Health Insurance Facts to Know

One of the biggest problems for most people is simply understanding the health insurance benefits that they have. For the most part, health insurance policies try to be user-friendly in their wording, but many people are just not familiar with medical and insurance terminology.

Most health insurance policies also provide something similar to a cheat sheet which gives the basic outline of policy coverage and covers the most common medical services. However, you need to be sure that you understand the different things that are excluded under your plan. Many health insurance plans provide limited benefits for services such as mental health, chiropractic services, and occupational health. Even physical therapy and home health care are often limited to a certain number of visits per year.

Co-payment or Co-pay

A co-payment is a pre-determined amount that you must pay a medical provider for a particular type of service. For example, you may be required to pay a $15 co-payment when you visit your doctor. In this instance, you must pay $15 to the doctor's office at the time of the visit. Normally, you are not required to pay any additional fees -- your health insurance company will pay the rest. However, in some cases, if your health insurance policy specifies it, you may be responsible for a co-payment and then a percentage of the remaining balance.

Deductible

A deductible is the amount of your medical expenses you must pay for before the health insurance company will begin to pay benefits. Most health insurance plans have a calendar-year deductible which means that in January of every new year the deductible requirement starts over again. So, if your calendar year deductible is $1500, as long as your medical expenses for the current year do not exceed $1500 the insurance company pays nothing for that year. Once January of the new year starts, you have to begin again to pay for $1500 of your own medical expenses.

Coinsurance

Coinsurance (or out-of-pocket expense) is the amount or percentage of each medical charge that you are required to pay. For example, you may have a $100 medical charge. Your health insurance company will pay 80% of the charge and you are responsible for the additional 20%. The 20% is your coinsurance amount.

Coinsurance accrues throughout the year. If you have a large number of medical charges in one year, you may meet the coinsurance maximum requirement for your policy. At that point, any covered charges will be paid at 100% for the remainder of the calendar year.

Stop loss or out-of-pocket expense limit

Sometimes you will hear the out-of-pocket expense limit referred to as your stop loss or coinsurance amount. Basically, this is the amount you will need to pay out of your own pocket per calendar year before the health insurance company pays everything at 100%.

You will need to check your policy because many policies that require co-payments do not allow these co-payments to go toward the out-of-pocket amount. For example, you may have reached your out-of-pocket maximum for the year, so if you are admitted to the hospital you may pay nothing. However, since you have to pay a $15 co-payment every time you visit the doctor, you will still have to make this co-payment.

Lifetime maximum benefit

This is the maximum amount that the health insurance company will pay toward your medical expenses for the lifetime of your policy. Generally, this amount is in the millions of dollars. Unless you have a very severe condition, you will not likely exhaust this amount.

Preferred Provider Organization

A Preferred Provider Organization (also known as a PPO) is a group of participating medical providers who have agreed to work with the health insurance company at a discounted rate. It's a win-win situation for each side. The insurance company has to pay less money and the providers receive automatic referrals.

In most health insurance policies, you will see different benefit levels depending on whether you visit a participating or nonparticipating provider. A PPO plan provides more flexibility for the insured person because they can visit either a participating or nonparticipating provider. They just receive a better price if they use a participating one.

Health Maintenance Organization

A Health Maintenance Organization (also known as an HMO) is a health insurance plan which restricts you to only using specified medical providers. Generally, unless you are out of the area of their network, no benefits are payable if you go to a nonparticipating physician. Typically, you are required to select one main doctor who will be your Primary Care Physician (PCP). Any time you have a health problem, you must visit this doctor first. If they feel that you need it, they will refer you to another network provider. However, you cannot just decide on your own to visit a specialist; you must go through your PCP.

Medically necessary

You will see this term in all health insurance policies, and it is a frequent cause of denied claims. Most insurance companies will not cover any expenses that they do not consider medically necessary. Just because you and/or your doctor consider something medically necessary, your health insurance company may not. For this reason, you always need to verify that any costly procedures you are considering will be covered.

Routine treatment

Routine treatment is generally defined as preventive services. For example, a yearly physical examination that you have on a regular basis is generally considered to be routine. Many of the immunizations that children and adults receive fall under this classification. Some insurance companies provide limited coverage for routine treatment; others provide no benefits at all.

