By SWNS Staff
NEWS COPY w/ VIDEO + INFOGRAPHIC
From adopting a furry friend to home renovations, seven in 10 Americans said they’ve made a lot of changes in their lives over the last year, according to new research.
One in five Americans adopted a pet thanks to the added time at home – but other respondents decided to make some bigger changes.
The survey of 2,000 nationally representative Americans sought to analyze how the pandemic has changed Americans’ lives at home.
Some of the other top changes Americans have made during the course of the pandemic included renovating a house/apartment/condo, buying a car or motorcycle, moving and even starting a home-based business.
Conducted by OnePoll on behalf of The Hanover Insurance Group, Inc., the survey also took a look at what Americans have put off during the course of the pandemic and how they plan to catch up as things start reopening.
It’s no surprise the top thing Americans said they put off was traveling (33%), but some of the things they put off were more part of their day-to-day.
From making doctor’s appointments to fixing something in their home, nearly half (49%) of respondents admitted to putting off important things more frequently than they should.
This procrastination is often due to not having the money (49%), not knowing how to handle them (42%) or not having the time (34%) to solve these issues.
Being stuck inside naturally led to some creativity for Americans, including home improvement projects. Three in five (62%) of those surveyed said they prefer to take care of things around the house as quickly as possible, but the results showed this may be easier said than done.
Respondents admitted to starting two home improvement projects but left them unfinished to this day.
Some of the top projects during the pandemic included big-ticket items like remodeling their kitchen or bath (29%), adding a work-from-home space (21%) or having their roof or siding replaced (15%).
“All of these home improvements can potentially impact insurance needs. As we’re catching up on those renovations that started over the past year, it’s a good reminder to make sure your insurance policies also reflect these changes,” said Daniel Halsey, president, personal lines at The Hanover. “Our results found 63% of Americans weren’t aware their home insurance policies should be revised when renovations and updates are made to the property.”
With the pandemic, however, 40% admitted they probably made many of these decisions a bit faster than they usually do.
The survey also asked respondents about bigger life topics, such as where they stand with insurance, and the results show 34% of Americans are unsure what their policies cover.
Three in 10 respondents admitted to having insurance blind spots in their life because they just don’t know what they should have insurance for.
“The results show many Americans may have questions when it comes to their insurance, so it’s no surprise 56% agreed it would be helpful to have access to an insurance expert when they’re making these important decisions,” continued Halsey. “The good news is independent insurance agents can be a valuable resource for consumers looking to protect their homes and any renovations they made during the pandemic.”
TOP LIFE CHANGES DURING THE PANDEMIC
- Adopted a pet - 18%
- Renovated your house/apartment/condo - 13%
- Bought a car or motorcycle - 11%
- Moved out of your city or state - 9%
- Started a home-based business - 7%
- Bought a house/apartment/condo - 6%
- Added a pool - 4%
- Retired - 4%
- Got married - 3%
- Had/adopted a child - 3%
- Bought a boat - 2%
- Bought a second/additional house/apartment/condo - 2%
- Bought an RV - 2%
TOP INSURANCE BLINDSPOTS
1. 68% didn’t know adding things like pools, trampolines or pets could mean changes need to be made to insurance
2. 77% of people weren’t aware homes above a certain price point may need special insurance coverages
3. 3 in 4 people didn’t know umbrella insurance could help protect them from financial damages of being sued
4. Nearly 7 in 10 weren’t aware their home’s market value (price to sell) was not the same as its replacement value (price to rebuild)