Thursday, October 22, 2009

Cheap Term Life Insurance – How Do You Find It?

Despite the many other expenses you have, you’ve decided to purchase life
insurance. You’ve looked at several different life insurance companies, as well
as your family needs and budget, and concluded that purchasing a term life
insurance policy is the best option for you. However, you want get a cheap term
life insurance policy, as well. Cheap life insurance? Is that even possible.

Yes. Admittedly, you might not find cheap term life insurance immediately, but
it’s actually not as difficult as it sounds, so don’t get discouraged! In order
to get a cheap term life insurance policy, all you have to do is figure out how
much term life insurance coverage you need. You should take into consideration
how much annual household income your family has, how you may need to use the
term life insurance aside from death benefits (for example, you may need to use
the term life insurance as income in the event of job loss), upcoming expenses
such as college tuition, etc.


When you look for a cheap term life insurance policy, remember that there are
many different life insurance companies out there that offer term life
insurance, and because of the number of companies, competition tends to be
stiff. In order to increase your chances of finding cheap term life insurance,
don’t limit your search to just one or two life insurance companies.

Many life insurance companies provide term life insurance calculators or similar
tools to help you determine how much term life insurance coverage you need by
looking at factors such as your income and age. Look for these kinds of term
life insurance calculators the next time you are browsing online for the best
term life insurance policy for you and your family, or ask your term life
insurance agent about them, or similar tools, the next time you have an
appointment to talk with your agent about purchasing cheap term life insurance.

Visit our website to get your instant student health insurance quote now, to get home insurance Cleveland Ohio, or to find New York car insurance.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Elizabeth_Newberry

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Wednesday, October 21, 2009

Universal Life Insurance Policy - A Different Choice

Choosing a life insurance policy isn’t an easy task. There are several policies
to choose from, each with elements that we want and need. The two most popular
kinds of life insurance policies are term life insurance policies and whole life
insurance policies.

If a term life insurance policy and a whole life insurance policy got married
and had a child, the child would be a universal life insurance policy. Universal
life insurance policies are a mix of term life insurance policies and whole life
insurance policies. Just like all children do, universal life insurance policies
have a few positive features and a few negative features of each parent, i.e.,
the term life insurance policy and the whole life insurance policy.


Like a whole life insurance policy, a universal life insurance policy offers an
investment component; however, universal life insurance policies are generally
less expensive than whole life insurance policies. This is a good thing for
those of us who want the cash value accruement of a whole life policy but can
not afford to purchase one. It should be noted, however, that earning a cash
value isn’t guaranteed. Coverage can even end if your account gets low enough.

Like a term life insurance policy, a universal life insurance policy is usually
not as expensive as a whole life insurance policy. However, even though an
accumulation of cash value isn’t guaranteed with a universal life insurance
policy, it is possible; it is not possible with a term life insurance policy.

If certain aspects of both a term life insurance policy and a whole life
insurance policy appeal to you, consider purchasing a universal life insurance
policy. Don’t purchase any life insurance policy, including a universal life
insurance policy, without first speaking with an agent of the life insurance
company. Your universal life insurance agent will be able to construct the life
insurance policy that meets both your wants and needs.

Visit our website to get a cheap student health insurance quote, get home insurance St. Louis, or get Georgia car insurance.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Elizabeth_Newberry

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Tuesday, October 20, 2009

Cheap Life Insurance Something Else To Consider

One source of cheap life insurance is Group Life Insurance. This type of insurance is generally offered through your place of employment. Because many individuals are covered under a Group Life Insurance plan, the rates your employer offers tend to be very affordable. While Group Life Insurance may sound enticing, realize that the coverage being offered is usually not going to be enough to meet the needs of you and your family.

In other words, it might be necessary to supplement this cheap source of life insurance with another policy.


Two big assumptions

How can an employer offer such cheap life insurance? Typically, the employer acts as the owner of the policy and participating employees are considered the insured. Under this scenario, the insurance agency calculates its risks based on a “pool” of individuals. Agents start with the assumption that it is extremely unlikely all or even a significant portion of the insured will die at the same time.

The insurance company also assumes that not everyone will work at that place of employment until retirement age. What that means to the insurance company is that it will be covering the group for a shorter term than it would when only insuring an individual. These two assumptions alone enable the insurance company to offer significantly reduced rates.

How much do employees contribute?

A company that offers group life insurance to its employees may offer participation in the group plan at no cost to employees. That’s definitely cheap life insurance! Life insurance in this case is promoted as a company benefit. When employees don’t pay into their life insurance plans, their death benefits generally are equal to one year of salary. Sometimes a company offers more benefits to management or to union employees.

In the case where an employee has the option to voluntarily contribute money towards the Group Life Insurance plan, death benefits generally are much more substantial. When an employee contributes, it’s usually also possible for the employee’s spouse and child(ren) to get life insurance coverage under the Group Life Insurance plan.

Not only is it usually cheaper to get life insurance through a Group Insurance Plan, employees benefit in another way. They usually won’t have to take a medical exam. In other words, an employee is insurable even if he or she has a preexisting medical condition.

When you’re looking for cheap life insurance, don’t overlook your employer. It’s a reliable source even if it’s necessary to supplement this source. If you do decide to pursue this option, it’s important to thoroughly understand the company policy as it applies to life insurance. In particular, you want to know what happens to the policy should you decide to voluntarily terminate your employment.

The policy typically terminates upon your departure; however, some company policies offer the option of continuing the Group Insurance Plan. In this situation, employees should expect to pay more out of pocket expenses. Even so, it’s still going to be a cheap source of life insurance.

About the Author

Find Cheap Life Insurance in the UK. You will not believe our low life insurance rates. How does just 16p a day sound?

This article comes with reprint rights. Feel free to reprint and distribute as you like. All that we ask is that you do not make any changes, that this resource text is include, and that the link above is intact.

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Monday, October 19, 2009

Term vs Whole Life Insurance - Which Do You Need for Cheaper Insurance?

Two types of insurance policies Term and Whole Life are available in the insurance market. Most people are confused about the difference between the two policies. Most of the buyers are unable to decide which policy is best for them.

Before going in for any type of insurance you must know what you are buying and what benefit you will get from the insurance policy. You must know the differences between both the insurances. You must weigh all the options before you ink your deal for a particular insurance policy. Both policies have a different purpose and are not taxed.


Term Life Insurance and Whole Life Insurance- A Comparison

People mostly go in for term life insurance because it is beneficial for temporary or short time insurance needs. This type of insurance is suitable for those people who have just been employed and do not have the desired money to set aside for insurance, and those who foresee their future insurance needs are likely to change. It also gives you the option of selecting the exact period you want yourself to be covered by the insurance. The other advantage of term life insurance is that it has lower premium rate as compared to whole life insurance.

The lower premium rate is an attraction for the insurer as to why not invest the difference in amount between term life insurance and whole life insurance in something else for better yield. The only consideration you have to keep in mind is that term life insurance expires without any maturity and the premium increases at the time of renewal.

Whole life insurance policy provides insurance for whole life. It has a fixed premium and can be cashed in. It can be terminated any time and you can still remain insured for an adjusted amount. This type of insurance is best suited for those who have the finances and are looking for long term insurance needs.

Accumulation of cash value is considered as incidental benefit and not as an investment. The true value of whole life insurance is known only at retirement when you can use it as an income rather than as insurance or when you are in need of final expenses. This is the time when you need the retirement benefits most.

