Archive

Archive for August, 2009

How To Make Huge Savings On Your Life Insurance

August 31st, 2009 Administrator No comments

Having life insurance is essential especially if you have children and a family who are dependant on you. While it would be hard enough for them to come to terms with the death of their loved one, they would also have the added worry about how to cope financially.

A recent survey has however shown that a staggering third of all people who pay out for life insurance pay far too much for their premium. There are however many ways that you can save money on your life insurance premiums and one of the best ways to start making savings is to use a specialist broker.

While going online yourself and doing a little research you are able to make comparisons with many insurance providers, you will get a good idea of the sort of cover you want. You can then let the broker take it from there. This will lead you to getting the lowest premium and the best deal possible.

Another factor you should take into account if you have a partner or family is to check out if it might be possible for you to save money by covering all family members under one policy. This can sometimes work out much cheaper than buying separate cover for all of them.

While life insurance can be confusing, when you start looking around online for information it suddenly becomes much easier to understand.

Should you wish to find the insurance yourself, then there are some things that you should take into account when looking around online for the cheapest deal. For instance, if you have a pre-existing medical condition then it is essential that you be totally honest about this.

If you do have an existing condition and have already got life insurance then you could still save money on your premiums by switching, especially if the condition has improved since you last took out insurance.

The price you pay for the premium can also depend on your lifestyle, such things as giving up smoking and drinking can save you a lot on your premium, and it also helps that if you are overweight, you lose a few pounds.

If you currently have life insurance and are switching it then you will also have some things to consider before making the switch. You should always make sure that you don?t cancel the policy you have now until you make sure that the new one is in place fully, so that don?t leave yourself without any insurance.

Always make sure that you check what a policy covers you for, there are many exclusions within a policy and if you do have any existing medical conditions this might leave your loved ones unable to make a claim should it come to it.

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Free Life Insurance Quote – Important Points To Consider

August 30th, 2009 Administrator No comments

Taking care of your loved ones with a life insurance policy is a wise decision. Once you have made the decision to purchase a life insurance policy there are other important decisions which must be made as well. Life insurance is not money to be dispensed at the time of your death only. It is also protection for your assets and for the future of your loved ones.

What purpose does life insurance serve?

Obviously life insurance should bridge the gap between the time of grief immediately following your passing and the return to normalcy. Life insurance planning should provide for this short term need. Life insurance must all safeguard the assets you have acquired during your life and pass on as many of those assets as possible to your estate. Make a list of the assets you have and the needs your family will have after your death.

How to accomplish your objectives

Once you have ascertained what it is you want your life insurance to do you must consider how these targets will be achieved. Most of the time making sure that the needs of your loved ones will be met requires more than just a large infusion of cash. A plan should be in place for the proper allocation of the cash received from life insurance policies. There are also tax ramifications which should be analyzed.

Consult a professional

First and foremost the best advice is to get as many quotes as possible and compare. It is free and you will learn more about life insurance faster. There are many laws, particularly laws concerning taxation, which may eat away at the value of your life insurance. Ways to protect your life insurance are available. Using a trust instrument to receive insurance proceeds is just one valuable tool available for protecting your life insurance from taxes. An insurance professional or an attorney can help you with planning your estate to avoid most if not all taxes on your life insurance policies.

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Life Insurance – Who Needs It

August 29th, 2009 Administrator No comments

Who needs it?

Life Insurance cover provides either a lump sum or an income on the untimely death of an individual. Therefore, anyone who’s death would create a financial loss to another has a need for life insurance cover. This could/should include the following: -

Parties to a Mortgage or indeed a loan (mortgage life insurance cover)
Anyone with dependents (whilst a parent may not work, surely there would be a financial loss if anything were to happen whilst there are young children to be cared for)
Key Individuals. Where a business would suffer financial loss on the death of an essential employee.

In essence any situation where monetary loss would be incurred could possibly have a need for life insurance cover.

630,000 people in the UK will die this year* *source:National Statistics, Winter 2002

Types of Cover

Term Life Insurance

Term life insurance is as it suggests taken out for a specified number of years at outset. With this type of policy you are merely paying for the cover provided based on your age, health and the term. Therefore, it is important to obtain the most competitive term life insurance quote for the cover provided. It is possible to take out term life insurance that will pay level lump sums, decreasing lump sums (mortgage life insurance cover) or regular payments (income).

