Posts Tagged ‘Death’

What Life Insurance Can Mean For You And Your Loved Ones

Sunday, November 28th, 2010

There are many circumstances in life that may render you unable to care for your loved ones, and it is important that you have a financial plan in place just in case this happens to you. In fact, if you have a spouse, children, or any other dependants, life insurance can bring you both protection and peace of mind. If anything happens to you suddenly, those you care for will be well taken care of.

The fact that life insurance will aid your dependents in the event of your death is reassuring. But first, you must decide which kind of insurance best suits the needs of you and your loved ones. Below are three of the most popular kinds of life insurance.

Term life insurance is a fairly straightforward form of insurance. As its name implies, it offers protection for a specific period of time, which typically ranges from 1-30 years. You pay the same premium as long as the policy is in effect. If the insured person survives past the end of the term, no insurance is paid. If, however, the insured dies while the policy is still in effect, his or her beneficiary receives the specified amount of insurance. An insured person who is alive at the end of the term can allow the policy to expire, convert it into another type of insurance policy known as “permanent life,” or extend the policy.

One thing to keep in mind if the policy is renewed is that the premiums you are required to pay will usually rise. Still, the fact that term life insurance is relatively cheap is one of its advantages. In fact, term life is generally acknowledged to be the best kind of insurance for its price.

Another common type of life insurance is called whole life insurance. Also referred to as permanent life insurance, whole life insurance not only works like term life insurance, but it also gives the insured individual the ability to invest in stocks, bonds, or money markets. This, in turn, builds a cash value that can be borrowed against. The downside of whole life insurance is the cost involved. There are commissions associated with the investment, and there are often additional fees as well. Furthermore, the investment itself may not be profitable, and this adds more risk.

This type of insurance allows enough time generate substantial savings and is therefore beneficial for people who need insurance into their 70s or 80s. With the long periods of accumulating considerable value, this type of insurance is a form of long term saving. For people who feel they cannot wait up to their 70s you need to take term life insurance and then find a different form of saving for your retirement.

With the different life insurance options available, it is important to take some time before making this critical decision for your family. Insurance companies can provide you with free life insurance quotes which you need to compare before making your decision. You can also do your research online to gain more knowledge on what to look for in a policy. This way you increase your chances of getting the perfect insurance policy.

Graham McKenzie is the content syndication coordinator a leading South African Life Insurance and Life Cover portal.

The Values Of Life Insurance

Friday, November 5th, 2010

There are two distinct types of life insurance whole life and term life insurance. Whole life insurance extends over the life of the insured and is beneficial only when he or she dies. The benefits of a whole life policy depend on the value of the policy at the death of the insured. Sometimes a cash value, which is tax deferred can also, be accumulated. This cash provides dividends that are paid out throughout the policy life.

Term insurance is obviously purchased for a certain period or term. If the death of the insured occurs within that period, the face value of the policy is paid to the named beneficiaries. The policy must be in force as time of death, that being the premiums are current and the term of the policy had not expired. Term insurance has no cash value and pays no dividends.

The costs (premiums) of term life insurance are small in the beginning of the policy and increase over time. Since term insurance has no cash value it?s not possible to borrow against insurance policy, unlike with whole life insurance. Term insurance coverage can be purchased for terms ranging from five to thirty years. The longed the term of the policy the more expensive the policy will be.

In order to get a suitable life insurance quote you can visit various agents or their websites to compare the quotes. There are also websites that have quotes from different companies therefore eliminating the need to visit different agents. Once you have the different quotes you can choose the one with affordable premiums. One major advantage of term life insurance is that it offers you the chance of converting to permanent life insurance once it expires.

You can also opt for a universal life insurance cover. This will depend on various factors including your current age. Obviously younger people get a better quote than the older ones. Some companies can even issue you with a cover without any medical examination relying on the answers given on issues such as occupation, health and age.

Generally term life insurance is less expensive than whole life insurance. The difference between the values of whole life (permanent) insurance and term life insurance is utilized by insurance companies to invest and make a profit. Hence, term life insurance is considered to be profitable and cheaper.

