Posts Tagged ‘insurance rates’

Knowing Term Life Insurance Quotes

Friday, November 11th, 2011

Reading a policy for term life insurance can be very confusing and with some of the terminologies use you probably had to get a translation into plain English. Aside from questions on terminology, there may also be many questions regarding what the policy includes and excludes.

Here are some tricks on understanding life insurance quotes:

Quotes Online for Term Life Insurance

When you seek a quote online, you must provide accurate information about yourself to get a response. The process takes very general pricing structures and applies them for a quick assessment of your current age and health. A quote may end up varying somewhat once more extensive information is made available that effects the true cost of a policy, such as information from a medical exam.

A price that is higher than a quote you first received may be a shock to you, but you may also get a quote that is lower than originally estimated. Insurance providers are not attempting to give an erroneous number just to get your commitment; it’s just that after a more in depth assessment of your health and living habits they can get a better gage on what premium amounts will be.

Reasons Why Rates Go Up for Term Life Insurance

Rate increases are caused by the person insured. Insurance companies prefers to take on healthy people who will usually live long lives, not factoring in if they are involved in an accident or diagnosed with a health problem, because they are a lower risk. Some of the causes for higher premiums include:

* High cholesterol - There is no industry standard on cholesterol, but high levels will increase premiums. * Height to weight ratio - The more variation from the recommended height to weight ratio, the higher the term life insurance rates because of the health problems associated with being over or under weight. * High blood pressure - Blood pressure is linked to a number of health problems, and each point to a shortened life cycle. * History of family health - Genetics is a underlying factor involved with someone’s health. This is why your questionnaire asks about the history of disease and health problems in your family. * Lifestyle activities - Participating in dangerous sports or activities will increase your premiums, if you can get insured at all. * Driving history - Someone with tickets for reckless driving or speeding are generally red flagged as dangerous and no one wants to insure them.

Life Insurance Choices

It is possible to get many varying prices for term life insurance based on the companies that quote coverage. Price and performance are top reasons people give when asked what they want from a life insurance company. Pricing comes from factors like the rating of the company and who underwrites the policies. A rating of A or A+ identifies high financial stability for an insurance company.

My Insurance Expert will help you find term life insurance that fits all of your individual needs. The world of life insurance doesn’t have to be difficult. With the right advisor you can give your family the protection they need and have peace of mind.

No Medical Exam Requirement Life Insurance

Thursday, November 10th, 2011

There are policies for life insurance with no medical exam requirement. However many individuals don’t bother attempting to obtain quotes for life insurance because they fear they will fail a medical exam required by the insurance provider.

What Policy Types Do Not Require a Medical Exam?

1. Simplified Issue Life Insurance - the applicant provides information regarding their medical history on the policy application but no exam is required.

2. Graded Benefit Life Insurance - Graded Life policies are more complicated to get than other policies and are intended for those in late middle age and older. No questions are asked about health history and no exam is required.

3. Guaranteed Issue Life Insurance - no health history or medical exam required; no applicant can be turned down, which is why this insurance is also called Guaranteed Acceptance.

Why Buy Exam-Free Life Insurance?

The application process can take anywhere from 3-6 weeks before a policy is issued for typical life insurance policies. When no medical exam is required the underwriting process is shortened, making it possible to have a policy issued in hours or days rather than weeks.

Applicants advanced in years or with health problems trying to obtain coverage when they will most likely be denied because of exam-required policies can always rely on no-exam life insurance.

The Price of Exam-Free Life Insurance

Naturally lower rates apply to applicants in good health and in their younger years. A medical exam gives the insurer a more accurate picture of life expectancy.

Without an exam, the insurance provider is placed at a higher risk which in turn dictates a higher premium rate. While a medical exam can be a hassle and an inconvenience, if you are in good health it is the wiser choice because of the potential rate savings. The exam allows the insurance provider to place you in the right rate class and charge you based on your actual health profile.

Any coverage is better than none, and if you are avoiding seeking life insurance coverage because of health problems or your age, no-exam life insurance may be the perfect solution for your situation. While no-exam life insurance might be a quick and convenient way to obtain coverage, don’t expect it to be the cheapest.

