The Four Types of Term Life Insurance


by Barry Waxler - Date: 2007-05-20 - Word Count: 449 Share This!

At first blush, term life insurance seems as though it would refer to just one type of insurance policy. In fact, term life insurance really breaks down into four unique policies.

Term life insurance is the simplest form of life insurance you can buy. It lasts for a certain term of years and you pay a certain amount to have coverage. If the party that is insured passes away, the relevant death benefit is paid out. If they do not, it is not. No cash builds up in the policy in any way.

This is more or less the general way term life insurance works, but most policies fall into one of four variations that differ remarkably. The differences between the variations have to do with either how your fund them or the reason for the coverage. This means the premium payments and death benefit change in various ways.

The simplest variation is the yearly renewable term policy. As the name suggests, this policy is renewed each year. The unique aspect of this policy is it changes each year. The premiums go up, but so does the death benefit.

The level premium term policy offers exactly what the name suggests. The premium is the same every year so long as the policy is in effect. At the end of the term of the policy, you can often get a second term at fairly favorable rates if you still meet the health guidelines of the insurance company. This is known as re-entering the policy.

Decreasing term life insurance is our third variation. With this policy, the premium starts and stays low throughout the term. The death benefit, however, decreases over time. So, why would anyone want such a policy? This policy is given the nickname of mortgage life insurance. The intended use is to pay off the mortgage of the insured should they pass away. As time passes, the mortgage should decrease, which requires less and less death benefit.

The return of premium term life insurance policy is both a mouthful and a misunderstood variation of life insurance. You pay a higher premium than for most regular term life, but you get it back at the end of the policy should you survive the 10, 20 or how every many years. Why would an insurance company offer this? Statistically, enough people abandon the policy to make it profitable. Also, the insurance company reinvests the higher premiums and makes money in the interim. It is like giving the insurance company a free loan.

So, what is the best variation for you? There is no correct answer for everyone. Your best option is to sit down with a financial advisor and discuss your situation to ascertain the best choice.


Related Tags: insurance, life, term, premiums, level premium, decreasing premium, return of premium, death benefit

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