Monday, March 2, 2009

The Benefits of Life Insurance

Many people never think about taking out life insurance, as most people don’t like to think that they might suffer an untimely death. But the reality is that life us unpredictable, and if you do die prematurely, how will your family cope financially?
Life insurance offers your family financial protection, so that they don’t have to deal with financial troubles on top of the grief of losing you. If you have dependents, or a large debt, such as a mortgage, you should seriously consider taking out life insurance so that you ensure that your loved ones won’t be faced with financial difficulties.

The benefits of life insurance are numerous – it can be used to pay any death taxes, be put towards legal and funeral costs, pay off any existing debts or be set up in a trust fund style to pay for your children’s continuing education costs.
Some life insurance policies also offer a guaranteed value, meaning that if you choose to cancel the policy for whatever reason, the guaranteed value will be returned to you. This guaranteed value is also sometimes paid to your beneficiary on top of the policy value, depending on the type of policy you originally took out.
Taking out life insurance while you’re young also has its benefits. The premiums will be lower, and assuming you continue to make your regular payments, you’re covered for life, even if you develop a condition or illness that might have excluded you from taking out coverage later in life. It’s much easier to get life insurance coverage when you’re younger, and for a lower premium, as you’re far less likely to be suffering from anything that may either increase or exclude you from taking out a policy.

Of course, it’s important to have the right cover for your situation. It is wise to talk to a financial advisor or planner before taking out any life insurance coverage to ensure that you and your family will be adequately covered in the event of your death.

Both Permanent Life Insurance and Term Life Insurance policies are offered by most insurance companies. Permanent life insurance generally requires lower premium payments, and your beneficiary is guaranteed payment if you should die. Term life insurance only covers a specific period of time, usually 5, 10, 20 or 30 years. If the policy lapses without renewal, your beneficiary will not receive any benefit if you die during the lapsed period.

It is important that you take the time to understand exactly what your insurance needs are before taking out a policy. Often, a combination of both permanent and term life insurance is needed to ensure adequate coverage for your family.
Life insurance provides peace of mind, for both you and your family. While nobody ever wants to think about dying early, it is an important thing to consider when you have financial responsibilities and/or dependents who rely on your income. If you are insured correctly, your family can focus on dealing with your death, rather than worrying about where they are going to find the money to pay for their day to day living on top of your funeral and other emergency expenses.

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