Insurance Subscription Audit 2026: Stop Paying for Overlapping Coverage
Updated February 2026 · The hidden insurance subscriptions draining your bank account
💸 The Average Household Pays for 5-7 Insurance Products
Auto insurance + renters/home insurance + device protection + identity theft monitoring + extended warranties + roadside assistance + pet insurance = $3,000-$6,000/year. Many of these overlap with free credit card benefits you already have. This audit could save you $500-$2,000 annually.
The Insurance Overlap Problem
Insurance companies sell fear, and Americans buy a LOT of it. The problem is that many of these products cover the same things:
- Phone damage: Covered by Asurion ($17/mo) AND AppleCare ($10/mo) AND your credit card (free) AND sometimes your renters insurance
- Identity theft: Covered by LifeLock ($12-35/mo) AND your bank (usually free) AND your credit card (often free)
- Rental car damage: Covered by the rental company ($15-30/day) AND your auto insurance AND your credit card (free primary CDW on many cards)
- Extended warranties: Covered by Best Buy Totaltech ($200/yr) AND Amazon extended warranty ($20-80) AND your credit card (+1-2 years free)
- Travel cancellation: Covered by trip insurance ($50-200) AND your credit card (often included)
Your Free Credit Card Benefits (Check These First)
Most mid-tier and premium credit cards include:
- 📱 Cell phone protection: Up to $600-$800/claim with $25-50 deductible (pay phone bill with card)
- 🛡️ Purchase protection: 90-120 day coverage against damage/theft for items bought with the card
- ⏰ Extended warranty: +1-2 years beyond manufacturer warranty (free)
- 🚗 Rental car CDW: Primary collision damage waiver — decline the rental company's $30/day coverage
- ✈️ Travel insurance: Trip cancellation/delay/baggage coverage (premium cards)
- 🔒 Identity theft: Zero fraud liability + free monitoring from most major issuers
- 🏥 Travel medical: Emergency medical coverage abroad (Amex, Chase Sapphire)
How to check: Google "[your card name] benefits guide PDF" or call the number on the back of your card. The benefits guide is usually a 20-40 page PDF that most cardholders never read.
Insurance-by-Insurance Audit
📱 Device Protection (Asurion, AppleCare, Samsung Care+)
Cost: $7-17/month per device
Verdict: Cancel if your credit card covers phone damage. Keep only for brand-new $1,000+ phones in the first year.
Savings: $84-204/year per device. Full Asurion guide
🔒 Identity Theft Protection (LifeLock, Aura, Identity Guard)
Cost: $12-35/month
Verdict: Mostly unnecessary. Free credit monitoring from Credit Karma/your bank + a credit freeze (free at all 3 bureaus) provides the same core protection.
Savings: $144-420/year. Cancel LifeLock
🚗 Roadside Assistance (AAA, carrier-added)
Cost: $60-120/year (AAA) or $5-12/month (carrier)
Verdict: Check if your auto insurance already includes roadside. Many do (GEICO, Progressive, State Farm). Your credit card may too.
Savings: $60-144/year
🐾 Pet Insurance (Pets Best, Healthy Paws, Lemonade)
Cost: $30-100/month per pet
Verdict: One of the few insurance products that CAN be worth it — but only if you get it when your pet is young and healthy. Pre-existing conditions are never covered. Consider a pet savings account instead.
Alternative: Put $50/month in a savings account labeled "pet emergency" — after 2 years you have $1,200 cash with no deductible or exclusions.
🛒 Extended Warranties (Best Buy, Amazon, retailer plans)
Cost: $20-300 per item
Verdict: Almost never worth it. Products that survive the first year rarely fail in years 2-3. Your credit card adds 1-2 years of warranty for free on everything you buy with it.
Savings: $50-500/year depending on how many you buy
The Audit Action Plan
- List every insurance payment on your bank/credit card statements
- Read your credit card benefits guide — you probably have more coverage than you think
- Check your auto policy for roadside, rental car, and phone coverage
- Check your renters/home policy for personal property and electronics coverage
- Freeze your credit at all 3 bureaus (free) — eliminates most identity theft risk
- Cancel the overlap: Drop paid products that duplicate free coverage
- Shop your core insurance (auto + home) annually — saves $400-800/year
🔍 Find every insurance charge on your statement
Upload your bank statement to JustCancel and we'll identify every insurance-related charge — Asurion buried in your phone bill, LifeLock, extended warranties, roadside assistance, and the rest. Most people find 2-3 insurance charges they forgot about. Takes 30 seconds.