Insurance policies are legal contracts. Read and compare the policies you are considering before you buy one, and make sure you understand all of the provisions. Marketing or sales literature is no substitute for the actual policy. Read the policy itself before you buy. Discuss the policies you are considering with people whose opinions you respect?perhaps your doctor, your children, or an informed friend or relative.

Ask for the insurance company's financial rating and for a summary of each policy's benefits or an outline of coverage. (Ratings result from analyses of a company's financial records.) Good agents and good insurance companies want you to know what you are buying.

And bear in mind: Even after you buy a policy, if you find that it does not meet your needs you generally have 30 days to return the policy and get your money back. This is called the "free look."

Do not give in to high-pressure sales tactics. Do not be afraid to ask your insurance agent to explain anything that is unclear. If you are not satisfied with an agent's answers, ask for someone to contact in the company itself. Call your state insurance department if you are not satisfied with the answers you get from the agent or from company representatives.