We all have very precious lives, and if not then difficult. Many people have heard about insurance and many people believe that it should be. Although you must have seen many people in conversation that insurance should be taken according to their needs. The amount of life insurance you need, depends on your unique situation.
But there are some guidelines to help you find out whether your family will be financially secure after you are gone. To be sure, you also need to know, what is insurance? and how does it works.
What Is Life Insurance?
Life insurance is a means of financial protection that provides financial protection to the people you care about. Life insurance is a contract between the insured and the insurer. Through this contract, the insurer provides necessary benefits to the nominee of the insured in case the policyholder (insured) dies during the policy term.
You can buy life insurance according to your needs. For which you have to pay a fixed amount (premium), it can be monthly, quarterly, half-yearly, yearly or lump sum. You can customize your policy, choose the type of policy you buy, the number of years you want it to last, and the amount paid.
Types of Life Insurance
Whenever you go to buy life insurance, it is important to understand what your options are so that you can choose the most suitable type of life insurance for you. The two most popular life insurance in the United States are term life insurance and whole life insurance.
Term Life Insurance
Term life insurance is very popular in today’s time, it is a pure life insurance. This insurance covers for a specific period, usually between 10 to 30 years. When you buy a term life insurance policy, it is for a fixed period of time and you have to make regular payments for it. In this type of policy term, the death benefit is paid to the beneficiaries in the event of the death of the policyholder. No maturity benefit is given in this type of policy, hence the premium of this type of policy is also very less
Permanent Life Insurance
In this type of life insurance, permanent life insurance coverage is provided by the insurer which lasts for your entire life. Unlike term insurance, it is not a “pure life insurance” product because it includes a cash value component. Financial benefits are provided after the insured pays for the entire term. In this type of insurance policy, the cash value increases over time as the policyholder makes regular premium payments. In this type of insurance, the policyholder can borrow against the cash value of his policy on a tax-deferred basis. There are mainly two main types of permanent insurance. Whole life insurance and universal life insurance.
Whole Life Insurance
Whole life insurance, as the name suggests, lasts for the entire life of the policyholder. In this type of life insurance policy, the premium remains the same for the life. Instead of paying premiums only for a specified number of years, policyholders make payments throughout the life. This type of insurance has a guaranteed death benefit, and the cash value grows at a guaranteed rate. Many policies include a dividend option in addition to the policy’s cash value benefit.
Also Read – What is No-Fault Insurance?
Universal Life insurance
This type of life insurance policy is also known as adjustable life insurance as this type of policy allows policyholders to reduce or increase their death benefit and pay premiums more flexibly. This can lead to varying premium, death benefit and cash value growth rates, making the policy more complex.
Who Needs Life Insurance?
Just as you buy health insurance to take care of your health and auto insurance to drive a car, life insurance can be an essential part of your financial picture. People who need life insurance include-
- Income earning parents who handle finances for their children.
- For spouse or domestic partner.
- For students with co-signed student loans
- To cover mortgage payments for people who have mortgage loans
For the caregivers so that there is no financial crisis on the family in your absence - For a high-net-worth individual, one can use the life insurance amount in order to cover taxes.
How does Life Insurance Work
Whenever you buy life insurance, it is also important to know how it works and how your beneficiary can receive the proceeds of your policy. Any life insurance is very important for your wealth planning goals. Life insurance is bought to achieve one’s financial goals.
When you buy any life insurance policy, it has a fixed maturity benefit, the function of term life policy or permanent life insurance policy is different.
Term life insurance is the most accessible type of insurance. It provides only death benefit. When any policyholder after taking such a policy pays the premium with certain time conditions and if the policyholder dies during the policy term then the death benefit is given by the insurer to his beneficiaries. In the same permanent life insurance policy, death benefit is given on the death of the insured during the specified policy term and maturity benefit is given if the policy term is completed.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ’s)
Q1. What is life insurance and do I need it?
Life insurance is a financial security. When you are the sole bread earner in your family and your family is financially dependent on your income then buying insurance becomes very necessary. Insurance can save you thousands of dollars in the event of an accident, illness or disaster.
Q2. Is life insurance a smart investment?
Life insurance is a smart investment option when your family is financially dependent on you as it helps your family stay financially secure in your absence or tide over uncertain times.
Q3. At what age is it best to buy life insurance?
When you start discharging your responsibility and you have any responsibility on you, you should buy life insurance. There is no minimum limit you can buy insurance for your children
The Bottom Line
Just as one person differs from another individual, each person’s needs may also be unique. These requirements determine the type, duration and amount of his life insurance. Basically life insurance policies provide peace of mind to both the policyholders and their loved ones. Whenever you go to buy life insurance, it is important to do your research first and it is wise to discuss your options with a financial advisor. Knowing from buying insurance to its benefits can greatly boost your confidence as well as help you choose the best product.