Whether you’re simply considering purchasing a life insurance policy, or have already made the decision to purchase a life insurance policy, it’s important to know the difference between a term life insurance policy and a whole life insurance policy. Knowing these differences will help you choose the best life insurance policy for you.

The most recognizable difference between term life insurance policies and whole life insurance policies is the fact that a term life insurance policy will cover you for a certain number of years, whereas a whole life insurance policy will cover you for your entire life. If you’re only looking for life insurance coverage for a specific amount of time, a term life insurance is probably your best bet. However, if you wish to be insured for the rest of your life, you should purchase a whole life insurance policy.

Another difference between term life insurance policies and whole life insurance policies is that whole life insurance policies offer a tax-deferred accumulated cash value. This acts as an investment component. Some people are interested in the ability to invest using their life insurance policies, so they choose to purchase a whole life insurance policy. However, if you use other methods of investment, a term life insurance policy is probably the best for you.

A third difference between term life insurance policies and whole life insurance policies is the difference in price. Term life insurance policies are generally cheaper than whole life insurance policies; however, whole life insurance policies often offer fixed annual premiums, so you won’t have to worry about your rates increasing if your health begins to deteriorate. Most term life insurance companies will raise your premiums based on the current condition of your health, as well as your age.

So, when you begin your search for the perfect life insurance policy, take these differences into consideration and decide which type of policy is best for you.

Our worksheet will help you determine how much California life insurance online coverage you need.

Insurance is a complicated field. Any product or commodity can be classified as essential, like food items. There are products that are purchased after seeking expert opinions, such as medicines, for which medical practitioners are consulted. Insurance products belong to this category, as the effect of the decision to buy lasts for a long time. Insurance products require an understanding of various technical terms-an understanding that requires considerable time and effort.

The traditional distribution channels for insurance products are career life agents who represent a single insurance company and independent agents who represent many companies. Currently, the innovative additions to the channel are the use of mail, phone and the Internet. Insurance products are also sold through banks and stockbrokers.

The main channel for distribution is through agents. According to the LIMRA estimate, 90% of the life insurance products are sold by agents. An agent is an authorized representative of an insurance company who sells and services insurance contracts. Similarly, there are brokers, whose job is similar to that of agents, except that they represent the party seeking insurance. Agents are licensed by states to sell insurance products.

The role of an agent is both an advisor and a seller. As agents function as salespersons, before purchasing a policy, it is important to seek an agent who can offer comprehensive advice rather than simply a desire to sell. According to the 10 rules to be followed by the buyers of policies developed by the American Council of Life Insurance, rule number three states to select a competent, knowledgeable and trustworthy agent. There are laws that limit the power and penalize the agent for misconduct.

Informal advice can also be sought through the Internet through blog sites and other dedicated sites for insurance products. But before seeking advice, one should know what specifically he is seeking. One should prepare to ask intelligent questions that would lead to answers that form the basis for decisions.

Michigan Life insurance quotes is a policy that people buy to insure them against a breadwinner’s death

Universal life insurance is insurance with convenience of i.e. flexible premium, manageable benefit life insurance policy that accumulates account value. Universal life insurance is an improvement over the ordinary form of life insurance in terms of flexibility. The universal life insurance provides you a cash-in-value but you can make timely withdrawal from your gathered fund.

Universal life insurance is popular amongst people for it allows the policyholder to decide the on premium and benefit whereas the other kinds of policies do not let the policyholder to get the benefits from the life insurance fund till the time of death. Buying a universal life insurance can also protect your loved ones against financial problems that may occur after the insurer dies.

The universal life insurance functions like a high interest bank account because the insurance company puts your premium into an account after deducting nominal charges. The amount so accumulated gets an interest that is also added in the account. The interests are adjusted monthly and not annually. With every premium payment made the accumulation of money in the fund augments. Also the compound interest is earned on the account every month. In universal life insurance withdrawals can be made from cash surrender value. Each withdrawal must be at least $500. You are permitted to withdraw four times in a year. The amount that you withdraw is deducted from the Account Value and the death benefit. While you withdraw or surrender from your account value, you might have to pay surrender charges. The cash surrender value is the Account Value minus any surrender charges and any outstanding loans.

In order to have maximum benefit of the policy the policyholder should avoid repeated withdrawals from his accumulated fund. Withdrawal of money time and again will result in fewer benefits at the time of actual need. Moreover there will occur futility in the years of premium payment if the accumulated fund is just a part of the intended original benefit amount to be considered.