The main idea behind term life insurance is to reduce financial risks for a specified period of time. The money paid in premiums is meant only for paying insurance therefore term life insurance is the only form of pure life insurance. The policy can be bought in increments of ten or twenty years.

Graham McKenzie is the content syndication coordinator a leading South African Life Insurance and Life Cover portal.

Advantages Of A Life Insurance Policy

Monday, October 18th, 2010

Life is never a walk in the park. Many of us plan something in our life but destiny leads us somewhere. Some of us are lucky enough to have a very blessed life. They enjoy their lives without any problems. But most of us have to live our lives in a hard way. We have to struggle for each and everything. Even the basic things cannot be obtained easily.

Such people should take proper decisions at the right time to make their life happy. Invest certain amount of your earnings for making your family?s future more stable. The best option is investing in a life insurance policy.

Take the guidance of professional experts when investing in a life insurance policy and always invest in a policy that goes well with your financial situation. The returns of Life insurance policies always amuse the person who invested in it and if you were to face any unusual situations in your life in future you will not miss any advantage. Investing in any Life Insurance Policy provides a financial support to your family and gives them a prospective of a new career after your death. It is never late to invest in a policy. So if you have not done it yet, this is the right time.

No, they’ll never replace you, but they can help your family live in happiness. Imagine the stress if your spouse has to get a second job, your kids need to go without–but insurance isn’t stressful. It’s almost completely stress free.

The premium amounts you pay will not hinder your current life style and it will suit everyone?s financial situation. You can also adopt cheaper Insurance policies and the benefits and coverage they offer are in no way less than the expensive Life Insurance Policies. You can invest depending upon your budget and needs.

I was completely unaware of the advantages of having life insurance until I experienced my friend receive it when his father had expired. Taking care of his mother, he was able to get by all thanks to the life insurance policy. They even had to mortgage the house and the insurance company took care of the mortgage payments afterwards.

But now, he has the ability to make sure his family is happy. He taught me something: the best thing to do, to protect the ones you care about, is to make sure that they’re covered if you go–and that means, you need to be covered by life insurance. Its the first thing I will do when I finally settle down. Perhaps you should think about the same.

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.

Life Insurance, Why We Need It

Sunday, October 10th, 2010

Life insurance offers benefits that we need and provides options within each policy. It is imperative to find a policy that benefits us in the future while considering the present expenses. The universal life insurance policy is very popular because of the convenience it offers when it comes to the cost benefit analysis.

The Universal Life Insurance Policy is an excellent policy and among the best. Many people are purchasing this policy that provides financial assistance at times when it is most critical. This is a unique policy of excellent quality.

The brokers are the professionals and have already undertaken the research process serious and are required to be up to date with the information regarding various life insurance policies and the benefits each offer. Brokers are a great tool to help inform a prudent decision.

It is important to buy a life insurance policy that maintains a financial stability in our life. Studies depict that the life insurance that best reward and provide most advantages is the universal life insurance policy because it provides room to revise the sum of insurance as requirements may change.

When thinking of death, one can have a sound mind after deciding to invest in a universal life insurance policy because it provides security for our family members or our survivors. The universal life insurance policy permits the regulation of death assistance or the premium costs, inside the maximum value so that it can be shaped around the circumstances.

A 5% price charge is subtracted out of every premium sum and the balance is then added to the policy account cost. The monthly fee of the death benefit and the policy supervision is then taken away from the additional account.

There is a 5% charge subtracted from every premium and the balance is added to the policy account. The monthly fee of the death benefit and policy supervision is removed from the additional account. The information provided here is accurate and helpful but it would also be advisable to seek consultation from a life insurance professional to ensure peace of mind, stability, and life time protection.

Graham McKenzie is the content syndication coordinator a leading South African Life Insurance and Life Cover portal.

Whole Life Insurance: Knowing It And Getting To Know Its High And Positive Trade ?Offs

Tuesday, September 21st, 2010

There are basically two types of life insurance available. These are whole life and term life insurance. Term life insurance policies are only cover your life while there are other benefits in owning whole life insurance.

