If you or your sweetheart just popped the question, your mind is probably racing with exciting plans.

But among those thoughts of gowns, gifts, rings and receptions, make sure that insurance doesn't slip your mind. Adding insurance to your wedding checklist will help protect you from whatever bumps may lie ahead on your journey together.

If you rent, it's important to have renter's insurance to cover your belongings in case of fire, theft, catastrophic weather or other adversity, and it's usually reasonably priced.You may think that you don't own much, but consider the cost of your computer, TV, DVD player, stereo equipment, clothes, furniture, CDs and other belongings.Plus, if you're merging households with your new spouse, you suddenly have twice as many belongings - not to mention your wedding gown and all of the wedding gifts that may be coming.

In addition to all of your smaller possessions, you now have one big one that should be insured - the engagement ring. Most carriers consider this a gift, so it should be insured under the woman's policy (or joint policy, if you have one).

When combining your insurance policies, it's a good idea to get your auto and homeowner's or renter's insurance from the same company.Many insurance carriers give a discount for auto policies with more than one vehicle and another discount for purchasing homeowner's or renter's coverage with their company."When it comes to insurance, two definitely can live cheaper than one," said Dan Kovac, assistant vice president at General Casualty Insurance Companies.For example,General Casualtypolicyholders receive up to a 5 percent discount for multiple vehicles on one policy and up to a 15 percent discount for multiple polices insured by General Casualty.However, Kovac warns that if you or your spouse-to-be has a poor driving record, don't automatically combine your policies without doing your homework. It may be worth it to keep the poor driver on his or her own policy so you don't bring the good driver's rates up.

There are several other considerations, too. Here are a few to keep in mind:If you purchase a house together, make sure your coverage limits are high enough so you could recover in the case of a total loss.Figure homeowner's insurance into your monthly budget - it's significantly more expensive than renter's coverage.When you're married, you may find that you have more assets than you did as a single person, which also means you have more to lose if someone gets hurt on your property or you're involved in a serious car accident.Couples with stepchildren should make sure the children's belongings are covered in your homeowner's or renter's policy if they reside with you at least part of the time. They should also be included on auto policies for vehicles that they drive.If your spouse-to-be has a dog that will be joining the household, or if you plan to buy a dog together, be aware that certain breeds or dogs with a history of biting could make you ineligible for home or renter's insurance with your current carrier because of the added liability.