When we reach our 30s, we begin to think about what our family and loved ones will do when we are no longer around to take care of them.
One way people can ensure their families will be cared for is to purchase a life insurance policy.
At the age of 30, it is possible to arrange a policy that will pay out a lump sum to beneficiaries – this money can be used for any reason, but is most often used to help keep bills up to date and handle other expenses when the policy holder’s income is no longer available.
How Much Does a Life Insurance Policy Cost?
In the past, the cost of owning a life insurance policy was often much higher than the average person could afford. Luckily, in the past 10 years, the cost of life insurance has decreased – for example, an applicant who is 30 years old and a non-smoker can now secure a life insurance policy for less than £10 a month.
Currently, minimum premium payments are as low as £5 for coverage that ranges between £5,000 and £10,000. These lower prices make it possible to work a life insurance policy into a budget.
What Types of Life Insurance Policies are Available?
Life insurance policies are available in a number of different forms that range in coverage from 12 months to the policy owner’s entire life. One of these long-term coverage options is a Whole of Life insurance policy – this type of policy will cover the holder, in full, for his or her entire life and provide beneficiaries with financial support once he or she has passed.
This lifetime coverage will always continue as long as the policyholder continues to make monthly premium payments on time and in full.
How are Premium Payments Determined?
A number of factors determines the amount of an individual’s premium payment, including the amount of coverage needed, the type of policy they choose and their health and overall lifestyle. The last two factors listed – health and lifestyle – often weigh heavier than the others.
For example, being a smoker can often drastically increase an individual’s premium payment and, in some cases, even double it. The reason for this is that an individual who smokes is more prone to developing life threatening conditions, meaning the insurance company may need to pay out the policy sooner than expected.
Why is “Disclosure” So Important?
Everyone tells us how important “disclosure” is when it comes to applying for life insurance. “Disclosure” is a technical term for the medical and lifestyle questions insurance companies ask applicants.
While the answers to these questions, such as “yes, I am a smoker” may increase your monthly premiums, it is important to be honest an accurate with these answers. Should beneficiaries need to make a claim, the insurance company will go back and reference these answers.
When applying for life insurance, there is a legal undertone to the transaction. The proposal form that applicant’s complete is essentially an “offer” to the insurance company asking for coverage.
When the insurance company accepts this “offer,” it will then provide a “counter offer” that states it will cover the applicant, based on the disclosure information it has received, for the monthly payment that is outlined in the documentation. This contract is then bound when the first premium payment is made.
Legally, the contract between an insurance company and an applicant can only be binding when both parties have access to the material facts. With this in mind, should the applicant not be truthful or withhold information from the insurance company in his or her disclosure, it can make the contract null and void.
This means that, if the disclosure is false information, the insurance company has no legal obligation to pay the policy’s benefits to beneficiaries when an attempt is made to collect on the policy.
How Do You Find the Best Life Insurance?
Finding the right life insurance policy will depend on the number of factors – how much coverage is needed, what type of coverage is desired, and how much can be afforded in monthly premium payments.
There are a number of different comparison services available, like the one that is offered by Claybrooke – these tools can help to provide policy seekers with competitive offers from different insurance companies and help them to find a policy that fits their needs and their budget.