A 30-minute annual review prevents most of the painful renewal surprises and uncovers most of the savings hidden in plain sight. Twelve questions does the work. You don’t need to be a coverage expert to run through this list — you need your declarations page and a willingness to make one phone call if an answer is unclear.

Work through these in four groups: coverage adequacy, household composition, vehicles and usage, and discounts.

Coverage Adequacy (4 Questions)

1. Have liability costs risen since I last reviewed my limits?

Medical costs and legal judgment amounts have increased substantially since 2019 — by roughly 30–40% in some liability categories. If your bodily injury limits are still set at $100,000/$300,000 from a policy you bought a decade ago, they’re covering less than they were. The benchmark most coverage advisors use today is $250,000/$500,000 minimum for a family with household assets to protect. The premium difference from $100K to $250K is typically $80–$150 per year — among the most cost-effective coverage upgrades available.

2. Does my umbrella policy still match my asset exposure?

A $1 million personal umbrella policy costs $150–$350 per year for most families. If you own a home, have retirement savings, or have equity worth protecting, the umbrella is not optional — it’s the coverage layer that sits above your auto and home liability limits. Confirm the umbrella limit hasn’t been overtaken by asset growth since you bought it.

3. Are my comp and collision deductibles still the right call?

High deductibles make sense when they reflect your emergency fund capacity and your vehicle’s value. A $1,000 collision deductible on a vehicle worth $8,000 is a reasonable trade. A $1,000 deductible on a vehicle worth $45,000 may be leaving coverage on the table for modest premium savings.

4. Am I carrying comp and collision on vehicles where it no longer makes sense?

The standard guidance is to drop comp and coll when a vehicle’s value falls below 10x the annual premium for those coverages. If you’re paying $900/year for comp and coll on a car worth $5,000, the math has turned against you. Run the calculation on every vehicle on the policy.

Household Composition (3 Questions)

5. Have any drivers joined or left the household?

A child going off to college doesn’t necessarily come off your policy — it depends on whether they take a vehicle and where they’re attending. A child returning from college may need to be re-rated based on their current driving record. Either way, household changes should prompt a carrier conversation.

6. Has anyone in the household completed a driver training or defensive driving course?

Most carriers offer a 5–15% discount for completion of an approved defensive driving course. These courses are often available online, take 4–6 hours, and cost $20–$40. If anyone in your household — including you — has completed one in the last three years, confirm the discount is applied.

7. Has any driver in the household had a record change?

Violations and at-fault accidents typically age off your rating in three to five years. If you had a surcharge applied three years ago and haven’t asked your carrier about re-rating, the charge may still be affecting your premium past its effective window. Ask.

Vehicles and Usage (3 Questions)

8. Has my annual mileage changed?

Remote work, retirement, a shorter commute, or a child leaving for college can materially reduce your mileage. Most carriers offer low-mileage discounts starting at 7,500 or 10,000 miles per year. If your odometer reality has changed, report it.

9. Have I added or removed a vehicle?

An unreported vehicle is an uninsured vehicle. A removed vehicle that’s still on the policy is a premium leak. Confirm the vehicle list matches the driveway.

10. Am I in a telematics program?

Telematics programs reward safe driving behavior — acceleration, braking, cornering, time of day — with discounts that typically run 5–25% after a 90-day enrollment period. If you’re not enrolled, ask about enrollment at every renewal. The risk is low; for most careful drivers, the savings are real.

Discounts and Structure (2 Questions)

11. Am I getting the full bundle discount?

Bundling auto with home, condo, or renters typically generates 10–20% off both policies. If your auto and home are with different carriers, run a bundled quote at renewal. The combined savings often outweigh carrier loyalty benefits.

12. Has the market moved since my last renewal?

Auto insurance pricing has been volatile over the past three years. Some carriers that were expensive in 2022 are now competitive. Others raised rates significantly. The only way to know if your rate reflects today’s market is to run a comparison. Even if you stay with your current carrier, the knowledge gives you negotiating data.

What to Do This Week

Block 30 minutes on the calendar this month, pull your current declarations page, and go through each of these 12 questions. Write down the ones where you don’t have a clear answer. That list is your call agenda with your agent.

Ready to put this to work? Pull your current declarations page and compare it against these benchmarks — or run a fresh quote to see where the market has moved since your last renewal.