Insurance World

When you cash in your life insurance it is often called a Senior settlement, a Life Insurance Settlement or sometimes just an Insurance Settlement. The way it works is that you are trading the cash value (i.e. surrender value) of your policy to a third party for cash. This may happen even though the insurance policy does not have an actual surrender value. At times the cash you receive may be in excess of the cash surrender value of the life insurance policy.

This is usually done at or near retirement age in order to obtain additional cash for living expenses. Not only is cash received but the premiums you have been paying for the life insurance are no longer paid by you thus increasing your cash value.Basically this is a wealth and estate planning method.

In prior years seniors who had life insurance policies and felt that the premiums were a burden or that they no longer needed a life insurance policy just dropped the policy or turned it back to the life insurance company itself.But now they have an alternative.They can sell their insurance policy to someone other than the life insurance company.In this way they get much more cash.

Furthermore persons who take advantage of this method can use the money they receive for any purpose whatsoever although many people assume that such restrictions exist. In fact they can use the money for travel, buy another life insurance policy, purchase real estate, develop their hobbies,invest in a business venture. It is their money to dispose of as they wish.

The question now becomes: just how much money will you get from cashing in your life insurance policy? In most cases you will get about five times the cash surrender value of the life insurance policy. However other factors enter into the computation also.

Not all policies or people qualify for a Life Insurance Settlement. The restrictions are:

You must be at least 65 years old.
The policy itself or what is known as the cash value must be at least $50,000.00
The health of the holder of the policy must not be as good as it was when the life insurance policy was issued and his or her life expectancy must be under 15 years.
The life insurance policy must have been in effect longer than the probationary period.

Almost any type of life insurance policy is subject to being purchased. For instance: charities, individuals, trusts, term and group life insurance policies.

It is recommended that seniors take advantage of this great cash generating tool because the life insurance settlement may be substantially higher than the cash value of the policy. It is a mistake to let such life insurance policies lapse while this cash producing method is available. It is a no loose decision and should be seriously considered by all those eligible.

Shop around and do it yearly. Don’t just keep paying the invoice over and over without comparison shopping. Below are a few suggestions to help you get the best deal available on your automobile insurance policy.

Insurance agents really have a lot of leeway. They can price match and they can offer many discounts. There are also many decisions you can make about your policy that will save you a bundle. For example, if you change your deductible on your collision from a $50 deductible to a $1000 deductible, you’re inline for a huge premium savings. If you don’t think you could come up with $1000 out of pocket, then change it to a $500 deductible; you’ll still save a sizable amount on your annual premium payment.

You can also get more of a savings if you change your comprehensive deductible. Many people needlessly carry full coverage on their older vehicle. They originally purchased the vehicle new, paid for full coverage and to this day, continue to pay the same high rate. Their ten year old vehicle may be worth $1000 or less, yet they continue to pay $250-$450 every six months (total $500 to $900 dollars a year) to keep full coverage on their old vehicle.

However, if they have an accident and totaled their vehicle, the insurance company will only pay them the wholesale value of the vehicle. The amount they would receive could be $1000 or less. A vehicle that old just needs the insurance that protects the other person in case of an accident.

Another method to save more on your insurance is by combining your vehicles and other insurance together to get you additional savings. All insurance companies offer a multi-car discount (if yours doesn’t, it’s time to switch companies). Further, many will discount more if you have your homeowners or renters policy with them.

There are a few other discounts that you may not be taking advantage of. It seems obvious, but make sure you are getting the correct rate for your age. There are discounts for various ages than can save you lots of money. Check with your agent on this one. Also alarm systems on your vehicle are usually good for a discount. Additionally, anti-lock brakes and air bags can also help lower your premiums.

Don’t just keep paying the invoice when it comes in. Your insurance bill should be an automatic trigger for you to make a few phone calls to see if you can save even more money on your auto insurance premiums.