Life insurance is an important purchase, and one you shouldn't jump into without a little knowledge. Of course, you know that. Why else are you trying to find out how to buy term life insurance? And, since you are reading this, chances are you've already decided, or are close to deciding, that term life insurance is for you.
Before you call a term life insurance agent and actually buy your term life insurance policy, take the following tips and advice into consideration.
Buy your term life insurance policy as early as possible. The earlier you purchase a term life insurance policy, the better. Life insurance companies view older individuals as more risky to insure than younger individuals. So, buy early and get cheaper term life insurance policy rates.
Seriously consider how long you need or want life insurance coverage. Term life insurance policies usually run from five to 30 years. You may not want coverage for 30 years; at the same time, some insurance companies offer premium discounts if you purchase a longer-lasting term life insurance policy. Weigh your options.
Ask about renewal procedures. Life insurance companies vary on their term life insurance policy renewal procedures. Some increase your policy premiums at annual renewal term (each year), and some offer fixed premiums for a certain number of years. Others either provide a schedule payment with the possibility of hitting the maximum premium payment per year, while there are companies that require you to prove your good health in order to renew (this usually happens at re-entry dates). Find out what you're getting yourself into before you choose a particular term life insurance policy.
Keep your options open. There are term life insurance policies that can be converted to permanent life insurance policies. You might not be interested in permanent life insurance now (especially since you're reading up on term life insurance), but you may change your mind in the future.
Buy Term Life Insurance
When is the best time to buy term life insurance? Take a moment to consider when is the best time to buy any type of life insurance. Also think about whether you should buy any life insurance at all. Do you need life insurance? Of course you do...everyone does. Life insurance pays outstanding debt after death for pennies on the dollar. Why should you pay the full amount of your debt when you can pay it for 3 cents on the dollar. When is the best time to buy term life insurance for family protection? Do you have a family? Do you think you need to guarantee that your income continues going to them after your death? Of course you do.
May be the best time to buy term insurance is now. Why? As you get older the same policy you would buy today will cost you more. The actuaries that work with the life insurance companies know how many people at a given age are going to die within a year. They know how many will be alive next year this time. The problem is that we don't want to think about the possibility of death. If we give the matter some thought we realize that the best time to buy term life insurance is today. Why do I keep referring to term life insurance? Term policies cost less than permanent policies. Anybody with an income can buy some term insurance as long as s/he can qualify for it.
Some of the permanent policies like whole life, universal life or variable universal life are too costly for many people but they can afford a term policy. May be you only want the policy to pay last expenses. $10,000 to $20,000 will do that for most people. The costs of these policies are so negligible that anyone can buy a term policy to take care of last expenses.
The best type of term life insurance for you depends on the period of time you for which you need to keep the policy. Policies of choice are the level term policies for 10 years, 15 years, 20 years, 25 years or 30 years. The shorter the time you will need the policy the lower the cost. When is the best time to buy your term life insurance policy? You should buy your policy at the earliest convenience as each year you wait it costs more. The fact is many people will not qualify for the policy next year this time because of ill health.
I have spent more than 40 years in the life insurance business and I can tell you many sad but delightful, in a way, stories about people who did not wait to buy their life insurance. These stories are sad because someone died but they are delightful in other ways. The outstanding debts were paid off and the families left behind were provided for. The children could continue going to the same school and the surviving spouse could take them there in the same car. The money needed to take care of final expenses was more than sufficient.
The other side of the coin is rather ugly. I could tell you stories about many people who died without sufficient life insurance but I won't. The best time to buy term life insurance is now. There is no time like the present to do the smart thing.
For additional information on term life insurance go to: http://www.lifeinsurancehub.net/termlifeinsurancequotes.html
Both Elizabeth Newberry & Donald Lusan are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.