If you want to continue paying the premiums of your plan, then you will have a whole life insurance policy that will cover for the lifetime. This type of insurance will let you avail all the benefits until you reach the age of 100 because it will earn cash value that starts in the first year of paying your premiums. The good thing of having this type of insurance is that instead of paying an increasing fee, you will just be paying the same amount for the rest of your life while in the term insurance, your premiums will increase every time you renew your policy. Aside from that, the whole life insurance will guarantee you a cash value, but both types of insurance should be paid continuously in order to avail their benefits.

First of its highly positive trade-off is the accumulation of cash values, which could be a good way of investing money on a tax-free way. In addition, the policy holder gets a permanent lifetime insurance protection. Most importantly, this kind of insurance policy may be surrendered at any time with great accumulated cash values. This kind of insurance is suitable for long-range investments.

Accumulated cash values of whole life insurance could sometimes be greater than the guaranteed amount because the insurance companies could invest these premiums in a more profitable venture, thereby returning to the policy holder his share of the monetary investment.

Another advantage to owning whole life insurance is that you have the ability to take out a loan based on your cash value at the time. Whole life insurance is able to compete well with other fixed income investments according to supporters of this type of insurance.

The benefits of the whole life insurance policy will never change and provides you a security of a lifetime. Due to the interest earned in this policy, the policy holders will also get dividends from their cash value. One good option of this insurance is that policy holders can borrow money with lower interest rates due to the annual adjustment of its interest rates, it is not adjusted monthly.

Yes, whole life insurance could be a great investment as it demands fixed premium and paying period is quite longer, but the advantages are really beyond compare. It?s a great investment. So, now that the high and quality trade-offs of whole life insurance are herewith mentioned, try to grab a whole life plan, and surely rewards will be great for you. If in case budget would not suffice, there is always the term insurance which could be the least preference, right? So, hurry and get a whole life plan now.

Graham McKenzie is the content syndication coordinator a leading South African Life Insurance and Life Cover website.

Comparing Term And Whole Life Insurance

Friday, September 3rd, 2010

There are many types and variations of life insurance policies. Mostly they have are term insurance or whole life insurance or sometimes a combination of the both.

When you have opted for the universal life insurance, you can adjust the premium and the policy to any extend you think you need.

On the other hand, a person who wants control over the financial and investment aspects of their insurance policy should choose variable life insurance.

So what’s 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.”

The premiums on term life policies start out low but can increase substantially as your age increases. This makes term life the best type of policy to purchase when you’re young and the term of the policy is long. Although the shorter term renewable policies would be less expensive in the beginning, the premiums start to increase significantly after middle age.

Below here is an illustrative example which shows the difference of term life insurance policy cost with age.

Age 35: $300/year

$900 / year age 50

$2,500 / year age 65

Now we shall see what is 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.

In these days it has become very easy and convenient to compare and shop for policies from different companies through the net. You can be sure that you get the best deal out of the market rates, which will meet your needs. It is also very important to check up with the BBB and check how these different companies are rated. You must have a careful eye for the financial standing of the insurance companies you are about to sign up for the policies. When you get thorough of all the information you need, you can compare and select the best whole life insurance policy online.

Graham McKenzie is the content syndication coordinator a leading South African Life Insurance and Life Cover portal.

Why You Should Use Life Insurance To Cover Your Debts

Tuesday, August 24th, 2010

Most average people don’t have enough money saved up to pay for a burial and a funeral let alone a burial and a funeral due to an unexpected early death. Many people take the path of life insurance to help their families avoid having to pay for a funeral and burial as well as other bills that may surface. Life insurance is able to pay for not only the burial and the funeral but many other bills that will arise after your death. The biggest problem is that your debts may be passed on to your family and life insurance can help prevent this.

In most cases people get life insurance so that their family doesn’t have to pay for a funeral that can cost thousands of dollars. Since most people don’t have enough money saved up for a funeral life insurance can be a big help. Depending on the size of the life insurance policy that you get you will be able to cover the funeral expenses and even other bills. Being careful when choosing a life insurance plan is essential as some plans will not cover what you need them to. A term life insurance policy, for example, is a low cost plan but also has a low payout.

