Showing posts with label Assurance. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Assurance. Show all posts

Tuesday, March 30, 2010

Ten Things You Should Know About Life Assurance


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1. The primary motivation for purchasing life assurance is to insure that your loved ones are cared for in the event of your death.

2. Life assurance policies are calculated by underwriters who determine the amount of money needed to replace your income in the event of your death.

3. Life assurance is usually purchased to cover the cost of mortgage re-payments, and other bills, in the event of the death of the people responsible for paying the mortgage; special polices exist whereby the premium costs reduce as the outstanding mortgage amount reduces, these are known as Mortgage Life insurances.

4. insurance policies vary their premium rates for the maintenance of the policy, and the amount payable following death or termination of the contract (the sum assured), depending on certain characteristics of the policy holder(s)- including age, sex, health and occupation.

5. Three types of life assurance policy exist; Term Assurance is a contract which lasts for a fixed term and aims to provide financial protection against death; Whole Life is akin to making a financial investment, a premium is paid at specific intervals and is designed to provide the sum assured in the event of death or at a specified later date; Endowment Assurance is similar to whole life assurance, however, these polices mature, meaning that after a specified time the sum assured is payable whether or not the policy holder(s) have died. For both the latter types of assurance, there is an option to surrender the policy at anytime in order to receive a lump sum, the amount of which will be determined by the length and amount of the premiums thus paid.

6. Life assurance is very difficult and expensive to obtain after the age of 70; usually, the older you are the higher your premium rates will be.

7. Generally, individuals who smoke are offered very high premiums; this is because smoking is considered to be very high risk.

8. For a sum assured to be paid out to an individual in the event of death, the policy must be active at the time of the event.

9. Many assurance policies offer Terminal Illness cover, and will pay-out in the event of terminal illness, once a doctor has certified that death is expected to occur within 12 months.

10. The minimum term for a life assurance policy is normally a period of 2 years, although most policies last for between 20-25 years or more.

Life assurance should be considered as a necessary feature of your financial arrangements, they will provide you with the peace of mind that your family will be looked after in the event of your death.

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Colorado Health Insurance and Life Assurance


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Life insurance, sometimes called Life Assurance is a contract between two parties. This contract is usually between the policy holder and the insurer. In return for the policy holder paying a monthly or annual premium the insurer guarantees a specified monetary payout upon the death of the policy holder.

Each policy has its own terms and these can vary widely from insurer to insurer. A standard among all policies is that the insured cannot commit suicide or the policy will not payout. Also most policies will not accept new members if they have a terminal illness.

Costs involved with Colorado Life insurance vary from provider to provider. These costs are based on things like age, sex and whether the person has ever smoked or has a history of family illness. Most all insurance companies put policy holders in one of four categories. These categories include Preferred Best, Preferred, Standard and Tobacco.

There are many types of life insurance. These types include but are not limited to Temporary or (Term), Whole Life Coverage, Universal Life Coverage, Permanent, Limited-Pay, Accidental Death and Endowments. Each insurance type has it benefits and drawbacks. Be sure to consult a qualified Colorado Insurance Specialist before signing any paperwork for coverage.

Life insurance policies are for the most part are not taxable income. So any payout made to the beneficiary should not be taxed by state or federal government. This may however not be the case if the policy is somehow tied to an estate.

Insurance companies are not required to provide health of life insurance and can deny anyone for any reason they want.

Remember always consult a certified Colorado Insurance Specialist for any questions you have.

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Monday, March 29, 2010

Colorado Health Insurance and Life Assurance


Image : http://www.flickr.com


Life insurance, sometimes called Life Assurance is a contract between two parties. This contract is usually between the policy holder and the insurer. In return for the policy holder paying a monthly or annual premium the insurer guarantees a specified monetary payout upon the death of the policy holder.

Each policy has its own terms and these can vary widely from insurer to insurer. A standard among all policies is that the insured cannot commit suicide or the policy will not payout. Also most policies will not accept new members if they have a terminal illness.

Costs involved with Colorado Life insurance vary from provider to provider. These costs are based on things like age, sex and whether the person has ever smoked or has a history of family illness. Most all insurance companies put policy holders in one of four categories. These categories include Preferred Best, Preferred, Standard and Tobacco.

