If you have anyone in your life that rely on you financially then you will want to have proper life insurance coverage. Life insurance should be your number one priority. How will your family support themselves when you are gone? The harsh reality is that you never know what could happen Life insurance is something we all should have.
The lump sum policies are a cinch to obtain. Finding the right plan options with the highest amount of coverage is the tricky part.
There are some things you should consider before applying for life insurance coverage. Be careful not to take a lower amount of cover than you really need. Make sure you factor in all the household bills including the mortgage. Your coverage amount can be determined by using an internet calculator. You need to make sure you are not under insured. It is not a good idea to become over insured either.
You have to decide the length of time the coverage Under normal situations a policy should remain in effect until dependants have left home and all financial responsibilities has been paid. Some have the policy in place until retirement age. Each individual will have their own needs for the policies length.
Take careful consideration to answer all questions on the application accurately and with honesty. Being dishonest on your application or not answering all the questions asked could lead to a refusal due to non disclosure.
It is a safe bet to put your policy in a trust. go wrong with putting your policy in a trust. All benefits is paid to your loved ones by the trust after you have died. The inheritance tax liability will be higher when the policy becomes part of your estate, a trust stops this from happening.The trust form is simple to fill out and will be included with your policy.
Make sure you are not paying too much for your policy. You can expect to pay a higher rate if the insurance company think of you as a higher risk.
One of the more popular policies is the Level Term Assurance (LTA) this means your policy amount will remain the same throughout the length of the coverage. If you only need cover for payment of a mortgage or other decreasing debt you could look into Decreasing Term Assurance (DTA) for a more competitive rate.
If you have any life altering event you are recommended to check your policy to ensure you have the right coverage amount. Your policy needs change as your life does so review your coverage if you have any life changes like a new baby or change of jobs. Many forget that their policy may need modified to keep up with their life. Do not be afraid to make policy changes as they are needed.
Always remember you can shop around for more affordable policy prices even if you already have coverage. Make sure that none of the benefits are being lost before you cancel a policy. Remember that you are not as young as you once were and if your health has gotten worse then you will pay much more for a new policy.
Susan Reynolds is the content coordinator for a leading South African Insurance Provider who specialises in Life Insurance.