Gift Yourself These Insurance Coverages for the Holidays

Why Extra Insurance Coverage May Be Useful This Season – and Beyond

The holiday season gets busy. With so many professional and personal obligations to attend to, it can be hard to not let the stress of the season seep in. While you are busy ensuring your shopping list is complete and making arrangements to spend time with loved ones, you should take a few minutes for a little “me time,” too.

This can mean unplugging, spending some time in nature or giving yourself a gift of peace of mind, such as insurance coverage. Yes, insurance can make for a practical gift that keeps on giving all year long. Consider the coverages below to help minimize your worries this holiday season and beyond.

Trip Insurance

If you plan to travel this holiday season, you may want to add trip insurance, also known as travel insurance, to your itinerary. Such a policy can help cover you if unforeseen circumstances, such as a medical emergency, interfere with the travel plans you so flawlessly put together.

Depending on what you purchase, travel insurance can help protect you against financial loss associated with trip cancellation, lost luggage, medical expenses and more.

Roadside Assistance and Rental Car Coverage

When we Southerners venture north to see relatives during the holidays, trouble can ensue. We’re not used to driving in snowy conditions, and we’ve only heard about putting chains on tires. And, all of a sudden, we’ve gotten ourselves stuck in a snow embankment in Ohio.

This is where rental car and roadside coverages on your auto policy can come in very handy (whether you drive in snow regularly or just occasionally). Say a curb was hiding in that snow embankment and you now have a flat tire. Roadside assistance can help you with the tire to get you moving again. However, if your car needs to visit the shop, your policy may help cover the cost of towing your vehicle and renting another so you don’t miss out on the festivities.

Identity Theft Protection

With all the online shopping you're doing this year, don’t forget to protect yourself from the ever-growing threat of cyber crime, such as identity theft. Make sure you are shopping with a reputable company and on a secure website. If in doubt, stop what you are doing and leave the site. Remember, never open an email or click on a link in an email from someone you don’t know.

I also suggest checking with your independent agent to see if coverage for identity theft is available as an add-on to your policy. Such coverage is often extremely inexpensive and can help with the costs of recovering from identity theft. These costs may include legal fees, lost wages and more related to the recovery process.

The bottom line is: While you absolutely love making someone’s eyes light up with the perfect gift, it’s important to take care of yourself, as well. Talk to your independent agent about insurance options and insurance coverages to help increase your protection this holiday season and beyond.