Tuesday, November 13, 2007
Limited risk of catastrophically large losses
Affordable Premium.
Insurance: Overview
Short Term Medical Insurance
Short Term Insurance
When health insurance is only needed for a short duration of time, which would be up to 12 months, then a short term medical insurance plan is what you're looking for. The short term plans are the perfect way to protect yourself during those times you are between medical plans.
We can find ourselves laid off from a job and faced with expensive COBRA insurance. Employers should really explain how much our health insurance benefit is costing him at our jobs. That would help us appre- ciate them more and not go into shock when it's our turn to pay the bill. Short term medical insurance costs considerably less than the group and individual plans.
$100,000 Medical Bill
It’s also uncomfortable to be without insurance while waiting for eligibility at a new job. What if something happens while I have no insurance ? What is that saying? “Life happens while we are making other plans.” It does indeed, been there done that, $100,000 medical claim. The only thing that saved my bacon is someone bought insurance for me before
it happened.I wasn’t smart enough to protect myself and they could see that.Fortunately they cared enough about me to make this difference in my life. That was 15 years ago and I’m still grateful today.
Short Term Medical Insurance
If you are without medical insurance for any reason. Get into a short term
medical insurance plan now. It will buy you some time while you figure out
a more permanent option. The cost of these policies are nothing compared to crushing medical bills.
Insurance Information
the higher the premium.
This site is designed with you in mind. You are just like us, while doing research for a desired product or service, we want good information that will help us be informed and feel confident about our decisions. The insurance information on this site is the best we can find and we hope it properly serves your needs.
Do your research there's a lot of information here. Be sure to read the
plan outlines and descriptions, match up benefits and quotes and if the
company offering your desired plan is solid, you're set. We have also
worked hard to provide the best recommendations for insurance
providers and brokers. May they serve you well.
AUTO INSURANCE INFORMATION
Property coverage pays for damage to or theft of your car.
Liability coverage pays for your legal responsibility to others for bodily injury or property damage.
Medical coverage pays for the cost of treating injuries, rehabilitation and sometimes lost wages and funeral expenses.An auto insurance policy is comprised of six different kinds of coverage. Most states require you to buy some, but not all, of these coverages. If you're financing a car, your lender may also have requirements.Most auto policies are for six months to a year. Your insurance company should notify you by mail when it’s time to renew the policy and to pay your premium.
Foundation Research Programs
Each year the Foundation invites research investigators to apply for one-year grants to test new ideas and follow new research leads. The applications, more than a hundred in an average year, are ranked according to merit by a blue ribbon panel of research scientists, and funded according to available resources.
Research Fellowships
The future of epilepsy research depends on attracting the best scientific minds to the study of seizures and seizure disorders. To do just that, the Epilepsy Foundation offers a series of training fellowships in basic, clinical and behavioral science to scientists at the start of their careers.
These one year fellowships, awarded to young people at the nation's leading research institutes, have in many cases been the first steps on a lifetime commitment to solving the medical and scientific puzzle of why epilepsy develops and how it can be treated or prevented.
The Epilepsy Foundation’s William Gowers Clinical Research Fellowships have been supported by grants from Abbott Laboratories since 1986. The Gowers Fellowship is awarded annually to a physician/scientist who is embarking on a career in academic clinical medicine and who wishes to undertake a specific project in epilepsy research. Find out more about the Gowers Fellowships.
View the complete list of Epilepsy Foundation grant awards.
Gene Discovery Project
The race is on to discover the genetic causes of some forms of epilepsy. With these discoveries will come new therapies, possibly even a true cure. So far, several specific genes have been identified, but many, many more remain to be discovered.
One of the challenges of this type of research is identifying families in which several members across generations have experienced seizures. When a number of such families can be found, blood tests may reveal genetic traits associated with a greater susceptibility to seizures.
As part of its commitment to research and a cure, the Epilepsy Foundation is sponsoring a Gene Discovery Project on the Internet. This program invites people with a family history to provide confidential details through this web site. The information will then be added to a coded database and, at some point in the future, the families have an opportunity to participate in research.
