Insurance World

Looking for a life insurance policy? Then, be careful… because life insurance is difficult to understand. It’s easy to be conned into buying something under false pretenses.

Recently a prominent life insurance company together with several of its agents paid a huge fine because it permitted the sale of a life insurance policy disguised as a retirement plan.

Little attention was paid to what a life insurance policy is truly designed to provide.

Life insurance is not an investment for your benefit. It’s guaranteed income tax-free cash paid to someone you designate in the event of your death.

If you deeply care for someone and want to protect them, then buying a life insurance policy makes sense.

Are you the primary bread winner in your family? Well, your lost income could have horrible consequences and jeopardize the ability of those you love to continue to enjoy their standard of living.

The only way to guarantee an immediate replacement of this money is with the intelligent purchase of a life insurance policy.

Notice I didn’t say term life insurance, low cost life insurance, or whole life insurance.

Because to your loved ones… this doesn’t really matter.

Over the years I’ve delivered millions of dollars of life insurance benefit to the families of deceased bread winners.

And no one has ever asked me what type of life insurance policy it was. They were just extremely grateful to get the money.

Term is the cheapest, but it’s unlikely the death benefit will be paid since the life insurance policy will probably lapse before you actually die.

Right now the premium may seem cheap compared with other types. But what happens when you’re older?

Term life insurance premiums can be level for a specific number of years, but when that number of years is up the price will skyrocket to a point you won’t be able or willing to pay.

Whole life insurance provides a lifetime level premium until the policy is literally paid-up. This could be 10, 20 years … or when you reach age 65, 85 or 100.

One type of life insurance policy is not necessarily better than another. But it’s critical you understand what you are buying, how it works and your net cost.

After all, if the policy isn’t in force when you die you have thrown your premium dollars right down a rat hole.

By the way, don’t fall for that line about buy term and invest the difference. Anyone who cons you with this bunch of malarkey doesn’t have a clue how to intelligently evaluate the purchase of life insurance.

You should consider universal life. This type of policy can guarantee the death benefit up to age 115… regardless of the performance of the underlying investment.

Although more expensive then term life insurance, universal life is far less costly than a typical whole life insurance policy.

But be careful because some universal life policies are sold by focusing on projected interest rates rather than contractual guarantees.

If you are considering the purchase of a whole life insurance policy from a mutual company that declares annual dividends, ask the agent for a hypothetical illustration using a dividend forecast at least one percent less the current rate.

In the past when long-term interest rates were higher, mutual companies credited very handsome dividends to their policies.

But today with long-term rates still depressed, it’s unlikely a life insurance policy will perform as illustrated.

In summary, pay close attention to the guarantees of whatever life insurance policy you decide to buy. Also, make sure you know the credit rating of the life insurance company.

There is nothing wrong with term life insurance, but understand your options about converting to a permanent plan. This could be critical if you become uninsurable before the policy expires.

Remember… you may never get a second chance to make the right decision.

If you’re looking for the best cheap auto insurance, get ready to do your research and shop around. A great place to start looking for cheap auto insurance is your local telephone directory. Also, don’t settle for paying one company for auto insurance – shop around each year for a better price. Keep reading for some tips on how to get the best rates on cheap auto insurance.

It will really pay off if you go to an insurance agent for the best cheap auto insurance. They can negotiate on policy prices and they are able to give discounts you might not find anywhere else. When you are looking for cheap auto insurance, they can help you make decisions that will save you a lot of money. For instance, a change in your collision deductible can land you big savings on premiums for your auto insurance. Let’s say you currently have a $500 deductible. If you were to raise it to $1000, you could stand to save a lot of money on your auto insurance premiums.

You can sweeten the pot on auto insurance even more if you change your comprehensive deductible. If you have an older vehicle, you don’t necessarily need full coverage anymore. This happens frequently because you most likely paid for full coverage when the vehicle was brand new. As the car got older, you probably didn’t think to look for other cheap auto insurance and, consequently, you’ve been paying the same high rate for years. For example, a ten-year-old car could be worth as little as $1000. You’d hate to pay half of that (or more, in some cases) for full coverage!

If you should have an accident that totals your older vehicle, the cheap auto insurance company will only pay you the wholesale value of the car. This is why you want to insure yourself, the driver, very well, rather than the vehicle itself.

You can also save money with cheap auto insurance by combining coverage on your vehicles with other types of insurance, like homeowners’ or renters’ insurance. Also, if you are in a multi-car household, most auto insurance companies will give you a discount on the policies.

Another tip when it comes to auto insurance is to be sure you are getting the correct rate for your age. Your premiums tend to decrease once you pass your mid-twenties. Check with your insurance agent for any other age-related discounts. It’s also important to consider anti-lock brake systems, air bags and alarm systems for your cars. These all diminish your premiums.

Hopefully these useful tips have encouraged you to shop around for better cheap auto insurance. By contacting an insurance agent, you have the chance of lowering your premiums. Also, if you are willing to take the time to research the best deals, you can save even more money on your cheap auto insurance. Auto insurance doesn’t have to cost you a fortune. You just need to know where to look for deals and how to maximize your discounts. Go make a few calls or search the web for the best rates today.

This article is free for republishing as long as it will include this resource box. Author of this article, Marian Rozwenc, PhD, is a specialist on the field of auto insurance. For more info go to: http://losangelesautoinsurancelocator.com