Spring Cleaning—Insurance Wise!

The year starts with New Year’s Resolutions, and now it is time for spring cleaning!

Coming out of winter, we take time to sweep out the cobwebs, both physical and mental. Outside our homes, we take care of our lawns, trim our trees and bushes, and do other necessary yard work. Inside, we clean out our attics and basements, and put away our winter clothes. We let the warm breezes of spring inspire us with the promise of change.

Here's something you may not have considered: Your insurance is part of spring cleaning!

Taking stock of and fixing things that may have been damaged over the winter – things like a cracked and uneven walkway or a shaky handrail – means you can avoid a liability claim with a needed repair.

A heavy spring rain or melted snow may have exposed water problems in your basement or leaks from your roofline. Time to repair or replace so your homeowners coverage isn’t affected needlessly.

Existing damage isn’t the only thing to take stock of; it’s also important to consider potential damage and accidents just waiting to happen. Years ago, my neighbor proactively approached me about a tree on both of our property lines. We decided to share the cost of removing the tree to prevent it from hitting either of our homes in a storm.

For your vehicle, check your tires and other automotive parts – including the radiator, washer fluids, and motor oil. This will reduce accidents and other unexpected claims, including car fires. Every year I see this type of preventable situation occur.

The potential harm of these situations is too great to rely on insurance coverage alone. Instead, do all you can to prevent it, and rest assured that should anything happen in spite of your precautions, insurance will have your back!

Spring is tax season, a great time to take advantage of tax savings and put quality money into affordable disability and life insurance. Investing in insurance is also a form of spring cleaning!

Do you have other suggestions for insurance spring cleaning? I’d love to hear from you!

Happy Spring!