Special Research Initiatives
The Epilepsy Foundation periodically offers funding opportunities for special research initiatives.
All of the Epilepsy Foundation's special initiatives are unique in terms of their program parameters, goals, and funding cycles, but what is common among all is that they are thematic fast track programs announced at the time that funds become available.
The Epilepsy Foundation periodically offers funding opportunities for special research initiatives. All of the Epilepsy Foundation's special initiatives are unique in terms of their program parameters, goals, and funding cycles, but what is common among all is that they are thematic fast track programs announced at the time that funds become available. Past initiatives have included studies on genetics, quality of life for children with epilepsy, neurocysticercosis and epilepsy. Current targeted initiatives include Mood Disorders and Partnership for Pediatric Epilepsy Research, a consortium of dedicated organizations and individuals working to increase knowledge of causes of and promoting innovative treatment approaches and a cure for epilepsies that begin in infancy and childhood. Over the next few years the foundation will focus on additional targeted areas of research including Epilepsy and Aging, Models of Care, Youth, Women and Reproductive Health and Catastrophic Epilepsies.
A Special Role Among Funding Organizations
Arousing the interest of medical students in neuroscience and epilepsy research.
Training young investigators in the conduct of advanced epilepsy research.
Seeding new concepts and ideas, thus allowing for their development to attract grant support from government and other sources.
Promoting a global research agenda through support of international research training.
Stimulating scientific interest in vital target areas in which there is little current research.
Speeding work on promising new discoveries that have high potential for breakthrough results in the treatment, prevention and management of epilepsy
In support of the Epilepsy Foundation's goals within the strategic plan to increase the number of qualified scientists conducting epilepsy research; invest in targeted research areas, as well as research that will improve diagnosis and clinical care for people with epilepsy, the Research Committee and Professional Advisory Board (PAB) have identified priority areas of research for the future.
blessed with kids
The emotional loss they would face, would be irreplaceable, but the least you can do is secure their dreams.....make sure that their education, marriage etc. happen the way you wanted it to happen.
This can be ensured by getting the correct life insurance policy, of the right value.
So what are you waiting for? Identify your needs from the list and choose the best policy for your family.
newly weds
And what if the survivor is not working? In such a scenario, insurance money can provide the much needed support. The emotional loss would be massive but uncompensatable, least you can do is ensure that the one you love doesnot have to worry about the finances.
Therefore, each of you should probably buy a modest amount of life insurance to protect your better half. Think of it as an investment, which can provide support to your family incase of any unforeseen event.
Weighing the Different Health Insurance Plans
There are lots of different medical insurance plans. You can be sure that they are not all the same. Affordable health insurance plans can be found, but you will want to make sure that you know what you're getting when you agree to a discount health plan with a provider. Try finding an HMO health plan that will give you good benefits at a reduced rate.
If your employer doesn't offer any health insurance, then you may need to purchase an individual health insurance plan. Individual health insurance plans tend to be more expensive than those that are part of a group, but that doesn't mean that you have to be denied of all medical coverage just because you aren't part of a group health care plan. You might want to check out California Health Insurance plans to see if they have something that fits into your budget.
If you run or work for a small business, then you should always do some research on small business health plans. This will allow you and your employees to get an affordable health insurance plan that is cheaper than everyone getting their own discount health plans individually. Remember that if you can be a part of a group then you will always save money in the health care insurance world. When you're looking at small business health care plans, you always want to compare health insurance plans just as you would with any other deal that you make with a company. You'll always want to get the most out of every dollar that you spend.
The Internet has helped make comparing the costs of health insurance plans much easier. Now you don't have to spend lots of time looking up the phone numbers for each provider and then calling them to get the information. Hearing someone talk to you over the phone isn't nearly as convenient as being able to browse information online. When you look at the information online you'll be able to immediately disregard any information that doesn't apply to you and you'll be able to go over the details more carefully to make sure that you fully understand them. It's very important that you do this- that you fully understand the terms of your medical insurance plan. Not all plans are the same. Some are more expensive and thus give you more options. Just because a plan is inexpensive doesn't mean that it won't offer you quality service, but you need to be aware of exactly what services your insurance package covers for you.
