someone damages your personal belongings, your renters insurance coverage can help take care of the costs.
Explosions: Whether a transformer blew up or someone set off an explosive device that causes damage to the home you rent, your renters insurance policy may help pay for any of your items that were destroyed.
Other scenarios: Renters insurance may cover other scenarios as well. For example, Trulia explains how renters insurance can cover things such as waterbed leaks and even dog bites. Additionally, renters insurance can even cover bank or credit card forgery if a thief snatches your financial information from your home and decides to go on a spending spree.
Living expenses
The answer to the question, “What does renter’s insurance cover?” is not complete just yet. Let’s say, for example, a tree came crashing down in the winter, leaving a gaping hole in your home or apartment. You most likely won’t be able to live in your house, or you might freeze. If your place of residence becomes uninhabitable, renters insurance can help cover your living expenses while your rented home or apartment is under construction. These expenses include things such as hotel costs, groceries, and other incidental expenditures.
What Does Personal Liability Renters Insurance Cover?
A final area of expenses rental insurance covers is personal liability. Renters liability insurance may cover you if you are at fault for injuries that occur on your property. For example, if someone gets hurt on your property and decides to file a lawsuit, renters liability insurance might help pay for your legal fees, as well as medical expenses of the person who got injured.
Renters liability insurance may also cover the expenses of another person’s stolen or damaged property that happens in the home or apartment you rent. So, if you decided to borrow your brother’s laptop, and it was destroyed after a fire, a renters liability insurance might take care of the cost.
Ultimately, coverage can vary between insurance providers, so do your research and consider all of your options before selecting a renters insurance policy.
What Does Renters Insurance Not Cover?
While it may seem like renters insurance covers everything, there are a few things that are often not covered.
Personal belongings damaged from natural disasters such as earthquakes and floods: If you live in a high-risk area for natural disasters, such as Tornado Alley, along a river, or in a hurricane-prone area, you may need flood, earthquake, or other types of specialized insurance policies.
Theft or damage to your vehicle: While the valuables inside your car may be covered by renters insurance, any damage to your car, or theft of your car, is not typically covered. To insure your car, you might consider purchasing auto insurance.
Your roommate’s belongings: Unfortunately, your roommate won’t be able to freeload off your renters insurance plan. Instead, if they want their valuables covered, they will need their own renters insurance policy.
Damage caused by rodents and pests: Any damage from rodents such as bed bugs, mice, cockroaches, and other pests are often not covered by renters insurance.
High-value items like jewelry, antiques, and family heirlooms: If you have expensive items, such as antiques, high-end jewelry, or other valuable pieces, your renters insurance may not cover the cost if they’re stolen or damaged. Instead, you might consider purchasing additional coverage or buying a standalone policy.
Damages incurred from nuclear war or terrorism: This may not be your first thought, but many renters insurance policies exclude damages from nuclear war or terrorism on their plan. If you’re worried your home or apartment may be subject to destruction from war or terrorism, you might consider purchasing extra coverage.
How Much Does Renters Insurance Cost?
According to the Insurance Information Institute, the average cost of renters insurance premiums in 2016 came in at about $185 a year. Broken down monthly, the average renters insurance policy costs about $15.50 per month. When searching for renters insurance, it’s also important to know how your credit score comes into play.
The Insurance Information Institute explains how your credit score may impact your insurance score to determine if you have a history of making claims. A history of filing more claims may lead them to charge you more money. At Turbo, you can take advantage of our financial health tool and obtain a free credit report to determine where you stand so you can purchase a renters insurance policy that fits in your budget.
Key Takeaways on Renters Insurance
If you’re asking yourself, “What does renters insurance cover?” hopefully you can use this guide as a resource. Renters insurance coverage is a great way to protect some of your personal items and belongings, as well as the belongings and health of others visiting your property, so consider if this kind of policy is right for you.
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