However there is a dark side too to universal life insurance. The problem stems due to the interest rate assumption used by carrier proving to be wrong and consequently in the bad performance of the policy. The policy premiums increase if the returns are not earned that often results in inability to payoff and so the cancellation of the policy. For instance numerous universal life insurance policies were surrendered or cancelled from 1970 to 1980.

But over the years the insurance companies have lowered the rates rendering initial assumptions invalid. It then became the choice of the policyholder to make up for the difference through higher premiums. So despite of purchasing a permanent insurance scheme the policyholders are burdened with rising premiums.

So if you want to save the trouble of increasing premiums, buying a whole life insurance policy is the best idea. Universal life insurance is good if you look want to pay less in present moment but keep it in mind that you might have pay more later if the interest rates do not fluctuate as you expected.

Offers single and flexible premium annuities for qualified and non-qualified markets and Ohio term life insurance quotesThe first type of permanent Ohio life insurance quotes that we look at is universal life insurance.

Your house is a big investment - probably one of the biggest you’re every likely to make. It is also the place that you and your loved ones call home; a shelter and haven from the outside world. That’s why it is so important to ensure that your home and family are protected in the event of your death. It’s not a topic that any of us like to dwell on, but the sad fact is that should you die and the family are no longer able to afford repayments on the house, they will lose the property and the roof from over their heads.

Having a good life insurance policy in place to protect your property in the event of your death is vital. When you die, your family will have enough to worry about without the added stress of how they are going to hold on to the family home. Your life insurance policy will ensure that this problem is eliminated, with the mortgage balance being paid in full upon your death.

The main types of mortgage life cover

The type of mortgage life insurance cover that you require will depend upon what type of mortgage you have, a repayment or an interest only mortgage. There are two main types of mortgage life insurance cover, which are:

This type of mortgage life insurance is designed for those with a repayment mortgage. With a repayment mortgage, the balance of the loan decreases over the term of the mortgage. Therefore, the sum of cover with a decreasing term insurance policy will also go down in line with the mortgage balance. So, the amount for which your life is insured should match the balance outstanding on your mortgage, which means that if you die your policy will hold sufficient funds to pay off the remainder of the mortgage and alleviate any additional worry to your family.

With the decreasing term insurance, the cover is usually taken out over the term of the mortgage, and payment is made should you die during the term of the policy. Once the policy has expired, it becomes null and void, so you will receive nothing at the end of your policy if you are still living. There is no surrender value on this type of cover, but it does provide a cost effective means of protecting your home and family during the life of your mortgage.

Level term insurance

This type of mortgage life insurance cover is for those that have a repayment mortgage, where the principle balance remains the same throughout the term of the mortgage and the repayments made by the property owner cover the interest payments on the mortgage only.

The sum for which the insured is covered remains the same throughout the term of this policy, and this is because the principle balance on the mortgage also remains the same. Therefore the sum assured is a fixed amount, which is paid should the insured party die within the term of the policy. As with decreasing term insurance, there is no surrender value, and should the policy end before the insured dies no payout will be awarded and the policy becomes null and void.

Terminal illness benefit

Both of the above types of cover normally include terminal illness cover, which means that the mortgage is cleared should you be diagnosed with a terminal illness rather than waiting until you actually die. This helps to ensure that you do not have the additional worry of trying to meet repayments when a terminal illness takes away your ability to work and earn money, and at a time when the whole family has enough to worry about without having to stress about meeting mortgage repayments.

Critical illness cover

Critical illness cover is another type of insurance policy that can be added on to either of the above mortgage life insurance polices and provides an extra element of protection and peace of mind. This type of cover can also be taken out as a stand-alone policy, but usually proves much better value if simply added on to a main insurance policy.

With critical illness cover you will be eligible for a payout in the event that you are diagnosed with a critical illness. If you then go on to recover from the critical illness, the payout is yours to keep but the policy becomes null and void following your claim. The illnesses that are covered by this type of policy are defined by the insurer so you should ensure that you check the terms when taking out critical illness cover.

Adding critical illness cover to your policy will only increase your repayments by a small amount, but can provide valuable protection if you are diagnosed as critically ill and are therefore unable to work. With your mortgage repaid from the payout of this policy, you will not have the additional worry of trying to keep a roof over your head at a time when you should be concentrating on trying to make a recovery.

Summary

As indicated by the features of the two main types of mortgage life insurance cover, the policy you go for will depend largely upon the type of mortgage you have. Both types of cover offer value for money, with some really low cost deals available. Of course, the amount that you pay will ultimately depend upon the level of cover you require. For total peace of mind it is always advisable to go for a policy with critical illness cover incorporated into it.

