Jun 22 2011

What’s The Difference Between Whole And Term Life Insurance?

It’s important to know the difference between whole verse life insurance before you start to shop.

Whole life (also called permanent) policies are insurance policies that accrue cash value over time and usually pay dividends. Buying a whole life policy is an investment. As the named insured, you have the ability to draw against the cash value. Whole policies are more flexible and more expensive than term policies.

Term life polices are less expensive and inflexible. Term policies are bought for a designated period of time. If the named insured dies before the policy expires, the benefits are paid. However, if the policy expires before the death of the insured, there are no return premiums. As the insured you have the option to renew the policy for another specified period of time, or let it expire.

The difference between whole life and term policies is similar to the difference in buying verses renting a house. A whole policy would be like buying a house. The purchase of a house is an investment. Usually the house appreciates in value. You can borrow against the growing equity in the house. When you decide to move, you sell the house and reap the financial rewards of the investment.

Renting, on the other hand, is like a term policy. You rent an apartment or house for a specific period of time (lease). You do not have the option to borrow against the equity. When the lease is up, you either renew the lease, or move. If you choose to move, you do not get a portion of the rent back.

Term policies do, however, allow you to upgrade to a permanent policy without the need for a physical exam (similar to renting a house with the option to buy). A change in your financial condition may allow you to afford a whole policy that was out of your financial reach a few years earlier.

May 11 2011

Texas Whole Life Insurance

Before you decide to buy whole life insurance over its counterpart, Term Life Insurance, it is crucial for you to understand the basics about Whole Life Insurance in Texas.

The first type of whole life insurance is non-par or non-participating, whereas the second type is participating. The major difference between these two types of whole life insurance policies is that you cannot change them. In terms of a participating type of whole life insurance, the insurance firm will share the dividends with you.

While term life insurance only offers death benefits, whole life insurance creates money value and therefore, offers benefits while you are still alive. Usually, it takes around 10 years or more for whole life insurance to create a money value (also referred to as cash value) for the insurance buyer.

Another advantage of whole life insurance is that, you can lock the price of premiums, thereby paying the same for the coverage annually. Like term life insurance, you have a death benefit which will be given to your beneficiaries in the event of your death. However, with whole life, your cash value increases with time and can barrowed, barrowed against, or withdrawn for your retirement.

Further, depending on the type of whole life insurance that you select, your insurance premium may be able to be paid out of the monthly earnings of the cash value account attached to the whole life insurance policy.

Whole life insurance has higher premiums and offers higher pay out. Premiums are paid for the entire duration for which the person holds the insurance. However, there are certain types of whole life insurances that offer a set amount of payments, whereas the insurance continues for a lifetime, but the premium does not.

The best place to start is a life insurance agent who can explain in detail the differences between whole life insurance and term life insurance. Its also helpful to have an agent in Texas that is a phone call away and locally positioned to answer your questions after you purchase the policy.

Sep 01 2010

Types Of Life Insurance

If you are considering purchasing life insurance, an overview of the available types should prove helpful. This article will briefly discuss the difference between whole and term life insurance, as well as some variations on whole life insurance.

The easiest way to understand the difference between whole life insurance and term life insurance is to look at what is meant by their names. When you purchase whole life insurance, you are covering your “whole” life – as long as you own the policy, it will pay a benefit when you die. What that benefit is depends on the value of the policy at the time of your death, but you own the policy even if you are no longer making payments on it. Whole life also accumulates a cash value on a tax-deferred basis. In addition, whole life can pay dividends throughout the life of the policy.

Term life insurance, on the other hand, is purchased for a certain term, or period. As long as you die within that period, term life insurance will pay an agreed upon amount to your beneficiaries. It will not pay if you cease to make payments or if you die after the term has expired. In addition, term life insurance has no cash value.

Two other aspects of whole versus term life insurance should be pointed out. The first aspect is that premiums for whole life insurance are higher to begin with, but remain steady over time. On the other hand, premiums for term life insurance are lower near the beginning of the policy, but increase over time. Another aspect is that you can borrow against the cash value of a whole life insurance policy. This is not possible with term life insurance, since it does not have a cash value. There are two variations of whole life insurance that need to be mentioned. The first is a more flexible form of whole life called universal life insurance. With universal life insurance, you can adjust (within certain limits) the premiums as well as the benefit amount over time to suit your financial situation. This is made possible by placing the premiums in a fund that accumulates based on the interest rate. As with normal whole life insurance, this type of policy has a cash value that can be borrowed against.

The second variation on whole life insurance is called variable life insurance. This type is similar to universal life insurance, except that the premiums in the fund are tied to the financial markets rather than to interest rates. While the potential for growth is greater with this type of insurance, the potential for loss is greater as well.

As you can see, there are some choices to be made when considering the purchase of a life insurance policy. Now would be a good time to use some of the other resources at this site to help you decide on the life insurance policy that is right for you and your family.

Jul 21 2010

Advantages Of Whole Life Insurance How To Get Them

Advantages Of Whole Life Insurance How To Get Them

Whole Life Insurance is insurance that stays in place for the duration of your life. There are several advantages of whole life insurance that make it a preferred insurance choice for many people. The first is that whole life insurance accrues a cash value, which can be paid out upon death, or at a certain age. Whole life insurance is not just insurance, it is an investment which can be borrowed against, and as long as you keep up with the premiums, will stand the beneficiaries in good stead.

While whole life insurance may initially be more expensive than term life insurance, in the long run it can be less expensive. Whole life insurance is regarded as an investment, and as such, may pay dividends throughout the life of the policy. These dividends can be used to pay down the premiums, or in other nominated ways that can mean that you save money in the long haul.

Whole term life insurance policies can be paid out as a lump sum, or in monthly payments, so there is some flexible for policy holders who do not wish for their policy to be spent irresponsibly. There are also now a large range of various policies which allow customers to pick and choose conditions that suit them them best.

Due to the expansion of the insurance industry, you are well advised to look at your own needs and desires critically, to make sure that the package you end up signing for suits your needs best, and does not carry superfluous costs which will not benefit you at all.

If you are looking for whole term life insurance, be sure to look around various companies, and to request quotes online. These save you both time and money, and are well worth the effort when you consider the magnitude of the investment you could be making, and the importance of the cover to your loved ones.