Like anything else, as you age, things change including what insurance policies you will need for retirement.
Whether it’s more “character lines” on your face or adding another insurance policy, it is inevitable that some things don’t remain constant.
Speaking of insurance, you obviously need different insurance coverage when you’re single and in your 20s than when you’re raising a family and are in your 40s. And when you decide to retire, your insurance needs will surely change again.
There are certain types of insurance protection plans you’ll no longer need once you leave the workforce, and other forms you’ll want to add.
Here is a list of insurance types that every retiree should consider.
Must-have: Health insurance
This is a must; you will almost always need health insurance after you have retired. Health care costs are rising almost daily, and seniors tend to spend a large percentage of their income on medical care every year.
A study performed by Fidelity Benefits Consulting said that the average 65-year-old couple retiring in 2017 would need $275,000 to cover their medical expenses throughout retirement. This is a number that isn’t falling, either. Fidelity reported that the 2017 figure is up from the $260,000 that the average 65-year-old couple needed in 2016.
Typically, most seniors will qualify for Medicare, the federal health care insurance program, when they turn 65. However, Medicare isn’t free, but it does cost less than private insurance. Medicare covers quite a bit, but it doesn’t cover every medical service you might need.
Do you need to purchase supplemental health insurance to up the coverage you’re already getting with Medicare? This is not an easy question to answer. It depends on your health and how often you plan on visiting a doctor after you retire. For many retirees, Medicare may be sufficient.
Get homeowner’s or renter’s insurance
Will you own your home after you retire? If so, you will need to continue your homeowner’s insurance policy. This policy serves to pay out and help rebuild it if your home is damaged by a fire or other natural disaster. It will also help you pay for any items inside your home — such as electronics, clothing, furniture, and jewelry — that might get stolen or damaged in a disaster.
Renter’s insurance works the same way, but it protects people who are renting an apartment, condo, or home. If you plan on leaving your home and renting after you retire, invest in a renter’s insurance policy. Think about how much money you might need to replace your valuables if they were stolen or destroyed before signing up.
Keep auto insurance
If you plan to keep driving after retirement, you will also need to continue paying for auto insurance. It’s illegal in most U.S. states to drive without car insurance.
Perhaps you’re planning to sell your car and move into an urban neighborhood after you retire. Instead of driving, you plan to walk, take public transportation, or hire an Uber to take you to grocery stores, movie theaters, and restaurants. If this is the plan, ditching your car insurance might make sense. However, if you’re going to keep your car only for emergencies or long trips, you will still need to keep your auto insurance policy.
Will you still need life insurance?
Life insurance is usually one type of policy you can drop after retirement. This type of policy is a way to protect your loved ones who are dependent on your income. Once you reach retirement age, these dependents — usually your offspring — should be self-sufficient. They won’t need a payout after you die to pay their bills.
However, what if your spouse or offspring aren’t financially self-sufficient by the time you retire? If that happens, you should keep your life insurance policy. Maybe you have a child with special needs. That child might still need financial assistance from you. What if you were gone and you didn’t have a life insurance policy? Would that child still get the financial assistance necessary?
In most cases, retirees don’t need life insurance policies. But for special cases, keeping the policy is a good idea.
Why umbrella insurance
What if someone was visiting your home and seriously got injured? Would your homeowner’s insurance policy provide enough protection? Possibly. But umbrella insurance could provide retirees with the solace that they’ll be protected even if their homeowner’s insurance doesn’t offer enough coverage.
Umbrella insurance provides extra liability coverage above the limits of your homeowner’s and auto insurance policies. Essentially, it pays out in cases where your homeowner’s and auto policies don’t pay enough to cover all the damages for which you might be responsible.
While retirement always sounds great after so many years of working, just be sure you have the right coverage in terms of insurance plans, so you aren’t left high and dry.
