You're probably under-insured| Dave Ramsey
My wife and I are on Baby Step 3, and we were talking the other day about how our home, travel trailer and cars have appreciated recently. Everything is paid for except the home, but we were wondering if we should increase the amount of insurance coverage on these items since they have skyrocketed in value.
A: Yes! And you should make it a habit to review all your insurance coverage once a year.
With most homeowners insurance policies you have a stated amount of coverage. Some policies have a "cheat" that allows you an extra 5% or 10%, maybe even 20% in some cases. But if you've got a
Lots of times, in the old days, if you bought a car or homeowners policy, it covered your car or home regardless — even if they had gone up in value. Then, when some insurance companies got absolutely hammered after some events like Hurricane Katrina, they stopped doing that. They stopped covering actual replacement value, and started covering only the specified amount on the policy. Today, it can be tough to even find replacement value coverage on houses. And if you do, it's crazy expensive.
When it comes to your home especially, you need to have a policy equal to the value of the home, and you should revisit your coverage and your home's value every single year. You have to be vigilant about things like that, Dale, because your insurance company won't be!
More from
Advice to empty-nesters: Don't wait for housing prices to fall
Don't move in with the in-laws; get rid of that insane car debt!



Supporting Maine families in the Legislature
Police Report
Advisor News
- Retirement optimism climbs, but emotion-driven investing threatens growth
- US economy to ride tax cut tailwind but faces risks
- Investor use of online brokerage accounts, new investment techniques rises
- How 831(b) plans can protect your practice from unexpected, uninsured costs
- Does a $1M make you rich? Many millionaires today don’t think so
More Advisor NewsAnnuity News
- Great-West Life & Annuity Insurance Company Trademark Application for “EMPOWER BENEFIT CONSULTING SERVICES” Filed: Great-West Life & Annuity Insurance Company
- 2025 Top 5 Annuity Stories: Lawsuits, layoffs and Brighthouse sale rumors
- An Application for the Trademark “DYNAMIC RETIREMENT MANAGER” Has Been Filed by Great-West Life & Annuity Insurance Company: Great-West Life & Annuity Insurance Company
- Product understanding will drive the future of insurance
- Prudential launches FlexGuard 2.0 RILA
More Annuity NewsHealth/Employee Benefits News
Life Insurance News
- Baby On Board
- 2025 Top 5 Life Insurance Stories: IUL takes center stage as lawsuits pile up
- Private placement securities continue to be attractive to insurers
- Inszone Insurance Services Expands Benefits Department in Michigan with Acquisition of Voyage Benefits, LLC
- Affordability pressures are reshaping pricing, products and strategy for 2026
More Life Insurance News