If you follow sports, you may know that over the weekend, Dan Weldon, a NASCAR racer was killed in a race track accident. Fifteen cars were involved in the crash, so it’s not like Weldon was taking abnormally high risks. He simply ran into a situation he had no control over, and he lost his life.

Our thoughts go out to his family.

Now, when something like that happens, you have to wonder whether the person had insurance. You always want to know if the wife and kids being left behind will have enough insurance to cover their needs and help them live comfortably.

Our guess is that a race car driver knows the risks he’s taking and ensures his family will be well taken car of. But for the rest of us… do we know how risky our own lives are? And have we purchased the right amount of insurance to cover those risks?

Here are a few questions you can ask yourself to help you make the important insurance decisions in your life:

For Car Insurance

Do you speed when you think you can get away with it?

Have friends and family commented that you follow other cars too closely?

Does anyone ever complain about having to ride with you?

Do you text, talk on the phone, or eat while driving?

If you answered yes to even one of these questions, then it’s probably a good idea to get more coverage than what is required by the state.

For Home Insurance

Have you ever come home to find a curling iron or the stove still on?

Do you live in an area with a high crime rate?

Are you and the rest of your family members gone during the day?

Do you live in an area known for any natural disasters?

Home insurance premiums are a little bit different than car insurance. With car insurance, you have a set limit of coverage. Home insurance claims are calculated based on the value of what is lost.

For Life Insurance

Do you have kids?

Do you work at a job with high accident rates?

Do you enjoy traveling, extreme sports, or recreational activities?

Do any health problems run in your family?

The best rule of thumb when getting life insurance is: get enough to pay your debts and leave your family sitting comfortably for up to a year. It could take that long for your spouse to get their own lives in order.

Getting coverage is about more than just complying with the state guidelines or your mortgage lender. You need insurance that will take care of you no matter what happens. If you haven’t reviewed your insurance policies in a while, then it’s time to talk to an insurance agent. Our agents would be more than happy to review information with you.

Good luck, and let’s hope a tragic accident like the one this past weekend never affects you and your family.