When you're looking at health insurance plans you should always pay attention to, first, what portion of any bills will you be responsible for, second, what kind of medical care does the plan cover for you, and, third, how much the insurance costs. By weighing these three factors you'll be able to find the insurance plan from a discount medical insurance company that will fit right into your budget and will allow you to have the medical coverage that you need to feel secure in the knowledge that you will be cared for.
Whole Life Insurance Policies
A whole life insurance quote can be obtained by contacting an insurance company. If you are already insured through one company, you might want to check with them to see if you can get a reduced combined rate on multiple policies. If you don't have a whole life insurance policy, then you might want to check companies like Globe Life Insurance, Medical Life Insurance, and Group Life Insurance to see what they can do for you.
When deciding what type of whole life insurance you want to get you will have to make up your mind about what kind of life insurance annuity you would like. Do you want your family to be paid in one lump sump or a changing amount over time? You will also need to decide on the life insurance general to be provided.
There are many people who have life insurance jobs that can help you answer any questions that you have. First, check the Internet for information. If you'd rather talk to someone, then contact several companies and talk to them about the services that they have available to their clients. You will have questions about life insurance medical and the life insurance settlement that will need to be answered. By speaking to someone who is involved in the insurance business daily, you can get the correct answers to the questions that you have. This will give you greater peace of mind and let you know exactly how your family will be taken care of when you are gone.
Knowing more about the whole life insurance plans that are available can only be a good thing for you. While talking to people in the insurance business and reading insurance company websites is a good way to gather information, you may want to read a book on whole life insurance before you begin gathering this information. Having some knowledge could be highly advantageous. After all, what's the point of talking to an insurance company employee if you don't know what they're talking about. If you find that the terms that insurance company employees use leave you confused, you're not alone. There are lots of books available that will help guide you through the meanings of insurance terminology. You can buy them at many bookstores, or you can check them out from the library.
It's important that you know what questions to ask your insurance company and that you understand the answers they give you. Be sure to communicate the terms of your policy with your family so that they will know what is supposed to happen when you die.
Finding Good, Inexpensive Term Life Insurance
Affordable term life insurance isn't impossible to find. It isn't even difficult to find cheap term life insurance. One of the best ways to compare the prices and services of term life insurance providers is to go online and conduct some research on what you can get for the amount of money you have to spend. The best term life insurance will be the one with the best term life insurance rate that offers you the best service in return. By going online to do your research, you can quickly and easily compare the cost of term life insurance to find which one is the best term life insurance for you. The best is the one that is an affordable term life insurance with rates that you will be able to continue to pay throughout your life.
You can contact many term life insurance online companies to get instant term life insurance. This will begin protecting you as soon as you have signed up for the service.
Life insurance term life can be available to you and you can get an instant term life insurance quote that makes finding the term life insurance rates that are right for you. Term life insurance online is an invaluable tool for all people who are looking to get their primary term life insurance or to get term life insurance that will help supplement the life insurance that they already get through their employers or some other organization that they are members of. You may also want to get a term life insurance quote to see if it is less expensive than any fees that you're paying your employer or organization.
Life insurance term life can help your family after you are gone, but may not also help if you fall ill or are involved in an accident. Long term care insurance is available if you'd like to further protect them from the financial responsibilities that quickly accumulate when long term medical care is needed. By covering the costs of some of your medical bills, long term care insurance can ease the financial burden that will fall on you and your family if you are seriously sick. Imagine if you got cancer, but the only insurance that you had was term life insurance. Depending on the program that you have, you could end up shouldering the burden all by yourself. This could greatly reduce the economic viability of everyone in your family. You may at some point realize that you are monetarily worth more dead than alive. But imagine that situation if you have long term care insurance. Now you have more fight in you because you know that you are able to pay all the bills.
Having the insurance that's right for you can be a lifesaver. Look into the types of insurance that several companies offer and see which one best suits your needs. In the end you will get the best return for as little money as possible; both you and your family will have better lives for it.