My Insurance Expert will help you find term life insurance that fits all of your individual needs. The world of life insurance doesn’t have to be difficult. With the right advisor you can give your family the protection they need and have peace of mind.

What is Life Insurance?

Thursday, November 10th, 2011

The loss of life often results in a hardship to the surviving family members in three different ways. The first is the anguish and personal loss whenever a loved one leaves this world. While there is very little money can do to relieve the pain of this loss, the other two hardships can be addressed with a life insurance policy.

Life insurance can be the financial buffer to the costs associated with a funeral and the loss of income of the deceased are the hard facts to be faced that often accompany a death.

The Basic Concept of Life Insurance

Life insurance is a contract between an individual and an insurance company based on what one does for the other. The individual promises to pay an insurance premium for the insurance company’s promise to release funds to designated survivors (beneficiaries) upon the event of the insured’s demise.

Protecting their survivors or beneficiaries from monetary losses or hardships is the underlying theme the holder of the policy contracts a life insurance policy, even with all the different life insurance formats there are.

In certain contracts, should the holder of the life insurance policy contract a terminal illness that incapacitates them, benefits may be paid in whole or partial installments to the beneficiary to help cover the cost of health care.

Understanding Life Insurance

Anyone entering an agreement for whole or term life insurance should understand the terms of the policy completely, and the insurance agent should make the details perfectly clear before an agreement is signed. Many variables affect the premium amount and the conditions of payment because the insurance company is at risk from the moment that the contract is officially in force.

As long as the premiums are paid and there is no cancellation of the policy because the insured commits an act to void it, or any of the exclusions come into play, the insurer will, at some point, pay the benefits. Unlike some insurance policies, life insurance is almost a predetermined expense to the insurer.

Default of the Contract

Almost all life insurance contracts have very strict policies about how a death may occur. Exclusions that concern the dangers people put themselves in because of acts they commit, such as involvement in riots, wars, or any type of civil commotion. Suicides and fraud are two of the top reasons for voiding a life insurance policy.

Because life is so unpredictable, it is a comforting assurance to know your loved ones will not be left in a hardship financially in the event of your death because you had the forethought and sensibility to obtain a life insurance policy to protect them.

My Insurance Expert will help you find term life insurance that fits all of your individual needs. The world of life insurance doesn’t have to be difficult. With the right advisor you can give your family the protection they need and have peace of mind.

Purchasing Life Insurance Online

Monday, November 7th, 2011

Are there advantages or disadvantages to purchasing insurance online? Here are some things you might want to consider when it comes time to shop for life insurance.

What is your Time Worth?

Even taking an entire day and dedicating to shopping for quotes, you might end up with only three or four to compare because of the time involved. It is especially hard if you work during the day because it is difficult to visit insurance agencies to fill out paperwork, answer questions, and shop multiple providers for life insurance. Going online is generally something you can do during your time off from work. Most of the time you can get all the life insurance resources you need online. You’ll still have to answer questions for each query you make. There is a good chance there will be follow-ups from your applications when you must speak with someone over the phone, but you still control the amount of time required much better by shopping online.

Your Information

Some personal information needs to be given out in order to receive an accurate quote online, but be selective in what info you give out. A company may want your email address claiming they must send the quote via email, but this is a way to add you to a mailing list. Also, a provider should not need your social security number to provide an insurance quote. Weight, age, height, gender, medical history, etc., are some things you should be prepared to give out, but if you are hesitant about providing certain info, attempt to find out why they need it.

Insurance Providers Online

Insurance providers online are much more specialized than local agencies. Although insurance websites may have non-agents doing the quote processing, the companies they represent must be legally able to sell insurance in your state of residence. You’ll find many that target a certain market. This can be demographic as in young people, healthy people, older citizens, or even those with illnesses. The good thing about specialization is that when you find the right fit, you should receive an estimate that is based on the correct product specialized for your current needs.

Medical Exams

In most cases, a medical exam no matter if you purchase the policy online or not is required for life insurance. Even if a medical exam is not required, false information given on a questionnaire can result in cancelled coverage, so be certain to answer all questions accurately. A quote may be erroneously low of the online quotes do not inquire about your age, height, weight, blood pressure, etc.