Pre-existing condition

A pre-existing condition is a condition that you acquired and/or received treatment for prior to the effective date of your current health insurance policy. Health insurance companies vary on how they treat pre-existing conditions. Some companies will not give you coverage at all if you have certain chronic pre-existing conditions. Others will give you coverage but will not provide any benefits for a period of time -- usually from 12-24 months. Still, other health insurance companies will specifically exclude a pre-existing condition from a policy and will never provide any benefits for that condition.

Be sure that you are very clear on the pre-existing limitations of your policy so that you are not unpleasantly surprised when you visit your doctor.

Explanation of Benefits

This is the form that the health insurance company sends you after they complete the handling of your claim. It details the bill they received and how they processed it. It is commonly called an EOB.

Coordination of Benefits

If you are eligible for benefits under more than one health insurance plan, your various health insurance companies will need to coordinate benefits. This insures that no more than 100% of the total charge is paid. There are many variations on how this situation can occur. In general, the primary company makes their payment first. Then you file a copy of the charges with the secondary company along with a copy of the Explanation of Benefits (EOB) from the primary company. The secondary company usually picks up the remainder of the bill.

Participating provider

A participating provider is a medical provider who has signed a contract with a health insurance company or health insurance network to charge pre-determined rates to patients who are in the network.

Nonparticipating provider

A nonparticipating provider is a medical provider who does not have a contract with a particular health insurance company or network. If you use a nonparticipating provider, you will generally pay a larger portion of the bill. In some cases, you may be responsible for the entire bill.

Limited benefit plans

These are not considered to be comprehensive medical insurance plans. Instead, they provide very specific, limited benefits for different types of services. For example, they may provide a flat rate for each day you stay in the hospital or pay a limited amount for each surgical procedure that you have.

Typically, they are marketed toward people who cannot afford or are unable to obtain more comprehensive coverage due to pre-existing health conditions. Or, they may be geared toward people who have high-deductible plans. The good thing about these plans is that they generally pay in addition to any other coverage you may have. Therefore, no coordination of benefits is required.

If this is your only coverage, be aware that you will usually have to pay a large portion of any bill as these limited plans do not usually pay large amounts per day. For example, it may actually cost you $1000 a day to stay in the hospital. If your limited benefit plan pays you $200 a day for each day you spend in the hospital, you will be personally responsible for the remaining $800 per day.

Medicare supplement plans

People who have Medicare often choose to purchase a Medicare supplement plan as Medicare does not usually cover medical charges in full. Medicare continues to change and add new options but, in general, a supplemental plan pays the balance of the medical charges after Medicare pays its portion. For example, most Medicare supplements will pick up the Medicare deductible.

Some policies also pay for some of the charges that Medicare may not cover. There are many different policy variations. If you are not sure what you are purchasing, consider contacting a broker that assists senior citizens.

Health Insurance Buyer's Guide

Buying Shopping for health insurance can leave many people confused. Knowing which insurance company to choose or which insurance plan is the best may seem daunting impossible. But once you know the basics of health insurance, choosing the right health insurance plan is simple easy.

This article will provide some of the most basic and helpful tools and explanations for health insurance shoppers. First, it is important to learn about helps to understand the different types of health insurance plans and their benefits and drawbacks. Plans differ in the amount you pay out-of-pocket, which doctors you can visit, and how the your insurance bills are paid. Besides just helping you choose the most efficient and cost-effective plan, we'll teach you about another way you can save on health insurance: a Health Savings Account. Additionally, it is important to learn about dental insurance as well. Many health insurance plans do not include dental insurance under their benefits, so we'll go over how to shop for and obtain separate dental coverage. Then it is important to learn about ways you can save on health insurance. There are several ways you can save including Health Savings Accounts and Discount Cards. LastlyAnd finally, don't forget to compare plans before you make your decisionwe'll explain why it's so important to put your new knowledge to good use by comparing health insurance plans.


