Insurance: Pay for Protection, Not Inertia

Three quotes yearly, same coverage levels for a fair fight. Higher deductibles (with a cushion saved) cut premiums 10-30%; low-mileage and bundle discounts stack.

Cheap ($10-$25/month) and covers theft, fire and liability. Photograph your stuff once; the claim you never planned for goes smoother.

Re-shop at renewal, mind the deductible you could actually pay, and confirm replacement-cost (not market-value) coverage on the structure.

If work offers plans, compare premium + deductible + your real usage, not premium alone. No coverage? Healthcare.gov enrollment periods and Medicaid (income-based, year-round) are the two official doors.

If someone depends on your income: simple term life for the dependent years is the standard tool. Price it while healthy; skip products that mix investing and insurance until you've read widely.

Small-screen protection plans and $4 package insurance profit the seller. Insure catastrophes, self-insure annoyances.

Liability is the part protecting everything you own. Cut deductibles' comfort, not liability limits.

Moved, married, credit improved, car aged out: each one re-prices you, usually downward.