Basic concept of life insurance must be understood before selecting any policy. Reason out why you want insurance. Can you do without it? Consider your age, health, present and future needs. Most term life insurance policies can be converted in to whole life insurance policy at a later date. A combination of both insurances may be the best option.

For more articles like these, see: Interesting Articles and Articles Needed and Spanish Articles

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Sunday, October 18, 2009

Term Life Insurance Policies Versus Whole Life Insurance Policies

Life insurance is a necessity that most people understand. But what they often don’t understand is the differences between term life insurance and whole life insurance.

There are three main differences between a term life insurance policy and a whole life insurance policy.


Insurance Difference #1

Value. Whole life and term life insurance both offer coverage as long as the policy is in effect. Meaning that as long as payments are being made both policies offer a pay out in the event of the policy holder passing away. But the main difference is that the only benefit to keeping the term life policy in effect is its death benefit payout.

A whole life insurance policy also builds a cash value, which can be withdrawn by taking a loan from the insurance company.

A term life insurance policy has no cash build up value.

Insurance Difference #2

Cost. Because a whole life insurance policy has a cash value feature it is more expensive. The extra expenses go towards the investment aspect of the policy, and towards the cost of managing the funds. Traditionally insurance companies also pay out higher commissions to agents that sell whole life insurance policies.

On the other hand, a term life insurance policy only offers one benefit. And that is the pay out that the designated beneficiary receives. Because of this a term life insurance can be ten times cheaper than a whole life insurance policy.

Most people who are simply looking for life insurance coverage tend to opt for term life insurance because it is simply cheaper.

Insurance Difference #3

Medical check up requirements. Whole life insurance issuers require that applicants under go a full medical evaluation to determine their health status. This can be a time consuming and cumbersome process for some. On the other hand, there are term life insurance companies that do not require a medical check up.

Donny Lowy manages http://www.americanlifedirectonline.com an online term life insurance portal.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Donny_Lowy

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Friday, October 16, 2009

Cheap Life Insurance - Effective Tips On Saving Money On Your Premiums

Approximately 70% of all adults have one form of life insurance or another. Normally, a person in their 20s or 30s purchases a life insurance policy for a monthly premium that provides a death benefit should the policy holder die prematurely. Assuming that the person is insurable, most insurance companies are able to offer relatively cheap life insurance premiums.

Peoples’ needs change throughout the various stages of their lives. As a result, the young married person just starting a family has different insurance needs than someone who is approaching retirement. People’s responsibilities lessen as they age, and they may want to reduce or even eliminate some of their life insurance coverage. So, besides the cost of the life insurance, there are other various important considerations to be made while deciding the best insurance policy.


Cheap life insurance is typically considered when someone is looking for protection against the risk of premature death and the concern that survivors would suffer a loss of income if the policyholder died.

However, your needs in this context may change over time, and it is important to review your policies and establish they are the best for your need and circumstances at the different stages of your life. If you took your insurance policy many years back for the main reason of providing for your children, these children may now be financially independent or self sufficient. It may be that you might need the extra income available from your cash value policies more than your children need your death benefit. It is all these factors that you will need to assess while deciding on the right policy for you at the various stages of your life.

There may be some valid reasons to increase your life insurance protection as you age. If you have accumulated a large estate (more than $500,000), additional life insurance may be needed to provide funds for estate taxes. On the other hand, you may have not accumulated much over the years in terms of an estate, and you may want to use life insurance to provide cash inheritance. Grandchildren may be another reason to get a cheap life insurance policy.

With life insurance, individuals can accomplish several goals, namely paying off a home mortgage, creating a college fund for children or grandchildren, accumulating money for retirement, providing income for a surviving spouse or providing an inheritance for children and grandchildren.

Just like with any other type of an insurance policy, it is important that you answer the health questions on the application accurately and honestly. Make sure you receive the policy’s outline of coverage and buyer’s guide, review the range of rates and returns, and if you do not understand any aspect of the policy, get clarification from your agent.

While shopping for your insurance policy, take time to shop for a life insurance company that has a good track record. The simplest way to research a life insurance companies past claims and customer satisfaction is through the Better Business Bureau. Also, it is recommended that you research the companies’ financial standing through Standard & Poor’s Ratings. You can get thousands of ratings and detailed financial profiles on the cheap life insurance companies that you are considering. Review these rating and decide which company you thing offers the best customer service and the beast deal to suit your needs.

Every type of life insurance has its advantages and disadvantages. There is no single kind of policy that would be the optimal for all situations. The best type of life insurance policy to have is a policy that pays when you need it and is best suited to your circumstances. It is only you who can decide if getting a cheap life insurance policy is right for you and your family.

Dean Shainin offers free online life insurance quotes. For more information, articles, news, tools and valuable resources on life insurance, visit this site: http://life-insurance.deans-knowledgebase.com

Get free valuable online tips for saving money from his: Cheap Life Insurance website.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Dean_Shainin

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Thursday, October 15, 2009

All You Need To Know About A Term Life Insurance Policy

Term life insurance is a life insurance policy with a definite period of time you are insured. At the end of term the life insurance policy ends. Term life insurance is a good type of plan if you are young and healthy and are looking for a plan that protects your beneficiaries in case of death. A term life insurance policy will usually have a very low monthly cost, sometimes as low as $10.00 a month, and can protect you for several hundred thousand dollars.

Comparing term life insurance is very easy. This is because a term life insurance policy is the simplest form of life insurance available. There are no complicated variables or options that come with the permanent plans. There are a few things you should do before comparing insurance policies.


1. Decide on the Length of Your Policy Since term life insurance has a set amount of years defined you need to set an amount of years you would like to be insured. You can get a term life insurance policy that covers you anywhere from 1 year to as many as 30 years.

2. Decide How Much Insurance You Want Knowing how much insurance you want is important. Since a term life insurance policy has a set amount of years and a set amount of coverage, getting a full quote is simple. To make sure you find the best deal when shopping for insurance make sure you keep the length and amount of your policy the same on all applications. That way you are not fooled into thinking you are getting a better deal by getting a different policy.

3. Shop Around Life insurance quotes are free. There is no need to jump at the very first quote you get. Shop around. Get a few quotes and make a good decision based on the needs of you and your family.

Some of the advantages to buying term life insurance are:

· Whole life insurance is expensive, due mainly to its investment aspect, while term life insurance is very affordable. Whole life insurance policies often cost thousands of dollars a year, as opposed to the mere hundreds of dollars a year that the majority of term life insurance policies cost consumers. For example, if you are a healthy, non-smoking 35 year old male, you can get 10-year, $100,000 term life insurance policy for as little as $8.50 a month (or as little as $8.08 a month for a comparable female).

· Term life insurance is simple to understand, and allows for personal choice. You pay a (low) monthly premium based on the term length and amount of coverage you choose. That's it. Simple. You can choose term lengths such as 10, 20 or 30 years, and coverage amounts anywhere from $100,000 to several million dollars.

· You can invest your hard-earned money yourself, rather than having an insurance company do it for you (which is what happens with whole life insurance). Insurance companies are often very conservative with how they invest your money. If you are at all savvy in investing, or good at saving, the extra money a whole life insurance policy costs may not be for you. Instead, buy a cheaper term life policy, and invest the money you saved yourself.

· Term life insurance is good for short-term needs. Two good examples of this are to cover your children's college education and to cover your mortgage. Parents could buy a policy that expires after their children graduate from college to ensure that the full education is paid for (in case anything happened to the parents). Or, the main breadwinner in a house could buy a term policy that matches the length of his or her home's mortgage.

