When It Comes To Life Insurance, Less Is More
Let's face it, not everyone needs life insurance. Determining whether you really need it is the first step towards making the right decisions regarding the types and amounts of coverage to choose. And, to be blunt, life insurance is really meant for your family and loved ones, or anyone else who relies on your income. That being said, the type of insurance that you need the most just happens to be the least expensive.
Reasons You Buy Life Insurance
Life insurance was originally created so that, if you die, your loved ones could continue to live the same kind of lifestyle that they currently have. That being said, life insurance is simply a means of replacing your income if you die. Period. That is all it is really meant to do. If you don't have anyone who depends on you to provide for them, or you don't have earnings, you don't have nearly the same need for protection as someone who is working and might be supporting a young family for example. The need may still be there due to other financial obligations, but again, it is not necessarily so great.
Two Flavors To Choose From
Once you have decided that you need coverage, you have to select the type that best suits your needs. Life insurance comes in two basic forms: term and permanent (also called "whole life"). The overwhelming majority of cases that I write consist of term coverage as it is the type of protection that fits most people's needs.
Keep It Super Simple
Term life insurance is insurance against the risk of your dying during the term of the policy. As a policy holder, you pay your premiums regualrly and if you die during the time frame, or "term", that your insurance is in force, your beneficiaries will receive a payout equal to the face amount of insurance you bought. The 'term' is the length of time the policy is guaranteed to remain in force at the premium you have been approved for. Policies are typically issued for 10, 20, or 30 year terms. At the end of the guaranteed term period you can renew your policy, let it lapse, or buy another policy. The major benefit of term insurance is that it's very inexpensive in most cases and is very simple to understand.
Permanent, or cash-value insurance
The other choice is cash-value insurance. People are initially attracted to cash-value insurance because it can allow them to save a small amount of their premium and can ultimately be "paid up," which means the insurance will have enough cash value that the policy will remain in force without further premium payments. The theory behind this type is that, if you pay for life insurance for 20, 30, or 40 years, you might as well get some of your money back.
Sounds good, right? The problem is that cash-value insurance usually isn't a very good investment, even if you hold the policy for many years due to the higher fees associated with it and the relatively low rates of return you will earn. It's and even worse option if you only keep the policy for a few years and have to drop it due to job loss or some other financial hardship. These policies build value very slowly and it takes years to amount to much.
While permanent policies do have their place in financial planning on rare occasions, they do not suit the needs of most people. If your financial planner is recommending you to take this type of coverage I suggest that your financial planner not be the same person from whom you are buying the insurance.
The Bottom Line
The bottom line is that you need to simplify your financial plan as much as possible, and cash-value insurance is complex and is not properly suited for the needs of the vast majority of people. Instead, opt for an affordable term life insurance policy and use the money that you would've otherwise spent on he high premiums of a cash-value policy to invest in an option that's tax favored. Investment accounts such as your employer's 401(k), or an IRA are good options to consider.
Hopefully you consider my advice when it comes to shopping for your life insurance, and you will consider a term life policy. Be sure to verify with your agent that the policy cannot be canceled as long as you are current on your premiums. Also, only choose policy that is guaranteed renewable. You have no way of knowing what your health will be like at the end of your term and it is comforting to know that you can keep the policy should you need to, without having to under go a medical exam.