Online Deals

If you are shopping on your own, be sure that you compare quotes and coverage, including exclusions and inclusions, to determine which quotes are the best offers. There are many different types of life insurance and many variables that can make a difference on the bottom line. You still should be able to find some affordably priced coverage by shopping for life insurance online. Be certain also to check the financial rating of the provider as you want coverage only with solvent insurance companies.

My Insurance Expert will help you find term life insurance that fits all of your individual needs. The world of life insurance doesn’t have to be difficult. With the right advisor you can give your family the protection they need and have peace of mind.

Is Term Life Insurance More Affordable Than Whole Life Insurance?

Sunday, November 6th, 2011

Whole life insurance is seen as an expense that will most likely be paid to a beneficiary at some point, and there is always the possibility that it may happen earlier rather than later. Insurance companies are run like any other business. They base their costs to customers on what their expenses are for the service they provide.

Less Exposure

There is less risk to the insurance company with term life insurance because if the insured lives throughout the term, there is no benefit to be paid. Simply said, the insurance company has a much better chance of making a larger profit on term insurance as opposed to whole life.

From the standpoint of the insured, term life insurance is a good value because the coverage amounts can be the same as with other more expensive forms of life insurance and benefits are paid the same.

Value Accumulation

With whole life policies, the insured can actually have some accrued value in the policy and may be able to take monies from that fund. On the other hand term life insurance does not accumulate value, and when the insured stops paying the premiums or completes the term, the insurance company is under no obligation to give funds back.

Most Economical Coverage

The base plan in term life insurance is the simple contract that insures the person for the designated number of years and ends when that time is complete. There are no premiums returned to the insured, so the insurance company retains all the money paid.

A young person getting term coverage for a 10-year period can get very affordable insurance. For each 10-year addition to a term policy, the rates will increase as the risk to the insurer increases.

Practical Term Policy

Return of Premium is more costly, but it is worth looking into because the insured will be rewarded, if rates are attractive enough, with the payback of the premiums for surviving the policy term. So putting money into this kind of coverage means that it is free as long as the insured lives to the end of the term.

Life insurance quotes continue to show their value in term policies. Most authorities agree that term life insurance is the best value when compared with all other life policy plan types. This makes it an ideal way to save some money by having the safety of a policy that will aid the family should the worst happen and getting the money back after the term if all goes well.

My Insurance Expert will help you find term life insurance that fits all of your individual needs. The world of life insurance doesn’t have to be difficult. With the right advisor you can give your family the protection they need and have peace of mind.

Life Insurance For A New Family

Wednesday, November 2nd, 2011

New parents are given many responsibilities that are unfamiliar to them, not the least of which is caring for their children, even in the event that they die before the young ones reach maturity. With over four million babies born in the United States each year these types of questions of responsibility become all too familiar.

Usually, several changes need to be made after the arrival of a new addition to a family. One of the first changes new parents should take is to evaluate the existing insurance coverage they have.

More often than not an insurance policy was set up for each parent years earlier; the amount of the policies may not be enough to cover expenses in the event of the death of one or both parents.

The list of beneficiaries should include the baby, even if he or she is only days old. In families with multiple children, more coverage will be necessary and all children would need to be named as beneficiaries.

Not only should adjustments be made to the beneficiaries, someone should be legally designated to care for the baby should both parents die. Some accidents result in the death of both parents, so this precaution is an important one.

A family member or a close friend should be selected and agree to accept this responsibility and to handle the use of life insurance benefits as best be suitable for the child.

Another reason why new parents should check into their existing insurance coverage is because premium rates have been going down since 1996, and there is a good chance that a new policy will cost less for more coverage.

The delight of a newborn baby often makes new parents think about so many other things that they forget about such things as life insurance and the very real problems that can exist if an accident occurs resulting in their unexpected departure from this life. Just as new life comes into the world, existing life goes out of it.

The amount of coverage needed for life insurance coincides to lifestyles and the debt of the insured individuals. Term life insurance is so inexpensive for young adults, it makes it easier to attempt to estimate what expenses will be for the baby up to about 25 years into the future.

