If you are looking for all of the basics regarding life insurance plus some other tips that you might not have heard of, this article is for you. This can be a confusing subject with all of the different opinions and information that is available – especially when a lot of it is contradictory.
When creating a life insurance policy, never name your minor children as the beneficiary. The flaw in this plan is that minor children cannot inherit money, so it is handled by a custodian appointed by the state or the insurance company. This custodian might not be the surviving parent. In addition, placing your child as the beneficiary allows them access to the full fund as soon as they turn 18.
When shopping for life insurance, be sure to know the differences between the two main types: term life and permanent. Term life is a chosen amount of years that your benefactors are eligible to receive your insurance money. If you outlive these years, then the plan is void. Permanent life insurance stays with you until you die, but rates will generally be higher.
Make sure you understand all the exclusions, inclusions, and terms involved in your contract before signing on the dotted line. Items like non-payment for pre-existing diseases, no coverage if you were doing an activity considered dangerous and other exclusions are very common. Read the fine print and understand fully what you are paying for.
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.
Don’t buy more life insurance than you actually need. You want to buy just enough for your family’s needs. Buying too much life insurance means that you’ll end up paying a lot more in premiums. Be sure, though, that you don’t skimp on your insurance and end up with a policy that won’t provide for your family.
Before purchasing life insurance, you should fully grasp the difference between term insurance and permanent insurance because this can help you make a better decision about what kind of policy you need. A term insurance policy should cover most of your debt and financial needs, so therefore, a term insurance policy may be best for you. Do not let a representative tell you that you should purchase permanent insurance because a term insurance policy is only better in certain situations.
Buy life insurance as early as you can afford to. The older you get, the higher your rates rise. Insurance companies base their rates on the probability of the insured contracting an illness or other condition. Additionally, you run the risk of being turned down for coverage if you happen to become ill before you apply for life insurance.
You need to find out if your life insurance policy is convertible. Some insurance carriers will allow you to transfer your policy to a different policy within a certain amount of time. It is important to always know what options are available to you and to make sure you always have coverage that fits your needs.
Save money on your life insurance premium by choosing to pay it yearly. Most insurance companies will also give you the choice of paying your premium on a monthly, quarterly or semi-annual basis. However, when you choose one of these options, you usually have to pay installment fees to cover the company’s extra service costs, as well.
When purchasing life insurance, it’s important that you understand your particular needs. Nobody knows what you need or what your family needs better than you, so take time to think any policy choice through, examining the situation from every possible angle and determining what best fits your particular needs.
Never lie on your life insurance applications. Trying to hide smoking or other negative conditions or circumstances could cause your claim to be denied if something happens to you, because insurers do investigate if claims are suspicious. Your dependents could lose out on the money they need to cover expenses if you are not up-front with the insurance company.
Were you aware that a life insurance policy can help fund your retirement? A life insurance policy that is a return-of-premiums policy will pay you back if not used. With a policy like this, you are entitled to receive the lump sum of your premium payments back, if you outlive the life of your particular policy. You can now afford a retirement trip to the Bahamas!
As stated at the beginning, there is quite a bit of information in regards to life insurance. Hopefully you will find these tips beneficial. You should now find yourself ahead of the game if you are working to become an expert, or just trying to get a bit of background information.