Types of Health Insurance Plans



Generally, HMOs have low or even no deductible and the co-payments will be relatively comparatively low as well. You pay a monthly premium that gives you access to coverage for doctor appointments, hospital stays, emergency care, tests, x-rays and therapy. You will have to choose a primary care physician (PCP) within your insurance provider's network of physicians, and in order to see a specialist you need to receive a referral from your PCP. Under an HMO plan, only visits to doctors and hospitals with the insurance company's network of providers are covered; you'll have to pay for visits if you go to an out-of-network doctors or hospitals your insurance will not cover the costs.

Preferred Provider Organization (PPO)

Plans Under a PPO plan, you will use the insurance company's network of doctors and hospitals for any services or supplies you need. These healthcare providers have been contracted by the insurance company to provide services at a discounted rate. Generally, you will be able to choose doctors and specialists within this network without having to choose a primary care physician or get a referral. Before the insurance company will start paying for your medical bills you will usually need to pay an annual deductible. Also, you may have a co-payment for some services or be required to cover a percentage of the total medical bill.

Point of Service (POS) Plans

A POS plan is a combination of the features offered by HMO and PPO plans. You are required to choose a primary care physician, whose services are not usually subject to a deductible, but your PCP can refer you to out-of-network specialists whose services will be partially covered by your insurance company. Additionally, POS plans usually offer coverage for preventive healthcare, which includes regular checkups. Your PCP will be able to give you referrals for any specialists. If these specialists are out-of-network you will need to pay out-of-pocket and then apply for reimbursement from the insurance company. With a POS plan you will benefit from some of the savings of an HMO and will have greater flexibility in choosing healthcare providers, similar to PPO.

Dental Insurance

It is important to get a dental insurance plan along with your health insurance plan. In order to keep your teeth and gums health you need regular visits to the dentist. Without dental insurance, the cost of dentist appointments will be much higher making it difficult to keep up with the payments. Dental insurance is similar to health insurance in that each month you pay a premium, which entitles you to certain dental benefits. Benefits include checkups, cleanings, x-rays, and other dental services. There are plans that may cover dental implants, oral surgery and orthodontia, but they will be more expensive. Like health insurance, plans are categorized into indemnity and managed-care plans. If you choose an indemnity plan you will have a broader choice of dental care providers to choose from. You won't have to choose one primary dentist and generally, you won't need to acquire referrals. In order for the insurance company to cover your dental expenses you will need to send them a claim before they reimburse you for covered services. As a result, you will have to pay more out-of-pocket with an indemnity plan, but you will have more flexibility in choosing which dentists you visit. On the other hand, managed-care plans will provide you with a dental provider network and you will need to visit dentists within this network in order to get coverage for these services. With a dental care network, the insurance company has arranged pre-negotiated rates that you will receive when you visit these dentists. With a managed-care plan, the dentists will submit the claim for you, lowering your out-of-pocket expenses.


Health Savings Account

Health Savings Accounts (HSA) are tax-free savings accounts designed to help consumers pay for healthcare services while limiting premium expenses for unwanted benefits. The plans have lower premiums and higher deductibles than other insurance plans because they offer fewer benefits and require you to use the money in your HSA to pay for certain qualified medical services. However, if you don't need to visit the doctor frequently and don't anticipate requiring regular medical attention, HSA plans are a cost-effective method of insuring against the worst without paying for coverage you won't use. In order to open an HSA, you'll need to have an HSA-compatible health insurance plan. You may only use the funds in your HSA to pay for qualified medical expenses. Usually, your HSA plan will have a deductible that, once met, requires your insurance company to pay for any additional qualified medical expenses for the rest of the year.

