If you haven’t yet purchased a life insurance policy and are currently considering the benefits of one, now could be the best time to start shopping. Planning for your future and that of your family depends on wise decisions, especially in life insurance policies, and these tips could help you along the process.
When choosing life insurance, you may also wish to look into purchasing burial insurance. This is fairly cheap insurance and will cover things such as your casket, funeral home costs, transportation and other such things. This is well worth it as the costs for these items can be extraordinary, if they come from out of pocket.
It is important to have sufficient life insurance. You should have enough insurance to cover at least five years of your current salary if you are married. If you have children or many debts, you should have upwards of ten years salary’s worth of life insurance. Insurance will help your loved ones to cover expenses when you are gone.
Be careful to not buy too much or too little insurance coverage. The general rule of thumb is to have at least 5 to 7 times your current salary as your benefit amount. Keep in mind what will have to be covered based on your families needs. Many people also make the mistake of buying too much and end up with inflated insurance premiums for coverage they don’t really need.
Look for term life policies than include an option to convert to permanent coverage. This option will allow you as the policy holder to change your term policy into a permanent policy that will cover you for the rest of your life without having to undergo medical exams. This is a very useful clause if you start to suffer from health issues while still covered under your term insurance.
Make sure to get quotes on different levels of policies. Many insurance companies offer breaks at different levels of coverage that could wind up saving you money. Just because you’ve decided that 175,000 is all the coverage you need, doesn’t mean you shouldn’t get quoted on other levels just in case.
You may find that life insurance premiums will be higher if your hobbies are high risk activities such as skydiving or drag car racing. Also, some jobs, such as firefighting and coal mining, increase your risk of death, which means the insurance company will charge you more.
A life insurance policy is vital if you have anyone in your life who is dependent on you financially. If you pass on, life insurance could mean your spouse is able to finish off your mortgage or even put your kids through college.
The best way to get a more affordable life insurance policy is to make your health better. It is quite common for insurance carriers to offer discounts to customers who are in better health, as they are more likely to live longer.
You should review your life insurance coverage needs at least once a year. As your family changes, so do their financial needs. If you have another child, your coverage needs will increase, while you might be over-insured as an empty nester. Check periodically on what you need to avoid paying too much or leaving your family in the lurch.
Choose a policy that specifically meets your needs. Life insurance can be tailored in many ways. Ask about riders that provide benefits such as an advance on the death benefit. If the insured contracts a terminal illness, this allows them to have money to pay for medical costs, although it does reduce the face value of the policy.
Consider a convertible policy if you cannot decide between term or permanent life insurance. This type of life insurance policy starts out as term life insurance, and if they choose to before the term expires,the insured can convert the policy to permanent insurance without having to take a new medical exam.
Before purchasing life insurance, compare all of the policies available to you. Although similar policies are renewable, one could offer coverage for a much longer period then the other. Similarly, you may find two policies that offer all of the benefits you require, but one could be less expensive. You should always conduct sufficient due diligence so that you get the right coverage for your needs.
Research the insurance company. You need to purchase your life insurance through a reliable company: this way you can be sure that in the event of your death, your beneficiaries will actually receive what they are due. There are a number of agencies that rate companies in terms of financial soundness and reliability. They assess the insurer’s ability to pay on time and meet all financial obligations. The four main agencies are Moody’s, Standard and Poors, A.M. Best and Fitch.
There is a lot to consider as you are preparing to buy life insurance, and understanding your needs and the policies that are offered to meet these needs is important for life planning. You want to make the best decision, so start with the advice in this article and move forward much wiser.