Having some form of mortgage life cover is essential to protect your home and your family. After working hard to buy your own property, the prospect of it being repossessed in the event of your death can be worrying both for you and for your family. A mortgage life cover policy will ensure that this does not happen, and will give your family the security of knowing that whatever happens they will still have a roof over their heads.

Buying Texas life insurance through an ‘execution-only’ or ‘discount’ broker could save you thousands of pounds over the life of a policy.

Seems like an innocent enough question, but in reality it is a difficult question to answer. The reason it is difficult is because there really isn’t a simple answer. Many good solid insurance agents are not really good at selling, they are great at marketing. The reverse is true also, many good salespersons are terrible marketers.

If it hasn’t occurred to you, marketing is not selling! If you are a good marketer then selling becomes a snap. If you cannot or will not market your goods and services then you will have a tough time selling. That opens up a whole new area of business for those who want to do the marketing for you.

They can come in all sorts of disguises but they will all have one thing in common, they will do the marketing for you and they will provide you with leads. The worst of the bunch are the “pre-set appointment” folks, they promise (for a fee) to find the prospect and set the appointment for you. To me that is total nonsense and I ask you this questions… “Why?”

Why would I think someone else can do my marketing for me? If I am going to be vertically organized then the marketing is the single most important thing I can do and the absolute most important thing I want to control!

The amount of money these organizations charge to do my marketing is over the top. Plus I have no or little control over my whole sales process because the sales process starts with the marketing.

Now back to the question, “is being an insurance salesman for you?” The answer is this, it depends on just exactly what you want to accomplish. I think that if you do not embrace the marketing issue and think of yourself as a marketer first, then the answer is no. If you just want to “sell” as I have heard a thousand times then the answer is absolutely NO!

You cannot be a successful salesman if you are not first a marketer. Marketing yourself is not hard, there are lots of ways to do it but the very most important way to be successful at it is to be totally vertically organized so every part of the process is under your control.

Provides education, resources, and governmental advocacy to independent insurance agents and agencies

Introduction

Most people do not have a clear understanding of the various options available in term life insurance, and consequently make decisions based solely on price. This document was written to help you determine what additional issues may also have a bearing on the best value for you.

The Problem

As consumers, we generally concern ourselves with price because we are most comfortable when comparing something obvious such as numbers. Prices are easy to compare and understand; especially when it concerns products we generally have little experience in purchasing.

Previous Option

Compounding this problem as it concerns term life insurance in particular, is that many popular internet sites allow the consumer to obtain a quote simply by completing several questions about build, health and lifestyle. Once quotes are obtained, it’s up to the buyer to choose their best deal. We know this can be a disservice to the client, and in the pages to follow we give a specific example of why, and what to consider.

The LifeNet Solution

We believe life insurance is too important to your beneficiary’s welfare and your own peace of mind to choose coverage based on limited information and undefined objectives. Certainly there is nothing wrong with checking premium costs to get some idea of the market; however, we believe clients are not well served by a mechanical procedure which does not address issues central to the reason for purchase in the first place, i.e. your beneficiaries’ security.

An Example

Let’s take a case of a 60 year old male, a non-smoker in good health and in need of a $1,000,000 policy to examine how both approaches work, and show why our method is superior and provides more value to you, the applicant. The competition provides you a number of quotes detailing carrier name, carrier rating, health category, and premium. Should you wish to apply, simply pick your carrier and the application appears. No fuss, no bother, and no idea if this offer is the best value. In fact, it is rare to find premiums of the lowest cost carriers to vary widely. The lowest cost provider with an A+ or better rating, which we’ll call Company A has an annual premium of $4755. Two other carriers (Companies B and C) have annual premiums of $4955 and $4980 respectively.

All three have convertibility options, but each company’s conversion rules vary and can result in very different opportunities for the insured. In each case, conversion will be at the same health rating that the insured received at the time of the original purchase. In essence, this guarantees the health rating at conversion without evidence of current insurability. This is extremely important since health tends to worsen as we grow older, you could even be uninsurable. In addition, most carriers will allow a partial conversion. That is, a $1,000,000 term may be converted into a permanent policy of any size up to the original face amount of $1,000,000. Most permanent policies have a minimum face of $100,000. Now back to our example. Company A is relatively small compared to others. Its market is low cost term insurance, and they allow conversion to a whole life policy. You may convert to this policy at anytime your term policy is in force up to your 70th birthday.

