Is Your Life Insurance Keeping Up With Your Life? 5 Signs You Might Be Underinsured
If you have people who rely on you—whether they’re kids, a partner, or aging parents—life insurance isn’t just a nice-to-have. It’s a key part of protecting their future if something happens to you.
But here’s the thing: Life changes, and so should your coverage. What felt like “enough” a few years ago might fall short today.
Here are five signs it’s time to check your life insurance and make sure your loved ones would be truly protected.
1. Your Only Coverage Is Through Work
Employer-provided life insurance is helpful—but usually not enough. Most policies cover just 1–2 times your salary, which may not go far if you have a mortgage, debts, or kids to support.
Plus, if you leave your job or lose it, the coverage often goes with it.
By getting your own individual policy, you gain more control—and the option to explore policies with living benefits that can help while you’re still here.
2. You’ve Gotten a Raise
A higher income is great news, but it also often means a higher cost of living—bigger home, more expenses, maybe private school or college savings.
If your income has increased since you bought your policy, your life insurance may no longer match the lifestyle your family would need to maintain if you were gone.
3. Your Stay-at-Home Spouse Isn’t Insured
Just because your partner doesn’t earn a paycheck doesn’t mean they don’t contribute enormous value. Childcare, managing the household, and emotional support all have real-world costs.
If something happened to them, replacing that support wouldn’t be free—or easy. That’s why stay-at-home spouses should have coverage too.
Check out the Virgen family’s story: Their decision to insure Teresa, a stay-at-home mom, made the difference between keeping their home and losing it.
4. You’ve Had a Child
Raising a child costs more than $21,000 per year on average—and that’s before college. If you’ve recently become a parent or added to your family, it’s time to revisit your life insurance.
Your policy should be able to cover long-term needs like childcare, education, housing, and everyday expenses—so your child’s future remains stable, no matter what.
5. You Bought a New Home
A new house usually means a bigger mortgage—and a bigger need for protection. If your policy doesn’t cover your outstanding home loan, your family could struggle to stay in the home you worked so hard for.
Life insurance can offer the financial cushion needed to keep them there, even after a loss.
Don’t Wait Until It’s Too Late
Life insurance isn’t something you set and forget. As your life grows, your coverage should grow with it.
Not sure how much you need? Try Life Happens’ Life Insurance Needs Calculator—it’s a quick, easy way to estimate the right amount for you.
A small investment of time today can protect the people you love for years to come.
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