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.

Jun 15 2011

What Factors Determine Term Life Insurance Rates

Term life insurance policies provide a limited coverage period, which is determined by the policy owner. Term life insurance rates are actually the cheapest form of life insurance, but there are different rates for different people. This is because once the term of the policy is up you dont receive any payout from the policy. If you take out life insurance at a young age, you will get much better term life insurance rates than if you wait until you are older.

The total cost of your term life insurance rates can be tricky. Some term life insurance policies appear to cost more, but may, in fact, be cheaper when you look at the total cost of the term life insurance policy. For example, annual renewable policies increase your premiums every year and thus may appear to be more expensive than level term policies where the premiums never increase (although the initial premiums for a level term policy will be higher). But, in fact, level premium policies may involve higher costs over the policy’s full term, and become particularly expensive when you try to renew your policy at the end of the term. This is why you do have to compare term life insurance quotes.

Some of the factors that influence your term life insurance rates are:
Whether or not you smoke. Tobacco users are twice as likely to die as non﷓tobacco users while they are insured. Life insurance companies take this into account when they set their premium and cash benefits levels. You can save from 20% to 30% on premiums by quitting smoking.

Medical Record. If you have a terminal illness, it is unlikely that any life insurance company will issue a policy. In the case of heart disease, you will get a policy but your rates will be high

Occupation. if you work in a dangerous occupation, such as working on a ship that carries gas, this will put you into a higher bracket when it comes to getting rates for term insurance. You will have to shop around to compare term life insurance quotes if you are in this category.

Term life insurance rates vary a lot, and you can do something about your premiums by taking some decisions to become more healthy, like giving up smoking.

Apr 20 2011

Term Life Insurance

Term life insurance is basically a no frills type of life insurance. It is a life insurance for a specified duration limit, or time. You buy a specific amount of coverage for a specific time period by signing a contract. You pay for that coverage period and at the end of the term the policy expires. For example, the term might be until retirement, or until children are grown, or until college is paid for.

Term life insurance is the least expensive available insurance policy and allows you to spend a lot less and use the extra money in a better investment. It does not build up cash value and the premium normally increases as the policy owner gets older. Usually term life insurance covers a specific term such as term of 1year, term of 20 years or term of 30 years.

If you die while the policy is active, term life insurance provides a stated benefit for it; and your survivors will be paid the agreed upon amount. However, the policy does not provide any returns beyond the stated benefit and once the policy expires, the insurance coverage ceases and the insurance company keeps the money. Some term insurance policies give you the right to renew at the same rate for multiple years, while others do not. The former are generally a bit more expensive.

Term life insurance is most suitable for you, if you are:
in need of coverage for a limited period of time,
young and looking for lower premiums,
buying a home or car, where the financial burden of a loan will disappear in time.

Term life insurance policies must be renewed when each term ends. Before buying a term life insurance policy, you should ask about the renewal provisions for the protection of your future insurability. There are some typical choices:
Annual Renewable—–the premium go up each year.
Level Term—–the premium stays the same for specific period like 5, 10, 15, or 20 years, then increases sharply.
Automatic Renewable—–you’ll have to pay more for this feature.

Some other options on term life insurance policies may include:
Re-Entry——it requires a lower premium than an automatically renewable policy. You can renew at the same low rate offers to new customer; but you’ll have to pass a physical examination. If you’ve developed any health problems, your premium could go up and cost more than an automatic-renewable policy.
Convert-able term——youll have the option to convert to a whole life insurance policy in later years.

Apr 06 2011

Life Insurance Basics

In general, may people understand that having life insurance in any form is a necessity. The policy of life insurance is an excellent method of providing protection for your family members in the event of your death. While many people understand that is important to have life insurance they may not understand that there are many different types of policies available in the world today.

One type of life insurance policy is called Whole Life Insurance, this type of life insurance is effective provided you continue to make the monthly payments upon the premium. This is a very popular type of life insurance because it allows you to build a cash value on the policy and is on a basis that is tax-deferred. The way this works is that a portion of the premium you are paying is put into an account of savings that the policy invests into. All interest that is earned upon the policy is put into the savings and helps to build the cash value. Once the cash value reaches a higher level, you could be required to pay the premium after age or you could be allowed to borrow against that cash value.