There are many types of life insurance. These types include but are not limited to Temporary or (Term), Whole Life Coverage, Universal Life Coverage, Permanent, Limited-Pay, Accidental Death and Endowments. Each insurance type has it benefits and drawbacks. Be sure to consult a qualified Colorado Insurance Specialist before signing any paperwork for coverage.

Life insurance policies are for the most part are not taxable income. So any payout made to the beneficiary should not be taxed by state or federal government. This may however not be the case if the policy is somehow tied to an estate.

Insurance companies are not required to provide health of life insurance and can deny anyone for any reason they want.

Remember always consult a certified Colorado Insurance Specialist for any questions you have.

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Sunday, March 28, 2010

The Growing Life Assurance Protection Gap


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Life assurance industry experts always bang on about the 'Protection Gap'. This is the difference between the levels of life assurance cover that we have taken out against the amount of cover that the industry believes we need. However, if the latest figure that has been produced by the UK life insurance experts is correct then, as a country we are massively underinsured as the gap stands at a whopping £2.5 trillion, and is growing every year.

We are mainly very good at ensuring that we have the mortgage covered by life insurance should the very worst happen, but it appears that we have totally forgotten all the other costs such as other debts, supporting children and even the mundane, such as living expenses. Of course, those with no dependents have no need of life assurance, but those who do should consider it very carefully.

Unlike most things today, the price of life insurance premiums has actually fallen. In fact, if you compare life insurance premiums to costs ten years ago, they are actually 50% cheaper, meaning that if price was a barrier for most people a few years ago then that situation has changed.

At this point, you may be jumping up and down saying that you are actually ten years older than you were and therefore even though premiums have dropped, because of your age it will still be more expensive. That is a common misconception. Because people are now living longer they pose less of a risk to life assurance companies, and that has helped drive premiums down. Plus, there is more competition meaning that those pressures also force down prices.

Re-visiting the level of your life assurance may also allow you to investigate additional benefit options such as critical life illness cover. Prices will also vary depending upon whether you opt for level term or decreasing term assurance. Level term, as its name suggests offers the same benefits in the case of death over a fixed period, whereas decreasing term reduces the benefits over the period, usually in tandem with your mortgage. As that is repaid, then the amount you would require in cover also reduces.

Recent research produced by the Daily Telegraph highlighted that almost one in three adults in the UK were found to have no life assurance at all. Even though statistically the vast majority thankfully will not require it, if the worst should happen then think of the financial impact on those left behind. Are you happy to live with your own Life Assurance Protection Gap?

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What is Life Assurance


Image : http://www.flickr.com


Most people who are married or who have any dependents would be horrified by the thought of their untimely death leaving their family with hefty bills to pay, an outstanding mortgage to struggle to meet, or a sudden decline in their standard of living. Life assurance - which guarantees an agreed lump sum benefit in the event of the policy holder's death - is designed to take the sting out of just such worries.

You will probably have noticed this type of insurance variously described as life insurance or life assurance and you might have wondered why. The reason for the distinction - which these days is often blurred - arises from the fact that insurance is about the risk of something happening. Death, on the other hand, is the one certainty that all of us can count on as happening at some time. The description life assurance, therefore, was coined for the contract under which a life assurance company agreed to pay out an assured sum upon the policy holder's death.

To add a little more confusion to the picture, most of this type of product sold today takes the form of term life assurance. With term life, cover is extended for a predetermined number of years and if the policy holder dies within that period, the assured lump sum is indeed paid. If the policy holder survives the agreed term, however, then no benefit at all is paid. It could be argued that this arrangement is indeed life insurance, since the risk is being taken whether or not the policy holder will die within the term of the policy. Purists might argue, therefore, that the label "life assurance" should be reserved for something called whole-of-life assurance which pays a lump sum to the policy holder's beneficiaries at whatever time death occurs.

Suffice it to say that the terms assurance and insurance are, in common usage, practically interchangeable. As noted, whole-of-life assurance will almost always pay out, so its premiums tend to be somewhat higher than standard term life assurance. Whole-of-life cover is also generally packaged with an investment plan, designed to enhance the final payout, and this too increases the price of the premiums.