A home mortgage, college costs, and other items that are part of a child’s development should be thought of by new parents for their life insurance to cover.

Nobody wants to think of a new baby growing up without a mom or a dad. There are many events in a child’s life that parents can share that are the most wonderful times in a family’s existence. If things to happen where you may not be around anymore be sure there is enough financial security that the new baby will cared for comfortably.

My Insurance Expert will help you find term life insurance that fits all of your individual needs. The world of life insurance doesn’t have to be difficult. With the right advisor you can give your family the protection they need and have peace of mind.

Variable vs. Term Life Insurance

Wednesday, November 2nd, 2011

For the life insurance policy holders who want to be more in control of their investment, variable life is the probable option. It is also one of the more expensive ways to insure an individual. It does provide the beneficiary with permanent protection, but the amount of the benefit will vary based on how well stocks perform.

Federal securities laws regulate variable life insurance because it is considered an investment policy, unlike other life insurance. The policy holder must receive a prospectus from the insurance company, only then can they choose from the portfolio offered to invest in money market funds, equity, bond, or the stock market. Only a part of the premiums may be applied to the different funds.

Any type of earnings from investments are cannot be taxed until such time as the policy is surrendered. If these monies earned are sufficient enough, part can be diverted toward paying the premiums on the policy.

The Downside to Variable Life Insurance

There are many variables that can affect what your beneficiary will receive and what will need to be paid for the life of the policy, which is why this is called “Variable” life insurance.

The policyholder must continue to pay high premiums, even at a time when that might be difficult and even when the stocks perform poorly. The policyholder cannot have the option to get cash from the accumulated value of the policy.

With the stock market in recession, variable life insurance is certainly not as attractive an option as it might have been ten years ago. Poorly performing stocks can lead to little if any cash value and policyholders may need to pay high premiums on into their retirement years.

When considering variable life insurance it is important to obtain several life insurance quotes. Additionally, the prospectus options may be weighted somewhat to give you the idea for very good possibilities for investments; however these option also may not pan out.

Advantage of Term Life over Variable Life

Term Life advantage and Variable life do not have much in common. Term life insurance is only to cover a person’s beneficiaries in case of their death; nothing more. The policy is only good for a certain amount of time and then it is done.

Term life’s lower premiums make it possible to invest more money into whatever markets a person chooses. For the person who will dedicate themselves to taking the money saved from permanent life insurance and putting it in savings or a retirement fund, there is a very good chance the capital value will be higher by retirement than it would be with a variable life insurance policy.

My Insurance Expert will help you find term life insurance that fits all of your individual needs. The world of life insurance doesn’t have to be difficult. With the right advisor you can give your family the protection they need and have peace of mind.

Life Insurance For Seniors

Tuesday, November 1st, 2011

People who are reaching their retirement years might seem to be the least in need of life insurance, but there are many reasons why this isn’t always the case. Sure, a person who is the lone remaining partner in a marriage and owns a home doesn’t usually need to consider caring for others after their death, but still there can be circumstances that require some financial protection.

Second Family

Many people are not able to get their family settled until later in life leading them to not have their mortgages paid when they retire. Some people start a second family because of divorce, which leads to a new mortgage that is financed past retirement age. It is not unusual at all for couples well advanced in years to have children late in life. As a matter of fact, it is becoming quite normal for this to occur.

Money is Not There

Anyone who is not financially sound when they approach retirement is a candidate for life insurance to cover debts they may have. Life insurance serves as a buffer to a loved one left behind who may be in need of personal health care and continual supervision because of any number of maladies.

A modest savings account or IRA will not be sufficient to cover most of the large expenses that come with the health concerns that seem to accompany people when they reach 60 years old or more.

A great many people who thought a few years ago that their stocks would cover whatever they would need in retirement suddenly have realized that they are not as well off as they expected. Many have seen their IRAs basically exhausted because of the decline in the economy.

Health Care and Home Upkeep

A wife may be left behind from her husband with comfortable home for her retirement. She may not have any debt to worry about, but without some sort of life insurance benefit, she might not have the means for basic home maintenance or care for herself in times of need.