Another attractive benefit of having a whole life insurance policy is that your premium will always remain the same. At no time will the amount change at all, therefore as long as you continue to pay the premium each month, you will remain at the same amount for the entire time. If you choose to take a loan out on the cash value you have earned, the only difference you will have to pay is paying back that loan. One downside to this policy is the fact that you will have no control whatsoever over how the company chooses to invest the dollars you pay on your premium.

Another type of life insurance is the term life insurance policy. This policy is selected for a specified amount of time. If you should happen to pass away during the term of this specified time, then your family would then receive payment in the form of a lump sum as the contract specifies. Typically, the premiums upon this type of policy is far cheaper than other types and it does not allow you to build any type of cash value. With this type of life insurance, your premium can change or increase on a yearly basis and it generally does increase each year. It is the more expensive type of insurance that is available however it will provided your family with complete protection in the event of your death.

Mar 30 2011

10 key reasons why a person needs life insurance

Insurance is designed to protect a person and the family from disasters and financial burdens. There are many kinds of insurance of which, the basic and most important is considered to be life insurance. It provides for the dependants after your death.

Since there are certain financial commitments you need to meet throughout life and do contribute in some way to the family income, you need to provide something even in deathto secure the home, help the family meet expenses for a while, protect dependant parents, or secure the children or spouse.

Financial obligations could include funeral expenses, unsettled medical bills, mortgages, business commitments, meeting the college expenses of the children, and so on.

How much insurance a person needs would vary, depending on lifestyle, financial needs and sources of income, debts, and the number of dependants? An insurance adviser or agent would recommend that you take insurance that amounts to five to ten times your annual income. It is best to sit down with an expert and go through the reasons why you should consider insurance and what kind of insurance planning would benefit you.

As an important part of your financial plan insurance provides peace of mind for any uncertainties in life.

1.Life insurance correctly planned will on premature death provide funds to deal with monies due, mortgages, and living expenses. It offers protection to the family you leave behind and serves as a cash resource.

2.It secures your hard earned estate on death by providing tax free cash which can be utilized to pay estate and death duties and to tide over business and personal expenses.

3.Life insurance can have a savings or pension component that provides for you during retirement.

4.Some policies have riders like coverage of critical illness or term insurance for the children or spouse. There are certain rules regarding eligibility for riders which you will need to determine clearly.

5.Having a valid insurance policy is considered as financial assets which improves your credit rating when you need health insurance or a home loan or business loan.

6.In case of bankruptcy, the cash value as well as death benefits of an insurance policy is exempt from creditors.

7.Life insurance can be planned such that it will cover even your funeral expenses.

8.Term life insurance has double benefits, it protects and you can get your money back during strategic points in your life.

9.Insurance protects your business from financial loss or any liabilities in case a business partner dies.

10.It can contribute towards maintaining a familys life style when one contributing partner suddenly dies.

Insurance is vital to good financial planning and security but you would need to assess your personal risk and long term commitments. Insurance stands a person in good stead throughout life and can be used in case of emergencies during a life time by requesting a withdrawal or loan.

Feb 16 2011

Online Life Insurance

Are you considering taking out life insurance? If so, its a good idea to review what life insurance companies have to offer by searching for life insurance online.

Over the past few years the online life insurance market has become very buoyant. Most major life insurance companies are now represented online, and they have been joined by smaller life insurance companies as well as life companies who operate exclusively online. As the Internet is akin to a level playing field, small life insurance companies now have just as much chance of selling a life policy online as do larger insurance companies. This has created some intense competition between insurance companies for online customers, many life companies providing discounts and incentives to attract life customers to their policies. Consequently, you can now pick up online life insurance for as little as 5 per month.

Online life insurancechoiceschoices!

The great thing about shopping online for your life insurance is that everything is at your fingertips. You can receive quotes online and make your life insurance application online, as well as review the different types of policies available and even read the policy’s terms & conditions online.

The first choice you will have to make when looking for life insurance online is what type of life insurance to buy. There are two basic types of life insurance available – term life insurance and reducing or mortgage life insurance.

Term life insurance pays out a lump sum on the death of the policyholder. It is a long-term life insurance product that can last up to 50 years, although it does not normally extend further than the policyholder’s 91st birthday. Mortgage life insurance is a shorter-term life insurance product that mirrors the life of the policyholder’s mortgage. It is designed to pay off the outstanding mortgage debt should death occur before the mortgage is paid off.

