Year-End Insurance Check: What to Review Before the New Year Begins
- Boone Ritter Insurance
- Dec 19, 2025
- 3 min read
Somewhere between the last holiday gathering and the final page of the calendar, December gives us a rare pause. Not a full stop—life doesn’t work like that—but a moment. A chance to look back, take stock, and quietly ask, “Did anything change this year?”
For most people, the answer is yes. And when life changes, insurance should usually change with it.
A year-end insurance review isn’t about adding stress during an already busy season. It’s about making sure the coverage you have still fits the life you’re living as you head into the new year. Here’s what Arkansans should take a few minutes to review before January arrives.
1. Home Insurance: Does Your Coverage Match Your Home Today?
Homes tend to evolve quietly. A new roof. A renovated kitchen. A finished garage. Even upgraded appliances can change the value of your home without you noticing the insurance impact.
Things to review before year-end:
Have you made renovations or upgrades?
Did you replace your roof or HVAC system?
Have you added high-value items like furniture, electronics, or décor?
Are your coverage limits still accurate given current replacement costs?
With construction and material costs fluctuating, it’s especially important to confirm that your policy would actually cover rebuilding—not just what your home was worth years ago.
2. Auto Insurance: More Than Just a Renewal Date
A lot can happen in a year on the road. New vehicles. New drivers. Longer commutes. Even changes in how often you drive can affect what coverage makes sense.
Before the new year:
Confirm your vehicle details are correct
Review liability limits (minimums aren’t always enough)
Check deductibles and collision coverage
Make sure roadside assistance still fits your needs
If a teen driver was added this year—or one moved out—your policy should reflect that. Small updates can sometimes mean big savings.
3. Renters Insurance: Easy to Overlook, Easy to Update
Renters often assume their policy doesn’t need attention. But if you moved, upgraded electronics, or received expensive gifts this year, it’s worth checking.
Questions to ask:
Has your address or unit changed?
Do you own more valuables now than when you started the policy?
Are you fully covered if belongings are stolen or damaged?
Renters insurance is one of the simplest policies to adjust—and one of the easiest to outgrow without realizing it.
4. Life Insurance: Quietly Important, Especially After Change
Life insurance isn’t something most people enjoy reviewing. But major life events tend to pile up quickly: marriage, kids, career changes, or even a mortgage.
Before the year ends:
Has your family grown?
Have your financial responsibilities changed?
Are beneficiaries up to date?
Does your coverage still match your goals?
Life insurance is about protecting people, not policies. A year-end check helps ensure the right people are protected for the right reasons.
5. Business Insurance: Did Your Business Grow This Year?
For Arkansas business owners, growth often comes in pieces. New equipment. A new employee. Expanded services. A new location. All good things—but they can quietly create coverage gaps.
A year-end review should include:
Updated property or equipment values
Employee count and payroll changes
Vehicles used for business purposes
Cyber liability and data protection needs
If your business changed this year, your insurance should reflect it before January resets the books.
6. Beneficiaries, Discounts, and Missed Opportunities
This is where many people are pleasantly surprised.
A review may uncover:
Missed discounts
Outdated beneficiary information
Coverage overlaps or unnecessary add-ons
Opportunities to bundle or simplify policies
Sometimes a review doesn’t mean paying more. In many cases, it means paying smarter.
Why Review at Year-End Instead of Waiting?
January has a way of arriving loud and fast. Bills, schedules, new goals. Reviewing your insurance now means:
Fewer surprises later
Cleaner paperwork going into the new year
Time to make thoughtful decisions—not rushed ones
It’s not about fixing problems. It’s about preventing them.
How Boone Ritter Insurance Helps
At Boone Ritter Insurance, year-end reviews aren’t about pressure or sales pitches. They’re about conversation. Listening. Making sure your coverage makes sense for your life in Arkansas.
Whether you need adjustments or simply reassurance that things are in good shape, their team is here to help you step into the new year with confidence.
If it’s been a while since you checked your policies—or if this year brought change—it might be the perfect time to start.
Ready for a year-end insurance check?
Reach out to your local Boone Ritter Insurance team for a quick review and start the new year protected, prepared, and a little more at ease.