Standard term life assurance, however, remains remarkably cheap. Indeed, it is one of the few products in any market which has actually come down in price over the past decade. The level of benefits payable under a term life assurance policy are directly proportional to the level of premiums paid, so it is very much a question of choice as to how much protection is bought. It also comes in a number of different types, to suit a variety of personal circumstances.

The most popular variation is level term life assurance. It is called level term because the assured lump sum benefit remains the same throughout the insured term. Decreasing term, on the other hand and just as its name suggests, offers a decreasing death benefit during the course of the term. With a steadily decreasing sum at risk, the life assurance company can charge an even lower premium, making this the ideal choice for someone who wishes to ensure that a standard repayment mortgage (on which the balance is also steadily decreasing) is fully paid off in the event of their death. For those who want to build in some degree of increasing benefit, there is either increasing term life assurance (with the lump sum benefit increasing by predetermined annual increments) or index-linked term life assurance (where the benefit payable increases in line with inflation).

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Saturday, March 27, 2010

Ten Things You Should Know About Life Assurance


Image : http://www.flickr.com


1. The primary motivation for purchasing life assurance is to insure that your loved ones are cared for in the event of your death.

2. Life assurance policies are calculated by underwriters who determine the amount of money needed to replace your income in the event of your death.

3. Life assurance is usually purchased to cover the cost of mortgage re-payments, and other bills, in the event of the death of the people responsible for paying the mortgage; special polices exist whereby the premium costs reduce as the outstanding mortgage amount reduces, these are known as Mortgage Life insurances.

4. insurance policies vary their premium rates for the maintenance of the policy, and the amount payable following death or termination of the contract (the sum assured), depending on certain characteristics of the policy holder(s)- including age, sex, health and occupation.

5. Three types of life assurance policy exist; Term Assurance is a contract which lasts for a fixed term and aims to provide financial protection against death; Whole Life is akin to making a financial investment, a premium is paid at specific intervals and is designed to provide the sum assured in the event of death or at a specified later date; Endowment Assurance is similar to whole life assurance, however, these polices mature, meaning that after a specified time the sum assured is payable whether or not the policy holder(s) have died. For both the latter types of assurance, there is an option to surrender the policy at anytime in order to receive a lump sum, the amount of which will be determined by the length and amount of the premiums thus paid.

6. Life assurance is very difficult and expensive to obtain after the age of 70; usually, the older you are the higher your premium rates will be.

7. Generally, individuals who smoke are offered very high premiums; this is because smoking is considered to be very high risk.

8. For a sum assured to be paid out to an individual in the event of death, the policy must be active at the time of the event.

9. Many assurance policies offer Terminal Illness cover, and will pay-out in the event of terminal illness, once a doctor has certified that death is expected to occur within 12 months.

10. The minimum term for a life assurance policy is normally a period of 2 years, although most policies last for between 20-25 years or more.

Life assurance should be considered as a necessary feature of your financial arrangements, they will provide you with the peace of mind that your family will be looked after in the event of your death.

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The Growing Life Assurance Protection Gap


Image : http://www.flickr.com


Life assurance industry experts always bang on about the 'Protection Gap'. This is the difference between the levels of life assurance cover that we have taken out against the amount of cover that the industry believes we need. However, if the latest figure that has been produced by the UK life insurance experts is correct then, as a country we are massively underinsured as the gap stands at a whopping £2.5 trillion, and is growing every year.

We are mainly very good at ensuring that we have the mortgage covered by life insurance should the very worst happen, but it appears that we have totally forgotten all the other costs such as other debts, supporting children and even the mundane, such as living expenses. Of course, those with no dependents have no need of life assurance, but those who do should consider it very carefully.

Unlike most things today, the price of life insurance premiums has actually fallen. In fact, if you compare life insurance premiums to costs ten years ago, they are actually 50% cheaper, meaning that if price was a barrier for most people a few years ago then that situation has changed.

At this point, you may be jumping up and down saying that you are actually ten years older than you were and therefore even though premiums have dropped, because of your age it will still be more expensive. That is a common misconception. Because people are now living longer they pose less of a risk to life assurance companies, and that has helped drive premiums down. Plus, there is more competition meaning that those pressures also force down prices.

