The number one reason for purchasing term life insurance is to provide peace of mind to your loved ones. If you were to die prematurely, would your loved ones be able to maintain their standard of living? Term life insurance can provide a cash death benefit that could be used to pay your final expenses, including the expense of a funeral service, a remaining mortgage balance, children's education expenses, or paying ongoing expenses after your death.
What are the Advantages of Term Life Insurance?
Like other types of life insurance, term life insurance starts with an application for coverage with an insurance company. Once a policy is in force with the company, you pay monthly, quarterly or annual policy premiums to maintain coverage. If you die during the specified policy term, the insurance company pays the specified death benefit amount to your named beneficiaries.
One of the biggest advantages of term life insurance is its affordability. Insurance companies can offer lower premium rates for term insurance coverage than for permanent policies because the odds of death during the policy term favor the insurance company. Term life insurance policies are also a great way to maintain flexibility: you can adjust the policy according to your changing needs. If you realize more permanent coverage is a better option for you, most in-force term life insurance policies can be converted to permanent life insurance.
• It can be used to supplement life insurance coverage provided by your employer
• Policies provide a fixed death benefit for a time period that you choose up-front
• In addition to the specified "face amount" death benefit, your policy may include a return of premium option
• Some policies also offer other coverage options including critical illness and disability insurance protection
Of course, there are a lot of policies and policy options to choose from. When you're considering purchasing a term life insurance policy, you'll want to keep your financial situation in mind and select coverage that best meets your needs.
Term Life Insurance
When you know you want to provide life insurance benefits to your loved ones in the event you die prematurely, it's easy to find yourself confused by all of the different types of policies, and policy options, available.
Term life insurance can be an affordable way to provide some financial protection for a specific period of time.
What Is Term Life Insurance?
Term life insurance coverage is just what it sounds like: life insurance for a specified policy term. The coverage is in effect for a term of years that you choose up front, usually ranging from 10-30 years. If you die while the policy is in force, the insurance company pays death benefits to your named beneficiaries.
Permanent Life Insurance (Universal Life)
Universal Life Insurance
Beyond affordability, universal life (UL) policies are also considered to be the most flexible kind of life insurance. Rather than simply providing a fixed death benefit amount for a fixed premium payment, UL policies offer policyholders flexibility with their premium payments and their death benefit amount.
People who own universal life insurance policies can make periodic adjustments according to their needs. UL policies also offer a built-in cash value, so you can set money aside on a tax-deferred basis, right inside your policy.
The reasons for buying universal life insurance are almost as varied as the number of policies available for purchase.
For most people, providing a ready source of funding for grieving loved ones after death is an important consideration. When you die, will your loved ones be able to afford to pay your final expenses and debts and be able to maintain their current standard of living? If the answer is "no", it's time to explore various life insurance options to determine what makes the most sense for your situation.
Just like other forms of insurance, you'll need to apply for coverage and pay an initial premium. Once your policy is in-force, you'll need to make periodic premium payments to keep your life insurance benefits.
One of the best features of universal life insurance is the flexibility with your premium. You can pay higher premiums to add to your policy's cash value when you're able. Or, if you need to reduce the premium for a period of time, you can make adjustments to the policy to accommodate that.
Advantages of Universal Life:
Universal life insurance is popular for many reasons.
Affordability. Universal life insurance costs less than whole-life insurance policies.
No-lapse protection. Some types of life insurance may lapse if you don't pay the premium on time. With universal life insurance, your policy includes some protection against lapsing by using the accumulated cash value to keep the policy in-force.
Tax-advantaged savings. The cash value component of your universal life insurance policy provides a guaranteed minimum interest rate and offers tax-deferred accumulation.
Premium payment flexibility. As your needs change, your universal life insurance policy premium payments and death benefits can be adjusted.
Loan and withdrawal features. You may be able to take out loans or withdrawals from the accumulated policy cash value when you need them, which may be an attractive alternative to borrowing from a financial institution.
Medical Exams are not always required!
When you apply for any type of life insurance policy, you'll need to answer questions about your health, including any medical conditions you have been diagnosed with or treated for. You'll also be asked questions about your occupation and lifestyle. The insurance company evaluates this information in determining whether to approve your new insurance policy. Many universal life insurance policies are offered with limited underwriting requirements, meaning you may not need to complete a physical examination as part of the application process.
Is it affordable?
Premiums for universal life insurance policies are typically higher than term insurance, but less expensive than premiums for whole life insurance policies. The price you pay will depend on the face amount of the policy (the amount of the death benefit payable after your death), your age at the time you apply, and your overall health. If you are a non-smoker, your premiums will generally be less expensive than those paid by regular tobacco users.
One of the biggest benefits of universal life insurance is the built-in flexibility when it comes to your premiums. If you experience a temporary financial hardship after your policy has been in force for a certain length of time and have sufficient cash value inside your policy, you may be able to rely on that cash value temporarily to help you keep the policy in force until you can afford to resume the full premium amount again.
