Auto Insurance - This is likely one of the first things that people think to change after getting married. In nearly all situations, married people need to be on the same auto insurance policies. Married people typically share a common address, and share access to the same vehicles. For this reason, most insurance companies require married people to share an auto insurance policy. If you were on separate insurance policies before saying those vows, now is the time to restructure this. Choose which auto insurance policy will fit your needs as a family the best, and call your agent to have your spouse added to the policy. After doing so, be sure to cancel the other insurance policy to avoid double paying for the same coverage.
Personal Articles/Jewelry - New marriages often come with new jewelry in the form of wedding rings and bands. These items can be expensive and invaluable in terms of sentimental value. Ensuring that these items are insured properly as quickly as possible can prevent the sudden tragedy of a total loss if one of these items is lost. To avoid partial payouts, be sure to schedule these items on your homeowners, renters, or condo policy. These items can also be protected by getting a separate personal articles floater policy that will cover the jewelry on its own.
Named Insured Updates - Shared interest and ownership are typically a part of marriage. After the wedding, homes, vehicles, and other property become shared property. For this reason, it is a good idea to add both parties as named insureds on any and all insurance policies. This will give both spouses the ability to make decisions and changes to the policies if necessary. While making this change, have your agent update your marital status to married. This will sometimes result in lower premiums or added policy benefits.
Discuss coverage preferences - Perhaps the most important insurance item to check off the list is having a discussion about the way that you want to think about insurance as a family. Now that you are married, you have chosen to share losses, liability, and overall risk. You and your spouse should be on the same page about the way that you protect yourselves. Sit down with your spouse and talk about the things that you value when it comes to insurance. Do you prefer to have lower deductibles and pay a little more on premiums? Do you prefer to pay insurance premiums in full each year to save money or opt for a monthly option to make the payments more manageable? Do you both understand the need for high liability limits and an umbrella policy? These are all decisions that you will need to discuss and agree upon.
With all of the big changes that take place when a couple gets married, insurance could potentially be the least exciting thing on the list. For this reason, necessary changes are often overlooked for months or even years leaving newlyweds exposed and possibly unprotected. If you got married recently, you’ll want to be sure to follow these steps to keep everything in order. First, be sure that both spouses are insured on a single auto policy. Next, talk to your agent about getting the proper coverage for wedding rings or bands. Lastly, be sure that both spouses are listed as named insureds on all policies, and discuss differences and similarities in insurance preferences.
The contents of this article are for informational purposes only. You should not act or refrain from acting based on this information without first consulting a Goosehead licensed agent at service@goosehead.com. We disclaim all liability for actions taken or not taken by you based on the contents of this article which is provided "as is." Goosehead makes no representation that this content is error-free.
Congratulations! You just got married! There is no shortage of things that must be tweaked, changed, or updated after getting married, and while insurance is typically not at the top of the list, there are some things that should be revisited at the time of marriage. Let’s take a look at some of the specific areas of your insurance policy that will likely need updates after tying the knot.