Life Insurance Costs Depend on You Current Health
When you're applying for a life insurance policy, you'll need to get a life insurance quote so that you'll know how much the company expect you to pay them per year. Life insurance companies are in intense competition with each other, so you can often find a free life insurance quote that will help you determine the provider you want to go with. Life insurance quotes are often determined by factors such as your age and your lifestyle (i.e., are you a smoker? Are you overweight? Do you have diabetes?). If it is determined that you are an insurance risk because of your lifestyle or pre-existing conditions, then low cost life insurance providers may not want to insure you, or they may ask for more money. The life insurance price you pay could have a lot to do with your current health.
You want to get the cheapest life insurance that you can that will provide you with good service. The Internet can be a great resource for finding low cost life insurance. You can get life insurance quotes online from many companies. When you get a life insurance quote, compare it to the others that you've gotten. Be sure to think about the services and the return on your investment. You want to get discount life insurance, but you don't want to deal with a company that won't pay your family when they need it. For many people the cost insurance life low is compared to the amount of money they will spend in the event of death. Compare the life insurance quotes that you get online and see which the cheapest life insurance is. If you're a significant insurance risk, then you should expect to pay more money.
You might wonder why you should pay more money just because you have a pre-existing condition. You're the same as everyone. You have the same risk of getting hit by a bus today as anyone else, right? While having a pre-existing condition does not mean that you will necessarily lead a shorter or less fulfilling life than someone who is considered healthy, it does make you a more risky investment. Life insurance companies are looking to make money just like every other company in the world. If you have a condition that could potentially cause your death at an earlier age than someone with the condition, then the company must assume that you might have a shorter amount of time to pay them your monthly or yearly insurance fees. The insurance company is going to end up paying your family regardless of whether you die today or fifty years from now. But if you die sooner, then they make less money from you. Life quotes insurance that are low would mean that the company makes less money. They could even lose money if you die young.
Take your time to find the life insurance policy that's right for you. You'll want to compare the quotes and services from many companies so that you can be sure that your family will get the best return on your investment.
Personal Injury Lawyers Can Help You Get What You Deserve
A lot of times, personal injury lawyers will say in their advertisements that they can help you get a personal injury settlement. If personal injury attorneys tell you this, what they really mean is that they are going to try to settle out of court. The personal injury law firm hope that by intimidating the insurance company with a lawsuit, then the company will back off and pay you the amount of money you deserve rather than force you to actually file a lawsuit against the company. Personal injury law has a big market today. This is in part because a lot of people don't trust their insurance companies. They worry that if they file a personal injury claim with their insurance company, then their claim will get filed right along with all of the other personal injury claims and they will never get the coverage that they need. If you've suffered personal injuries, and you have personal injury insurance, then consulting a lawyer who works with personal injury cases could give you the leverage you need to get the insurance company to really pay attention to your claim. People who suffer a personal injury accident need to be certain that they're getting all of the care that they can get, and they need to be certain that they are getting the money from their personal injury insurance company to help pay for the medical care.
But is it really necessary to hire a personal injury lawyer? Many people thank that it is. You may feel that your insurance company has treated you well after you've been involved in an accident that is covered by your insurance program. But, then again, some people may feel like the insurance company is trying to give them the run around instead of actually coming through with the money that the injured person must get in his or her time of need.
If you've been involved in an accident and you feel like you're not getting the attention or care from your insurance company that you deserve, then you'll want to be certain to contact a personal injury law firm or a personal injury lawyer in the area that you had the accident. Not all laws are the same. Even if we take the case of one person and one company in Connecticut who are involved in a personal injury insurance dispute, and then we move that accident to New York, the person and the company may not have the exact same legal rights as they would in Connecticut. So if you're involved in an accident while you're vacationing in Florida, then contact a personal injury Florida law firm. You need to have people working for you who are familiar with the local and state laws. It's the best way to get what you deserve from your insurance company.
Hopefully, you'll never have to file a personal injury insurance claim at all. And if you do, then hopefully your insurance company will be responsible and pay you in a proper, timely manner.
