Moving into a new home can be an exciting but busy time. As you pack up your life and prepare to sell your home in the midst of your normal schedule, thoughts about Home Insurance may not cross your mind. But, it’s important to know how to handle your policy during this time of transition. Check out our short Home Insurance checklist for navigating during a move:
1. Contact your agent
The first step is to contact your current insurance agent. They will be best equipped to help you understand how your insurance may be impacted by the new property. Your agent can also determine whether you’ll be able to transfer and adjust your existing policy or if you’ll need to start a new policy for the new home and cancel your current policy for the old home.
2. Provide your agent with a timeline
After consulting with your agent, it’s important to keep him/her in the loop about your anticipated timeline for the move. You’ll want to share not only the dates for moving out and moving in, but also the dates for when new home ownership begins and old home ownership ends. If these dates overlap and you own two homes at once for a period of time, you’ll need to make sure both are properly insured. Your insurance agent can discuss the logistics that will ensure there are no gaps in coverage during your move.
3. Transfer or cancel/start your policy
Depending on where you move, you may have several options for getting started with coverage for your new home. You may be able to transfer your policy and make updates, start a new policy with the same company/agent, or you may have to look to a new company if you fall outside of the coverage area for your current insurer. At any rate, communication between you and your agent is critical. Your agent can set up an easy transfer or have a start or stop date scheduled for your policy.
Taking these steps can lead to peace of mind that you are properly covered during the entire moving process. Contact your OKFB agent to learn more.