Has your house been struck by lighting? There’s insurance for that. Life tends to throw curveballs from time to time. How you handle those curveballs depends on a lot of things, and one of them is whether or not you are covered. Insurance agencies protect you from unexpected costs like car accidents and many other types of loss. They can also help you figure out how many types of insurance are there.
The majority of people understand the importance of insurance, but not a lot of people know about the different types of insurance that you can purchase and how each can help. Some of the most common types of insurance include auto insurance, life insurance, health insurance, and homeowners insurance, but there are other types too. Read on to find out how many types of insurance are there.
Life Insurance
Everyone needs life insurance. If you are wondering how many types of insurance are there, this is the first one you need to know. This type of insurance can cover things like funeral expenses. Apart from that, it also helps to provide for those you leave behind. It’s crucial to get life insurance if you have a family that depends on your income to pay the bills. Life insurance experts suggest that you get a policy that covers ten times your yearly income. However, not a lot of people can afford that much.
When you are calculating the amount of life insurance that you need, you must factor in a lot of things. This includes things like mortgage payments, credit card debt, outstanding loans, child care, and taxes. Without life insurance, your family will likely face a lot of financial difficulties. This is especially true if you are the only earner in your family.
There are two basic types of life insurance. This includes term life and traditional whole life insurance. The difference between the two is that whole life insurance can be used as both an income tool and an insurance instrument. This means that whole life insurance can cover you until you die.
On the other hand, term life insurance is a policy that only covers you for a particular period. Apart from the length of coverage, there are other notable differences between these types of insurance. To understand what these differences are, you will need to seek the services of a financial expert. They can help you decide the best type of life insurance for you. Things that you may need to consider before picking an insurance type are occupation, age, and size of your family.
Health Insurance
When it comes to how many types of insurance are there, the second type you need to know is health insurance. If you don’t have health insurance, chances are the next time someone in your family falls seriously ill; you may end up going bankrupt. In fact, medical problems are one of the leading reasons why people file for personal bankruptcy. Other things include bills, income loss, and bad debts. This is why you need to ensure that you get health insurance. Even if you already have health insurance, it may be necessary to review your coverage from time to time. For instance, when you have another child. You need to be able to cover costs like the dentist.
Now, because of rising co-payments, dropped coverage, and increased deductibles, most people are now viewing health insurance as a luxury rather than a necessity. However, when you take a look at the cost of a stay in a hospital, you will see that even a small policy is better than none. For example, the average cost of a single day in a hospital is currently around $2,607.
If you are not sure whether you can afford health insurance, the least expensive option that you can go for is your employer’s insurance program. Unfortunately, a lot of small businesses don’t extend this privilege. According to the Kaiser Family Foundation, the average annual premium cost to workers that opt for an employer-sponsored health care program is around $7,739 for single coverage and about $22,221 if you sign up for a family plan.
If you didn’t access health insurance through an employer, the next option would be to check with trade organizations. Some of them provide group health coverage. If all those options are not available for you, then you will just have to get private health insurance.
Long-Term Disability Coverage
Many people who are interested in knowing how many types of insurance are there usually ignore long-term disability insurance. However, according to statistics, 25% of workers that enter the workforce end up disabled, and they become unfit for work before they reach retirement age. In most instances, even those workers that have great health insurance and good life insurance policies never think about getting long-term disability insurance. This is a huge risk that’s not worth taking. While health insurance can cover your medical bills, you will still need to handle all those daily expenses that your salary usually covers if ever you end up being unable to work.
The majority of employers offer short and long-term disability insurance. This is a great option for getting access to affordable insurance. If your employer only offers short-term coverage, there are several things that you might need to look into before you get your own insurance.
As you are figuring out how many types of insurance are there, you must never ignore the fact that you need a policy that guarantees income replacement. However, most policies only pay out between 40% to 70% of your salary. The cost of each of these insurance packages is based on several factors. These include things like age, lifestyle, and health. The average cost of disability insurance is around one to three percent of your annual salary. However, before making any commitments, you must read the fine print. A lot of plans require a three-month waiting period before coverage kicks in. Apart from that, the majority of the insurance packages only cover the first three years after you stop working. In some instances, some of them come with significant policy exclusions.
Auto Insurance
When it comes to how many types of insurance are there, auto insurance makes the top four on the list. In 2020, about 5.25 vehicle accidents were reported in the United States. This data is from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Because of those accidents, about 38,824 people lost their lives. This makes car crashes one of the leading causes of death in the United States. While some of the accidents don’t lead to fatalities, they still lead to serious financial loss and injuries. The economic cost of fatal car crashes in the United States was estimated to be around $56 billion the same year.