Re-visiting the level of your life assurance may also allow you to investigate additional benefit options such as critical life illness cover. Prices will also vary depending upon whether you opt for level term or decreasing term assurance. Level term, as its name suggests offers the same benefits in the case of death over a fixed period, whereas decreasing term reduces the benefits over the period, usually in tandem with your mortgage. As that is repaid, then the amount you would require in cover also reduces.

Recent research produced by the Daily Telegraph highlighted that almost one in three adults in the UK were found to have no life assurance at all. Even though statistically the vast majority thankfully will not require it, if the worst should happen then think of the financial impact on those left behind. Are you happy to live with your own Life Assurance Protection Gap?

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Thursday, March 25, 2010

What is Life Assurance


Image : http://www.flickr.com


Most people who are married or who have any dependents would be horrified by the thought of their untimely death leaving their family with hefty bills to pay, an outstanding mortgage to struggle to meet, or a sudden decline in their standard of living. Life assurance - which guarantees an agreed lump sum benefit in the event of the policy holder's death - is designed to take the sting out of just such worries.

You will probably have noticed this type of insurance variously described as life insurance or life assurance and you might have wondered why. The reason for the distinction - which these days is often blurred - arises from the fact that insurance is about the risk of something happening. Death, on the other hand, is the one certainty that all of us can count on as happening at some time. The description life assurance, therefore, was coined for the contract under which a life assurance company agreed to pay out an assured sum upon the policy holder's death.

To add a little more confusion to the picture, most of this type of product sold today takes the form of term life assurance. With term life, cover is extended for a predetermined number of years and if the policy holder dies within that period, the assured lump sum is indeed paid. If the policy holder survives the agreed term, however, then no benefit at all is paid. It could be argued that this arrangement is indeed life insurance, since the risk is being taken whether or not the policy holder will die within the term of the policy. Purists might argue, therefore, that the label "life assurance" should be reserved for something called whole-of-life assurance which pays a lump sum to the policy holder's beneficiaries at whatever time death occurs.

Suffice it to say that the terms assurance and insurance are, in common usage, practically interchangeable. As noted, whole-of-life assurance will almost always pay out, so its premiums tend to be somewhat higher than standard term life assurance. Whole-of-life cover is also generally packaged with an investment plan, designed to enhance the final payout, and this too increases the price of the premiums.

Standard term life assurance, however, remains remarkably cheap. Indeed, it is one of the few products in any market which has actually come down in price over the past decade. The level of benefits payable under a term life assurance policy are directly proportional to the level of premiums paid, so it is very much a question of choice as to how much protection is bought. It also comes in a number of different types, to suit a variety of personal circumstances.

The most popular variation is level term life assurance. It is called level term because the assured lump sum benefit remains the same throughout the insured term. Decreasing term, on the other hand and just as its name suggests, offers a decreasing death benefit during the course of the term. With a steadily decreasing sum at risk, the life assurance company can charge an even lower premium, making this the ideal choice for someone who wishes to ensure that a standard repayment mortgage (on which the balance is also steadily decreasing) is fully paid off in the event of their death. For those who want to build in some degree of increasing benefit, there is either increasing term life assurance (with the lump sum benefit increasing by predetermined annual increments) or index-linked term life assurance (where the benefit payable increases in line with inflation).

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Tuesday, March 23, 2010

Term Assurance - A Great Policy For Short-Term Goals


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Term assurance is a type of temporary insurance. It is applicable only for a a limited time-period or the term. For example, the term might be until children are grown, or until college is paid for, or until retirement. You pay the premium for the period until which the policy applies and after which it expires. And thus no benefits can be derived after the expiry of the policy. As contrary to term assurance, there is also something as permanent insurance which covers the whole lifetime.

The major goal behind devising this scheme is to cater to people with limited budget and to provide insurance on a temporary basis, when whole life insurance may be out of budget. The main benefit is that this scheme can be bought for a large amount at a small initial premium, and they are also adjustable according to projected changes of investment earnings. This renders this scheme as suitable for short-range goals, such as providing extra life insurance protection during child-raising years. This assurance policy is found to be more suitable for young families who have large financial obligations.