Whole of Life

As the name suggests, potentially, this type of policy will provide cover through an individuals life time. However, when obtaining a whole of life insurance quote, as well as level of premium there are other aspects to be considered, such as investment performance, effect of charges, financial strength of the company.

Which one?

There are good arguments for both type of policy. We would suggest that the following could make up the main considerations: –

Cost – Whole of Life insurance, as a rule of thumb is usually the more expensive type of product.
Period that cover is required – If cover is required for a specific period i.e. a Mortgage then Term cover could be more appropriate
Future Plans – If, for instance a family is planned, then whole of life can offer the flexibility to increase cover for this or other like events.

Note

Critical Illness(CI) now provides an equally important benefit and we would strongly recommend that you view the CI Factsheet.

Conclusion

This artice is meant merely as a rough guide to the needs and options surrounding Life Assurance. It is by no means a comprehensive outline to anyones particular requirements. It would be, therefore, wise to use this as a guide and seek more comprehensive advice, via a professional Independent Financial Adviser. All advisers are Regulated and Authorised by the Financial Services Authority (FSA) and are now required to explain their status to you (either independent and fee charging, independent but paid by commission only, or tied)

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Life Insurance – Smoke Signals

August 28th, 2009 Administrator No comments

No-one said it would be easy but giving up smoking is really worthwhile and it?s a perfectly achievable aim. Why not join the band of ex-smokers, starting from today? If are you now a reformed smoker, we have some even better news for you.

You can expect more than increased life expectancy and a vast improvement in your well-being if you quit smoking. The saving in your life insurance premiums will be noticeable too. Whilst it?s true that you might have to wait a little while before this last saving is within your grasp, in the meantime your savings on cigarettes can make quite a difference to your pocket.

It?s quite usual to find that insurance companies require you to have had a five year smoke-free period. Technically they say ?not smoked or used nicotine products?.

There are, however, some insurers who?ll reward you for your good behaviour by reducing the non-smoking period to just 12 months. If you can, hand on heart, say that you?ve refrained from smoking for a whole year, then find out what your insurers stance is on this. If you can do better, then do your homework and consider changing to a more sympathetic insurer. As a smoker you?ll have been paying in the region of 60%PRCTG% more for your life insurance cover so savings are on the cards. At this stage, leave your old cover in place. You don?t want to leave yourself uninsured and shouldn?t do anything hasty until you have acceptance, in writing, from your new insurer.

To find out all about changing your insurance company you?ll need to find a life insurance broker. The internet is the best place to look. Comparison sites will not be particularly useful as they won?t give the information regarding the non-smoking period. Your online broker will be able to give you all the information that you need, make comparisons for you, bearing the 12 month rule in mind. There?s an on-line discount too. Start off by talking to a human being and explaining your situation!

Your quotes will come through quickly. You can then compare these with what your current policy is costing you, which will of course have been worked out when you were a smoker. It?s the overall cost that counts and we think you may be quite impressed with the saving. There is no limit to the amount of help and quotations you can receive, your broker will be happy to help and there?s no obligation on your part.

When you have pinpointed a particular quotation that interests you and has the 12 month condition, it?ll be time to complete an application form. Do go through this carefully and read every question. Answer in full and be completely honest. Sometimes people try to reduce the premium by trying to put in the answer they think the insurer wants to hear, rather than the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth. It?s simply not worth it.

The first price which you were quoted would be the insurance company?s standard terms. The questions regarding things like health and weight may have some effect on the final figure. By leaving your current insurance in place, you?ll have time to consider the quotation and make sure that you have the saving your twelve months of good behaviour deserves.

Don?t be discouraged from switching insurers, it?s very little trouble as far as you?re concerned and it?s what the broker is there for.

Don?t put it off. Start the ball rolling today.

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Life Insurance Online

August 27th, 2009 Administrator No comments

There are many types of life insurance policies. Before you venture out for one, learn about them and see which one is applicable to your needs best. The following are the most common ones:

1. Term life insurance: This type of insurance is the most basic of all. Its one and only function is to cover your life with an amount of cash which on even of your death will be given to your nominee. Here the death benefit is equal to the policy limit. This is a good way to have mental peace in the conviction that you will provide for your family even in the event of death. This is good thing to have as a stand by any day.