Dental Insurance

Health insurance typically does not cover dental services, but in order to keep your teeth and gums healthy, you need regular visits to the dentist. Without dental insurance, regular dentist appointments can prohibitively expensive. Make sure your mouth is covered by shopping for both health and dental insurance. Dental insurance is similar to health insurance in that each month you pay a premium, which entitles you to certain dental benefits. Benefits include checkups, cleanings, x-rays, and other dental services. There are plans that may cover dental implants, oral surgery and orthodontia, but they will be more expensive. Like health insurance, plans are categorized into indemnity and managed-care plans. If you choose an indemnity plan you will have a broader choice of dental care providers to choose from. You won't have to choose one primary dentist and generally, you won't need to acquire referrals for special services. In order for the insurance company to cover your dental expenses you will need to send them a claim for reimbursement. You'll end up paying more out-of-pocket with an indemnity plan, but you will have more flexibility in choosing which dentists you visit. By contrast, managed-care plans limit you to the doctors and services within a dental services network, and you will need to visit doctors within this network in order to get coverage for their services. Within the dental care network, your insurance company has arranged pre-negotiated rates that you will receive when you visit dentists in the network. Your dentist will submit your insurance claim for you, keeping your out-of-pocket expenses lower than with an indemnity plan.

Compare the Plans

Comparing insurance plans is an important step in buying health insurance. It will save you money in the long run if you take the time to compare premium prices, out-of-pocket costs, plan benefits, the network of physicians available with different plans, and the quality of insurance providers. If you have a favorite physician, make sure your health insurance covers visits to him or her. If you don't need to see the doctor very often, don't pay a high premium for low office visit copayments. Health insurance plans are designed to address specific healthcare needs, and you'll save money and get the most effective coverage by comparing plans to find the health insurance plan that best fits your budget and lifestyle.

Home Insurance

Your home, seeing that it is one of the most important and one of the biggest (if not the largest) investment that you will ever have, needs to be insured with the right policy. Having your home insured will provide you with considerably greater peace of mind knowing that you, your loved ones, your home, and all of the other valuables that you have inside are always protected. Home insurance, also known as homeowner's insurance and hazard insurance, is the type of insurance policy that you should get for your home in order for you to obtain this peace of mind we are talking about.

So what is this particular form of insurance we are referring to? Whether you know this insurance product as home, hazard, or homeowner's insurance, all of these three terms refer to the specific type of insurance product for properties. This insurance policy is designed to provide coverage to private homes. This particular type of insurance product is a combination of different personal insurance coverage, which may include losses that will occur to a policy holder's home, the loss of contents of the property, the loss of the use of the home, or the loss of other valuable possessions within the property.

Since home insurance can prove to be very valuable to home owners, it is to be expected that many companies offer this particular form of insurance. You should also expect this type of insurance policy to differ depending on many different factors, including the provider itself, the included coverage types, the interest rates, and the overall monthly premiums. There are also several factors that insurance companies take into consideration in order to determine how much your annual percentage rate will be such as your credit history, if the home to be insured is your primary residence, and the other possessions you will also have insured.

Home insurance is generally comprised of four major components. The first is the 'Coverage for the Structure'. This is the part that will cover damages done by fire, by storms, or by any other type of disaster that will be included in the policy contract. The next component is the 'Coverage for Contents'. This part will cover the expenses associated with the replacement of your possessions if they are lost in a disaster or burglary. 'Liability Protection' will cover damages to third party property, personal liability, and medical expenses. 'Reimbursement for Additional Living Expenses' is the fourth component that will cover living expenses if your house is temporarily inhabitable.

Terms and Conditions of Auto Insurance

Based on the high rate of accidents which happen each year, it is imperative that anyone driving a car whether it is your car or a friend's car must have an auto insurance policy even if it is the least of all insurance policies available.

An insurance covers the policyholder and in most cases it covers other people who use the car or the driver. However if the car gets into an accident which is not in the interest of the policyholder, or in violation with the agreement between the policyholder and the insurance company, the insurance policy will not cover the damages from such accident.

In instances where the insured vehicle gets sold to another person, the new owner is covered by the third party liability Insurance and also by the comprehensive car insurance policy (if there is any) within a period of 3 weeks after the change of ownership. When there is a new active insurance policy, all deductibles under the insurance will be paid by the new car owner.

Auto insurance does not cover damage to vehicles in company possession for purpose of sale

Depending on the car insurance policy agreement between you and your insurance company, there might not be a need for you to notify them when the terms in the policy agreement changed. The consequence of refusal to notify the insurance might be forfeiture indemnity and compensation if an accident occurs or reduction of the indemnity and compensation or lapses in the payment if indemnity and compensation.