Premiums being low, a term assurance policy gets you good coverage for the term decided upon. Most insurance products are sold through independent agents who may be representing several companies. They can help you to choose from a variety of insurance products. You can also log on to the internet to search for online How Health Insurance Covers Your agents. This proves to be a faster and easier means to avail to this product.

Select the right agent who has some market reputation and those who are well-experienced in fields such as medical insurance so that they can guide you and serve you well with a policy of a reliable insurance company. The main thing you should take care of and also that which is the purpose of all this exercise is that all your insurance claims should be settled without any hassles for you.

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Tuesday, March 16, 2010

Term Assurance - A Great Policy For Short-Term Goals


Image : http://www.flickr.com


Term assurance is a type of temporary insurance. It is applicable only for a a limited time-period or the term. For example, the term might be until children are grown, or until college is paid for, or until retirement. You pay the premium for the period until which the policy applies and after which it expires. And thus no benefits can be derived after the expiry of the policy. As contrary to term assurance, there is also something as permanent insurance which covers the whole lifetime.

The major goal behind devising this scheme is to cater to people with limited budget and to provide insurance on a temporary basis, when whole life insurance may be out of budget. The main benefit is that this scheme can be bought for a large amount at a small initial premium, and they are also adjustable according to projected changes of investment earnings. This renders this scheme as suitable for short-range goals, such as providing extra life insurance protection during child-raising years. This assurance policy is found to be more suitable for young families who have large financial obligations.

Premiums being low, a term assurance policy gets you good coverage for the term decided upon. Most insurance products are sold through independent agents who may be representing several companies. They can help you to choose from a variety of insurance products. You can also log on to the internet to search for online How Health Insurance Covers Your agents. This proves to be a faster and easier means to avail to this product.

Select the right agent who has some market reputation and those who are well-experienced in fields such as medical insurance so that they can guide you and serve you well with a policy of a reliable insurance company. The main thing you should take care of and also that which is the purpose of all this exercise is that all your insurance claims should be settled without any hassles for you.

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Monday, March 15, 2010

Insurance Versus Assurance - What's the Difference?


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Anyone reading about insurance can be forgiven for thinking that the terms 'life insurance' and 'life assurance' are interchangeable, but are there any differences between the two terms and if not, why are there two different words for the same thing?

Put simply "insurance" is provided against an event that might happen whereas "assurance" applies to an event that will happen. So, insurance is a policy taken out against a risk, whereas assurance is one that is taken out against a definite event. The confusion about the seemingly interchangeable use of the two phrases occurs mainly because companies in North America refer to both assurance and insurance simply as insurance, and that habit has crossed the Atlantic.

For example, Whole of Life 'assurance' policies are taken out by people based on the fact that death is certain. They pay premiums to maintain the policy safe in the knowledge that their estate or dependents will receive an assured sum upon their death, whenever this happens. As it is certain (or assured) that the policy will have to pay out at some point, because it provides cover for the whole of someone's life, it is known as life assurance. However, a life 'insurance' policy will only pay out providing all premiums have been maintained and that death occurs within a specified number of years, known as the policy term. As it is quite possible that the insured will not die during the policy term, this is known as life insurance

Another example of 'insurance' as opposed to 'assurance' is critical illness cover. Because the insured is obtaining cover against the possibility of contracting and being diagnosed with a critical illness, it is classed as 'insurance'. Hopefully, when taking out such insurance it will not be required, but should such a situation arise then the insured will be paid a lump sum to help them provide for themselves and their family throughout their illness. Of course it is quite possible that the insured will not suffer a critical illness, and therefore this is known as insurance - something that might happen, as opposed to something that will.

There are many types of life insurance and life assurance policies available in the UK, and depending upon the term required and the age of the insured person some will be better to take out than others. Not everyone is in the same position nor requires the same type of cover and because life insurance and life assurance can be quite complicated anyone thinking of taking out a policy should consider seeking professional advice.

