Insurance World

Who needs it?

Life Insurance cover provides either a lump sum or an income on the untimely death of an individual. Therefore, anyone who’s death would create a financial loss to another has a need for life insurance cover. This could/should include the following: -

Parties to a Mortgage or indeed a loan (mortgage life insurance cover)
Anyone with dependents (whilst a parent may not work, surely there would be a financial loss if anything were to happen whilst there are young children to be cared for)
Key Individuals. Where a business would suffer financial loss on the death of an essential employee.

In essence any situation where monetary loss would be incurred could possibly have a need for life insurance cover.

630,000 people in the UK will die this year* *source:National Statistics, Winter 2002

Types of Cover

Term Life Insurance

Term life insurance is as it suggests taken out for a specified number of years at outset. With this type of policy you are merely paying for the cover provided based on your age, health and the term. Therefore, it is important to obtain the most competitive term life insurance quote for the cover provided. It is possible to take out term life insurance that will pay level lump sums, decreasing lump sums (mortgage life insurance cover) or regular payments (income).

Whole of Life

As the name suggests, potentially, this type of policy will provide cover through an individuals life time. However, when obtaining a whole of life insurance quote, as well as level of premium there are other aspects to be considered, such as investment performance, effect of charges, financial strength of the company.

Which one?

There are good arguments for both type of policy. We would suggest that the following could make up the main considerations: -

Cost - Whole of Life insurance, as a rule of thumb is usually the more expensive type of product.
Period that cover is required - If cover is required for a specific period i.e. a Mortgage then Term cover could be more appropriate
Future Plans - If, for instance a family is planned, then whole of life can offer the flexibility to increase cover for this or other like events.

Note

Critical Illness(CI) now provides an equally important benefit and we would strongly recommend that you view the CI Factsheet.

Conclusion

This artice is meant merely as a rough guide to the needs and options surrounding Life Assurance. It is by no means a comprehensive outline to anyones particular requirements. It would be, therefore, wise to use this as a guide and seek more comprehensive advice, via a professional Independent Financial Adviser. All advisers are Regulated and Authorised by the Financial Services Authority (FSA) and are now required to explain their status to you (either independent and fee charging, independent but paid by commission only, or tied)

Whether you’re a homeowner or renter, insurance provides critical protection.

Homeowner’s insurance protects your home’s physical structure and your personal property. In contrast, renter’s insurance only protects your personal property. Everyone-homeowners and renters-needs liability coverage to provide financial protection in case others are injured on your property or by your actions.

You have the option to insure your home and belongings for either their replacement cost or their actual cash value. Actual cash value is the amount it would take to repair your home or replace damaged possessions after factoring in depreciation. Replacement cost is the amount it would take to repair your home with materials of similar kind and quality, or to purchase new possessions without deducting for depreciation.

It’s a good idea to make an inventory of all of your personal belongings and save receipts for major items, along with a photograph or video of each room. Store copies of the documentation in a safe-deposit box or another off-site secure location in case your home is destroyed.

Following are some helpful considerations provided by The National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC), a voluntary organization of state insurance regulatory officials:

Important Considerations

If you have expensive valuables -such as jewelry, antiques or art-you’ll probably want to purchase a “rider” to your policy, as these items are subject to coverage limitations in basic policies.

Damage to your home or belongings caused by flooding is NOT typically included in a homeowner’s policy. If you live in an area prone to flooding, inquire about flood insurance through the federal government’s National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP). Your insurance agent can help you obtain flood insurance.

Insurance Tips for Different Life Stages

At different stages, you’re likely to have different insurance needs. For instance:

• Young singles who are sharing an apartment with unrelated roommates each need their own individual renter’s policy to protect their own possessions.

• Young families that add a swing set or trampoline for their kids should consider additional liability insurance.

• Established families that may be remodeling or building an addition should update their homeowner’s policy to reflect these enhancements.

• Seniors should ask if they are eligible for discounts. And if you’ve just paid off your mortgage -and your homeowner’s insurance was previously paid through your mortgage company-be sure to assume direct responsibility for the premiums so that your policy doesn’t lapse.

Remember, before you sign an application for insurance, take a few minutes to stop, call your state insurance department and confirm that the company is legitimate and authorized to sell insurance in your state.