Fortunes are made and lost all the time, and keeping a life insurance policy going is a way to provide a safety net for the family members left behind. The term life insurance policy is a safeguard because it is set to pay the beneficiary an amount that will not change because of investments under the terms of a straight death benefit.

My Insurance Expert will help you find term life insurance that fits all of your individual needs. The world of life insurance doesn’t have to be difficult. With the right advisor you can give your family the protection they need and have peace of mind.

Term vs. Whole Life Insurance

Tuesday, November 1st, 2011

There are various forms of life insurance. The reason is because every person does not view coverage the same or have the same needs. Term life insurance does costs less than whole life, but some whole life policies prove to be better for some individuals than others. What are the differences?

Cash Value Policies

The difference in whole life compared to term life insurance is important info that a person should know before making a decision on the type of policy to acquire. About 70% of the insurance policies signed have “cash value” or whole life coverage. These policies offer to build monies toward retirement as long as the premiums are paid.

Cash value policies do have a downside because they have a monthly cost. For the equal amount of coverage, a whole life policy can cost many times over that of term life. The upside is that the policy will gain value that the insured can cash out if they choose, or the policy can pay its own premiums at some point so the insured has no monetary expenditure to stay insured.

Benefits of Term Life Insurance

Term life insurance is considerably less money than whole life, which opens up more opportunities for the insured. A nominal amount gets the same coverage that whole life does for as much as ten times the monthly premium of term.

If an insured person has the dedication to do so, taking the cost difference between a 20-year term insurance policy and a whole life policy and investing it in an IRA can result in a substantial return at the term’s end.

Whole Life Principle Investment

The problem with whole life insurance is that much of the premium is applied to expenses and commissions for three years, and the return on investment will net less than 3% per year. Personal investing, properly structured, can produce better returns.

While the return of investing isn’t as good with whole life as it is with personal investments, the worst part of the situation is what happens if the insured suddenly dies. All those gains made are gone, for the beneficiary receives only the face value of the policy.

The value of either type of life insurance policy is based on the individual. If a person does not take the difference in premium costs and place it in a secured savings, the whole life policy might be better because it will at least provide a death benefit. A term policy is only good if a person’s portfolio is in good shape at the end of the term so life insurance isn’t needed.

My Insurance Expert will help you find term life insurance that fits all of your individual needs. The world of life insurance doesn’t have to be difficult. With the right advisor you can give your family the protection they need and have peace of mind.

Life Insurance For College Students

Monday, October 31st, 2011

It is not something that comes up often because college age adults generally have other things on their mind besides life insurance. Some people might say it is a waste of money to insure someone who doesn’t have many responsibilities outside of getting an education.

Less than half of all college students have life insurance policies. The rate was under 40% at the turn of the last century and hasn’t climbed more than a few points since. Many parents have a small life insurance policy on their children while they grow up, but this often ends when they go to college and a coverage void is left.

College students may want to get life insurance is that it provides compensation to their parents for the huge expenses they pay out for a young adult to pursue an education beyond high school.

It is not that a parent wants to receive money in the event of the death of a child, but there is often a hardship pressed upon those who have provided for a child for all of their young life.

A college loan, for example, is often co-signed by a parent, and the money is expected to be paid back even if the student dies. These debts might be outstanding and will still need to be paid even if something were to happen to the student.

If a family gets a loan to pay for college, a life insurance policy can help ease that financial burden as well as others such as burial expenses and/or auto loans. This sounds harsh, but it is the way businesses are run.

A good reason for a college student that in good health consider term life insurance is because the cost will be very low. Having life insurance is recommended after college anyway, so beginning a few years early is a good idea. More than likely it will often save money over the duration of a 30-year term life insurance policy to begin the policy early.

There are also graduate and undergraduate college students who are married and have children while they are attending school. This gives them all the more reason for having life insurance are already in place for these students.

Something as simple as forgetting about life insurance for students can flow over into the first years of employment, marriage, and on into life. Taking a little bit of time on something that costs so little at an early age and provides financial security for loved ones should not be considered lightly.

My Insurance Expert will help you find term life insurance that fits all of your individual needs. The world of life insurance doesn’t have to be difficult. With the right advisor you can give your family the protection they need and have peace of mind.