One huge problem with term life insurance policies is that they expire after a set period of time. This can often leave a person looking for another plan in their later years only to have trouble finding an affordable plan. When you decide to get life insurance you should make sure that your plan will be in place until after you’ve passed away.

On some life insurance plans you will have extra money even after the funeral costs have been covered. You should start to pay off any outstanding debts that there are to avoid having them transferred to you which could ruin your credit. This will avoid debts for your spouse and children. Credit companies are able to legally pass on debts from one spouse to another. You should keep this in mind when you are picking a life insurance policy to help ensure that your debts will be paid off after you pass.

After you’ve factored in your debts you will also want to factor in any money that you want for an inheritance. This inheritance will be split among the listed beneficiaries. If you want different amounts to go to different beneficiaries then you should specific this in your plan and will.

Finally you will also want to factor in any medical bills that may come up right before you pass. By taking the time to calculate how big of a policy you need you will be ensuring the best future for your family by helping them avoid having to take care of your debts.

Graham McKenzie is the content syndication coordinator a leading South African Life Insurance and Life Cover portal.

Life Insurance Policies And Your Rights

Thursday, August 12th, 2010

You have to understand the rights that you have when it comes to your life insurance policy as it may affect your family greatly if you don?t. You should find a policy that will fit the needs of your family after you?ve passed away because it?s easier to find a policy than it is to try to negotiate a change in policy.

The rights you have when it comes to life insurance are related to the type of insurance that you get. The most known type of life insurance is whole life insurance. This insurance provides your family with a monthly rate of money until the total is paid out. The other main type of life insurance is term life insurance. This type of insurance has lower premium rates however it expires after a certain number of years.

In both cases you will be entitled to what is known as a free look period. This is a law in every state that the companies are required to give you a time period between 10 and 30 days to review the policy. The actual time period will vary from state to state however some states require that a notice of the law is actually given to you with your policy. If you decide that you don?t want to continue the policy after the time period all you will have to do is have a written statement and hand them the statement with the policy. They will refund your payment and the policy will become a voided policy.

This free look period is especially important if you?re a busy person or just don?t understand all of the fine print. While life insurance policies are supposed to be easy to read they may not be and you may have to take your policy to your lawyer to have him decode it for you. You should also note that the free look period changes based on what state you?re in. While some states offer 30 days some only offer 10. Make sure that you mark this number down so that you don?t forget to cancel your policy if you decide not to stick with it.

If you have chosen to get term life insurance then you should use your time period to reconsider getting whole life insurance. The problem with term life insurance is that it may expire before you die. If this is the case then you will have a problem getting affordable life insurance down the road. As people become older they become a very high risk for life insurance companies as they are expected not to live as long and therefore make many less payments. You may be able to persuade companies by making a lump sum deposit to them as it will lower your risk factor and it may even save you money on your monthly premium. You may also want to negotiate payment terms with your life insurance company. Many companies like to pay all of the money over an extended period of time which can make it hard on the family to pay for the funeral. You may be able to negotiate a lump sum payment to your family and then smaller payments after that to ensure they have enough money for the burial and other expenses.

Graham McKenzie is the content syndication coordinator a leading South African Life Insurance and Life Cover portal. For tips on how to save on your life insurance visit our website.

Life Insurance VS A Retirement Policy

Sunday, July 25th, 2010

Many people find out at retirement that they have not enough money to live the lifestyle they are used to. There are too many people in this country that have no retirement benefits and will be living on social security benefits alone. For someone living on social security benefits their lifestyle will change dramatically and they will find that they may not have enough money to keep their home and retirement becomes a burden rather than a joy.

A life insurance policy means to most people a way to pay out to loved ones after death. A life insurance policy can be much more than death benefits, its can offer a retirement package that is tax free payments after you retire. You can fund these policies with stocks and bonds, certificates of deposit, mutual funds as well as cash you have saved in your bank account.

