Check coverage, beneficiaries, deductibles, and gaps before life changes happen.
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Starting at 50 isn't too late — it's a different plan. Catch-up contributions, realistic timelines, and peace of mind.
Insurance is the part of a financial plan people set once and never look at again — usually the year they bought it, under conditions that have since changed. An hour a year is enough to catch the expensive mistakes.
Educational only — coverage rules vary by country and provider.
Life events are what create gaps: a move, a new job, a partner, a child, a divorce, a renovation, a paid-off loan, a business on the side. Write down anything that changed in the last twelve months, then ask which policies it touches. Most gaps trace straight back to this list.
Beneficiaries. The most common and most costly oversight. These override your will on many policies and accounts. Check every one, by name.
Coverage amounts. Has the value of what you are protecting moved? Home rebuild costs and income replacement both drift, usually upward.
Deductibles and excess. A higher deductible lowers the premium — but only take it if you could genuinely pay it tomorrow without borrowing.
Exclusions. Read what is not covered. Flood, contents away from home, pre-existing conditions, and work-related use of a vehicle are frequent surprises.
Duplicate cover. Employer benefits, credit cards, and memberships often include travel or life cover you are separately paying for.
Income protection and disability cover are the ones most often missing, and they protect the asset everything else depends on: your ability to earn. Renters routinely underinsure contents. If anyone relies on your income, life cover is worth pricing even if you decide against it.
Put a recurring calendar entry on it. The value is not in any single change — it is in never being three years out of date.
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