Chris Simons is a prolific freelance writer. You are welcomed to visit http://life-insurance.cyberinformer.com, for more information on Life Insurance.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Chris_Simons

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Wednesday, October 14, 2009

Life Insurance and Life Assurance are Not the Same!

The average man in the street assumes that Life Insurance and Life Assurance are names for the same form of insurance. How wrong they are! But don't hang your head in shame, many financial commentators get it wrong too! Life Insurance and Life Assurance perform different financial roles and are poles apart in cost - so it helps to surf for the correct product.

Life Insurance provides you with insurance cover for a specific period of time (known as the policy’s “term”). Then, if you were to die whilst the policy is in force, the insurance company pays out a tax-free sum. If you survive to the end of the term, the policy is finished and has no residual value whatsoever. It only has a value if there is a claim – in that context it’s just like your car insurance!
Life Assurance is different. It is a hybrid mix of investment and insurance. A Life Assurance policy pays out a sum equal to the higher of either a guaranteed minimum underwritten by the policy's insurance provisions or its investment valuation. The value of the investment element is then a reliant on the Insurance Company’s investment performance and length of time you have been paying the premiums.


Each year the insurance company adds an annual bonus to the guaranteed value of your life assurance policy and there is normally an extra “terminal bonus” at the end. Therefore, as the years go by your life assurance policy increases in value as the investment bonuses accumulate. The value of these bonuses are then determined by the insurance company’s investment performance. Once investment value has been assigned to the policy, you can cash it in with the insurance company. However, most people get a far better price for their life assurance policy by selling it to a specialist investment broker rather than cashing it in with the insurance company.
If you were to die during a Life Assurance policy’s term, the policy pays out the higher of either the guaranteed minimum sum or the accumulated value of the annual investment bonuses. However, if you are still living when the policy terminates, you usually get a bigger payout. This is because with most insurance companies, an additional terminal bonus is awarded.
There is a also a specialised form of life assurance called "Whole of Life". These policies remain in force for as long as you live and as such, have no preset term.
There is also a practical difference for the internet user. Whereas you can buy life insurance online, the Financial Services Authority view life assurance as fundamentally an investment product. As such they believe it is best suited to being sold by a Financial Adviser with advice based on the Advisors full understanding of your personal details. Therefore, you will be unable to buy life assurance online. However, you can use the internet to find a suitable financial adviser with whom you can meet and discuss your requirements.
What are Life Insurance polices and Life Assurance policies used for?
Life Insurance is usually a focal point of the family's financial protection. It is ideally suited to ensure that known debts such as a mortgage, are repaid in full in the event of the policyholders death.
When it comes to providing a lump sum for general use in the event that the policyholder were to die whilst the policy was in force, either life insurance or life assurance can be used. The differences are that with life insurance the size of payout would be preset whereas with life assurance it would depend on the guaranteed minimum and the insurance company's investment performance. But remember, at the end of the policy's term life insurance is worthless, whereas life assurance should payout a sizeable investment sum. In this context Life Assurance seems far more worthwhile but in practice more people elect for life insurance. Why? It's a matter of cost. Life Insurance is considerably cheaper than Life Assurance. Furthermore, in recent years, investment returns on Life Assurance policies have fallen significantly and many insurance companies have placed penalties for cashing in policies early. This has adversely affected the resale value of Life Assurance policies.
Finally, if you want a product to provide a lump sum on your death whenever that is with a minimum payout guaranteed, you'll probably elect for Whole of Life insurance. It's really a form of lifetime investment with the benefit of a guaranteed minimum. They're particularly useful for Inheritance Tax Planning.

Michael Challiner has 15 years experience in financial services marketing at senior level. Michael now works as the editor of Brokers Online Life Insurance


Futher reading Life Insurance Topics
Futher reading Specialist Life Insurance Site

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Michael_Challiner

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Tuesday, October 13, 2009

Term Life Insurance, What Is It All About?

What is term life insurance? You have an interest in buying term life insurance, that is why you are reading this article, and you want to know how it really works. Right? Well, there are many types of term life insurance and I am going to give you a brief explanation as to how each one works.

Decreasing Term Life Insurance

Decreasing term life insurance is very popular with home owners and mortgage companies. The homeowners want to know that the mortgage is paid off if they should prematurely die, and the mortgage company want to be assured that they are repaid the money loaned to the homeowner. The face amount of these policies decrease in a uniformed manner each year as the balance owed on the mortgage decreases, and the premium remains level. This is very inexpensive life insurance.


Increasing Premium Term Life Insurance

This is initially the cheapest term life insurance you can buy. The death benefit remains level for the duration, however, the premiums increase every year and as a result this may turn out to be the most expensive term life insurance you can buy. If you should purchase this policy it would be wise to convert to a level plan as quickly as possible.

5 Year Level Term Insurance

The face amount of this policy remains level for the entire 5 year period and so does the premium. Upon death the face amount is paid either in one lump sum or in the form of an income. If you have a short term need for life insurance, like covering a bank loan, then this may be the plan for you.

10 Year Term Life Insurance

Like the 5 year term life insurance policy, the ten year term life policy can be used to cover a bank loan, but it can do considerably more. It can be used for family protection and a myriad of other needs. The face amount of the policy remains level for the duration and so does the premium. Some companies allow you to continue the policy after 10 years with an increase in premium.

20 Year Term Life Insurance

The 20 year term life insurance policy is probably the most popular of term life policies. The death benefit remains level for the duration and in some cases so does the premium. With some companies, however, the premiums increase after the first 10 years to reflect the cost of the additional risk to which the insurance company is exposed as the insured gets older. All in all, the 20 tear term life insurance policy is fairly inexpensive and does the job it is intended to do.

Unlike whole life insurance, universal life insurance or variable life insurance, term life insurance does not have cash values or earn dividends. There is a fairly new type of term life insurance policy, however, called a return of premium policy which returns all your premiums at the end of the term period, if you do not die. The premiums are so high it may not be worth your while to buy this type of term policy.

For more than 40 years Donald has been known for his extensive knowledge of the life insurance business. He has represented some of the largest and best life insurance companies in the United States as well as Canada. His advice is invaluable.

Donald's website is: http://www.lifeinsurancehub.net

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Donald_Lusan

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Monday, October 12, 2009

How to Get the Best Child Life Insurance Quotes

Getting child life insurance quotes on the net can be convenient, but are you sure that you are seeing the big picture?

You can see life insurance information child policies, but the words can be cryptic. The child life insurance coverage information could be well-hidden online too! Because child life insurance costs money, it's important to know precisely what life insurance coverage you can get. It may be best to talk to an authorized life insurance agent.


Question You Should Ask About Your Child Life Insurance

Is child life insurance really worth the premiums? Many question the importance of child life insurance. After all, if anyone needs to get insured, shouldn't it be the working parents? While this is indeed a valid argument, there are advantages to getting child life insurance.

It's not so much the benefits as it is about future eligibility. Child life insurance is especially important if your family has a history of medical illness. You see, if you get child life insurance, your child can automatically get any type of life insurance later on.

Most types of child life insurance are actually term life insurance. Child life insurance often does not build cash value and has small premiums. In order to be competitive, some life insurance agencies are providing child life insurance some features similar to whole life insurance. However, child life insurance ends when your child matures, so the cash value benefits are very minimal.