2. Whole life insurance: This type of policy besides providing a fixed amount to your nominee on your death, it also gives you a financial gain over time as an investment would. The benefits you get out of this type of insurance is:

a. pays a fixed policy amount in event of death
b. gives you an investment amount that is free of tax
c. protects you from rising prices ? the premium is fixed for the life despite market fluctuations
d. pays dividends as any good investment plan
e. offers you freedom to sell the policy back at any given time you choose

3. Variable life insurance: This type of insurance is much more flexible than the whole life insurance. The best benefit here is the fact that it allows the policy owner to borrow against the policy maturity amount. In this way not only you are insured but you also have a very decent source of borrowing at a lower rate than the market price interest rates. The variable life insurance too offers the benefit of tax-free ash accumulation that is a great incentive for investing in insurance the world over. There is another benefit that accrues from this type of insurance, i.e. the amount that is to be paid as a benefit to the nominee of the policyholder can be varied according to the need of the beneficiary (in relation to the funds available in the account).

4. Universal life insurance: This insurance one of the most flexible of all types of insurances. It not only covers the death, but also allows you a host of other benefits:

a. As all insurance policies, it pays the beneficiary a pre-arranged amount of cash in the event of your death
b. It provides a tax-free cash investment ? which can accrue interest at market value
c. It allows complete flexibility on the premium making it easy for you to keep up with your payments even in lean times
d. At the same time this type of insurance allows amount flexibility

5. Universal variable life insurance: This is the ultimate among all the insurance policies. It allows you complete freedom on the way you invest and recover your investment. You have full control upon your cash at all times:

a. it pays the beneficiary a pre-arranged amount of cash in the event of your death
b. It provides a tax-free cash investment ? which can accrue interest at market value
c. It give you total premium flexibility
d. It allows to withdraw cash from your policy at any given time throughout your life time
e. It allows you to borrow against the maturity amount at subsidized rates of interest
f. It allows you to terminate the policy at any time, however, in that event your maturity amount will be reduced according to the time in question

Life insurance first and foremost role is to protect the near and dear ones in even of one?s death by providing an alternative source of income. Today, however there are a number of benefits added to the main role. Check out the latest developments and choose well. Get value for your money.

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Life Insurance Guide-Ensure your Life Now

August 27th, 2009 Administrator No comments

Actually life insurance is an agreement between insured and insurance company. Insurance company agrees to pay a certain amount of money to insured?s beneficiary in case of death of insured. Beneficiary may claim for the policy only if the premiums of the insured are current.

Life insurance policy offers security to the surviving family members in case death of a loved one. Insurance company tries to overwhelm the loss by paying a sum of money. People may buy life insurance policy from individuals or insurance companies. Sometimes government offers group life insurance to government employees at no cost. Employees can obtain life insurance at reduced rates from the insurance company of their employer.

Cost is the major factor in life insurance policy that totally depends on life, health and occupation of the insured. It can be illustrated as the insurance policy of 24 years old person is inexpensive than 60 years old person. It is available in different types such as whole life insurance, variable life insurance and term life insurance.

Premiums in the initial stages, of the term life insurance policy, are low but it increases gradually as the insured grows mature. Whereas a part of each premium pays for insurance and rest works as tax-free investment in case of whole life and variable life insurance. Amount of premium doesn?t change through out entire policy. It is used to increase death benefit in the end.

Premium remains same in variable life insurance. It provides permanent protection to the insured. It doesn?t offer guarantee to amount of cash value during lifetime of insured.

Choose the best life insurance policy and make your loved ones happy after you.

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Life Insurance Facts

August 27th, 2009 Administrator No comments

Life insurance guarantees payment of a given amount to the insured person?s beneficiaries when the policy owner dies. While many people, especially younger people, don?t necessarily want to take the time to think about something as abstract as dying, this form of insurance is particularly important for parents or other persons with dependents.

The basic structure of most life insurance policies is relatively straight-forward: the policy owner pays a premium every month; upon the owner?s death, the insurer issues payment for the policy amount to the spouse, children, or other beneficiary(-ies) named in the policy. In practice, as with most forms of insurance, specific policies can be much more complicated than this fairly simple model.

