Which Emergencies Should You Save for in Your Retirement?

Even if you have saved up quite a bit for your retirement, you might still run into a few emergencies that put your finances in jeopardy. That is why everyone who is nearing their retirement should spend some time putting money away for a few expensive situations that could pop up in the coming years.

Household Repairs

Carrying out preventative maintenance should keep your household appliances running smoothly for years, but there will come a point when some of those devices need to be repaired or replaced entirely. 

You must also be ready to replace your HVAC system if it is more than 10 or 15 years old. Replacing an HVAC unit can be a huge investment, and your home insurance probably won’t cover a new condenser or the installation fees.

Unexpected Travel

You should be able to plan most of your trips months in advance, but emergencies can happen at any time. If a family member becomes ill and you would like to see them right away, your ticket is going to be quite expensive. 

You don’t need to save up tens of thousands of dollars for unexpected travel, but you should have enough to cover one or two flights and a few nights in a motel room.

Long-Term Illness

Long-term illnesses are extremely common among the elderly, and most basic insurance policies won’t cover those health problems. At the very least, your emergency fund needs to be large enough to help you deal with a medical emergency that lasts for a few weeks. 

That will give you plenty of time to contact your insurance provider and file a claim. You should also consider upgrading your insurance policy if you have a family history of chronic illnesses.

Auto Accident

A serious auto accident can happen in the blink of an eye, and one of those collisions could wipe out your savings if you aren’t careful. Your auto insurance policy should help you after most accidents, but major collisions can be very expensive. 

If you aren’t fairly compensated after an accident, then you need to contact a personal injury lawyer to explore all of your legal options. You might need to take the other driver to court if they are under-insured or completely uninsured.

For many of these situations, a world-class insurance policy is going to be your first line of defense. A solid policy will cover a wide variety of expenses following an accident, injury, or illness.