Life Insurance: Use These Tips To Help You Pick The Correct Type
Apr 1
Do you have life insurance yet? Have you ever put serious consideration into getting it? Maybe the thought of death itself doesn't make you nervous. Maybe it's the thought of leaving so many friends and family members behind. In that case, getting life insurance can be a real weight off your mind.
Determine what your needs are for life insurance. There are many calculators online that will help you get an idea of what will be needed to cover your survivor's expenses. Research the different possibilities to help decide what amount of coverage will work best for you and your family.
If you plan on buying a life insurance policy, make sure you purchase sufficient coverage to provide for your family. Financial professionals propose that you calculate this amount by multiplying your yearly income by seven. If you have children, it is suggested that you increase this number to 10.
Most life insurance companies require you to take a medical exam before they give you coverage. They look at blood pressure, cholesterol levels, an EKG of your heart rate activity, and many other indicators that reveal the presence of any type of disease or risk factors. You can perform better on the test, even put yourself into a higher rate class, by eating low-fat foods for the two days before your test. Drink extra water to maintain hydration, and avoid alcohol for three to four days ahead of the test. Also, make sure you get plenty of sleep for the week leading up to the exam.
Make sure that you are aware of how the insurance agents and financial planners make their money. They have to sell a policy or other insurance products to you in order to make a profit. The ones that work fee-plus-commission charge a fee and a commission for their products. The ones that work fee-only do not sell products. They sell guidance. In turn, you'd use that guidance to purchase your own policy.
If you intend on getting life insurance in the future, start planning for it, now. Take steps to improve your health, such as, quitting smoking. You can begin a fitness routine and try to reach your optimal weight. Have all the recommended health screening tests for someone of your age and gender. Work on getting your cholesterol and blood pressure to acceptable levels. Not only will you look and feel better, you'll save a bundle on your life insurance policy.
When determining how much life insurance coverage you need, don't just think about your mortgage payment and regular monthly bills. If you have children, they'll need financial assistance for college in the future. Although it's not pleasant, consider worst-case scenarios. Should you unexpectedly die in the near future, how much debt will you leave behind? Make sure your policy covers your outstanding debts, or the money you intended to be used for paying off the mortgage for your spouse may end up being used to pay off your creditors instead. You also want to ensure that your funeral expenses and any estate taxes and legal costs are covered.
How much should I expect to pay? This depends on a number of things, such as your overall health, habits and sometimes even your hobbies. The insurance company will probably require you to have a medical exam prior to approval. A good tip is to lose weight and stop smoking. This could reduce your rates by a substantial amount.
Use an online calculator to help you determine how much life insurance you need. Things to consider are the costs of supporting your spouse until he or she retires, paying for your children's expenses until they graduate from college, and the cost of paying off your mortgage and automobiles.
If your financial situation changes significantly, such as what comes with purchasing a home, reassess your life insurance needs. A policy sufficient for a renter may need to be increased for a new homeowner to make sure your family has enough financial stability to maintain mortgage payments in the event of your death.
To keep your life insurance premiums reasonable, be careful with your driving record. Not only does this help your auto insurance, it is also a factor used for many life insurance companies. Risky driving behavior makes you a higher risk for a fatal car accident and the added risk appears in your policy premium. Drive safely and benefit on both your life insurance and auto insurance premiums.
Make sure you have detailed health history information with you when you go for your life insurance medical examination. Often, you must provide details about prior surgeries, accidents, medication and dosage, existing conditions or other medical conditions. Having the information on hand makes the process quicker and simpler both for you and the examiner.
The cost of funerals alone has been known to put friends and family members of the deceased into debt. If you care about the people in your life, do a huge favor for them now. Get life insurance. Amassing substantial debt over the death of a loved one doesn't make the grieving process any easier.