In terms of payout, the lump sum received on a mortgage life insurance policy reduces to zero in line with the outstanding mortgage balance. So, should the policyholder die when there is only 1000 remaining on the mortgage then the life insurance policy will pay out only 1000. Payout terms on a term life insurance policy are somewhat different, the lump sum being the same at the end of the policy as at the start of the policy, that is assuming the level of coverage required remains the same.

Both of these life insurance polices are of course available offline. However, phoning around different insurance companies to find the best quote is a time consuming job. You also don’t have the advantage of reviewing the ins and outs of the insurance policy beforehand as you do online.

Best places to look for online life insurance

The best places to look for online life insurance is in fact not on the web sites of the insurance companies themselves. Instead, it is best to look at specialist life insurance information sites and portals where you’ll find a collection of life insurance companies all in one place. You’ll even be able to receive the same discounts as you would by going direct to the web sites of each individual insurance company, leaving you quids in and with more time on your hands to enjoy life.

Feb 02 2011

All About Life Insurance Settlements

Life insurance settlements refer to the amount of money your beneficiary receives after you die. The life insurance company pays the settlement based on the amount you have paid for with the premiums of the policy. Life insurance settlements are usually only paid out after your death and there are several types of life insurance policies you can choose from.

Term life insurance pays out the life insurance settlements only if you die during the term of the policy. You can choose 5, 10, 15, and 20-year policies and it is even possible to get a 30 year life insurance with this type. Whole life insurance on the other hand covers you for your whole life and the settlement is paid out whenever you die.

With changes to the life insurance industry, you can now enjoy life insurance settlements prior to your death. You can sell your policy back to the company for a lump sum settlement at a discounted value. This is particularly good if you find yourself in financial difficulty and the settlement from the life insurance will help you out. With senior life insurance it is also advantageous because the senior may want to cash out the policy and purchase a better one.

It is also possible to get a life insurance settlement of a higher amount. Depending on the policy you choose, you can liquidate an older policy that has added to the value over the years. This puts you in a very good financial situation.

With senior life insurance, the policy provides peace of mind for the older citizens that do not want to burden their families with the cost of funeral expenses. There are usually relaxed requirements and additional benefits as well as having life insurance settlements paid out after their death.

Usually a medical exam is required for senior life insurance and the result of this exam determines the cost of the insurance. There are different premiums for differing amounts of life insurance settlements. If you just want a burial insurance, the life insurance settlement will cover the funeral expenses. This is often the type of life insurance that people with disabilities and terminal illnesses choose. Whatever your circumstances, you cant afford to be without life insurance because of the expenses incurred by those left behind.

Life insurance settlements are an important event, and the reason you take out life insurance.

Jan 05 2011

Life Insurance: Getting Better Rates by Refinancing

Your life insurance needs naturally change over time. Children grow up and move on, financial situations change and families grow. If your lifestyle has changed, its probably time to refinance your term life insurance policies. By periodically examining your life insurance needs, you can explore more cost-efficient options that will save you in the long run.

The cost of life insurance has dropped 60% in the last ten years. This is mostly due to the fact that we are living longer. Competition has also caused companies to offer better rates. By changing your policy, you could have a much lower rate than was set years ago.

Take the time to consider how your life has changed. If your children have grown up and gone out on their own, you may want less expensive coverage. If youve changed your lifestyle, such as losing weight or quitting smoking, you could be eligible for cheaper premiums due to a raise in your health status.

You may be happy with your policy, but if youve had it for a while, it could be worth it to simply look into your options. There are more features offered, longer premium guarantees and better conversion options available today than there were five years ago. You can buy a cheaper policy with more features.

You have nothing to lose from simply looking into your coverage. Start with calling your current life insurance agent and ask him or her what they can do to fit your existing coverage to your needs.

Many insurance web sites will give you a basic idea of the variety of coverages available. Remember that quotes are usually based on the healthiest level of being, which you may not qualify for. Always assume that you are receiving a low figure. Make sure that you double check with an insurance agent before committing to the coverage off of the internet sight. You can often do this by phone, or they will come to your home.

