Insurance Mistakes to Avoid Before the New Year
Ellen Fenton Insurance & Company
As Western New York settles into its familiar rhythm of early sunsets, quiet mornings, and snow that seems to fall in its own time, many of us use this season to reflect on what the past year brought — and what the next one may hold. It’s a natural reset, a moment of clarity before the pace of life picks back up.
But there’s one part of year-end planning that tends to sit quietly in the background until it’s urgently needed: your insurance.
Insurance isn’t the most glamorous item on a checklist, but it is one of the most important. It protects the home you’ve built, the people you care for, and the life you’ve worked hard to create. As the year closes, this is the ideal time to ensure nothing important has slipped through the cracks.
Below is a deeper look at the key insurance mistakes to avoid before the New Year — and why paying attention now can make all the difference later.
1. Letting Life Change Without Updating Your Coverage
A lot can shift in twelve months. Some changes are large and obvious; others are subtle but still meaningful in the eyes of your insurance policy.
Consider reviewing your coverage if you:
Moved homes or changed your living situation
Added a driver or purchased a vehicle
Started working from home more often
Completed renovations
Experienced a family change (marriage, divorce, new dependents)
Insurance is built around accuracy. When your life evolves, your policy should follow.
2. Letting Deductibles Go Unchecked
Deductibles often remain untouched for years, even as financial circumstances change.
A year-end review helps you answer:
Is your deductible still aligned with your comfort level?
Would adjusting it strengthen your financial protection or offer savings?
Does it match the realities of winter driving or property risk?
A small adjustment here can create meaningful stability.
3. Not Realigning Home Coverage with True Rebuild Costs
Home value and rebuild cost are not the same — especially in today’s economy, where material and labor prices have fluctuated sharply.
If you made improvements, upgraded systems, or added structures this year, your policy may no longer reflect what it would actually cost to rebuild. Even modest updates can increase the value of what you’re protecting.
Ensuring your coverage matches today’s realities is one of the smartest steps you can take.
4. Underestimating Winter’s Impact
Winter in Western New York reshapes many aspects of daily life — including risk.
Consider reviewing coverage for:
Slip-and-fall incidents around your property
Roof snow load and storm-related damage
Seasonal or short-term rental activity
Business operations influenced by severe weather
Winter doesn’t just create inconvenience. It creates liability — and the right protection is essential.
5. Overlooking Your Auto Policy During the Stormiest Months
Winter road conditions change everything: braking time, visibility, collision likelihood, emergency response.
Before the New Year, confirm:
All drivers and vehicles are correctly listed
Collision and comprehensive coverage reflect your needs
Rental reimbursement and roadside assistance are in place
Any recent changes (new car, teen driver, mileage shifts) are documented
An annual auto review ensures you’re prepared for whatever the season brings.
A Thoughtful End-of-Year Insurance Checklist
✔ Update life changes
✔ Review home rebuild coverage
✔ Confirm deductibles
✔ Check auto protections for winter
✔ Assess business liability as seasons shift
✔ Schedule your annual insurance review
Start the New Year Protected, Prepared, and Informed
The transition into a new year is an opportunity — a moment to ensure your coverage supports the life you lead today, not the one you lived last January.
Ellen Fenton & Company is here to help you navigate every part of that process with clarity and care.
Schedule your year-end review
