Not knowing the right questions to ask about your insurance protection is among the key reasons far too many consumers hear the dreaded words “you are not covered” at the worse possible time — after a personal property or liability insurance loss.  Following are examples of frequently asked questions many consumers ask when making important decisions about their insurance protection:

1. Am I “fully covered”?
2. Can you lower my premiums?
3. How much liability insurance do I really need?
4. Do I have coverage for losses caused by hurricanes?
5. Do I have coverage for the renovations / additions to my home?

While these questions are all valid and worthy of answers, there are many far more important to questions to ask to make sure your insurance program is providing the level of protection you will want in effect should you experience a significant loss.  For starters, consider what you might learn from the answers to these questions:

1. In addition to the risks I am covered for, what are the risks I am not currently insured for?
2. Are there any coverage gaps, policy exclusions or forms of coverage that have not been not offered that are exposing my assets to uncovered property or liability losses?
3. How does the claims settlement process differ among insurance carriers?
4. Are there effective strategies to control the cost of coverage without requiring me to sacrifice important protection?
5. What services are available to help prevent or reduce the risk of loss?
6. What can I do now to ensure the best outcome in the event of a large property or liability loss?

So whose job is it to help you know the right questions to ask so that you can reduce the risk of experiencing an uncovered loss? Consumers should seek insurance advice from independent insurance agents who serve their clients as risk advisors by offering insightful answers to the many important questions that are often never asked . Think risk-coach, and not someone who is simply skillful at using clever selling techniques.

To learn whether you are working with an insurance agent who is truly focused onhelping you make well informed decisions to properly manage your risks, here’s a good question to ask that person: “Are there other questions I have not asked that could help you better assess my exposure to uncovered losses?”  The answer you receive can help you determine if the person whose job it is to help you understand and manage your risks is actually focused on that objective. If they are not, it then becomes your job to find one who is.