Try Following This Advice When Looking At Your Life Insurance Options
Apr 1
The importance of life insurance cannot be overstated. Any breadwinner, or person that provides a significant amount of work in the home, needs to have life insurance. Purchasing a policy can be overwhelming, not only because of all the different options, but also because it is a sensitive subject. Read the following tips for advice on how to handle this important decision.
Find the right type of life insurance policy for your needs. The three basic types are, whole life, term life and variable life. Whole life policies will be the most expensive, but they operate much like a savings account, meaning that you can use it as an asset in the future, if it hasn't been used.
Your total cost on the life insurance will go up if you routinely do things that are dangerous. Think about giving up hobbies like bungee jumping and skydiving because it may reduce your rates. If you regularly travel to dangerous areas in the world, you may not be able to receive any discounts on your policy, and may end up paying a huge premium.
You should understand why you need a life insurance policy. Don't just go out and buy a policy because someone told you it was a good idea. You should only purchase a life insurance policy if someone in your family, a spouse, or children, depends on your income source for support.
Although term life insurance covers you for only a specified period of time, it does have some benefits that may make it the right choice for you. Term life insurance is vastly cheaper than whole life insurance, costing hundreds of dollars a year rather than thousands. It is flexible in that you can choose to be covered for as few as 5 or as many as 30 years with coverage ranging from $100,000 to millions. For short term needs, such as children graduating from college or a mortgage being paid off, term life insurance is ideal, especially if whole life insurance is not in your budget.
When looking for a life insurance policy, make sure to get long term coverage that is going to fulfill all of your needs. You do not want to be stuck paying money on a policy that is all wrong for you. If you are unsure about which is best for you, ask your insurance agent.
Life insurance can help ease the burden to your family by helping with funeral and burial expenses. Policies also pay your family an amount that you designate. For a relatively low monthly cost, your family can be covered $100,000, $250,000, $500,000, or another amount that is right for you.
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.
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.
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.
A great tip to lower your life insurance premiums is to figure out how much insurance you actually need. You should determine this amount yourself, and do not leave it to insurance companies because they often will overestimate how much insurance you need. This will lead to higher premiums you will have to pay. Therefore, you should only purchase a policy that has the exact amount of insurance you need.
Ask your broker some tough questions and make sure they can answer them confidently. Check to make sure that the policy is one that is renewable. Also, look into cancellation options and guarantees on premiums. It's important to know these answers to ensure the best deal.
If you smoke cigarettes or cigars or chew tobacco, you could save some money on your life insurance policy by quitting. Insurance companies don't care whether you smoke socially or smoke several packs per day. So, even a "light" habit could cost you. Even young smokers pay more for life insurance than they would if they did not smoke, due to the higher risk of health problems.
It is important to make the right decision for your situation when purchasing life insurance. Since people have different needs, there are many different policies available. The tips in this article will help you decide what is best for you so you can make the right decision on your purchase of life insurance.