Therefore to avoid the consequences stated above, whenever there is a change in the policy information notify your insurance company immediately.

You can purchase the same auto insurance from two different insurance companies without terminating the initial insurance with the first company but when an accident occurs, the agreement in your car insurance policy will applied, and this may mean that both companies pay half is the cost for the accident each.

Another important thing to note regarding auto insurance is the deductibles which are based on the agreement in the auto insurance policy. Deductibles are deducted only once in cases of an insurance event involving both third party liability and damages under the comprehensive auto insurance.

No deductible will apply in situations such as:

1. Damages from a known liable tortfeasor

2. Damages from fire, explosion, lightening or theft

3. Damages from items falling on the car.

Furthermore, there will be additional deductible if there is driving damage to the car by another person other than the policyholder, or any registered user of the three car under the auto insurance policy.

There are certain accidents which your auto insurance policy may not cover. Under the liability insurance, your auto inside policy does not cover;

1. Injury to the driver

2. Damage from the carriage of goods by road under the acts of contract

3. Damage to attached vehicle

4. Damage which occurred at the time the vehicle was rented out unless it can be proved that the damage is as a result of occurrence which is in accordance with the auto insurance policy

5. Damage to items belonging to the driver, policyholder, anyone stated in the auto insurance policy it a regular user.

The following accidents are not covered by the comprehensive auto insurance:

1. Damage resulting from weather conditions

2. Damage car parts during repairs unless it can be proved the damage had occurred during the driving or by fire

3. Damage in the electrician and mechanical parts the vehicle, unless it can be proved the damage occurred in accordance with the auto insurance policy

4. Damage resulting from reckless driving i.e. Overheating or no change of oil

5. Damage which occurred while the car was rented out

6. Damage which occurred from intoxication of the driver

7. Damage caused intentionally by grid negligence

8. Loss of the car due to seizure of the car by law enforcement authority

9. Damage under warranty and guarantee

10. Damage from usage of the car such as wear and tear, scratches on the car body and so on.

Duration of the auto insurance policy is based on the agreement between you and the insurance company. Most auto insurance agreement are annual and are renewed yearly unless it's canceled in writing by the policyholder or the insurance company with a month's notice.

Understanding Auto Insurance

Auto (car) insurance is a type of insurance coverage for damage to and resulting from an auto. Insurance of this type can cover a variety of things depending on the kind of auto insurance that has been purchased.

All auto insurance policies involve a premium, which is the payment a customer makes to have auto insurance. Premiums for auto insurance can be extremely divergent and are determined by a number of factors. Gender is the major determinant for auto insurance premiums. Statistically, men are 80% more likely to be involved in an accident, and therefore have a greater need for insurance. Auto insurance premiums for men are higher than auto insurance premiums for women. Similarly, teenagers are considered high risk and will have to pay higher auto insurance premiums. The auto insurance premium can be reduced if the teenager takes a defensive driving course. Many states require teenagers to take defensive driving courses in order to obtain a driving permit and auto insurance.

It is customary for auto insurance plans to have a deductible that the customer is responsible for before the auto insurance provider offers coverage of expenses. Deductibles can have an effect on the coverage available under an auto insurance plan.

Auto insurance is slightly different than other types of insurance because you can purchase auto insurance that covers specific needs. For this reason there are different kinds of auto insurance. Auto insurance basics are covered by liability auto insurance plans. Liability auto insurance is usually the minimum required by state laws. Liability auto insurance is characterized by a set dollar amount of coverage for damages resulting from accidents or negligence. The coverage amount of liability auto insurance can be applied to property damaged in the accident that is not an auto.

Car insurance also comes as collision auto insurance. Collision auto insurance is meant to cover the cost of repairs to a vehicle involved in an accident, or the cash value of the vehicle if it cannot be repaired.

Comprehensive auto insurance is also available. With comprehensive auto insurance, coverage of fees for repairs is provided for accidents that are not collisions. Comprehensive auto insurance will, for example, cover hail or fire damage.

Whatever type of auto/ car insurance you need, Business Health Insurance can help! We have all of the information on auto insurance in your state.

