When you shop for return of premium life insurance, you may only be concerned with the price. What you’re really looking for is term insurance. You want the right about of insurance at a inexpensive price with a company you can trust. Sometimes, getting started is the hardest part. For this, a checklist comes in handy.
1. What will your policy do for you?
Think about it for a moment. For example, do you want to have insurance coverage that will:
Pay for your burial costs?
Pay off any outstanding medical bills and other debts?
Replace your income?
Provide some money to your children for education?
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 calculators are there to help you figure out how much death benefit you need.
2. Who would be covered under the insurance policy?
Insurers all have slightly different products and prices 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?
Obviously you can’t be sure of the future, although it does require that you estimate the timing of your life insurance needs. For example:
When will your home 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? At some point, you won’t need to keep saving for your kid’s education. When are you planning to retire? After you retire, your kids are gone and you probably have paid off your debt.
Knowing how long youll 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.
When you know what you need, who and how long questions answered, you’re ready to shop.
1. Compare life insurance quotes from multiple companies:
Get several quotes because life insurance rates can change considerably depending on the product you choose, your age, and the amount of coverage you request. Doing this is actually fairly easy, because with the Internet you can compare life insurance quotes easy, online, anytime.
2. Which rate has been quoted standard or preferred?
There are two basic groups you should know about when shopping for life insurance coverage: preferred and standard. Standard life insurance rates are the rates the majority of Americans qualify for.
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, they could save you money, as much as 30%.
Make sure you are comparing apples to apples though. If you’re not sure, ask the broker. You could end up cheating yourself later on.
3. Review the life insurance broker’s availability:
Is the broker easy to contact? Will they have time for you if problems arise? 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 cash value life insurance:
The insurance company is more open to giving you the best rates when they know everything about you. 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:
You should make sure the company is financially sound before doing business with them. 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 life insurance 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 canceled without penalty:
Most term life policies can be canceled at any time. Make sure to check with your broker to see if the life insurance company has any unusual cancellation policies.
Don’t just do business with a random agent. Choose someone you trust:
This isn’t so much about the life insurance policy, but a rapport with your broker is critical in feeling comfortable with the life insurance policy you buy and the information you’ve received.
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