All life insurance policies are either term, whole, or some combination of these two types of policies. However, there are many different forms that life insurance can take, even within these types.
Universal life insurance allows you to adjust the premium and policy amount to what you feel you need.
If you want control over the financial and investing aspects of your insurance policy, your best option would be a variable life insurance policy. This policy is similar to a universal policy in that it accrues cash value, but you can choose how this cash value is invested.
So let us find out what is A Term Life Insurance Policy?
A term life policy provides protection for a predetermined period of time, such as 5, 10 or 20 years. At the end of this time the policy expires - the death benefit is only paid while the policy is in effect. A term policy doesn’t accumulate any cash value. Term life insurance has been described as “insurance that is actually designed to expire before you do.”
Although premiums on term life policies tend to be low, they increase significantly as you age. Because of this, a term life policy is usually purchased when you’re young, to cover a long term. While short term renewable policies are initially less expensive, the premiums begin to make them less reasonable after middle age.
Below is an example of premium costs on an annual renewable term insurance policy. The policy in the example has a $200,000 death benefit, and the annual premiums are by age. Remember that these are only examples, to help illustrate how rates can change with age.
$300 / year age 35
Age 50: $900/year
Age 65: $2,500/year
Description of a Whole Life Insurance Policy
The most common type of insurance sold in the market today is the whole life insurance policy. A whole life insurance policy is valid till you die or until you reach the age of 100. But it must be taken care that you pay all the premiums as scheduled. Whole life insurance is otherwise known as the permanent insurance. Level premiums, level face amounts, guaranteed values, and a relatively high degree of safety compared to others are the main differential characteristics of a whole life insurance policy. The guaranteed cash value through the whole life insurance builds a huge benefit for the owner. This is very beneficial for the user, because this cash can be accessed during emergencies, and for other needs as well as a alternative source of retirement income.
This ability to access the cash accrued by a whole life policy makes it an important savings instrument. Whole life policies are often used for long-term financial planning. Another very positive aspect of whole life insurance is the level premiums: they don’t change, so you’ll always know how much your policy is going to cost. Level premiums provide peace of mind and make budgeting easier.
There are different risks involved for companies which provide whole life insurance policies and those which offer auto policies, for example. With an auto policy the insurance company hopes the policyholder will be a safe driver and never be in an accident. On the other hand, when an insurance company issues a whole life policy it knows it will someday have to pay the claim.
Shopping for life insurance is now quite simple to do online. You can compare companies and policies to make sure you get the best premiums for the policy that meets your needs. It’s well worth the time to get several quotes, and to see how the companies are rated with the Better Business Bureau. It’s also important to look into the financial standings of the companies you’re considering before you sign up for any type of life insurance policy. If you do your research, you will easily get the best whole life insurance policy online.
Graham McKenzie is the content syndication coordinator a leading South African Life Insurance and Life Cover portal. For more information on the different types of life insurance visit our website.