Life insurance can sometime be more complicated than it should be. Brokers boggle you with terminology so you don't always know exactly what you are getting. There are several different types of life insurance and it is not always easy to know which one is the best policy for you. Many people will not even consider life insurance because they believe myths that have been circulated in the public domain. While there are sometimes elements of truth to some of the myths, most often it is a misunderstanding or misinterpretation of the policy that results in these myths. Here are a few life insurance myths that are commonly believed yet largely untrue.
Suicide Is Not Covered
This is something that is widely believed in the general public. While some life insurance policies may exclude it as a condition, others don't specifically exclude it. In some states, suicide is only excluded for a period of time after the policy has been taken out. After a specified amount of time, the policy may then come into effect. You do however need to read the terms and conditions of your specific policy very carefully to establish if this is the case.
All Life Insurance Policies Are the Same
There are four definitely different types of life insurance. Each type of insurance has its own benefits and disadavantages. The two major types of life insurance are whole life insurance and term life insurance. There are then also two variations on term life insurance which offer added components to the policies. These are known as variable life insurance and universal life insurance. By definition, whole life insurance covers a person for their entire life. The cash benefit of the life insurance policy is paid out upon death to the beneficiaries listed in the policy. Most times the whole life insurance premium and the death benefit are fixed amounts. This is the more conservative, more expensive and traditional type of life insurance.
Term life insurance is a policy that you purchase for a specific term or period of time. For example, if you have the responsibility of paying for a home mortgage or school tuition fees for your children, you may take out term life insurance to cover that period of time. Premiums are paid into the policy for the duration of the term which is usually a period of 10 or 20 years. At the end of the term, if you are still alive, the policy lapses. Sometimes it can be renewed but usually with penalties. The basic downside is that your beneficiaries do not receive any payout or benefit unless your death occurs while the policy is current. The only purpose of the premiums is to keep the policy active for the duration of the policy term. The two variations on term life insurance are variable life insurance and universal life insurance. In these policies, you can invest a cash portion in different funds or vary the amount of your monthly contributions. Sometimes, you can also withdraw a loan from the policy. The policy you choose will depend on what your life insurance needs are.
You Don't Need Life Insurance if You Have Other Investments
Often people believe that it is better to invest in property or other similar assets rather than life insurance. The problem with this is until those assets are fully paid for or until your investment reaches a breakeven point, they are actually not assets but merely investments. Most often, term life insurance is used to cover the value of these investments. It means that if you happened to die before the investments become assets, the insurance policy will at least cover their value and your beneficiaries will be left with genuine assets.
Life Insurance Is Only for People with Families
Some people believe that life insurance is only for people that have families or dependents. On the contrary, if you have any assets, debts or forms of investments, you need to find a way of protecting these investments. Single executives may invest in property. They may not have dependents to protect but wouldn't it make sense to protect your investment? Even if your beneficiaries are your parents, siblings, or a trust fund, you'll know that whatever money you are putting into your investment will be protected. Life insurance ensures that the value of the investment is covered. Most often, term life insurance is adequate to provide life insurance coverage for the period of your investment.
Real Insurance is a part of the Hollard Group of companies. The Hollard Group has offices in the United States, the UK, South Africa, Australia and throughout South East Asia and provides a wide range of insurance products and services to more than 6 million policyholders worldwide. For more information about Real life coverage, visit us online today!
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