Life Insurance

Life insurance companies are often regarded as organizations which make money out of the business of death. The significance of life insurance in the lives of innumerable people however cannot be understated. It can be a lifesaver for dependents and loved ones of a policy buyer. Death offers no second chance but life insurance can help to provide financial security to the survivors.

Most individuals buy life insurance policies to secure the future of their dependents in case of their demise, whether premature, accidental, or due to sickness. Life insurance offers a certain guarantee of financial security for the dependents in the event of the policy buyer's demise.

The dependents of the policyholders are given this sum if the premiums have been given in time. However, in modern times life insurance can be used as an investment option, as a security for loans and for other requirements as well. A life insurance policy purchased discreetly with due caution can be modulated to attend to the various needs of a policyholder.

Life insurance has become significant in a world where social security benefits, pension plans, and family savings become inadequate to answer the financial requirement of the entire family, cover health costs or to retain a certain life style, in case of the demise of the breadwinner.

There are various insurance plans that offer policies to sick individuals who are unable to get insurance anywhere else, although the premiums are high. Insurance companies generally hesitate to insure individuals with high mortality risks. Smokers, diabetics or obese individuals are often insured with double or triple the premiums paid by non-smokers or non-diabetics.

The major kinds of insurance policies are term life insurance and permanent life insurance. There are various variations within these. A term life insurance policy provides death insurance for a specified duration. The initial premiums are very low but get more expensive with each passing year, and in the long run they come to be more expensive. These are generally suitable for young people with short-term requirements like a house loan, a car loan, or educational funding.

The beneficiary amount is given only in case of death of the policyholder in that specified period. The renewal of term policies or conversion to permanent is more expensive.

There are no dividends or cash values gained through this policy, which is purely protection-oriented. Whole life insurance provides security. Initial premiums are substantially higher than the actual price of the insurance, but the premium is later on much lower than for term life insurance. The initial high premiums are used to level out the premium later, and applied to cover the entire life.

Whole life insurance offers dividends and cash values on maturity. Endowment insurance is a variation of term insurance that can be used for purpose of saving, or getting additional income during retirement. Universal life insurance is an offshoot of whole life insurance where the buyer has the flexibility to choose the kind of premium.

Variable life insurance is popular because the premium money is invested in various funds so that it has a potential to reap dividends. Variable universal life insurance accommodates the advantages of both the universal and variable life insurance. Single-purchase life insurance enables an individual to buy the policy at once. Survivorship life insurance is done jointly by two individuals.

There are various kinds of other insurance plans with numerous variations offered by different companies. Apart from consulting experts in securing the best policy suiting your individual needs, one should weigh the options, consider the kind of coverage required or insurance needed, the ability to pay premiums, and the duration of the requirement.

Convertible Term Life Insurance Rates

Considering purchasing convertible term life insurance? How exactly does a convertible term life insurance policy work? Is it possible to find a cheap convertible term life insurance policy? These are all important questions to ask and to understand the answers to before you decide to make the important decision of which type of life insurance coverage to buy.

At the time of deciding what type of life insurance to buy, a person must know every single type offered in the market in order to truly make the best choice for their specific coverage needs. It is true that perhaps many companies simply refer to their policies as term or permanent life insurance, but a person must know that there is much more to that and such is the case of convertible term life insurance. In this article you will be able to know what convertible term is and the many things associated with this type of life insurance.

What Exactly Is Convertible Term Life Insurance?

Life insurance is perhaps easily understood because it simply is a contract between a person and an insurance company. The contract simply states that the person must pay monthly premiums for a certain period of time in exchange for a death benefit paid to the beneficiary in case of the insured's death.

A term life insurance policy is simply a policy that will cover for a specific period of time, but with a convertible term life insurance policy you will have the ability to transform your policy from a temporary one to a permanent one.

What this means is that if you have a policy for 25 years and you have a convertible term life insurance policy, then you will be able to change the term policy into a whole, universal of variable life insurance policy (depending on the company).

Things To Know At The Time Of Purchasing Your Policy

Like any other product, there are a few things that a customer must know in order to make the convertible life insurance experience a successful one.

