The Homeowners Policy Still Has Her Name: What to Check Before You Sign Any Change

Somewhere in a folder, or in an email that you have not opened in a while, there is a homeowners insurance policy. It probably still reads as if two people live in the house. That is not a sign anyone has done something wrong. It is just paper that has not caught up yet. Reading it calmly, one page at a time, is a useful thing to do on a quiet evening.

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Start with the first page

Most policies have a front page, sometimes called the declarations page, that summarizes the whole contract. Read it slowly. Look for the name of the person the policy is written to, which insurers often call the named insured. Check the address, which should be the house he lives in. Look at the amounts for the dwelling itself, for belongings inside, for liability if someone is hurt on the property, and for the deductible, which is the part of a claim he would pay first. Note whether a mortgage company or lender is listed as well, because that party may need to hear about changes too.

Then look at the list of endorsements, which are add-ons that change the basic coverage. A policy can carry an extra for a workshop, a home business, or a particular valuable item. Write the list down. Those are the things a future agent will ask about.

What to ask the agent

Call the agent or the company that issued the policy and ask these questions in this order. Whose name should be on it now, and does the policy need a change to remove a name? What paperwork do they need to make that change, and do they usually ask for a certified copy of a death certificate? Will the coverage stay in force while the paperwork is being handled? Will the bill go to a different address or person, and who should the company talk to from now on? Is there any discount that was tied to a person, such as a driver or a bundled policy on a car, and does that discount still apply?

Ask whether any deadline applies to any of this, and write the answer down in your own words. Ask the agent to confirm the answer in writing, by email or letter, so you do not have to remember it from a phone call.

How to compare if a new policy is offered

If the company offers a new policy or a change to the old one, do not sign on the phone. Ask for the written version and read it side by side with the current one. Compare the amounts for the house, belongings, and liability, the deductible, and the endorsements. If the coverage is different, ask why. Get written offers from at least two companies so you can see what each one covers, not only what it says at the top. Take your time. Nothing about a policy has to be decided in one sitting.

When this is a question for someone else

If the house title, a will, or the estate is still unsettled, the question of whose name goes on what belongs with a lawyer who handles estates. The insurance agent can tell you what the policy needs. The estate question is a different one, and it is fine to say so and ask the agent who else you should talk to.

If you are still at the very beginning of paperwork in general, Start Here: The First Hundred Days is a gentler place to begin than a policy page.

A good week, for this one, is a policy that matches the house and the people who really live in it.