For example, the life insurance policy might have riders, or additional clauses, that pay off in the event of a terminal or critical illness or a permanent disability due to physical or mental causes. Also, there are different varieties of policies, including term life insurance, whole life coverage, universal coverage, and limited-pay policies. Understanding the difference between the different types of coverage and picking the appropriate one for your situation can be difficult, and professional advice may be necessary to ensure the correct policy is in place.

Term Life Insurance covers the insured for a certain number of years, after which the coverage typically expires. Because the policy does not build any cash value, and because it is typically based on a low likelihood of death for the covered person, term insurance premiums are usually relatively low. However, the length of the term, the amount of coverage (and whether it stays constant or decreases over time), and the premium amount (again, fixed or adjustable over time), will all affect the premium amount. The lower premium is a primary advantage of term life insurance; a drawback is that, at the end of the term, the still-living insured receives no benefit from the coverage.

Whole Life Insurance is permanent life insurance, which means the policy holder can withdraw money paid in or borrow against the cash value. Whole life has the advantage of a fixed annual premium and guaranteed death benefits. Premiums are much higher than term life policies at first, but over the life of the policy the two policy types roughly even out in terms of total cost. While whole life insurance does build value over time, it may not be as strong as other savings options in terms of the rate of returns. Also, dividends are not guaranteed with whole life.

Universal life insurance is similar to whole life, but it offers more flexibility in premiums and may offer stronger returns over time. It also has a cash account and accrues interest.

The variety of policies available is intimidating enough to many people. With dozens of optional riders available, and variations even within individual rider classes, competent professional help is definitely recommended when selecting life insurance. It should be noted that the life insurance policies offered by many employers, while an attractive benefit, are typically not adequate to meet the needs of the insured?s family in the event of an untimely death. The total amount of life insurance carried should be enough to pay off any mortgages, car payments, credit card debt, and any other major outstanding debt, leaving the survivors in a solid financial situation.

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Life Insurance – Why Do I Need It

August 27th, 2009 Administrator No comments

You don’t want to leave your family unprepared for what will happen to them financially if you do not get sufficient life insurance coverage. So planning today can provide the income your family will need if you are no longer here. Following are some reasons to consider life insurance from a company that will be there for your family. Every person and every family have their own reasons for life insurance, but the need for protection is at the base of all the needs.

Life Insurance To Replace Lost Income

People buy life insurance to replace income lost if something happens to them. It provides the capital which provides the income. Providing money for your family through life insurance is the most cost effective way even if you have substantial capital. You are buying protection for your family for pennies on the dollar.

Life Insurance Can Pay Off Debt

Debts can be difficult to pay , especially without a regular income. Life insurance capital can be used to provide income to pay off debts at the death of a loved one. If you die, the last thing you want is for your relatives to be hounded by debt collectors.

Life Insurance Pays Final Expenses

Final expenses can be large especially if there has been a long illness, along with legal, medical and funeral costs to pay. There is no real way to assess how much money will be needed but you should always plan on the maximum instead of the minimum.

Life Insurance Helps Pay For Education

Educating children is expensive and needs to be well thought out. Many people contribute funds each year but if something unexpectedly happens there may not be enough time to build up a bank for education. Life insurance helps create a cash fund that you can count on.

Finally remember that no widow or widower has ever been left too much capital through life insurance!

And Finally Life Insurance Can Provide A Pension

If you have a joint to die life insurance policy, the proceeds from such a policy or a single life policy could provide an income as a pension.

Suppose you had a joint first to die policy with your spouse. Your children grow up and leave and you are left wondering what to do with this large life insurance policy you bought to protect them. As neither of you died and the need for it has passed, you now have to make a decision.

But while thinking about this, your spouse dies and so you inherit the lump sum. It now provides you with an extra income from capital which can now be passed down the line at your death.

Considered wisely, there are not too many products as versatile as life insurance.

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Life Insurance No Medical Exam – The Pros and Cons

August 26th, 2009 Administrator No comments

Are you in search of life insurance with no medical exam required? Have you been looking for life insurance online, but maybe you?re frustrated with so many choices?