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Tuesday, March 9, 2010

Life Assurance Policies


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Definition: Life assurance can provide you with one of two main benefits: it can either provide your successors with money when you die or it can be used as a money saving plan to provide you with a lump sum (or income) on a fixed date. In recent years, however, both types of scheme have become more flexible and many policies allow you to incorporate features of the other. This can have great advantages but the result is that some of the definitions appear somewhat contradictory. There are three basic types of life assurance: whole life policies, term policies and endowment policies.

Whole life policies are designed to pay out on your death. In its most straightforward form, the scheme works as follows: you pay a premium every year and, when you die, your beneficiaries receive the money. As with an ordinary household policy, the insurance only holds good if you continue the payments. If one year you did not pay and were to die, the policy could be void and your successors would receive nothing.

Term policies involve a definite commitment. As opposed to paying premiums every year, you elect to make a regular payment for an agreed period: for example, until such time as your children have completed their education, say eight years. If you die during this period, your family will be paid the agreed sum in full. If you die after the end of the term (when you have stopped making payments), your family will normally receive nothing.

Endowment policies are essentially savings plans. You sign a contract to pay regular premiums over a number of years and in exchange receive a lump sum on a specific date. Most endowment policies are written for periods varying from 10 to 25 years. Once you have committed yourself, you have to go on paying every year (as with term assurance). There are heavy penalties if, after having paid for a number of years, you decide that you no longer wish to continue.

An important feature of endowment policies is that they are linked in with death cover. If you die before the policy matures, the remaining payments are excused and your successors will be paid a lump sum on your death. The amount of money you stand to receive, however, can vary hugely, depending on the charges and how generous a bonus the insurance company feels it can afford on the policy's maturity. Over the past few years, pay-outs have been considerably lower than their earlier projections might have suggested.

Options. Both whole life policies and endowment policies offer two basic options: with profits or without profits. Very briefly the difference is as follows.

Without profits. This is sometimes known as 'guaranteed sum assured'. What it means is that the insurance company guarantees you a specific fixed sum (provided of course you meet the various terms and conditions). You know the amount in advance and this is the sum you - or your successor - will be paid.

With profits. You are paid a guaranteed fixed sum plus an addition, based on the profits that the insurance company has made by investing your annual or monthly payments. The basic premiums are higher and, by definition, the profits element is not known in advance. If the insurance company has invested your money wisely, a 'with profits' policy provides a useful hedge against inflation. If its investment policy is mediocre, you could have paid higher premiums for very little extra return. The lack of money saving in this scenario could be depressing.

Unit linked. This is a refinement of the 'with profits' policy, in that the investment element of the policy is linked in with a unit trust.

Other basics. Premiums can normally be paid monthly or annually, as you prefer. Size of premium varies enormously, depending on the type of policy you choose and the amount of cover you want. Also, of course, some insurance companies are more competitive than others. As very general guidance, £50-£70 a month would probably be a normal starting figure. Again as a generalisation, higher premiums tend to give better value as relatively less of your contribution is swallowed up in administrative costs.

As a condition of insuring you, some policies require that you have a medical check. This is more likely to apply if very large sums are involved. More usually, all that is required is that you fill in and sign a declaration of health. It is very important that this should be completed honestly: if you make a claim on your policy and it is subsequently discovered that you gave misleading information, your policy could be declared void and the insurance company could refuse to pay.

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Monday, March 8, 2010

The Easy Way to Compare Life Assurance Policies With Discounted Premiums


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Do you recall when comparing life assurance policies used to take days and picking the right cover was a bit like playing the lottery? Thankfully, the life assurance industry has come a long way in the last ten years as a result of improved technology and the internet.

Even so, using the web to compare life assurance can tsill be a minefield if you don't do it in the correct way. For those looking to take out a policy, most will use one of the growing number of financial comparison services to search for a policy and a big criticism of them has been their over-reliance on price as the main consideration. Whilst this may be true, these sites are still a powerful tool as long as they are used in combination with some simple basic principals.

A Few Essential Questions To Ask Before You Start Searching For Life Assurance

Whilst access to online comparison services has simplified the shopping process for life assurance, there's a risk that they could cause some consumers to rely too heavily on their quotation results without first understanding what is the most appropriate cover for their needs.

