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Life Insurance – Term, Whole, Universal and Variable Life Insurance
Life Insurance Spartanburg SC provides peace of mind in knowing your loved ones will be financially protected if something happens to you. You can choose from several options, including Term, Whole, Universal, and Variable Life Insurance policies.
Beneficiaries can receive a death benefit through a lump sum payment, retained asset account payout, or specific income payout over a certain period.
Life insurance is a way to ensure that your loved ones will receive a lump sum death benefit when you die. The benefits are paid to people you choose (called beneficiaries). Term and permanent policies are available. Term policies protect for a specified period of time, such as 10, 20 or 30 years, at fixed rates that remain the same during the term of the policy. Permanent policies accumulate cash value that you can borrow against and some even pay dividends.
When choosing a life insurance policy, it is important to consider your coverage needs and budget. Use a life insurance calculator to help you estimate your family’s need for death benefits and determine how much coverage you should purchase. Then shop for the best value by comparing different companies and policies. You may also want to compare the financial strength of insurance companies, which is determined by independent ratings agencies.
You can find information about insurance company ratings in many places, including the websites of state insurance departments and consumer magazines. Many financial professionals and other people you know also have valuable experiences with life insurance, so they can help you make informed choices.
The cost of a life insurance policy depends on several factors, such as your age and health, the type and duration of the policy and any riders that you add to the policy. You can get an idea of what you might pay for a particular policy by visiting the website of a life insurance agent or requesting a quote.
A one-year term policy is typically the most affordable life insurance option. It is a good choice for covering short-term needs, such as to cover a mortgage or business loan, or for those who are not ready to commit to a long-term policy.
Most term policies can be converted into a permanent life insurance policy, such as universal or whole life, within a certain number of years. This gives you the flexibility to adjust your coverage as your needs change and can help you avoid higher premiums in the future.
Whole Life Insurance
Whole life insurance is a permanent policy that guarantees coverage for your entire lifetime as long as you pay your premiums. It also has a built-in savings component that accumulates cash value on a tax-deferred basis, similar to a low-risk investment account. This accumulated cash value is an important part of the living benefits of a whole life insurance policy, and can be used to offset the cost of your premiums in later years. However, loans and withdrawals from the cash value of a whole life policy will reduce the death benefit paid to your beneficiaries.
Some whole life policies allow you to borrow against the accumulated cash value of your policy to help with other expenses, such as a mortgage or college tuition. In this case, the loan interest will be added to your death benefit, and outstanding loans and withdrawals will reduce the total death benefit that is paid to your beneficiaries. Other whole life insurance policies let you take a portion of your death benefit as a lump sum instead of the accumulated cash value when you pass away, but this option requires a higher annual premium than other types of life insurance.
The main advantage of a whole life insurance policy is that your death benefit and accumulated cash value are guaranteed for your entire lifetime. This is a key benefit to consider when deciding whether or not a life insurance policy is right for you.
Many life insurance shoppers are drawn to whole life insurance because it provides permanent coverage, level premiums that don’t increase, and a guaranteed death benefit. It can also provide other benefits that can help with long-range financial planning, such as a potential investment vehicle, a source of income in retirement, or a way to help heirs pay for funeral costs and burial expenses.
Whole life insurance can be obtained with a fully underwritten application, which requires filling out a lengthy application and taking a medical exam, or through simplified issue and guaranteed issue policies that only require answering some health questions and undergoing a brief medical screening. The amount of coverage and the cost of your premium will depend on the type of life insurance policy you choose and your age, gender, lifestyle, and medical history.
Universal Life Insurance
Universal life insurance policies are a type of permanent policy with flexible premiums that can be adjusted up or down according to your financial situation and a cash savings component that accumulates tax-deferred over time. While these types of policies are more flexible than whole or term life insurance, they generally come at a higher price since they don’t guarantee a specific level of cash value growth.
A key benefit of a universal life policy is that you can choose how your beneficiaries receive your death benefits: the first option gives them only the face amount of your policy, while the second allows them to also draw from the cash value account of your policy. However, it’s important to note that if you take out loans from your policy or do not make payments on your premiums when required, the cash value balance will shrink and your death benefit will be reduced accordingly.
As a result of this flexibility, many people find that they need to be more active in managing their universal life policies than other types of insurance. In some cases, you may even be able to skip paying your premiums for short periods of time, though this will cause the mortality charges on your policy to increase.
Compared to whole or term life insurance, universal policies are typically more expensive, though you can often obtain lower premiums if you pay your premiums on time. They can be an excellent choice for individuals who want lifelong coverage and are interested in building a cash savings account.
If you’re interested in getting a universal life insurance policy, you can contact us to see what options are available for your unique situation. We’ll help you navigate the different options and make a decision that’s best for your family, financial goals, and appetite for risk. We’ll also compare whole life insurance and universal life insurance to other forms of permanent coverage like term life insurance to ensure that you have a full picture of your options before making a decision. Get a quote today to see how much universal life insurance you could be eligible for.
Variable Life Insurance
A variable life insurance policy, which is a type of permanent life insurance, allows you to invest some or all of your premium in various investment accounts. The money from these investments is added to your cash value account, which will eventually provide the death benefit to your beneficiaries when you die, as long as your premiums are paid and the terms of the policy are met.
The flexibility of this policy type may appeal to some, as you can choose to move funds between investment options at any time. Additionally, you can use your funds to pay premiums, or you can take loans against the policy. However, this policy type is not suitable for short-term savings as substantial fees and expenses may be incurred. It’s also important to understand that investment accounts and their underlying funds are subject to market risks, just as mutual funds are, and the possibility of losing some or all of your initial investment.
As with other permanent policies, premium rates for a variable life insurance policy vary by gender, age, lifestyle considerations such as smoking, family health history and occupation, as well as the death benefit amount. It’s important to discuss these factors with a financial professional who can gather variable life insurance quotes that are tailored to your specific needs and considerations.
Additionally, there are several other charges associated with variable life insurance, including the insurer’s internal policy fees and the fees of the investment options that make up the cash value component of the policy. These costs, which may include deductions from premium payments and surrender charges, can significantly reduce your policy’s value. If your cash value falls below zero due to poor investment performance, loans or a combination of both, your policy may lapse and terminate.
Suppose you decide to purchase a variable life insurance policy. In that case, the insurance company will allow you a period, called the look period, during which you can cancel your policy for any reason and have any unpaid premiums returned to you. The length of this period varies by insurance companies. Once the look period has expired, you will no longer be able to cancel your policy without paying a penalty fee.