Independent agents represent many different companies and can offer you more choices. They are knowledgeable of many different policies and can find one that will best fit your individual situation.

Even if you decide to stay with your current insurance company, you may find that you need to rethink the amount of coverage. You may have too much or too little. Do the math, you could save money.

Dont terminate your old policy until the new policy is in force. You dont want any gaps in coverage to occur.

If your health has gone downhill since your initial policy was created, you may not want to change policies your rates will increase. Most insurance companies write in a two-year contestability period on new policies. That means they have the right to challenge a death claim.

Do the research and honestly evaluate your coverage needs. Refinancing you life insurance could be very beneficial to your finances.

Dec 01 2010

Fixed term life insurance explained

The importance of having adequate life cover should never be underestimated and the solution may be in taking out fixed term life insurance cover.

But first of all, why is life insurance so important? Sadly, many people see it as an unnecessary expense, thinking that once they die, why will they need the money? However, life insurance provides financial protection for the loved ones you leave behind.

For example, if you died tomorrow, would your partner be able to meet the monthly mortgage repayment and day to day bills on one salary alone? Would they be able to live the same lifestyle without your salary? Or would they need to sell up and downsize, possibly uprooting your children in the process?

It is unlikely that they would be able to cope financially on just one salary alone and nor would you want them to be put under financial stress while coping with their grief.

The positive news is that the life insurance doesnt have to be expensive and fixed term life insurance can be fairly cheap.

Fixed term life cover is insurance that pays out a lump sum should the life insured (ie. the policyholder) die during the term of the policy. It is a simple and probably the most inexpensive form of life insurance cover available.

This is because if the policyholder (or policyholders in the case of a joint life policy) survives the term of the policy, it expires and no payment is made. As the lump sum payment is only made on the death of the policyholder, this makes the life assurance premiums less expensive than some other life insurance plans.

Fixed term life insurance can also have additional benefits such as payment of the lump sum upon diagnosis of a terminal illness (such as cancer) during the term of the policy.

The term will normally fixed to match your personal financial circumstances – for example, if you have twenty years to go on your mortgage, then you need life insurance to cover at the least the period until your mortgage is paid off. Or you may want it to run up until you plan to retire.

As with all insurances, do shop around to find the right deal for you youll be surprised how much prices can vary from insurer to insurer even though they are offering the same level of cover and benefits.

Finally, if you are unsure about any aspect of your chosen cover, then speak to your life insurance provider or seek independent financial advice.

Nov 24 2010

Discount Life Insurance

Life insurance is a type of insurance policy that provides financial security and peace of mind for you, your family and dependants. It is based on the simple principle that should you die during the term of the life insurance policy, the person(s) named in the insurance policy will receive a lump sum or series of payments for the insured amount. If you have a mortgage andor are the main income producer in the family, a life insurance policy will ensure your family’s future is secure as the payment can be configured to pay off all outstanding debts and provide a substantial income for the ones that you leave behind.

Buying life insurance

When buying life insurance it is advisable to shop around for the best discount. Life insurance premiums can vary significantly between life insurance providers, while some providers will even offer discount life insurance, guaranteeing their premiums to be the lowest available on a like-for-like basis. If you want the best discount on your life insurance policy you’ll need to look out for special discount offers run by the insurance providers. This may take some time however, and you’re not guaranteed that the next discount offer that becomes available will be the right type of life insurance policy for your circumstances.

Alternatively, you should instead conduct your search for discount life insurance online.

Online = discount life insurance

Why is it important to look online for discount life insurance you may ask? Well, the reasons are numerous! It’s quick, it’s easy and there is a huge amount of choice available on life insurance policies at the click of your mouse. Best of all though, life insurance policies found online are generally cheaper than those found offline. This is because there are fewer overheads involved in processing an online application form for life insurance than there is when a life insurance company processes a paper-based application. The costs incurred by the life insurance company when they advertise on the Internet are also lower than say if they were to advertise on the TV, radio or via newspapers.

Additionally, portals and web sites that provide a comparison between different life insurance policies, some of which will be discount polices, are certainly worth a visit, especially if they provide access to online application forms. Why are they worth a visit? Well, not only will these portals offer you a selection of the lowest priced discount policies available, but you may also be able to pick up a further discount when buying the life insurance policy through the portal.