As a general rule, parents should first get themselves insurance, before their children. Because the main purpose of child life insurance is future eligibility, parents will do well to just get the cheapest child life insurance package.

Beyond everything else, they must make sure that the child life insurance will allow their children to have immediate access to life insurance later on.

Jon Butt's http://www.which-life-insurance.com is one of the web's leading independent Life Insurance resource sites offering genuine up-to-date advice on the different types, cover levels, the top life insurance companies and their plans, how to buy online or through local brokers. Business, family child and individuals are all covered in this easy insurance guide.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jon_Butt

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Sunday, October 11, 2009

Life Insurance - Learn From an Old Agent

Life Insurance is an insurance product that pays at the death of the insured. It really should be called "Death Insurance," but people don't like that name. But it insures the death of an individual. Actually, what is insured is the economic loss that would occur at the death of the person insured.

Those economic losses take a lot of different forms, such as:

- the income stream of either "breadwinner" in a family
- the loss of services to the family of a stay-at-home-mom
- the final expenses at the death of a child
- final expenses of an individual after an illness and medical treatment
- "Keyman" coverage, which insures the owner or valuable employee of a business against the economic loss the business would suffer at their death
- estate planning insurance, where a person is insured to pay estate taxes at death
- "Buy and Sell Agreements," in which life insurance is purchased to fund a business transaction at the untimely death of parties in the transaction
- Accidental death insurance, in which a person buys a policy that pays in case they die due to an accident
- Mortgage life insurance, in which the borrower buys a policy that pays off the mortgage at death - and many more.


Life insurance has been around for hundreds of years, and in some cases, has become a much better product. The insurance companies have been able to develop mortality tables, which are studies of statistical patterns of human death over time...usually over a lifetime of 100 years. These mortality tables are surprisingly accurate, and allow the insurance companies to closely predict how many people of any given age will die each year. From these tables and other information, the insurance companies derive the cost of the insurance policy.

The cost is customarily expressed in an annual cost per thousand of coverage. For example, if you wanted to buy $10,000 of coverage, and the cost per thousand was $10.00, your annual premium would be $100.00.

Modern medicine and better nutrition has increased the life expectancy of most people. Increased life expectancy has facilitated a sharp decrease in life insurance premiums. In many cases, the cost of insurance is only pennies per thousand.

There is really only one type of life insurance, and that is Term Insurance. That means that a person is insured for a certain period of time, or a term. All of the other life insurance products have term insurance as their main ingredient. There is no other ingredient they can use. However, the insurance companies have invented many, many other life products that tend to obscure the reasons for life insurance. They also vastly enrich the insurance companies.

Term Insurance

The most basic life insurance is an annual renewable term policy. Each year, the premium is a little higher as a person ages. The insurance companies designed a level premium policy, which stopped the annual premium increases for policyholders. The insurers basically added up all the premiums from age 0 to age 100 and then divided by 100. That means that in the early years of the policy, the policyholder pays in more money that it takes to fund the pure insurance cost, and then in later years the premium is less than the pure insurance cost.

The same level term product can be designed for terms of any length, like 5, 10, 20, 25 or 30 year terms. The method of premium averaging is much the same in each case.

But this new product caused some problems. Insurers know that the vast majority of policyholders do not keep a policy for life. Consequently the level term policyholders were paying future premiums and then cancelling their policies. The insurance companies were delighted because they got to keep the money. But over time, they developed the concept of Cash Value.

Cash Value Insurance

With Cash Value insurance, a portion of the unused premium you spend is credited to an account tied to your policy. The money is not yours...it belongs entirely to the insurance company. If you cancel your policy and request a refund, they will refund that money to you. Otherwise, you have other choices:

1. Use the cash value to buy more insurance
2. Use the cash value to pay existing premiums
3. You may borrow the money at interest
4. If you die, the insurance company keeps the cash value and only pays the face amount of the insurance policy.

So, does this cash value product make sense? My response is "NO!"

Cash Value Life Insurance comes in lots of other names, such as:

- Whole Life
- Universal Life
- Variable Life
- Interest Sensitive Life
- Non-Participating Life (no dividends)
- Participating Life (pays dividends)

Many life insurance agents and companies tout their products as an investment product. But cash value insurance is not an investment. Investment dollars and insurance premiums should never be combined into one product. And investment dollars should NEVER be invested with an insurance company. They are middle men. They will take your investment and invest it themselves, and keep the difference.

Think about the methods that agents use to sell life insurance, and compare them to any other type of insurance. What you'll see is that life insurance sales tactics and techniques are ridiculous when compared to other insurance products.

Would you ever consider buying a car insurance policy, or homeowners policy, or business insurance policy in which you paid extra premium that the insurance company kept, or made you borrow from them? But, curiously, life insurance agents have been wildly successful convincing otherwise intelligent people that cash value life insurance is a good product to buy.

Care to guess why insurance agents have aggressively sold cash value insurance and eschewed term insurance?

Commissions.

The insurance companies have become vastly wealthy on cash value insurance. So, to encourage sales, they pay huge commissions. Term insurance commissions can range from 10% to 50%, sometimes even 100%. But cash value insurance commissions can be up to 100% of the first year's premium, and handsome renewal commissions for years after.

But it's not just the commission rate that matters. It's also the premium rates that come into play. Term insurance is FAR CHEAPER than cash value insurance.

Here's an example of a 30 year old male, non-smoker, buying $100,000 of coverage:

Term insurance costs $0.50 per thousand for a premium of $50.00. At 100% commission, the commission would be $50.00.

Cash Value insurance costs $12.50 per thousand for a premium of $1,250.00. At 100% commission, the commission would be $1,250.00.

So you see that it would be easy for an agent to place his own financial well-being ahead of the well-being of his client. He would have to sell 25 term policies to make the same commission as only one cash value policy.

But, in my opinion, that agent would have violated his fiduciary duty to the client, which is the duty to place the client's needs above his own. The agent would also have to set aside his conscience.

My opinion is that life insurance agents operate from one of three positions:

1. Ignorance - they simply don't know how cash value insurance works.
2. Greed - they know exactly how cash value insurance works and sell it anyway.
3. Knowledge and Duty - they sell term insurance.

Which agent do you want to do business with?

How do I know this stuff? Because I sold cash value life insurance early in my career.

When I started as an insurance agent in 1973 I knew absolutely nothing about how life insurance worked. The insurance company taught me to sell whole life insurance, and to discourage clients from term insurance. But, after some time of reading and research, I learned that cash value insurance is a bad deal. I began to sell only term insurance. I refused to set aside my conscience. I also went back to some early clients and switched their policies from cash value to term.

The insurance company fired me for that decision.

I found a new insurance company that only sold term insurance and also paid high commissions. I made a good living selling term insurance, so I know it can be done.

So, as you shop for life insurance, please accept the advice of an old agent. Never, never, ever buy cash value life insurance. Buy term insurance.

Now, I'd like to offer you two special reports at no cost. One is "5 Things To Do When Shopping For Car Insurance," and the other is "5 Things To Avoid When Shopping For Car Insurance." Each one is a $9.95 value, but free to you when you sign up for my newsletter at the website address below.

P.S. WARNING!! Do Not Buy Insurance, or Submit an Insurance Claim Without Visiting This Website!
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New book, "Commercial Insurance Claim Secrets REVEALED!" coming soon!

