Your life is the most important thing there is! This is why it is so important to protect it by eating healthy and living safely. You can also protect the livelihood of those you love by purchasing life insurance. With life insurance, you can be assured that your family will not be left in financial burden if you pass. Below are tips to help you find the right life insurance.
Understand the types of life insurance available before making a decision on which to purchase. Most insurance policies focus on Term Life or Whole Life and knowing the difference is key. Bear in mind that with both of these types of policy, they can be tailored to your specific needs and situations. Do your homework.
Avoid the whole life policy and go with the term life policy instead. Whole life policies combine an investment with the standard term policy. The term life policy will pay out the amount of coverage that you have selected either in a lump sum or over the course of 20 to 30 years.
When choosing a financial representative to assist you in the life insurance policy purchase process, ensure that you select an individual that you feel at ease with. This person should understand and acknowledge your goals and needs so as to be able to provide the best advice regarding products that are right for your situation.
Life insurance companies often charge cigarette smokers double the usual premium. A way to reduce the monthly cost of your insurance, is to quit smoking if you are a smoker. Another way to bring your premium down is to stay in shape. Physically fit, non-smokers are at far less risk for developing illness and diseases.
Get an idea of what you are going to pay before choosing a policy plan. You can accomplish this by getting your quotes online. There are plenty of sites such as Accuquote.com, FindMyInsurance.com, LifeInsure.com and many more that can offer you quick pricing information. Many will require more detailed applications and medical exams due to being online and not face-to-face.
Compare your group life insurance against other policies. Group life policies, usually provided by your employer, may not always be the least expensive option. The rates are set based on averages — average age, average health and other important risk factors that may not apply to you. If you have excellent health, shop around to see if you can get better rates elsewhere.
You need to find out if there is any way to defer a payment on your life insurance policy if you find yourself in a financial bind. There are some insurance companies who are willing to work with their customers and may give you an extension on the due date for your premiums. You will need to talk to your agent to find out.
Make sure you understand any exclusions or limitations before purchasing a life insurance policy. Some policies contain exclusions for pre-existing conditions – if you have any of those conditions – the policy would not pay out should you die as a result from one of them. Exclusions can vary from policy-to-policy, so make sure to review all details.
If you need a lot of coverage for a smaller premium, you will probably benefit most from a term life insurance plan. This plan will not build up equity, but will pay out a higher death benefit. They do have an ending date though, thus the title “term life insurance.” Make sure you have other plans in place for when this coverage runs out.
Buy the coverage of insurance that you currently need. Don’t be pushed into buying more insurance by the insurance rep with intimidating statements of doom and gloom. Typically, most insurance policies allow for changes and upgrades should you decide to increase your coverage. Instead, stay within your budget and be sure to advise the insurance representative of your cost limitations.
Look into premium discounts. Surprisingly, most companies offer a rate discount for a specific amount of insurance. For instance, $250,000 of life insurance may actually have a smaller premium than $200,000. This is because the rate discount tends to kick in at a higher amount, in increments of $250,000. Likewise, $500,000 of insurance may cost you less than $450,000.
Make sure you understand everything that your life insurance covers, but also what it does not cover. This way, you will not be filing claims for things that are not covered. If you think you need more coverage, consider upgrading your current plan or switching to a different insurance company.
Making a plan for the future now is so important! Don’t risk leaving your family a big financial hassle and/or crisis when you pass. Use the tips above to help you or a loved one plan for the future so everyone can live a little easier while they are on this planet.