Why spend endless hours searching online when you already know buying life insurance is the right thing to do? And term life insurance offers you the maximum protection at the lowest rates.

Now it?s quick, easy and affordable for almost everyone to get term life insurance online without taking a medical exam. Actually, there?s a few insurers that offer instant approval life insurance if you qualify. You can apply online in about 5 minutes and find out if you qualify instantly. That?s right. No more paperwork. No medical exams. No more pushy agents. And, no more delays of between 4 to 6 weeks to receive your policy.

Today, you can get life insurance online and print your policy immediately after you pay your first premium online. You can actually get life insurance coverage ?In Force? today, if you qualify. Not everyone qualifies for coverage though. You do have to be in good health, generally. But, even if you?re taking medication, or may not qualify with other life insurers ? you might qualify for no exam life insurance.

Okay, you should be aware that life insurance with no exam required may cost you a little more than coverage through other insurers. But the benefits outweigh the costs for some folks. Several benefits include: Instant approval, coverage ?in force? today, no doctors, no invasive needles, no medical tests, no mailing delays, no pushy insurance agents to deal with? The list goes on. However, there are two drawbacks – the premium may be a little higher. And, not everyone qualifies for coverage.

It?s easy to find out if you qualify for no exam life insurance. You just answer a few simple health questions to get your instant quotes. Then, you decide if you like the rates, and you can apply online in about 5 minutes. You usually get a response within 10 minutes as to whether you are approved for your life insurance coverage. Then, you can pay your first month?s premium online, and print your policy immediately. It?s that simple. No time delays, no mountains of paperwork and no dreaded medical exams.

Make sure to check the financial rating of your life insurer. It is usually provided on their web site. Also, paying an annual premium is usually less expensive than monthly payment options. Finally, when you buy direct online, you?re cutting out the uncomfortable sales person at your dinner table trying to talk you into the policy.

Life insurance no medical exam policies can provide the protection you need at affordable rates. It?s worth a few minutes to get instant quotes and decide if you want the coverage. There?s no hassle, and no sales pressure.

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Life Insurance Explained

August 26th, 2009 Administrator No comments

In the world today money is the most essential necessity of an individual?s life. It is almost impossible to dwell without money. This is why a person tries to earn maximum possible during his lifetime to provide a decent living to himself and his family. But what if the sole earning member in a family dies? Who will provide financial aid to his family and how? Though there are quite a few answers to it such as will, leaving a legacy behind etc. But the best and foremost option meant for the high as well as the low is a life insurance policy. A life insurance policy as the name suggests not just insures your life but is also the smartest and the most far-sighted way to secure life of those whom you love.

Any individual can take a life insurance policy. In case of children, their parents are supposed to pay the premium. There are policies for different amount. The premium also varies accordingly. A life insurance policy for %50,000 will be charged higher than one for worth %25,000. But besides these the premium also depends on many other factors. The topmost is the age of the individual. A 70 year old man will be charge with a higher premium than a 30 year old individual. Also lesser quantity of risks will be covered in case of the former in comparison to the latter. Alongwith age the occupation and lifestyle of the policy taker also matters a lot. A person who throws his life into danger daily (for example one who is a sky-diver) will have to pay more premium than one leading a simple life. Moreover an alcoholic, heart patient etc. will find his life insurance policy to be more expensive than a strong and healthy individual of the same age.

It is always the choice of the individual which insurance policy to take and from where. This depends on the needs and aspirations of the individual. for instance a person who is supposed to be survived by 5-6 successors or beneficiaries, usually opts for a policy with a good sum of money.

Broadly there are 3 different forms of life insurance policies.

1. Whole life policy- this policy is one where the amount of premium the policy taker requires to pay does not alter with time. The amount of the premium id decided once at the time of taking the policy. This type of insurance enables the policy taker to have some cash-build up during his lifetime that can be either used during the course of the policy or after his death to increase the benefit.

2. Term life insurance begins with low premiums initially. the premium amount increases with the age of the person. since there is no cash build up in this policy, there are no chances of an increment in death benefit.

3. Variable life policy is akin to the whole life policy i.e. the premium is fixed once and for all. The only difference here is that in this policy there should be cash build up as long as the various mutual funds the policy taker has opted for, do well.

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