While not every state requires drivers to have car insurance, some have regulations and guidelines regarding financial responsibility if a driver is to be involved in an accident. States that are strict on drivers having auto insurance conduct regular checks on the roads. If you don’t have coverage, you will be fined, and it’s possible to have your license suspended. Apart from that, you can also have some points on your driving record.
If you do not have auto insurance and you are involved in an accident, towing or fines will probably be the least of your worries. If one of your passengers or the other driver gets injured, you will have to cover those costs on your own. On the other hand, if you have auto insurance, your provider will handle the financial burden. Apart from that, auto insurance can also help guard you against any litigation that may come as a result of a car crash. Vehicle insurance also guards against car theft, natural disasters, vandalism, and auto body shop costs. For instance, if your car gets damaged because of a hurricane, your insurance provider will replace it.
Just like with any other type of insurance, your individual circumstances will determine the cost of your cover. To ensure that you get the appropriate insurance cover for you, you need to compare several rate quotes. You also need to look into the type of coverage provided and check to see if you qualify for lower rates. The rates you pay are determined using your age, driving record, and location.
Homeowners Insurance
Your home is probably one of your most valued possessions. This is why you need to maintain it and keep its value high. Home insurance protects your investment in the case of major damage. For instance, if your home catches fire or is destroyed by natural disasters. Every homeowner or landlord needs home insurance. Your home insurance covers the actual house and any other structures on your property. These include things like the garage, balcony, and porch. Homeowners’ insurance can also cover maintenance costs like installation of new roofs and plumbing emergencies.
Umbrella Insurance
Umbrella insurance is additional coverage that you can get to top up other types of policies. For instance, if you have a home or vehicle insurance, you can get umbrella insurance for added protection. This insurance type is suitable for anyone who is already insured. It’s also known as liability insurance since it covers costs left by other types of insurance.
Renters Insurance
Anything can happen – that’s a mantra everyone in a rented apartment knows to be true. This is why you need to protect yourself and your property while you are renting. In fact, a lot of landlords won’t let you occupy their property if you don’t have renter’s insurance. This makes it crucial for every tenant to obtain this insurance. Renters insurance covers personal property in case of damage. It also covers things like theft and any loss that’s not the responsibility of the landlord.
Travel Insurance
Are you thinking of traveling the world? You need to ensure that the cost of your airfare is covered should there be any medical emergencies or any other unexpected incident that can interrupt your trip. All travelers need travelers’ insurance. It can cover things like trip cancellations, lost or damaged luggage, accidents, and medical emergencies.
Pet Insurance
Pet insurance covers all or a fraction of your pet’s veterinary bills. There are two basic forms of pet insurance. These include a wellness plan that addresses things like shots and routine visits. On the other hand, you also have a health insurance plan that covers major surgeries and genetic diseases. Paying for pet insurance can be a lot more cost-effective than paying a huge sum of money when you need your pet to receive veterinary treatment.
Business Insurance
There are a lot of risks that businesses face every day. Fortunately, there are several types of coverage available for all risks your business might face, including when you need a business attorney. If you are running a business, you need to figure out how many types of insurance are there for business owners.
The cost and amount of coverage of policies vary with the type of business and the insurer. Before you get any type of business insurance, you need to first discuss your risks with a broker or agent. They can advise you on the exact type of insurance packages to sign up for. Businesses usually get policies that include general liability insurance, product liability insurance, professional liability insurance, commercial property insurance, and home-based business insurance, among others.
Legal Expenses Insurance
You can not figure out how many types of insurance are there and leave legal expense insurance out of the list. A lot of people have some type of insurance that covers the legal costs of day-to-day issues. However, many people are not aware of this. Legal insurance can be used to cover legal costs, and it can also be used to receive expert legal advice from professionals like a wrongful death lawyer. If you find yourself in need of legal help, legal expenses insurance can make it possible for you to gain access to an attorney.
If you end up needing a lawyer for a court case, it can also cover your legal costs. In most instances, legal insurance covers common issues like discrimination at work and unfair dismissal. It also covers expenses for cases that are linked to vehicles accident injuries and disputes linked to goods and services. This type of insurance is an affordable way to ensure that you will receive support when you need it.
In most instances, legal insurance is sold as an optional ‘add-on’ that you can choose when acquiring other types of insurance. However, it can also come as part of standard cover. There are several types of insurance packages that come with legal insurance as an add-on. These include home contents insurance, vehicle insurance, and motorcycle insurance.
Now that you know how many types of insurance are there, it’s important to first ensure that you have the four most common types of insurance. These include life, health, long-term disability, and auto insurance. If you are employed, you should first check to see if your employer has these options before you can get private cover. If your employer doesn’t offer these packages, you must first get quotes from several providers before you choose a package. It’s also crucial to ensure that you read the fine print before you sign anything. While it might seem like getting insurance is expensive, staying without it can be far more costly.