Insurance Options for Various Vehicles
There's lots of different vehicle insurance out there. Even if you don't need auto insurance coverage for a car, you may still need, or want, to get insurance for your other vehicles. Lots of companies offer you plans that will cover your needs at prices that you will find affordable. Be sure to shop around so that you can be certain to find the right insurance company that will give you great service at inexpensive price. Companies like Progressive insurance and sellers of National auto insurance have websites that can help you find the right insurance for all of your vehicles.
While most of us think of vehicle insurance as car insurance, many car insurance com also deal in not only auto ins, but also insurance for smaller vehicles too. You may need or want to look into different companies to see what kinds of rates they can offer you on motorcycle insurance or scooter insurance. Having motorbike insurance will help you if you are ever involved in an accident while driving your motorcycle. Bike insurance works the same as driver insurance. When you're involved in an accident while driving a motorcycle covered by an insurance company, you can receive money to help pay for the damages caused to your bike and the other vehicle involved in the accident. It may also provide you with money to help pay for any medical care that you'll need as a result of the accident.
If you drive a truck, then you should look into getting truck insurance. If you already have car insurance, then you should contact the company you get it from to see if they will offer you a discount rate by having both your car insurance and your truck insurance through them.
If you only have a car, then you still have many options when talking to your insurance company. There's not just one kind of car insurance out there. There are lots of different plans. Perhaps it would best suit your needs just to have accident insurance or driver insurance. With car insurance drivers will be covered if they are involved in an accident. The level of compensation that the driver and/or passengers receive depends on the level of insurance that you pay for. Be sure to ask your company about the options that they have available.
Many companies also offer car insurance that's different for younger drivers. Ask different companies about young driver car insurance and see what kinds of options they have. A lot of times we expect young drivers to pay much more money for auto insurance than we expect older, more experienced drivers to pay. But that may not be the case with all companies. Ask the insurance companies if they offer a program that will give young drivers reduced rates for getting good grade or for going certain amounts of time without receive tickets or being involved in accidents. Young drivers can end up saving a lot of money by asking the right questions.
If you're diligent about finding the insurance that's right for the kind of vehicle that you drive, then you'll know that you'll be covered and taken care of when you're involved in an accident. And by having the right kind of coverage that you want you won't be paying more money than you need to be paying.
Doing Some Research Can Get You Great Discount Auto Insurance
Some car retailers will offer you free car insurance for a specified amount of time after you purchase your car. This is great because not only does it help insure you while you drive the car home from the lot, but it will also give you the time you need finding the cheapest car insurance available without sacrificing good service from a reputable company.
To find affordable car insurance, you should contact many different discount auto insurance providers. Ask them what services they provide. They may have several different packages that you can choose from. Pick the one that best fits your needs. Ask the companies if they offer an auto insurance discount for things like level of education or if the offer discounts to employees of the company you work for. You may be surprised that by asking these questions you can end up saving yourself lots of money every year. A car insurance discount may not seem like a whole lot when you first look at it, but anything that can reduce your monthly expenses will eventually add up to quite a bit saved at the end of the year.
The Internet is a great resource for finding discount car insurance. When you use the Internet a cheap car insurance rate is just a click away. If you want to buy cheap car insurance, the Internet will be invaluable to you. Low rate insurance is available to anyone who's willing to put just a little bit of time into finding it. The Internet and the websites of many, many automobile insurance companies will help you save time while you look for the cheapest car insurance quote, and will also help ensure that you're getting the services that you require also.
Discount automobile companies know that if they don't give you a good price and good service, then you'll just move on to one of the hundreds of other discount car insurance companies that are willing to give you better products at cheaper prices. Because of this, lots of car insurance companies are slashing prices and reducing the amount of money that it takes them to run their business. That means that these days you don't have to be suckered into high car insurance costs with services that will leave you stranded on the side of the road when you need to find safety and begin the process of handling the details of your accident and paying for the damages caused by the automobile accident that you've been involved in. The Internet has made this information so readily available to virtually everyone that insurance companies know that they can't hide the facts from you anymore. If they're not the best deal out there, they know it. And until the availability of the Internet and so many websites that will let you know what you should be paying for the services you receive, now you will know it too. Finding discount car insurance isn't hard, and it'll definitely be worth the time you spend doing it.
