Life insurance can be very intimidating to someone that has never bought it before. It can easily lead to a bit of information overload because of all of the resources available. Below are some tips to assist you in getting all of this information organized to where you can start buying a good life insurance policy.
Drop bad habits and get into good shape prior to opening a life insurance policy. If you are in good physical health, you are likely to get a better rate from your provider. Smoking, high cholesterol, blood pressure, as well as depression, can drive up your rates more than you would think.
Familiarizing yourself with some common life insurance terms can help you determine which type is best for you, as well as how much coverage you want to purchase. Cash value refers to the portion of your policy that is available for you to withdraw as loans for various purposes, such as education costs or credit card debt. A premium is simply the periodic payment that you make to keep the policy active. Another term you might see is dividends, which refers to the money you may receive back on your premiums if the insurance company overestimated their expenses and ended up with a surplus. A dividend is not guaranteed.
Life insurance companies often charge cigarette smokers double the usual premium. A way to reduce the monthly cost of your insurance, is to quit smoking if you are a smoker. Another way to bring your premium down is to stay in shape. Physically fit, non-smokers are at far less risk for developing illness and diseases.
Consider term life insurance to provide education funds for your children. Especially if you are a single parent, term life insurance is a very affordable type of protection that can provide for college costs and other expenses for your children. Once your kids have finished their education, you can drop the coverage.
Don’t purchase life insurance until you’ve researched and compared different policies and prices. Two similar policies may have the option of being renewed, but one may offer a longer term. You might also be able to find a policy similar to what you need for a better price. It’s crucial that you take the time to compare policies, so that you can obtain the perfect policy for you.
Be cautious of brokers who give the impression that they have all the answers about what policy you need. Most agents are going to earn money based on the policies they sell and the subsequent amount of those policies, so they may be a little overzealous when pitching a plan to you.
After a significant life event like marriage, divorce, or the birth of a child, make sure you update your life insurance. If your family is increasing, you may need to increase the amount of coverage. If your family is decreasing, you may be able to reduce the total amount. In all cases, make sure to keep your beneficiaries current and limits appropriate to your current lifestyle.
Think through how you want to purchase life insurance. There are a lot of options available, so you will save yourself time and frustration by deciding how you want to buy your policy. Some of the choices include buying the insurance right from the company, purchasing it through an insurance agent or going through a financial planner.
Hopefully, these tips have provided you with some very valuable information, as well as given you a way to organize all of the thoughts and information you may have already had on life insurance. Keeping these tips in mind when you start looking can help you find the best life insurance policy for you.