Health and Family History: At the time of applying for a policy, whether you are doing it online or in person at a local agency; make sure to have some general information about your medical history. Although companies have the right to access your files when you apply for a policy (with your permission that is), most of the times they will ask you questions about your health and family history. The more prepared you are to answer these questions, the easier the quoting process will be.

Amount and Duration of the Policy: You must also have an idea of how much life insurance you wish to buy at the particular time. The reason for this is that with term life insurance policies a person must choose an amount at the time of getting the policy. There are tools online or that the company has that will help you get the amount you will more than likely need. It is also important to understand that the particular amounts change from company to company. Also, make sure that you know the amount of time you want the policy to last. Some common ones include 15, 20, 25 and even 30 years.

The Beneficiary: Last but not least it is important to be completely certain of whom you want your beneficiary to be. The reason for this is that many people actually don't know at the time of signing the policy and just put the first person in mind. However, many insurance companies are actually very strict when it comes to beneficiaries and they wont let a person make a change unless they fill out the appropriate paperwork. Nevertheless, it is important for a customer to know the company and their stand when it comes to particular beneficiary changes.

Lower Premiums Compared To Other Types Of Policies

Compared to many of the other types of policies, the convertible term life insurance policies give the customer a better choice. The reason for this is that a person will have the main option of converting the term life insurance to a permanent one or of simply letting the policy expire in their own hands. Having a term life insurance first also helps a lot, simply because term life insurance has lower premiums than a permanent life insurance policy.

The difference for these cheaper premiums is simply that with a term life insurance policy, the death benefit is not guaranteed to the beneficiary (particularly because the insured can still be alive at the end of the policy). Because of this reason, a person that chooses the option of having a convertible life insurance policy will have the great option of paying low premiums at first.

Medical Examinations

Another good thing about convertible term life insurance policies is that they allow a person to convert regardless of the medical condition and health of the insured. If the person in the policy chose the option of having a convertible term life insurance policy and they have paid premiums at the right time, then they have by law the right to extend their coverage if they choose to.

It is also important to highlight that this change in coverage must be made without the insured being forced to take a medical examination. The freedom of continuing the coverage regardless of everything and not having the chance of being denied might be the reasons why this insurance option is so popular nowadays.

No Premium Increases For Medical Problems

The last thing worth talking about when it comes to convertible life insurance policies is that at the time of changing your policy you cannot be charged any additional premium for any medical problems that you may have. It is important to highlight that I'm not referring to the fact that your premiums will not go up in value, because when converting from term to permanent there is always a chance of that. What I'm referring to is that at the time of converting your term life insurance to a permanent one by law you are protected against a raise in premium based on a medical condition.

No One Policy Is Right For Everyone

It is important to note that this type of plan is not for everyone, because some people just rather have a permanent policy right away or some others just want to be covered until they get retired. However, this might be exactly what some people are looking for simply because it starts as perhaps the low cost choice.

Compare Quotes To Find The Best Value

Compare the prices of regular life insurance quotes against the prices of convertible term life insurance quotes to find the best value. If you want the freedom of having a term policy and being able to convert it in the near future to a permanent life insurance plan that covers you for life then go ahead and start shopping around for your convertible life insurance plan!

Life Insurance: Protect What You've Got

While insurance isn't an investment, it's an important part of sound, savvy personal financial management. Insurance is protection. It protects everything you've worked so hard to earn. It protects your spouse in the event of premature death. It sends the kids to college. It holds together a family at a time when money shouldn't be a concern.

You need insurance but shopping for the right coverage to protect your family and your assets is like learning a new language. Term life, whole life, universal life, actual cash value, dividends, loans against policy - it's a maze of insurance products out there and finding the right coverage for your needs may take a little research.

Here's a starter course on getting the most for the least in life insurance and still have the protection you and your family need.

Types of Life Insurance

There are two basic types of life insurance with numerous variations on a theme.

Term life insurance is the simplest to understand. It's also the most economical protection you can buy.

Term life insurance is paid when the insured (you) pass on within a defined term - a defined length of time your life insurance coverage is in effect. Term life comes with a variety of time frames: five-, ten- even thirty-year terms are available.