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Russell_Longcore

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Saturday, October 10, 2009

Life Insurance For Adults Or Children

When families make the decision to purchase life insurance, they are often in the process of experiencing a major life-altering event such as getting married, starting a family, or purchasing a home. In fact, there are many good reasons for purchasing a insurance policy and most of us, at some point in our lives, will realize that owning insurance is very important to ensure our sense of security. Can you even imagine the anxiety of driving on the freeway without auto insurance? All of us know that at some point an accident is almost inevitable. When you purchase life insurance, you are making a plan to be sure your family will be safe from the effects of losing your contribution to the household income


Life insurance insures your life and pays your survivors.

Importance of insurance No one likes to think about the need for life insurance, but if you were no longer in the picture what would happen to the people who depend on you for financial support?. Even if the deceased has some life insurance, the amount is often inadequate. insurance is an essential part of any financial program. Your insurance coverage should be reviewed regularly as changes occur in your life, career and financial goals. Most people buy insurance to replace income that would be lost at the death of a wage earner. Proceeds from a life insurance policy also can help ensure your dependents are not burdened with significant debt when you die.

An important advantage of insurance is that the proceeds pass income tax free to beneficiaries and without going through probate. Most people think of life insurance only as a legacy something left behind after they die. If diagnosed as terminally ill, the insured may request payment of the insurance policies face amount instead of the death benefit being paid to a beneficiary. Portability Under most group policies employees can take their life insurance protection with them when they leave the company or retire and take advantage of group rates and the convenience of direct billing. Cash accumulation some insurance policies have a cash value account or investment component that lets you contribute premium in addition to the amount you pay for your insurance coverage.

Here are answers to other common questions about insurance. How much insurance you need depends on your financial situation and your specific circumstances at this point in your life. Our insurance needs calculator will help you estimate how much insurance you may need to sufficiently provide for the well-being of your loved ones. Everyone's situation is unique and only you can determine the exact amount of life insurance you need.
Why insurance is so important for us?

On this post I'll try to make a simple explanation about the importance of life insurance. Everyone surely die now, with health insurance, we can manage the risk of death leaves us with the things of value and benefit to families who leave when we die. With health insurance, we have to give stock to my family when we die, where the insurance company will pay the amount of money insurance money to my heirs, in this case is our family and that money can be used to pay for school children's etc. That is the most common example of the benefits of life insurance. If expanded, the product according to each insurance company, there are many more benefits from life insurance. After we know a basic knowledge about the importance and the benefits of life insurance, then the second step is to act and find one of the best insurance companies that we can trust. Finding the best insurance companies and the right policy for our insurance plan can be hard if we didn't know much about the terms in insurance plan.

In most families the major bread winner will have a term insurance policy as it can be very damaging to families when the main means of financial support is cut off. It is always difficult to determine if you should carry term or permanent life insurance.

Term life insurance really only offers death benefits such as funeral costs etc, so if you die then it is worth having the policy. Term insurance is the more affordable way to have death benefits. Currently term life insurance is the simplest form of insurance you can purchase. You can purchase large amounts of this insurance for a long time at very low prices. If you need to pay off a loan and may have difficulties if a family member dies or if you want to protect your children then term life insurance is an excellent insurance choice. The main benefit from term insurance is that you receive large payouts after a short time period. Having term insurance coverage is great if you are carrying debt as it can cover the debt instead of leaving your debt to your nearest relative.

It ensures that your family will not suffer the consequences of living without your earnings. You want to be sure that your family won't have to uproot their lives and change their living standards in the event their income level is affected by your premature or unexpected death. And you can continue driving through the highway of life, without having to suffer the anxiety of wondering what will happen to those who depend on your earnings.

View more on http://life-insurance-for-everyone.blogspot.com/

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Anand_Ramesh


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Friday, October 9, 2009

How to Find Cheap Arkansas Term Life Insurance Rates

Cheap Arkansas term life insurance rates are not that hard to find. There are many companies out there that can be of a lot of benefit to the great population of the state. According to the United States Census Bureau there were approximately 2,810,872 people living in the state of Arkansas in the year 2006. This means that the state's population grew 5.1% from the year 2000 to 2006. With so many people in the state it is very probable that there are some out there wondering about life insurance and what companies are best for your interests. Below you will see some companies that give coverage in the state of Arkansas, as well as a brief explanation about the life insurance business and how it works. Take a few moments to read up on AR life insurance business and then use your new found knowledge to find cheap Arkansas term life insurance quotes!


Types Of Arkansas Life Insurance Policies

Life insurance is simply an agreement between a person and a company, in which the company gives word to the policy holder that it will pay death benefits in exchange for premiums. This means that the person will be paying premiums and keeping the policy active as much as possible. In return the company will simply pay in case of an unexpected death to the policy holder. People generally choose life insurance to protect their families from economic losses that they may have after the death of a family member. There are two types of AR life insurance: term life and permanent life.

Arkansas term life insurance policy: With this kind of insurance policy the person will only be covered for a specified amount of time and they are not guaranteed a death benefit. This means that at the time of getting the policy, the person to be insured picks the amount they want to purchase and the amount of time they want to keep the policy active. The policy will end after the specified period end and if the policy holder does not die within that specified amount of time the death benefit won't be distributed.

Arkansas permanent life insurance policy: With this type of life insurance policy they customer will simply start paying premiums and they will be covered for their entire lives. After having paid the policy the rest of the premiums paid will simply go into what is called the "cash value" of the policy, which is simply the savings portion. The insured and its family will be guaranteed a death benefit if they pay the premiums regularly and keep the policy to date.

Arkansas Life Insurance Companies

The state of Arkansas like many other states has some prominent life insurance companies that you have heard of, as well as some that are only familiar to some people. Below we will analyze some of the companies and the plans that they offer. Keep in mind that you can also search for your own life insurance companies through the use of your yellow pages or a search engine such as Yahoo or Google; and that there are many AR life insurance companies in the market from which you can choose from.

Prudential Financial: This might be one of the big companies when referring to life insurance in the United States. They were founded in the year 1875 and since that year they have helped people establish good economic futures. It all started when John Fairfield Dryden, an insurance agent from the city of Newark, New Jersey decided to found the Prudential Friendly Society. The company grew tremendously in the first four years and they inundated the markets of New York and Pennsylvania as well. Ten years later the company reached the magnificent mark of $1 million in assets and continued expanding itself across the United States.

Nowadays, Prudential is in the Top 100 companies in the United States and they are all over the world with offices in South America, Europe, Asia and Canada. Their life insurance division is one of the most recognized around the world and they provide excellent choices of products for customers. They offer three types of Arkansas term life insurance: Term Essential, Term Elite and PruLife Return of Premium Term. If a customer decides to obtain Term Essential they will simply be paying constant premiums of the same amount. After completing the specified time in your policy you will be able to convert your policy to a permanent one, but your premiums more than likely will rise. If you decide to go with Term Elite then you will have constant premiums and have the ability to convert it to a permanent one if you reach 65 years of age or 5 years after the policy started. If you do this, you might receive credit toward your policy.

Last but not least, they offer PruLife Return of Premium Term which only differs in that it offer life insurance to the people that you name your beneficiaries and it provides you with a guaranteed return of any out of pocket expenses that you might had paid. In addition to this plans, Prudential offers AR permanent life insurance for whoever that wants to get it. Keep in mind that there are different types of permanent and if you want one you should check with Prudential to see what options they have.

