YOUR MONEY Get Your Finances In Gear For The New Year (NAPSA)—This time of year, thoughts turn to year-end financial matters: paying holidaybills, preparing your tax return and more. It’s also a great time to review the general state of your finances to see if you need to make any changesin the comingyear. Manypeople don’t consider the importance of insurance in an overall financial plan. But the fact is, no matter how hard you work to build wealth, failure to purchase adequate insurance can be your undoing. On the other hand, pay- ing for coverage you don’t need can also sap your budget. Finding the right balance can be a challenge. That’s why now is a good time to sit down with an independent insurance agent and review your needs. Think of an insurance agent as a vital information source, one that can help think through an individual situation and can put together a package of policies, coverage and price that meets specific needs. An independent agent can ask the right questions to help better determine the kind of insurance needed. Because an independent agent can check prices from manydifferent companies, he or she can help get the maximum coverage at rea- sonablecost. Here are just a few of the questions to ask an independent agent as you consider an overall finan- cial plan: What type of policy is right for me? This depends on factors such as budget, the amountof coverage needed and thelevel of ser- When sifting through your year- end paperwork, it can be a good idea to review your insurance coverage and make any necessary changes. vice you want from an insurance company. Finding the appropriate level of coverage is important. You don’t want to overpay for coverage not needed, but you also want to keep in mind that the worst expe- rience is to have a claim, then dis- cover there’s not enough coverage. How do rates from different companies compare? Independent agents are licensed to represent multiple insurance companies, so they can shop multiple companies to get the coverage you need at an attractive price. Are there other ways to save? As a person’s situation evolves—he or she gets married, has kids, buys a new car—check in with an independent agent. Companies offer various discounts for such life changes, and this information could help the agent find additional savings. To learn more or to find an independent insurance agent, visit progressiveagent.com.