The younger you are, the lower the cost of the monthly premium - the dollar amount you pay for protection each month. Premiums are calculated based on two factors - your age (and general health) and the dollar amount of protection you need. It's simple. A $100,000 term life insurance policy won't cost as much as a $500,000 policy because you're buying less protection.

With term life, you keep things simple. The insurance company pays X amount of dollars to the beneficiaries when the insured individual passes on, as long as the policy is in effect, that is, the death occurs during the term of the policy, thus the name term life insurance.

Term life policies don't accumulate value, you can't borrow against them and, if you choose a short term and your health changes, you could end up paying more for your term life insurance than you would if you buy a long-term policy - one that covers you for the long term.

To determine how much term life you need, add up funeral costs, outstanding personal debt, mortgage debt, the prospect of paying tuition and other large expenses that would drain family resources. Figure what it would cost your family for a single year.

Then multiply by a factor between 5 and 10. Use the lower factor if you don't have a lot of debt and the higher factor if you're carrying a couple of mortgages and you have three kids to put through school. That's how much term life you need to protect your family and all their expectations.

The other class of insurance is whole life insurance, also called permanent insurance, universal insurance, variable universal insurance and other product names, but all fall into the general class of coverage called whole life insurance.

The first difference between term and whole life is that whole life covers you from the day you buy the policy until you die. Of course, this assumes that you pay your whole life insurance premium each month. There is no term (length of time coverage is in effect) to whole life. Buy it when you're young and your premiums will be low and you'll start building cash value.

That's the other main difference between term and whole life insurance coverage. Whole life pays dividends. Not a lot, but dividends that can be used to lower monthly premiums, or they can be allowed to accumulate earning interest.

Once the whole life policy has accumulated enough cash value you can borrow against that cash value to buy a house or cover some tuition bills. The downside to taking loans against the value of a whole life policy is that it lowers the payout to family in the event of the insured individual's death.

However, a whole life policy does increase in value while providing protection for your family. The cost of coverage is also higher. Expect to pay more for $500K of whole life versus $500K of term life insurance, simply because the insurer is paying interest on your monthly premiums.

Calculate your coverage needs using the criteria listed above. Don't think of whole life as a money-maker. It's not intended to increase your wealth. That's a side benefit. An important side benefit, but the primary reason for purchasing whole life is to protect your family in the event of your pre-mature death.

Life Insurance Sources

There are hundreds of insurance companies and even more life insurance products so talking to a knowledgeable professional is a good first step.

An insurance broker can advise you but, keep in mind, each insurance broker carries a "line" of products from a limited number of insurance providers so each broker will tell you her products are the best value.

If you do the math yourself, you know going in, how much coverage you want to buy, at which point, it's just a matter of finding a reputable insurance company offering competitive rates and the benefits you're looking for.

Another resource is your local bank - often the best place to start researching your life insurance needs. Banks sell a broad range of life insurance products and, because insurance isn't the primary business of a bank, you're more likely to get straightforward answers to your questions.

Another reason to visit your bank's insurance rep is that your bank knows the financial you - how much you have in accounts, how much comes in and goes out on a month to month basis, your tax status and other personal finance information needed to get the right kind of life insurance at the right price.

Talk to your employer. Life insurance may be a benefit along with health care and two weeks vacation, but you may also be able to increase the dollar amount of coverage with money deducted from your paycheck painlessly.

Unions, associations, your local Chamber of Commerce and other organizations are also sources for low-cost term or whole life coverage. Purchasing life insurance coverage through an industry association, for example, gets you group rates that translate into more coverage at a lower monthly premium. On the other hand, when you purchase term or whole life through your union you usually don't have a choice of insurers and that's an important point to consider.

Go with an insurance company that's ranked highly by Standard and Poor or some other rating organization. Your broker or banker will steer you toward quality of coverage so you get more for your money.

Life insurance sounds complicated but, when you break it down into simple terms, it's something you can do with a trusted advisor to point you down the right path.

Get life insurance. Get term life if you want lower premiums; get whole life if you want your insurance to build cash value against which you can take loans.

It's your choice. Making the right one saves money and delivers the peace of mind that only quality life insurance protection delivers.