New York Life Insurance: This Company was founded in the year 1845 and they have continued to grow dramatically until this date. The company prides itself in having New York agents that are some of the best trained and specialized agents in the country. They have approximately $169 million in assets and they are ranked in the top of A.M. Best Rankings. The company itself offers many types of life insurance policies including 5 and 20 year term life insurance, as well as Whole Life Insurance in Arkansas (a type of permanent life insurance in which you can build protection for your business or family, such as retirement funding, estate protection and mortgage protection), and Universal Life Insurance (a type of permanent life insurance that gives you supreme flexibility in how and when you want to pay the premiums).

They also offer Survivorship life insurance (also known as second to die insurance) and it basically only pays the death benefit after the second person in the policy dies. This means that if you are couple and you decide to obtain this insurance, then more than likely your children will be the beneficiary because until both of you die, the amount will not be distributed. New York Life Insurance also offers many other policies, however it is important that you first identify your needs and then pick your policy accordingly.

There are many other insurance companies in the state such as MetLife, Allstate, and AIG. The important thing however, is to shop around and see which one of them interests you the most.

How To Find Cheap Arkansas Life Insurance Rates

The fact of the matter is that Arkansas life insurance prices vary quite a bit depending upon many different factors. The first thing you need to know is that if you have major health issues it will be better for you to go with a company that does not require a medical exam examination. If you are reasonably healthy then it is your decision to go with your choice of a fully underwritten permanent or term life insurance policy. Both are great and in the state of Arkansas many people have different opinions about each. Be sure and consult with a licensed Arkansas life insurance agent or broker in order to determine which type of life insurance policy will be best for your specific needs.

Once you know the Arkansas life insurance company of your choice and the plan that you want to purchase you should ask yourself the question of: How much coverage is enough for me and my family? The fact of the matter is that views change when speaking about how much life insurance to purchase. If you are a single man or woman without any children then you will need less than a father or mother with three children in the household. Perhaps one basic rule about life insurance is to buy a death benefit of at least six times that of your annual gross income. Whatever the amount is, the decision lies in your hands!

Compare Arkansas Life Insurance Quotes Online

As seen in the few words above, the life insurance industry in Arkansas offers the residents many products that can be of great benefit for their futures. Whether you decide on term or permanent life insurance; do what is best for you and for your family. Your future and the one of your loved ones can be secure if you do the responsible thing!

Of course, just because buying an Arkansas life insurance policy is the responsible thing for many Arkansas residents who have people that depend on them - it doesn't mean that one should pay more for life insurance coverage then they need to! Compare quotes from multiple companies side by side in order to find the best deal. Get started comparing cheap life insurance quotes today!

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=James_J._Robinson

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Thursday, October 8, 2009

How to Buy Life Insurance

In this article, we will discuss why this subject is so important and how you can benefit from this information.

Export life insurance is a cool way to shelter your family after you're deceased. If you know what to look for, you can get great contain age at a detriment you can present.

Why buy life insurance?

Topping the incline of debates to buy life insurance is the monetary shelter ion life insurance agreements. If you're definite and just initial out, you may not require life insurance. But as you take on more responsibilities and your family grows, your require for life insurance raises. The proceeds from a life insurance strategy can switch the wages gone to your family leading your loss. You might also want to buy life insurance to pay off debts and expenses, allow money to humanity, and contain ending and maintain expenses.


As you continue to read this article, pay special attention to how parts 1 and 2 relate to one another.

Desire duration or notes worth

There are two simple styles of life insurance: duration life insurance, which presents life insurance contain age for a precise episode of time (the duration), and notes worth (enduring) life insurance, which combines a loss help with a notes worth factor. notes worth insurance agreements time shelter ion, while duration insurance may be the most presentable choice if you're trade life insurance mostly for the monetary shelter ion it agreements, and your require for life insurance is passing (awaiting your children allow the nest, for command). Some duration policies (called "convertible") will authorize you to talk the duration life insurance strategy for an enduring one at some purpose.

Decide how greatly contain age you'll require

The total of life insurance shelter ion you should buy depends on how greatly wages your survivors will require, how greatly you own and owe, and the total of other life insurance limitless to you. If you're married, both you and your partner should judge trade life insurance. One of the easiest habits to guess how greatly life insurance shelter ion you should buy is to use a life insurance requires calculator.

Gather a number between 1 and 30

Idiom life insurance is usually vacant for episodes ranging from 1 to 30 times. Think choosing a duration that matches your require for life insurance shelter ion. For command, if your highest debate for trade life insurance is to shelter your 7-year-old twins waiting they're out of academy; you'll want to buy a strategy with duration of at slightest 15 times.

How greatly will it detriment?

How greatly you pay for life insurance will depend on a number of endanger factors, counting your age, your strength, whether you use tobacco, your family strength narration, and the style and total of life insurance you're trade. Keep in tend that the premium you're quotation primarily will rise later. For command, when you buy duration life insurance, toll is warranted only awaiting the end of the duration (yearly for yearly renewable duration or at the end of a precise number of times for quantity duration). While most life insurance policies can be renewed at the end of the duration, you'll pay an elevated premium for contain age.

Store around

When comparing quotations for life insurance, make certain that the insurance contain age you're comparing is related. And memorize, any strategy that you buy is only as good as the guests that issues it. Find out what rating the guests have customary from main ratings military, such as A. M. Best or regular & modesty's. These companies evaluate an entertainer's monetary form and claims-paying ability. The guests generous you a quotation should present you with this information. You can also friend your maintains department of insurance to find out more about an entertainer's highest.

Suggest an application

Once you're eager to grip a life insurance strategy, you'll satiate out a life insurance application that contains questions about your existing and bygone strength narration and lifestyle. You'll usually be necessary to take a remedial exam, given and salaried for by the insurance guests. The answers you give on your application, along with the outcome from the remedial exam and your bygone strength narration, will help the insurance guests dedurationine whether to agreement you a strategy, and if so, at what detriment.

Learn the idiom

Perhaps a life insurance reduce isn't as exciting as a best-promotion book, but read it anyhow. Rule provisions, the total of helps, the premium, and other charges you'll pay will be inclirequire along with other important information such as the beneficiaries you've named and the premium warrant episode. Make certain you understand everything in the strategy. Under the laws of your maintain, you may have a "limitless look" episode (typically at slightest 10 time) during which time you can cancel the strategy lacking penalty.

We hope that you have found this article interesting and eye catching to say the least. Its objective is to entertain and inform.

Raul Works writes for http://www.life4insured.com where you can find out more about Life Insurance and other topics.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Raul_Works

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Wednesday, October 7, 2009

Whole Life Insurance - Things You Need To Know

It is unfortunate that when you get a whole life insurance quote online much of the important details are omitted. The average person knows little or nothing about this policy. If people had more information they could make a more informed decision on what they are about to purchase. I am one of those who tout whole life insurance with no apology, as this policy has it's place in the insurance portfolio of many people. This policy fits some needs that term life insurance simply cannot fulfill.

Permanent Life Insurance

Whole life insurance can be described as permanent life insurance. This suggests that you can keep this policy for as long as you choose, even if it is to age 100. A term life policy simply cannot guarantee that.


Cash Values

Whole life insurance have what is called "guaranteed cash values". Some people like this idea because they may choose to use these values as a sort of saving to assist with the college costs or even for a supplemental retirement fund.

Whole Life Insurance Dividends

All whole life policies are not the same. Some life insurance companies have a great history of paying dividends to their policy owners on a very regular basis. This does not say that they always will be in a position to pay a dividend. Dividends are not guaranteed. There are some life insurance companies that do not perform very well.

If a life insurance company is generally successful with their investments and do a good job at keeping expenses down they usually can pay a dividend.