As many life assurance plans are purchased with a term of ten years or more, a common arguement against price comparison sites is that price is not the only factor that should be assessed and compared as part of the buying process. This highlights the importance of policy features such as flexibility to adapt to changing priorities and how it affects the type, amount and duration of cover required.

Whether your circumstances are simple or more complicated, these questions can prove hard to answer on your own and you may find it easier to take advice from an experienced adviser.

Shop, Shop and Shop Some More

With the popularity of financial comparison websites and increased use of the internet, buying life assurance has now been transformed into a simple ten minute task that you can complete in your lunch break.

This is where some users trip up and make the mistake of restricting their quotations to just one website rather than comparing as much of the market as possible by using at least two. Limiting your shopping to just one quote comparison site also limits the range of your quotes and you could miss out on special deals not available anywhere else. Rather, be sure to use two or three of the major comparison services and come up with a shortlist of the most suitable policies.

This is where most people's research ends, but we're going to take it one step further and compare our comparisons against some discounted quotations.

How to Save Even More With Discounted Life Assurance

Having created a shortlist of premiums and policies quoted by the main price comparison sites, we're now going to see how much less you can pay by using specialist sites that apply a discount to their quotes. Whilst many of these discount quote sites don't compare as many policies and providers as the big price comparison sites, they often include the leading insurers and many smaller ones.

Above all, the main difference is that should any of these providers appear on your shortlist you're likely to save a further 5%-20%. It's quite possible to see quotes for exactly the same policies and providers with premiums discounted below those offered by the leading price comparison sites.

To find these brokers, just log onto your favourite search engine and search for discount life insurance.

Remember to Compare the Cover Too

Whilst we're all keen to pay as little as possible for our life assurance, it's also prudent to factor some additional features into your comparisons to ensure the long term suitability of your policy. Neglecting the importance of the following points could leave you with a policy that cannot adapt as your needs change over the cover term.


Can the policy adapt to changing needs? - because many life policies are taken out with a term of at least ten years, the cover should be flexible enough to change with your needs and circumstances once the policy has started. This re-inforces the need for a thorough comparison of cover features as well as price to avoid policies that may not be able to be altered in later years leaving you with no other choice than to take out extra cover or replace the existing one altogether when you may be years older and premium rates higher. Take a bit more time now and you will be rewarded with a policy that continues to give you the protection and peace of mind you want.
Can you add any cover after commencement? - the number and type of policy options can vary widely from company to company so it's important to be aware of what's available together with any terms and conditions before you buy.
How good is the customer service? - at the time of writing, there aren't any comparison sites that include customer service ratings in their quote results. A simple way to check this yourself is to do a search for the insurance company name and the word 'reviews' or 'customer reviews'. There are lots of websites dedicated to publishing reviews of companies and products written by genuine customers

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Friday, March 5, 2010

The Easy Way to Compare Life Assurance Policies With Discounted Premiums


Image : http://www.flickr.com


Do you recall when comparing life assurance policies used to take days and picking the right cover was a bit like playing the lottery? Thankfully, the life assurance industry has come a long way in the last ten years as a result of improved technology and the internet.

Even so, using the web to compare life assurance can tsill be a minefield if you don't do it in the correct way. For those looking to take out a policy, most will use one of the growing number of financial comparison services to search for a policy and a big criticism of them has been their over-reliance on price as the main consideration. Whilst this may be true, these sites are still a powerful tool as long as they are used in combination with some simple basic principals.

A Few Essential Questions To Ask Before You Start Searching For Life Assurance

Whilst access to online comparison services has simplified the shopping process for life assurance, there's a risk that they could cause some consumers to rely too heavily on their quotation results without first understanding what is the most appropriate cover for their needs.

As many life assurance plans are purchased with a term of ten years or more, a common arguement against price comparison sites is that price is not the only factor that should be assessed and compared as part of the buying process. This highlights the importance of policy features such as flexibility to adapt to changing priorities and how it affects the type, amount and duration of cover required.

Whether your circumstances are simple or more complicated, these questions can prove hard to answer on your own and you may find it easier to take advice from an experienced adviser.

Shop, Shop and Shop Some More

With the popularity of financial comparison websites and increased use of the internet, buying life assurance has now been transformed into a simple ten minute task that you can complete in your lunch break.