Comparing Auto Insurance Costs Gets You Good Deals
Online car insurance quotes are a great place to start comparing insurance companies. You can get free car insurance quotes from most companies these days because car insurance companies want to let you know how cheaply you can have their services. They want you as a customer and they know that you have lots of options out there to find a cheap auto insurance quote, so don't think that you have to sacrifice quality for inexpensive rates. An auto insurance online quote will let you compare the cost of service from many different companies so that you'll be able to find the one that's just right for you.
Online car insurance quotes will often provide you not only with the car insurance cost from the company you're looking into. Many companies will not only give you car insurance low cost, but will show the auto insurance cost from a competitor. If you're looking for the best car insurance price, this can be very helpful to you because it can let you know that you're getting the best online car insurance quotes in a timely manner.
Car insurance companies around the world have online websites to help you compare costs and find the services you need. If you want to compare car insurance quote UK, then all you have to do is go online and research the popular car insurance companies in the UK. You will find that some offer you very cheap rates, but you'll want to also investigate the services that are provided with these low cost rates.
The maxim "you get what you pay for" can often apply to car insurance companies just as much as they apply to any other product that you buy from any company. You don't want to find yourself in an accident and then discover that your car insurance company will do very little to help you. But don't think that just because you don't have much money that you can't get good services from a reputable company. Because car insurance companies all over the world know that they have lots of competitors who are willing to offer you cheap prices on your auto insurance cost, they are cutting prices left and right to provide you with the best services possible at the prices that anyone can afford. Some companies will even offer you roadside assistance at a very low rate so that you can get help even if you're not in a car accident.
Now that you know that you can go online to research the best car insurance quotes at low costs, you have no excuse to be dealing with a company that won't treat you like the important customer that you are. Pay attention to what the deals in your area are and go with the cheapest quote that offers the services you need and you'll know that you're getting the best deal available.
Where to Find Insurance
If you haven't had to look for an insurance provider before, you may not beware that there are a large amount of companies that want your business. Just because they don't advertise on the radio doesn't mean that they aren't just as readily available as the car insurance companies.
If you're looking for health insurance and dental insurance, you'll want to be sure to check out companies that have a longstanding record of good customer service. We've all heard horror stories before about people who've paid their insurance companies for years and when they get sick the insurance company isn't there to help them in their time of need. Don't let that happen to you. By doing some research you'll be able to find the insurance company that fits your needs.
One company that you might want to check out is Aetna. You can call them toll free or you can research and apply for insurance online at their website at www.aetna.com. What you're going to get at Aetna's website is a list of possibilities and a menu that will help you find the insurance plan that is right for you. Don't hesitate to contact the company if you have more companies. We always hope that we'll be healthy all of our lives, but one day you might get sick. Doing some research now into what different insurance companies offer, before you sign up for their services, could save you and big headache, and possibly even your life, one day.
But auto, health, and dental insurance aren't the only kinds of insurance that exist. Plenty of American insurance companies are out there that your business to help you insure many other things in your life. Whether you own or rent your home, you'll want to get insurance. Home insurance and rental insurance will help you protect the things that you've worked hard for. We keep most everything we own in our homes, so if something, like a fire or a tornado, were to destroy our homes and everything in it, where would we be? It would be a shame to have to go all the way back to the beginning when having a little bit of house insurance could put you right back where you are now.
If you are going on a trip you might want to look into getting travel insurance. Travel insurance is important when you're far away from home because the insurance company might be the only way that you can get yourself out of a bad situation, whether that situation is sickness or theft or loss of property. When you're in a country where no one speaks your language, who else are you going to turn to?
If you own a business, you'll need business insurance. Business insurance can protect you from damaged merchandise and protects you and your employees while you're driving on the clock. Getting sued by someone isn't any fun, having business insurance can help cover your costs and see that your business survives.
Why should I buy life insurance?
Replace income for dependentsIf people depend on your income, life insurance can replace that income for them if you die. The most commonly recognized case of this is parents with young children. However, it can also apply to couples in which the survivor would be financially stricken by the income lost through the death of a partner, and to dependent adults, such as parents, siblings or adult children who continue to rely on you financially. Insurance to replace your income can be especially useful if the government- or employer-sponsored benefits of your surviving spouse or domestic partner will be reduced after your death.
