January 4, 2010
Which Is Best: Term Life Insurance Or Whole of Life Insurance?
The search for life insurance can be frustrating and confusing, so it's important to get the best policy for your own unique needs and circumstances. So many web sites offer discount life insurance, and as a result people often end up with a policy not suited to their needs.
There are a variety of life insurance policies available, so it's important to understand the differences.
Term Life Insurance Benefits:
Term life policies cover you a predefined term.
This means that term life insurance only offers protection for the duration of the mortgage, and is usually of little value once your mortgage is fully paid off.
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 is known as escalating term cover. This type of policy can be become expensive in later years, as you generally pay an increasing amount as the policy ages. However, there is an advantage, in that the payout at death also increases. This type of life policy is normally more suited to younger people.
* The third type of term cover is known as decreasing term insurance. With this type of policy the monthly/annual payments stay exactly the same. However, the amount of protection reduces each year.
* The forth type of term life insurance is what's known as increasing term insurance. Here the lump sum payable at death increases each year. This increase in value of the policy is made up by increasing the premiums periodically over the years.
* The fifth and final type of term life insurance is known as convertible term insurance. This type of term life policy provides a way for you to convert your policy into an investment/insurance policy in the future. With this type of policy the price of your future investment policy is based on your health when you bought the cheaper term insurance.
Whole of Life Insurance:
Whole of life cover covers you right up until your death. Provided, of course, that you keep paying your premiums! It can pay out a substantial benefit to your loved ones when you die, and it can also accumulate a cash value over time.
This type of policy is more expensive and complicated than term life policies. The investment you make earns some interest each year. So, providing your investment grows, your annual premiums can actually reduce over time. Also, there may come a time when the interest produced can cover all your future premiums, and as a result you may have no more premiums to pay on your policy.
However, understand that it is possible that the final value of a whole of life insurance policy may not be the same as the amount of money invested in it over the years.
Summary:
The decision of whether to buy a term life policy, or whole of life cover comes down to your own unique needs, and circumstances, and what you wish to achieve.
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.
On the other hand, you might like to consider a policy that grows in value over time, giving you a very nice nest egg which you can benefit from, while you are still alive.
Both types have their advantages and disadvantages, and careful consideration and advice from a competent insurance adviser is vitally important.
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categories: life insurance,insurance,protection,mortgage,investments,finance
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