This is where some users trip up and make the mistake of restricting their quotations to just one website rather than comparing as much of the market as possible by using at least two. Limiting your shopping to just one quote comparison site also limits the range of your quotes and you could miss out on special deals not available anywhere else. Rather, be sure to use two or three of the major comparison services and come up with a shortlist of the most suitable policies.

This is where most people's research ends, but we're going to take it one step further and compare our comparisons against some discounted quotations.

How to Save Even More With Discounted Life Assurance

Having created a shortlist of premiums and policies quoted by the main price comparison sites, we're now going to see how much less you can pay by using specialist sites that apply a discount to their quotes. Whilst many of these discount quote sites don't compare as many policies and providers as the big price comparison sites, they often include the leading insurers and many smaller ones.

Above all, the main difference is that should any of these providers appear on your shortlist you're likely to save a further 5%-20%. It's quite possible to see quotes for exactly the same policies and providers with premiums discounted below those offered by the leading price comparison sites.

To find these brokers, just log onto your favourite search engine and search for discount life insurance.

Remember to Compare the Cover Too

Whilst we're all keen to pay as little as possible for our life assurance, it's also prudent to factor some additional features into your comparisons to ensure the long term suitability of your policy. Neglecting the importance of the following points could leave you with a policy that cannot adapt as your needs change over the cover term.


Can the policy adapt to changing needs? - because many life policies are taken out with a term of at least ten years, the cover should be flexible enough to change with your needs and circumstances once the policy has started. This re-inforces the need for a thorough comparison of cover features as well as price to avoid policies that may not be able to be altered in later years leaving you with no other choice than to take out extra cover or replace the existing one altogether when you may be years older and premium rates higher. Take a bit more time now and you will be rewarded with a policy that continues to give you the protection and peace of mind you want.
Can you add any cover after commencement? - the number and type of policy options can vary widely from company to company so it's important to be aware of what's available together with any terms and conditions before you buy.
How good is the customer service? - at the time of writing, there aren't any comparison sites that include customer service ratings in their quote results. A simple way to check this yourself is to do a search for the insurance company name and the word 'reviews' or 'customer reviews'. There are lots of websites dedicated to publishing reviews of companies and products written by genuine customers

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Opting For the Certainty of Life Assurance


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When life insurance companies offer life assurance, they are seeking to provide a financial product that is clearly distinctive from the service that gives the sector its name. Under a life assurance policy, there is a contract between the company and the policy holder that allows for a cash payment to be made after the death of the individual concerned, although the payment can also be triggered by terminal illness or a similar catastrophic life event.

However, the basic principle remains: that the policy's payout is based upon a definite and inevitable occurrence, rather than a risk, as in the case of life insurance. In order for this inevitability to be financially viable for the company involved, regular sums, known as premiums, need to be paid into the policy.

As the payout occurs upon the death of the policy holder, the beneficiaries are clearly not going to be the policy holder themselves. Instead, life assurance requires the naming of designated beneficiaries.

The standard length of time for a fixed-sum premium is 10 years, after which it is reviewed by the insurance company. At this stage, the company will rule as to whether there has been sufficient growth in the fund to enable the final sum to be paid out. If the investment fund is insufficient, then the company will raise the premium itself or reduce the amount of the eventual payout.

The most common situations for a life assurance policy to be taken out is at times when an individual wants to be sure that their spouse, children or other dependents will be in a stable financial position after that individual's death. This also demonstrates the other major difference with standard life insurance, where policies are usually taken out when there is a severe risk to life or well-being.

The financial burdens which a policy is meant to alleviate therefore include the costs of repaying a mortgage, a salary which provides a primary household income, childcare, health and education costs.

However, there are limits to the circumstances under which a life assurance policy is able to be taken out. This is to make sure that there can be no financial reward for a suicide or for fraudsters. Policies are also null and void in the case of major societal upheavals, such as wars and civil disturbances.

There are few tax breaks for holders of life assurance in the UK. For instance, there is no writing off the costs of a policy against corporation or income tax. However, policy-holders whose life assurance was drawn up before March 14th 1984 are entitled to 15 per cent Life Assurance Premium Relief or LAPR.

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