Company B’s policy is also convertible up to age 70; however conversion to several policies is available. Among them is a flexible premium universal life policy with a guaranteed premium. This type of policy is designed to have the lowest possible premiums. It is guaranteed to stay in force for your lifetime as long as premiums are paid on a timely basis. Both the premium and the face amount of the policy never change. These policies are designed without any cash accumulation, and have considerably lower premiums than whole life.

Finally, Company C has identical conversion policy choices as Company B, however the conversion option stays in effect for an additional five years to age 75. This additional 5 years can mean a great deal because the older we become, the more likely our health rating will change in a negative way. If you find you need lifetime coverage, the extra 5 years of convertibility can make a big difference in protecting your beneficiaries. Any financial plan is just that, a plan. It is based on what we consider reasonable in light of what we know now. However, anyone in their 50’s or older knows how plans can change for many reasons, some under our control, but many not.

To summarize, both company A and B have identical conversion time periods, while company B has better choices than company A. Company C has the same conversion choices as Company B and extends the window of opportunity an additional five years to age 75. Now comes the interesting part. As the owner of the policy, you may have the potential to sell this policy if your need for coverage has decreased or disappeared. This transaction is called a “Life Settlement”. Life Settlements have become a multi-billion dollar market in the last few years and it’s easy to see why as we now look at all three carriers. Legitimate Life Settlements should not be confused with “Stranger Originated Life Insurance (STOLI)” which is illegal in many states. Company A Company B Company C

Annual Premium $4,755 $4,955 $4,980 Total Premiums (15 yrs) $71,325 $74,325 $74,700 Sale of Policy -0- -0- $200,000 (est*)

*This estimate is based on a composite of real cases, but will be dependent upon actual conditions at the time of potential sale, and in no way is it to be considered a guarantee of future results. Remember, you should never attempt to sell a policy if you still need coverage or your health has declined. This type of transaction is designed for individuals whose objective has changed due to financial circumstances different from when the policy was purchased.

For a term policy to be considered a good candidate for sale, it must be convertible into a universal policy with little or no cash value and guaranteed level premiums.

Implementation

1. Contact an independent agent with access to the majority of highly rated insurance companies. Once you find someone you feel comfortable with, check their status with your state insurance department. This is quite easy to do. Just go to your state insurance department website.

2. Remember, agents cannot guarantee you a premium cost! They can only use their best efforts based on the health, lifestyle and the family health history you provide. Omitting information does a disservice to both you and the agent. Life insurers deal with fraud or incomplete information regularly. When you withhold information, you hurt your chances for the agent to advocate on your behalf. Additionally, it may harm your ability to obtain coverage with another carrier.

3. Discuss your objective with the agent. Agents can suggest approaches to coverage you may not have considered.

4. Make sure you ask about conversion options.

5. Be prepared to have a paramedic exam, typically done at your home, your office or at the exam company. Most carriers require blood and urine collection and an EKG to be performed by an independent paramedic company. In some instances, it is possible to purchase coverage without these tests, however be prepared to pay higher premiums for smaller amounts of insurance.

6. Ask questions. Good agents are in the service business and want to do a good job for you. So let them!

Most people consider cost the primary reason for choosing one insurance policy over another. While certainly important, there are additional and by no means less important factors. Among them are some questions to consider.

How strong is the insurance company?

In today’s uncertain financial climate the quality of your insurance company takes on new meaning. While no insurance company simply goes out of business due to highly regulated reserve requirements of the various states they operate in, those carriers in danger from poor investment results or real estate loans may well be taken over by stronger carriers. While this generally means the new owner will abide by the guarantees of the original policy the “devil may be in the details.” When this happens the new carrier generally considers this a so-called “closed” book of business, a severely restricts your future options.

I’m not a smoker, but I enjoy a cigar every once in a while. Should I tell my agent?

In today’s uncertain financial climate the quality of your insurance company takes on new meaning. While no insurance company simply goes out of business due to highly regulated reserve requirements of the various states they operate in, those carriers in danger from poor investment results or real estate loans may well be taken over by stronger carriers. While this generally means the new owner will abide by the guarantees of the original policy the “devil may be in the details.” When this happens the new carrier generally considers this a so-called “closed” book of business, a severely restricts your future options.

I’m not a smoker, but I enjoy a cigar every once in a while. Should I tell my agent?

Most insurance companies offer both term and permanent life insurance, and most carriers will allow the owner of the policy to convert term coverage into a permanent policy within a specific time period. Although most will allow conversion into many of the competitive products they currently offer, those carriers taken over by others may find they options limited to older cash value policies that may not meet you new objective.

Why is convertibility so important?