There are several options that you can choose from but most people have a tendency to apply their dividends to the purchase of "paid up additions". These are little single premium whole life insurance policies.

The other available dividend options areas follows. You can leave your dividends to accumulate interest or you can use them to reduce premiums. You can also take them in cash each year.

Why Cash Values And Dividends Are Important

If at some time in the future you should need to put your hands on some emergency cash and that money is available through your cash values plus dividends you may take a percentage of this in the form of a policy loan. Even though you decide how you repay this loan you need to keep in mind that there is interest charged on this loan. In addition the death benefit of your policy is reduced by the amount owed and any unpaid accumulated interest. Another thing to note is that if you have an outstanding loan on your whole life insurance policy the amount of dividend paid will also be affected.

Nonforfeiture Values

Another important consideration when buying whole life insurance policies are nonforfeiture values. These options allow you to protect yourself from loss in the event you are unable to continue premium payments.

Automatic Premium Loans

With most whole life insurance policies if a premium payment is missed the automatic premium loan is timely activated to prevent the policy from going into a state of lapse. In other words, you do not lose your insurance as long as there is sufficient cash value to keep it in force. Interest is charged on this amount just like any other premium loan.

Extended Term Insurance

Instead of using an automatic premium loan to keep your whole life insurance policy in force you may choose to use what is called Extended Term Insurance to keep the policy in force. This is a Term Life Insurance policy for as many years as the cash value of the policy will purchase. If you should die during this period the full face amount of the policy will be paid to your chosen beneficiary. The only disadvantage is that with this option your cash values plus any dividend earned will dissipate over time.

Reduced Paid Up Policy

Another option you have if you are unable to pay the premiums for your policy is to elect to keep a reduced amount of life insurance in force rather than the full amount you initially purchased. This policy, though for a reduced amount, will be fully paid up and you will never pay a premium again. The reduced death benefit will be paid upon the death of the insured.

Cash Surrender Value

You may also surrender your policy for its cash value plus any dividends as another option. If there is any outstanding indebtedness on the policy it will be deducted from the amount you receive.

Waiver Of Premium Rider

When purchasing your whole life insurance policy you have the option of adding the "waiver of premium rider" an a very minimal cost. You may find it beneficial as if you should become disabled the life insurance company will waive your premiums for as long as you are disabled even if it is for the rest of your life. You must, however, be disabled for a minimal period of time, usually six months. Whenever you are able to return to your job you continue payments of your policy. Nothing is owed for the period you didn't pay.

Accidental Death Benefit

Another valuable rider you can add to your whole life insurance policy is the "accidental death benefit rider". If you should die in an accident the life insurance company will pay twice the face amount to your beneficiaries. Some life insurance companies allow you to purchase an additional unit of the accidental death benefit rider. In other words, your family would receive three times the face amount of your whole life insurance policy if you died in an accident.

Whole life insurance premiums are higher than term life insurance premiums. If you feel the abovementioned benefits are worth the additional cost this type of life insurance may be for you.

For additional information information on whole life insurance go to:

http://www.lifeinsurancehub.net/whole-life-insurance.html

For more than 40 years Donald has been known for his extensive knowledge of the life insurance business. He has represented some of the largest and most admired life insurance companies in the United States as well as Canada. His advice is invaluable.

Donald's website is: http://www.lifeinsurancehub.net

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Donald_Lusan

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Tuesday, October 6, 2009

Life Insurance 101

Life insurance is one of the simplest and most powerful forms of financial protection for you and your family. However, choosing the right type and amount of insurance can be difficult and confusing. Life Insurance is a long term commitment. The point of life insurance is to replace income that would be lost if the policyholder dies.

You must decide which for of life insurance is best suited for your needs. Term life, whole life, universal life, permanent life and employer life insurance are among the various types of life insurance you will need to investigate. The internet is one of the best places to search for types and quotes of insurance. Be sure to compare same type insurance when getting quotes as not all insurances are equal.


Term life insurance is death protection for a term of one or more years. Term life insurance is generally the cheapest life insurance available. Whole Life Insurance is the most common type of permanent insurance. Joint term life insurance is a program which covers typically married couples to protect their children in case of death of either or both parents. Whole life insurance is sometimes bought as an investment. The premium for whole life insurance is initially greater than that required for term insurance; however, the premium will not increase like term insurance will and cash value will accrue. Group life insurance is a form of term life that is sold to companies to cover their employees. This type of insurance generally will not cover the needs of a family if the employee dies while working. Universal Life Insurance is a flexible-premium, adjustable benefit life insurance policy that accumulates account value. Decreasing term life insurance is very popular with home owners and mortgage companies mainly to cover the remainder of the mortgage owed.

There are two basic types of life insurance: term and permanent. The premiums for term insurance are usually the lowest among the different types of life insurance, but will increase in cost with the age of the insured. Unlike other types, term life insurance has no cash value, savings or investment elements that procure administrative costs and require higher premiums. Certain types of whole life insurance are touted as vehicles for saving or investing money for retirement, commonly called cash-value policies. Choosing the type and amount of insurance needed is a very personal decision.

Because changes in your life will affect your coverage needs, you should review your life insurance policy often. Empty-nesters, retirees need to reconsider insurance coverage as they age. Remember, the purpose of life insurance is to replace your income should you die. Life insurance is therefore a gift that you give to someone else. Like savings, investments, and homeownership, life insurance is an essential part of financial planning. That's what life insurance is for, planning for what you can't predict. Proper life insurance is critical to your loved ones financial well being.

Copyright © 2007 Will Jones

Will is a retired Research Food Technologist who worked over forty years with a major Fortune 500 food company in the Midwest. Product and process development of various types of foods were Will’s expertise. Will’s interests include reading, cooking, fishing, travel and golf.

Will is also a contributing editor for http://www.best-free-help.com a FREE Informational Website Portal that is dedicated to giving people expert knowledge of real value, to help people them decide!

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Will_Jones

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Monday, October 5, 2009

Taking All the Questions Out of Life Insurance Types and Requirements

Are you ever too old to get life insurance? Not necessarily, but contrary to insurance salespeople, not everyone is a candidate for life insurance. There is also a lot of confusion around the difference between types of insurance such as term life and whole life insurance. Our goal is to take the confusion out of all your life insurance needs.

Many people do not understand whether or not they actually require life insurance. Most people try and avoid thinking about it and justify it by claiming they won’t need any money when they are dead. That is indeed true, but the bigger question is, “Will your spouse and or dependants need money?” If they answer is yes, you may be shopping for life insurance. The next question is what kind?


You can choose from term life insurance, whole life insurance, universal or variable universal life insurance, no-load life insurance and let’s not forget mortgage life insurance. This is a great way to have your mortgage paid off immediately if you die. This will mean your family can live mortgage free for as long as they own the house. With all the different types of life insurance policies, it no wonder most people choose not to do anything. Our goal is to take the mystery out of these policies so that you can make an informed decision.

The Different Types of Life Insurance

• Term Life Insurance: Term insurance is the backbone of most life insurance policies. You pay a fixed premium over a specified period of time. If you happen to die during that timeframe, the insurance company pays you the pre-determined amount. The issue with term life insurance is that if you don’t die within that period, the coverage ceases to exist and you are left with nothing. Another issue with term life insurance is that your premium can go up after a period of time. You can often buy another insurance policy after the term expires, the rate however will often be much higher.

