Pas på dit liv – Du har kun ét

Thinking about how your loved ones will manage things after you’re gone? Your children will need money for college, your romantic partner will probably need help adjusting to the lack of your income stream. Maybe you just want to leave something behind after you go that does a little good in the world. Well, that’s what life insurance is here for. However, it’s a more intricate system than you’d think by just glancing over it. What kind of policy do you want: term, temporary life, or whole life insurance? Do you even know what the differences between those policies are? You also need to take into account the cost versus the premium with regards to your available finances.

You are faced with decisions like whether to get term life insurance or a whole life policy that won’t expire. You must make determinations about the amount how much life insurance you want, and how much you can afford.

Also consider which type of life insurance you’ll need: term, whole, or universal life. Term only lasts for a specified amount of time – usually 10 to 30 years. You can choose the term, and the amount of coverage, but remember: the longer the term, the higher the price; the higher the value, the higher the price. Term life covers you if you pass away during the term of the policy. However, if you do not, no insurance will be paid out and there’s no accumulated cash value. Although this sounds like a bad deal, term tends to be the cheapest form of insurance and is a good option for those who cannot afford whole life.

If you get whole life insurance, though, you’ll have insurance that works the opposite way. This policy will remain in effect for your entire lifespan so long as you make your payments properly. Since this insurance is more reliable for the customer than term insurance, it costs a bit more.

Whole life insurance covers one’s entire life, as long as the policy is held. To keep the policy, premiums must be paid or the policy must be paid up. Whole life insurance can often be paid up over time, usually around ten to twenty years. Because everyone will certainly die and whole life insurance requires the insurance company to pay regardless of when you die, this type of life insurance policy costs more than term life insurance. The benefit of this added cost is that the policy never expires.

Finally there’s universal life insurance. Like whole life insurance, it doesn’t have an expiration date. It’s considerably more detailed than the other types of insurance, separating aspects of insurance that are commonly packaged together. Because of this extra layer of organization, some customers will prefer universal insurance to combine insurance with personal savings. Once the insurance builds up enough monetary worth it can be borrowed against, and the face value itself can even go up. Universal life insurance is sufficiently complex that it would take a whole new article to really explain it, but those are the basics.

Using this and any other relevant information available to you, decide which type or combination of life insurance best suits your needs before purchasing a policy or policies. Balance your life insurance needs with the costs and your family’s budget.

Susan Reynolds is the webmaster for a leading South African Life Insurance provider. For more information visit: http://life.insurance123.co.za/

categories: Insurance,Finance,Life Insurance,Life Cover,Health,Death,Disability,People

If you want to provide survivors with sufficient funds, in the event of your premature death, then you need some kind of life insurance. Insurance monies are paid in a lump sum. That means they can be used to address not only the immediate expenses involved with estate settlement and funeral costs, but they can also help with the long term needs of survivors. With a life insurance policy, you can make provisions for your dependents. There are even life insurance policies that offer provisions in case you are disabled, and some even provide a retirement annuity.

South Africa really has a wide variety of life insurance options and providers. You can easily find policies that offer term, whole and universal life insurance plans.

Term life insurance, is coverage that lasts for a specific term of time. In other words, it is life insurance coverage taken out for a predetermined length of time, after which the coverage simply ceases to exist. This type of plan works very well if you want life coverage for a limited period. For example, maybe you only need a life insurance policy during the years it takes to pay off your home mortgage. Because it is shorter termed, this type of life insurance coverage is less expensive. The down side is, it does not have a cash value or investment potential.

Whole life insurance coverage is a little different, and far more complete. A payout of some kind is assured, and it expires only upon the policyholder’s death, or when it’s is given up. Once you are covered, you do not need to worry about the possibility of becoming uninsurable later in life. The insurance company will invest the premiums, and policyholders can borrow against the policy as soon as it builds cash value. Naturally, it costs more than a term life insurance policy.

An added bonus with a universal life insurance plan is the investment component. You make premium payments, but you receive interest on anything that is above the cost of the insurance. So, you get cash value on that amount each month. There is potential for rapid growth, but it is not guaranteed.

South Africa has several life insurance companies. One of the newest life insurance companies is1LifeDirect. They offer customers unique products at low monthly premiums, by cutting out the middleman. This in turn, saves on premiums. Discovery Life Insurance derives its know-how from the medical aid industry, which allows it to generate excellent insurance products, along with a fantastic loyalty program.

One of the bigger names in the insurance industry, Liberty Life Insurance offers three premium options that can accommodate any need. Moreover, one of the largest varieties of products on the market comes through RMB Insurance. Finally, Sanlam Insurance can provide both personal and group life insurance coverage.

Susan Reynolds is the webmaster for a leading South African Insurance Provider who specialises in Life Insurance.

categories: Insurance,Finance,Life Insurance,Life Cover,Health,Death,Disability,People

Life insurance brokers and life insurance agents are very different. Agents are hired by, and work for, one company. Because they work for a specific company, they push products for that business. Consequently, an insurance agent does not sell products for a rival insurance company.

Life insurance brokers are actually intermediaries between the customer and the insurance companies. So, they do not work for one specific company. Instead, they look at all the insurance companies, searching out the least expensive life insurance policy, which matches whatever specifications you have set.

Choosing the right life insurance policy is much easier, if you have a good broker. They will do all the research and sift through the mountain of options, looking for the packages and deals that might work best for you. Although some do charge a fee, brokers are paid on a commission basis. The insurance companies reimburse them whenever they pass on a customer. In fact, the broker’s commission is already factored into the cost of the insurance policy premium. It is interesting to note that, if you went directly to the insurance company, you would still pay the same price for a particular policy.

Rebating is a practice used by some brokers, despite the fact that it is prohibited in most places. When a broker rebates, what he is doing is cutting part of his commission. He then offers that savings to the customer. That proffered savings may seem quite tempting, but it is not a good idea to use an insurance broker that rebates. The primary reason is the fact that it is illegal. Aside from that, the monies saved are taxable income. You would have to declare it.

It is really very important to find a good insurance broker. The fact that a good broker will have developed working relations with a wide range of companies, allows you to have a wider range of options. They can also help you understand all those options. When deciding on your broker, make sure to ask questions.

Determine the broker’s level of experience. The more experience they have, the better it will be for you. Newer brokers just do not have the same level of experience, and they haven’t developed the same contact depth. Inexperience can be costly. A less experienced broker’s relationship portfolio will not be as extensive, which means you might not receive the best option available. Inexperience often results in misinformation and misdirection. That is something you could end up paying for.

Determine just how qualified your broker is, and ask how many companies they work with. This will give you an idea of just how extensive the polices and options will be. It stand to reason, the more companies they do business with, the more options you will have to choose from. Your broker really should be familiar with each company’s peculiarities, as well. The more your broker knows the insurance market, the more money you stand to save.

Susan Reynolds is the content coordinator for a leading South African Insurance Provider who specialises in Life Insurance Options.

categories: Insurance,Finance,Life Insurance,Life Cover,Health,Death,Disability,People