This usually has more to do with the insurance company than it does with you. Assuming the same health category, you may find premiums differ by 100% or more. While logic may tell you the stronger the carrier, the higher the premium, just the opposite can be true. Today, stronger insurers are using their clout to increase market share. Premiums can also depend on the investment yield the company has experienced, their average bond maturity, mortality experience and other factors. All good reasons to shop before you buy.

Why is convertibility so important?

In today’s uncertain financial climate the quality of your insurance company takes on new meaning. While no insurance company simply goes out of business due to highly regulated reserve requirements of the various states they operate in, those carriers in danger from poor investment results or real estate loans may well be taken over by stronger carriers. While this generally means the new owner will abide by the guarantees of the original policy the “devil may be in the details.” When this happens the new carrier generally considers this a so-called “closed” book of business, a severely restricts your future options.

What is the first step?

Talk to an experienced independent agent who deals with many carriers. Ask for references, and check the agent’s disciplinary record. All states have these records displayed on their insurance department website. Like the purchase of any important asset, let the buyer beware.

In 2003 I went on a business trip to California. Two other employees, Debbie and Sherry, went with me to work at a manufacturing company to sell Universal Life Insurance. We had checked on-line for an affordable hotel, but their rates were too high for our expense budget, so we opted for a furnished apartment. Under the contract of the apartments short term lease, we had to purchase a Renters Insurance policy. The Renters Insurance policy would not only cover our property and the contents for theft, but would also provide liability in case we caused any damage.

Apartment renters insurance was available through a few companies, so we got quotes from; Geico, Nationwide and State Farm. Nationwide was the cheapest, so we bought a policy and only paid for one month.

During our stay, Debbie accidentally broke the vacuum cleaner that was provided with the apartment. Under the liability section of the renters insurance contract the vacuum cleaner was covered without a deductible. Liability Coverage: Your policy will provide coverage for bodily injury or property damage which you or an insured under the policy are legally obligated to pay.

But you wouldn’t believe what else happened….since we travel a lot we liked the chance to stay somewhere different, and the best thing about this apartment was the waterbeds. The very next day, Sherry was using a knife to peel an apple and accidentally stabs the waterbed causing a small leak. Fortunately, we had purchased the endorsement for waterbeds for an additional premium. Not only did we have a repair bill, we also had some water damage. The waterbed endorsment states; Optional Endorsments you may request for your policy.

Extension of Liability Coverage Endorsement-Waterbeds

The optional coverage pays for damage to property of others that results from sudden and accidental discharge of water from a waterbed. It does not pay for structural damage which may result from the weight or slow, gradual leakage or damage to the waterbed itself.

We were so glad that we had looked over the Renters Insurance policy before we got it. Other coverages included, but subject to a deductible are:

Personal Property Coverage:

Your policy will cover loss or damage to your property when caused by the following perils:

1. Fire or Lightning 2. Windstorm or Hail 3. Explosion 4. Riot or Civil Commotion 5. Aircraft 6. Vehicles 7. Smoke 8. Vandalism or malicious mischief 9. Burglary 10. Falling objects 11. Weight of ice, snow or sleet 12. Accidental discharge or overflow of water or steam from within a plumbing, heating, air conditioning, or automatic fire protective sprinkler or from within a household appliance 13. Sudden and accidental tearing apart, cracking, burning, or bulging of a steam or hot water heating system, and air conditioning system, or an appliance for heating water. 14. Freezing of plumbing, heating, and air conditioning systems or automatic fire protective sprinkler system or of a household appliance. 15. Sudden and accidental damage from artificially generated electrical current 16. Volcanic eruption

But always remember to add the Replacement cost endorsement to your renters policy:

Personal Property Replacement Cost Endorsement;

The Declarations Page will state that under “Additional Coverages” your policy has Replacement Value coverage.

If you do not purchase this endorsment, you will be paid Actual Cash Value (ACV) for a covered loss to your personal property. ACV means the cost to replace an item with another item of similar kind and quality less an allowance for depreciation.

Replacement Cost (RC) coverage will pay for the loss at full cost to repair or replace the damaged item. RC is only paid when you purchase the replacement item within 180 days after the loss.

Loss of Use;

If you cannot live in your home as a result of a covered loss and you must temporarily live elsewhere, this coverage pays, for a specified period, for reasonable and necessary extra living expenses you incur over what you would have normally spent to maintain your standard of living if no loss had occurred.

Your Renters Insurance policy will have exclusions, along with other optional endorsements. Please read or review your policy with your insurance agent. We were glad we did. I couldn’t imagine our boss getting the repair bills with our expense reports. Our Renters Insurance policy probably saved our jobs.