Homeowner’s Insurance Renewal Checklist
Your Essential Tool for Insurance Renewal
Our free Homeowner’s Insurance Renewal Checklist, crafted by Avner Gat, Inc., a licensed public insurance adjuster firm, is here to help you select important key coverages for your homeowner’s insurance.
1. Think Before You Click
Links and attachments are one of the most common ways attackers break in. Even if a message looks like it came from someone you know, take a second to verify.
- Avoid clicking on links in emails or texts unless you’re sure they’re legitimate and always double check the email address
- Before opening an unexpected attachment, confirm with the sender using a different contact method that they meant to send that attachment
- Type URLs directly into your browser instead of clicking on unknown links
- Be cautious of messages with urgency, spelling errors, or unfamiliar sender names
2. Verify Requests for Private Info
Scammers are good at pretending to be someone you trust—whether it’s your coworker, your boss, or your bank.
- Never give out personal or financial information just because someone asks
- Be skeptical of requests for wire transfers, payments, or login credentials
- Monitor your financial accounts and credit reports regularly for suspicious activity
- Remember: real institutions won’t ask for full account numbers, SSNs, or passwords over the phone or email
3. Protect Your Passwords
Passwords are your first line of defense, but they are often the weakest one. Strengthen them with a few simple rules:
- Use long, complex passwords or passphrases that are hard to guess
- Don’t reuse the same password across different accounts
- Never write down your passwords or store them in plain text
- Use a password manager to securely store and generate strong passwords
- Enable multi-factor authentication (MFA) wherever possible for extra protection
4. Lock Your Devices
Physical security matters too. Don’t make it easy for someone to walk off with your information.
- Always lock your screen before stepping away
- Take phones, tablets, and laptops with you, or lock them up securely
- Use strong passwords or biometric logins (like Face ID or fingerprint) on every device
- Create separate accounts for each user on shared devices and limit admin access
5. Keep Your Devices and Software Updated
Cyber criminals exploit outdated software to gain access to your systems.
- Turn on automatic updates for your apps, operating system, and antivirus
- Restart your devices regularly to complete updates
- Only install updates from trusted sources and avoid third-party websites or app stores
- Keep an eye on the age of your devices—older hardware may stop supporting new security patches
6. Back Up Critical Files
If your device is hacked, stolen, or damaged, you could lose everything unless you have a backup.
- Back up important files regularly to a secure cloud or external hard drive
- Store backups separately from your main devices
- Test your backups occasionally to make sure they work
- For business, use approved storage systems that are backed up automatically
7. Delete What You Don’t Need
Keeping sensitive data longer than necessary increases your risk of exposure.
- Clear out old files, especially those with personal or financial info
- Follow company data retention policies if available
- Use secure deletion methods instead of just sending files to the trash
- If you don’t need to store sensitive data at all, don’t
8. Report Suspicious Activity
Cybersecurity is a team effort. The sooner you report a threat, the faster it can be stopped.
- If an email, pop-up, or anything else feels off, say something
Report phishing attempts, scams, and suspicious activity to your supervisor or IT team - Follow your organization’s reporting protocol so incidents are documented properly
- Don’t ignore red flags. One small report can prevent a major breach
