Life Insurance Arlington provides a financial safety net for your loved ones during your death. It pays off debts, living expenses, and final costs.
The type of coverage you choose depends on your goals and family needs. Learn more about how life insurance works and fits into your financial plan.
Life insurance offers a payout to your loved ones in the event of your death. The payout can ease the financial burden of your passing and help pay for funeral costs. Most people purchase life insurance to protect their families from financial hardship when they die. It’s important to understand the different types of life insurance so you can choose the right policy for your needs.
There are two main types of life insurance: term and permanent. Term life insurance covers you for a specified period, such as 10, 20, or 30 years. It is usually the cheapest type of life insurance. Permanent life insurance, on the other hand, lasts a lifetime and may include a cash value component.
Some permanent life insurance policies, called whole life or universal life insurance, offer a cash value component that grows at a guaranteed rate over time. Some policies also pay out dividends that can reduce your premium or add to the cash value based on the insurer’s performance. You can also choose a variable universal life insurance policy that allows you to adjust your death benefit and premium payments within limits.
Other life insurance types, such as accidental death and dismemberment (AD&D) policies, pay a benefit if you die from an accident. These policies are often marketed as final expense or burial insurance and typically have low face amounts. They can be expensive and are not designed to replace income in the event of your death, so they should be used as a supplement to other coverage. Most of these types of policies require underwriting, a process that uses your medical records to determine your level of risk and how much your premium will be. Some policies use simplified underwriting, which skips the medical exam and bases the premium on your answers to a few health questions and a check of your prescription drug history.
Many people purchase life insurance to provide their loved ones with the funds they need after their death. The money can be used to pay off debt, cover funeral costs, or help the heirs with other expenses. It can also be invested in an income-generating account or used as a cash reserve for retirement. In addition, life insurance can offer peace of mind to families who are left behind.
The cost of a policy depends on several factors, including your age, gender and health status. Healthier people typically get cheaper premiums because they are less likely to die soon. Women usually get cheaper premiums because they tend to live longer than men, and non-smokers generally get lower premiums than smokers. Other factors include your driving history, criminal record, and dangerous occupations or hobbies.
When choosing a life insurance policy, it is important to calculate how much coverage you need. Take into account your current debt, future financial goals, and how long you want to be insured. If you’re not sure how to calculate your needs, a financial professional can help.
A good rule of thumb is to choose a policy that will cover all your outstanding debt and all the income you would need to maintain your family’s standard of living if you died. You should also consider any other assets you might have that could be used to provide for your heirs after your death, such as real estate or stocks and bonds.
Consider a whole or variable universal policy if you want to use your life insurance as part of a retirement income strategy. These policies allow you to make changes in premium payments and death benefits more easily than other types of life insurance. They also let you borrow against the cash value of your policy at a specified interest rate. However, any loans made to a life insurance policy must be repaid, and they will reduce your death benefit.
The premium is the amount of money you pay to keep your life insurance coverage in force. Depending on the type of policy, you may have the option to pay this fee monthly, quarterly or annually. If you fail to pay the premium, the policy will lapse, and your survivors won’t receive a death benefit.
The amount of the premium varies by policy type and other factors, such as your age and health. The younger you are, the lower your premium will typically be. This is because the insurer will estimate your expected life expectancy and set rates based on that. For older applicants, the insurer will calculate their rate based on a higher expected life expectancy, so their premiums will be much higher.
Your lifestyle also impacts your premium. Certain risky behaviors, such as smoking or engaging in dangerous hobbies like skydiving, can significantly raise your premiums. This is because the insurer will consider you a high-risk applicant, which means they’ll assume there’s a greater chance that you’ll die sooner than someone without those risks.
When you’re shopping around for a life insurance policy, you should always compare quotes to ensure that you’re getting the best possible deal. You should also check the insurer’s ratings with independent rating agencies.
Another way to save on a life insurance policy is to purchase it through an agent or broker. These professionals work with multiple life insurance companies and can get you quotes for several policies, which gives you a better idea of what’s available to you and your budget.
A life insurance rider is an add-on to your policy that offers coverage for certain circumstances. Riders often increase your premium, so they should only be added if you think you need them. They also vary in cost, so be sure to consult with an industry professional to determine if they are worth the additional expense.
There are several different types of riders available for your life insurance policy. For example, a paid-up additions rider lets you buy mini whole life policies within your main life insurance policy that act like regular level term policies and earn their own cash value and death benefits. This is a great option if you want to provide a death benefit for your children in the future, as it’s cheaper than buying standalone permanent life insurance. Another popular option is a return of premium rider, which can give you back some or all of your premiums if you outlive the term of the policy.
Guaranteed insurability riders are also available, which allow you to increase the size of your death benefit at specific life milestones without going through underwriting or taking a medical exam. These are most commonly offered for whole life insurance policies, and it’s usually best to purchase them at the time of your initial policy purchase. This is because adding them to a policy later will almost always require you to undergo underwriting, which can result in higher premiums.
Each type of rider has its own set of rules and restrictions, so it’s important to consult with a professional to decide whether or not they are appropriate for your unique needs and financial situation. They can help you understand the costs, benefits, and limitations of each rider so that you can make an informed decision about whether or not they are necessary for your life insurance needs.
Lapsing a policy can have devastating effects, not only for the insured but also for family members and beneficiaries who are expecting death benefits. To avoid lapsing a policy, the insurance company must send a premium notice within a certain timeframe. If the insurance company does not receive a premium payment within that period, the policy will lapse and cease to provide coverage in the event of an unexpected tragedy.
If you have a life insurance policy that has lapsed, it may still be possible to reinstate the policy within a specific timeframe. You will need to contact the insurance company and pay any overdue premiums, as well as any loans or withdrawals that have been made from your policy. Depending on the insurer, you might need to go through medical underwriting again or fill out a new health questionnaire.
One of the most common reasons for a policy to lapse is financial hardship, such as when an insured experiences a job loss or unexpected medical expense. If you are unable to keep up with your premium payments, you may need to consider other options for financial protection, including buying a new life insurance policy.
Research on insurance lapse is an area of interest for academics, and there has been an increase in publications on the subject. To investigate this trend, researchers analyzed bibliometric data on the insurance lapse topic to understand publication trends, the co-authorship network among countries, authors, and scientific journals, and the field’s evolution. They found that the highest cited journal on this subject is “Life Insurance and Protection.” Their findings suggest that there are significant economic implications for insurance companies and consumers to explore.