Death benefits are important but having a proper retirement package that offers peace of mind after you stop working is a top priority for most people. The policies can be customized to pay out specific amounts for a specific period of time after retirement or to pay out from the cash reserves over a period of a lifetime. The payments are not counted as income from the government and this will act as a huge advantage for most people.

The benefits packages can be treated different ways. Borrowing cash from the policy or having annual payments made are two of the most common methods and both have their ups and downs.

Money that is accumulated in the policy that offers retirement benefits is available for you or withdraw without suffering any penalties or taxes. A standard retirement package such as IRA benefits allows you to withdraw the money to but you suffer penalties for early withdraw as well as income tax on all finds you receive from the account. The insurance policy making payments to you that are tax free after you retire is a huge advantage it has over the standard retirement benefit package.

If you are borrowing cash from the retirement policy as a method to avoid having to pay any taxes on the money you may be surprised that you could be hit with capital gains tax on any payments that aware in excess of the premium, this is for the lifetime of the policy so if you paid over for 40 years you can expect a huge penalty. If you are now 80 or 85 and are trying to just get by with paying estate taxes and pay the high cost of health care this tax could put you in the poor house and cause you to lose everything you own trying to pay it back.

You may have been shown a great retirement package from the agent you bought the policy from and then find out when you retire it is less than what it should have been. The rates change and if you had a great rate at the time of purchase and they have since fell you will not have the benefits you once though. With a standard retirement package you may be able to have more security in knowing what your benefits will be but they will be taxable and you have less chance to increase them over time. With the insurance policy you can add as much cash to your policy as you wish and you will never be taxed on your payments after retirement but you do have a slightly larger risk involved with your money.

Graham McKenzie is the content syndication coordinator a leading South African Life Insurance and Life Cover website.

Getting Life Insurance If Your Are HIV Positive

Sunday, July 18th, 2010

Having a life insurance policy in place can bring peace of mind to individuals who want to ensure the financial security of their loved ones even after their death. If you have been diagnosed as HIV positive and you do not already have a life insurance policy in place it can be extremely difficult to obtain one. While many insurance companies will turn you down immediately, others will offer high premium policies that will cover only the cost of your funeral.

You should check to see if you have any existing policies in place already. You may have life insurance from your employer or through your home mortgage. Check to see if any existing policies include rider policies. Your employer may have a life insurance policy that is automatically extended to you and will pay out a percentage of your wages to your beneficiaries. If you have any policies that are in effect be sure to keep them active, if they lapse you will most likely not get them back with an HIV diagnosis.

The social security department should be contacted to find out what your death benefits are and who the beneficiaries are for those benefits. You can find out how the payments will be made and make any changes if necessary at this time.

If you need more information on your current death benefits or need help in selecting your beneficiaries an attorney can be helpful. You can have any questions answered that you might be confused about as well as make any changes to your will with their assistance.

The human resources department at your job will be able to assist you with any programs or life insurance policies that they offer that may be available to you. Many employers will automatically have you insured through a group life insurance policy that pays out a certain percentage of your wages in the event of your death. These policies require no underwriting and no pre qualification. If you are not already a part of this program you can find out how to go about getting included in the policy. It is usually a very small amount paid directly from your paycheck.

If you are employed where no policies are available for death benefits then you may choose to look for an employer who does offer the benefits and switch jobs. Even if you take a cut in pay it is worth the peace of mind that your loved ones will be taken care of. Be sure this does not affect your health insurance coverage as many policies will refuse pre existing conditions.

Your HIV AIDS counselor will also be able to help with finding you programs or life insurance companies that may be able to assist you in your search for peace of mind. There are several insurance companies that are now accepting clients that are HIV positive because of the great results the AIDS medications has on their life span.

Here are guaranteed life insurance policies available through certain companies and they will insure anyone, even the terminally ill. The pay outs will be much less in most cases it will only cover the cost of a funeral and the premiums will be much higher than a standard policy.

Graham McKenzie is the content syndication coordinator a leading South African Life Insurance and Life Cover portal. For tips on how to save on your life insurance visit our website.