Pay final expensesLife insurance can pay your funeral and burial costs, probate and other estate administration costs, debts and medical expenses not covered by health insurance.
Create an inheritance for your heirsEven if you have no other assets to pass to your heirs, you can create an inheritance by buying a life insurance policy and naming them as beneficiaries.
Pay federal “death” taxes and state “death” taxesLife insurance benefits can pay estate taxes so that your heirs will not have to liquidate other assets or take a smaller inheritance. Changes in the federal “death” tax rules between now and January 1, 2011 will likely lessen the impact of this tax on some people, but some states are offsetting those federal decreases with increases in their state-level “death” taxes.
Make significant charitable contributionsBy making a charity the beneficiary of your life insurance, you can make a much larger contribution than if you donated the cash equivalent of the policy’s premiums.
Create a source of savingsSome types of life insurance create a cash value that, if not paid out as a death benefit, can be borrowed or withdrawn on the owner’s request. Since most people make paying their life insurance policy premiums a high priority, buying a cash-value type policy can create a kind of “forced” savings plan. Furthermore, the interest credited is tax deferred (and tax exempt if the money is paid as a death claim).
How much life insurance do I need?
The surviving spouse will have no income from Social Security from age 53 until 60 unless the deceased buys additional life insurance to cover this period. It could be assumed that the surviving spouse will obtain a job at or before this time, but she could also become disabled or otherwise unable to work. If life insurance were bought for this period, the additional amount of insurance needed would be about $335,000.
Some people like to plan to use life insurance to pay off the home mortgage at the primary income earner’s death, so that the survivors are less likely to face the threat of losing their home. If life insurance were bought for this goal, the additional amount of insurance needed is the amount of the unpaid balance on the mortgage.
Some people like to provide money to pay to send their children to college out of their life insurance. We may assume that each child will attend a public college for four years and will need $15,000 per year. However, college costs have been rising faster than inflation for many decades, and this trend is unlikely to slow down. If life insurance were bought for this goal, the additional amount of insurance needed would be about $200,000.
In the example, no money is planned for the surviving spouse’s retirement, except for what the spouse would be entitled to receive from Social Security (about $1,200 per month). It could be assumed that the surviving spouse will obtain a job and will either participate in an employer’s retirement plan or save with an IRA, but she could also become disabled or otherwise unable to work. If life insurance were bought to provide the equivalent of $4000 per month starting at age 60 until 65 and $3,000 per month from 65 on (because at 65 Medicare will make carrying private health insurance unnecessary), the additional amount of insurance needed would be about $465,000.
What are the principal types of life insurance?
Level term means that the death benefit stays the same throughout the duration of the policy.
Decreasing term means that the death benefit drops, usually in one-year increments, over the course of the policy’s term.In 2003, virtually all (97 percent) of the term life insurance bought was level term. For more on the different types of term life insurance, click here.Whole Life/PermanentWhole life or permanent insurance pays a death benefit whenever you die—even if you live to 100! There are three major types of whole life or permanent life insurance—traditional whole life, universal life, and variable universal life, and there are variations within each type.In the case of traditional whole life, both the death benefit and the premium are designed to stay the same (level) throughout the life of the policy. The cost per $1,000 of benefit increases as the insured person ages, and it obviously gets very high when the insured lives to 80 and beyond. The insurance company could charge a premium that increases each year, but that would make it very hard for most people to afford life insurance at advanced ages. So the comapny keeps the premium level by charging a premium that, in the early years, is higher than what’s needed to pay claims, investing that money, and then using it to supplement the level premium to help pay the cost of life insurance for older people.By law, when these “overpayments” reach a certain amount, they must be available to the policyowner as a cash value if he or she decides not to continue with the original plan. The cash value is an alternative, not an additional, benefit under the policy.In the 1970s and 1980s, life insurance companies introduced two variations on the traditional whole life product—universal life insurance and variable universal life insurance.For more on the different types of whole life/permanent insurance, click here.