When you need to protect your family’s financial situation, life insurance makes a lot of sense. Many employers offer group life insurance or your financial adviser can recommend a quality company. Life insurance can also be purchased from online sources, but it’s important to do your homework so you know what to buy.
When considering life insurance, it is best to buy it as soon as possible in your career. Rates will only go up as you get older, and with the addition of other ailments that you might be diagnosed with you may not even qualify for coverage. Start as early as you can and try to lock in a low rate.
A basic life insurance policy is a good investment to make for a newborn child. Insurance is relatively cheap for infants and costs little to maintain while the children grow up. By the time the child becomes an adult a well-selected policy that has been carefully maintained by his or her parents will be a significant financial asset.
Life insurance will help out your loved ones that are left behind if you pass away. Funerals these days are expensive, and if you have life insurance, it won’t leave the ones that are still living an astronomical bill to pay. It can also help pay for your children’s college, if you are not around to do so.
If you have a life insurance policy that is well founded, meaning you have a growing balance, you may be able to borrow against it to get the money that you need for a down payment on a house. If you do not want to borrow against it, you could even cash it out and start over on it again.
Choose permanent life insurance if you want to build cash value. Building cash value in a life insurance policy helps you have additional cash for the future. The insured can borrow the cash value at a low interest rate. They can also use it to pay the premiums. The cash grows tax-free, and some financial planners recommend it as a way to cover estate taxes as part of a comprehensive financial plan.
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.
Avoid signing up for “guaranteed issue” life insurance policies. Usually, this is for someone that has a health condition that is pre-existing. You can get one of these policies without a medical exam, but the premiums will be higher and the coverage will be quite limited.
One tip when purchasing life insurance, always tell the truth about your health issues. Even if you are able to make it through the medical tests and reviews done by the insurance company and get the policy issued, it is not a good idea. Insurance companies investigate claims and if they suspect your information is not valid, the claim will not be paid and your heirs could be tied up in court for years.
To save money on your life insurance policy, understand the difference between term insurance and permanent life insurance. Term insurance should cover most financial need and debt, and it may not be necessary for you to purchase an expensive permanent whole life policy. Purchase what you currently need, and then make adjustments if your needs change.
Frauds are more common that you think in the world of life insurance. Some insurance companies will raise your monthly premiums with no good reason or based on fake information. Keep track of how much you are paying and switch to another company if you do not think the new price is justified.
Look over your life insurance policy each year. Every time you experience a major life event, there is a possibility that something in the plan will need to be changed. For example, if you have a baby, you may need to increase your policy so that your family will have what they need if you should die.
You should forget about cliches regarding life insurance. Life insurance is the butt of many jokes about greedy relatives waiting for an elderly person to die so that they can get insurance money. You should see life insurance as a way to help your relatives and not burden them any further with the expenses related to your death or medical condition.
Life insurance can help you sleep at night, knowing your family is well-provided for, if something should happen. Finding the right life insurance for you involves an assessment of your personal needs. Decide on the level of coverage you need and start making inquiries. Life insurance is more affordable now than ever.
