Term Life Insurance or Whole of Life Insurance Policy?
When looking for life insurance, it’s important to find the best policy for your own unique needs. There are so many web sites offering online discount life insurance, so it’s a common mistake made by many, to end up with a policy that’s not suitable.
Many people need clarification regarding the various types of life insurance, and which is best for them.
Term Life Insurance Benefits:
With term life insurance you pay for a predefined term, and are covered for that term (normally the same term as your mortgage).
Term life insurance only offers protection for the duration of the mortgage, and can be of little value when once your mortgage is paid up.
Term insurance is generally cheap and is expected to fall over time providing you don’t suffer from a major disease. However, there are a number of different types of term life insurance policy:
* The first is level term insurance, and it is the most popular type of cover. This policy has it’s premium costs locked in for the full term of the policy, so you pay the same amount each month for the entire term of the policy.
* The second type of term life cover is known as escalating term insurance. This type of scheme means that you pay an increasing amount each year, so the payout at death also increases. They are generally low cost policies, and are more suited to first time buyers and the young. However, they can become more expensive as you get older.
* Next, we have decreasing term insurance, and in this type of policy monthly payments stay the same, although the amount of cover reduces each year.
* The forth type of term life cover is increasing term insurance, where the pay out on death increases. However, to make up for this increase it will be necessary to increase the premiums from time to time, in line with changing circumstances.
* The fifth and final type is known as convertible term insurance. It is a type of term life insurance that you can convert at a later stage into an investment vehicle. The value of the investment is normally based on your health when you originally took out the policy.
Whole of Life Insurance & it’s Advantages:
Whole of life insurance covers you right up until the time of your death, providing that you keep paying your premiums. It can give a considerable lump sum to your family when you die, and it normally accumulates in value over the years.
Whole of life policies can be more expensive and more complicated than term life insurance. Also, the investment you make can earn some interest each year. Therefore, since your investment generally grows each year, your premiums can actually reduce over time. You may also reach a time where the interest gained covers all the future premiums, which means you may have no more premiums to pay.
However, it’s important to understand that it is possible the cash-in-value of a whole of life policy may actually be less than the amount put into the policy over it’s full term.
Summary:
When it comes to the decision of whether to choose a term life policy, or whole of life insurance cover, the ultimate decision must be guided by your individual needs.
The simplest form of life insurance is a level term policy with renewable option. This allows you to buy life cover for as long as you may require it.
However, you may prefer a policy that offers a growing nest egg, that pays out while you are still around to enjoy it!
There are advantages and disadvantages to both forms of insurance, so it’s always important to get advice from a competent insurance adviser.
Michael Pettigrew writes for numerous insurance sites including Best Insurance Quotes, a provider of quality low cost life insurance. Visit Best Insurance Quotes for a better life insurance quote