• Whole Life Insurance: Unlike term insurance, whole life insurance covers you for your entire life. Basically, you pay a premium each month for the rest of your life. If you choose, you may cash in the policy while you are still alive and receive a lump sum amount. Whole life insurance policies have a face value and a cash value. The face value is the amount that is paid at death or policy maturity, the cash value is the amount you receive is you surrender the policy before you die or it matures.

• Universal Life Insurance: This type of insurance again is very different than the two above. This type of insurance policy takes your premiums and invests them into bonds, mortgages and money market funds. Your investment fund pays for the cost of the death benefit that is set when you purchase this life insurance. If your investment fund does poorly, the insurance company is on the hook to pay out a minimum guaranteed amount. This type of life insurance policy is a bit more flexible than the others because you can change the premiums and death benefits to fit your current budget. This type of flexibility is often popular with younger couples or families where circumstances can change quickly.

• Variable Universal Life Insurance: This type of insurance policy will depend heavily on how well your investment opportunities have done over the years. The better the investments do, the greater the death benefit payoff for you.

• No-Load Life Insurance: Low-load or no-load life insurance often times has fewer expenses than a traditional life insurance policy. What this means for you is that more of your premium goes towards earning you more money rather than commissions and other expenses. Speak to your financial advisor as they will likely sells no-load or low-load life insurance policies for a flat fee versus a commission.

Once you have decided that you are going to buy life insurance, the next question you need to ask is,”How much?” We highly recommend that you speak with your financial advisor and accountant. They will be able to help you determine exactly the amount of cash your family will require to maintain their current standard of living if anything should ever happen to you. They will be able to help determine what kind of life insurance rate you can afford based on your current income and expenses.

We hope we have achieved our goal about informing you on the various types of insurance on the market. There are a number of excellent insurance brokers who can offer you a range of products. We hope you have given you some information so that you can ask the right questions for you and your family.

Amy-Jo Strutt is an expert author and regular contributor to http://www.insuranceprotectioncoverage.com/Life-Insurance.html For more information on all other types of insurance, check out http://www.insuranceprotectioncoverage.com/index.html

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Amy-Jo_Strutt

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Sunday, October 4, 2009

Buying Life Insurance: A Shopping Checklist

When shopping for term life insurance, you want to find the right amount of insurance coverage at a reasonable price with a company you can trust. But for many people, getting started is the hardest part. That's where the following Life Insurance Checklist can help.


1. What you would like your policy to achieve?

Ask yourself what it is you want your life insurance to do. For example, do you want to have insurance coverage that will:

• Pay funeral arrangements?

• Pay the outstanding balance owing on a mortgage and other debts?

• Offset the loss of your income? And if so, for how long?

• Contribute to the future education of your children?

• A combination of all or part of the above?

Knowing what you would like to accomplish with your life insurance policy and approximately how much you need to achieve these goals will help you determine how much life insurance you should consider purchasing. Online life insurance calculators are available to help you put a dollar value on the amount of coverage you need.

2. Who would you like to insure under the life insurance policy?

Most insurance companies offer a variety of life insurance products to suit your lifestyle and family needs. You can get an insurance policy on your own life, or you can get one policy for both you and your spouse (called a joint life insurance policy). The most common joint life policy provides coverage when the first partner dies, leaving the life insurance benefit to the surviving spouse.

3. How long will you need life insurance?

Consulting a psychic isn’t necessary, although it does require that you estimate the timing of your life insurance needs. For example:

• When will your mortgage be paid off? The amortization period of your mortgage will often determine how long your term life insurance policy should be.

• When will your children be finished school? One day they'll finish their education and having enough life insurance coverage to pay their educational expenses won't be necessary.

• When are you planning to retire? You will have less income to replace at that time.

Knowing how long you’ll need life insurance coverage before you begin shopping will ensure you're comfortable with the life insurance product you end up purchasing. Online tools are available to help you figure out which term for your life insurance policy is most recommended for people with similar lifestyles.

So now that you've got the how much, who and how long questions answered, you’re ready to shop.

1. Compare life insurance quotes from multiple companies:

It pays to shop around because life insurance rates can vary considerably depending on the product you choose, your age, and the amount of coverage you request. This is the easy part, because with the Internet you can compare life insurance quotes easily, online, anytime.

2. Which life insurance rate has been quoted – standard or preferred?

There are two basic life insurance rate groups you should know about when shopping for life insurance coverage: standard rates and preferred. Standard life insurance rates are the rates the majority of Canadians qualify for, while about one third of the population is eligible for preferred rates.

Preferred life insurance rates are typically offered to very healthy people and means you may pay a smaller premium than most. Usually preferred rates are offered only once the results of the medical information and tests are known. It will depend on your blood pressure, cholesterol levels, height, weight, and family health history. But preferred rates are worth it. They could save you up to 30-35% off your quoted premium.

When comparing prices, make sure you're comparing 'standard to standard' or 'preferred to preferred' life insurance rates. If you're not sure, ask the broker. It would be disappointing to find out you were quoted preferred rates at the beginning, only to find out you don't qualify for them later.

3. Review the life insurance broker's availability:

How easily can you get a hold of the broker? What are their hours of operation? Whether it is through their website or telephone, the life insurance broker should be easily accessible to you should you ever have questions or need to speak to them about a change in your life insurance needs. Look for toll-free numbers and extended hours of service as guides.

4. Review the medical information required to obtain the policy:

Typically the more medical information you provide, the better the price. For a policy that asks few or no medical questions, you can bet the premium is higher for the same coverage then a plan asking for more information. Depending on the company, your age, and the amount of coverage you want, you could be asked to provide blood and urine samples. To obtain the samples, a nurse will visit at not cost to you.

5. Consider a life insurer's financial stability and strength:

A company's financial stability is something to consider if you are planning on making a long-term purchase like life insurance. There are organizations out there, like A.M. Best, that evaluate insurers and provide a rating on their stability and strength.

6. Ask about renewal options and requirements:

Once the initial premium is set, it is usually guaranteed for the length of the policy (often 10 or 20 years). But what happens when the policy expires? Most policies are renewable until you are 70 or 75 so don't forget to ask your broker if you will have to take a medical to renew your policy. While your premiums will be higher on renewal, find out if they will also be guaranteed to remain level for the second term of the policy.

7. Confirm the policy can be cancelled without penalty:

Most term life insurance policies can be cancelled at any time without penalty. Make sure to check with your broker to see if the life insurance company has any unusual cancellation policies.

8. Consider the conversion options and restrictions for the policy:

As your life changes so do your life insurance needs and you may want the option to convert your coverage some day.

To convert a term life insurance policy means to transfer all, or part of, the death benefit of the policy into a permanent life policy without a medical. For example, say you originally bought a term policy to protect a mortgage and child. Once the mortgage is paid and the child grown, you might find it desirable to convert the policy into one that will give you a new level premium for the rest of your life, and a death benefit that is guaranteed not to expire as you age.

When you purchase your life insurance policy, find out if there are any limitations on your age at the time of conversion. In most cases, you have the option of converting up until you are 60 or 65. As well, ensure you are given several options of the type of policies you can move into, the more the better.

Final tip – choose a life insurance broker you trust:

While it doesn't necessarily impact the type of policy you choose to purchase, a rapport with your broker is critical in feeling comfortable with the life insurance policy you buy and the information you've received.

For more information on life insurance, or to get quotes, kanetix.ca’s life insurance quote comparison service provides instant online quotes from some of Canada's most recognized and trusted life insurance companies.

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