Readers Question:

What are the benefits of a Universal Life insurance policy? Will I have to spend much on such a plan?

Shirley

Des Moines, IA

Good question. Let’s define Universal Life insurance first: this is a special kind of Whole life or Permanent life insurance coverage that allows a policyholder more flexibility when it comes to adjusting how much you pay for premiums, and even your death benefits. It has the savings or cash value feature of a whole life insurance policy as well. The benefits of such a life insurance plan include:

1. More options when it comes to pay-outs after the maturity of the policy – you may choose to have either the cash value as the death benefit, making premiums lower, or the face value amount of the policy.

2. A Guaranteed minimum interest rate stipulated on the policy – your cash value is sure to grow at a set rate, regardless of the insurer’s financial performance.

3. Tax-deferred accumulation of wealth – There are only certain instances where state and federal taxes can apply.

4. Your money is placed in a diversified range of investments – reducing the risk of loss in case a particular investment goes south.

Similar to any type of permanent life insurance policy, when you buy universal life insurance coverage your initial premiums can be very expensive, this is because you’re building up your cash value, and like most permanent life insurance plans, premiums become cheaper in the long run.

However, it is still highly recommended that you shop around for the most competitive policies before you even decide to buy life insurance coverage. The Internet is a great place to start; with many life insurance portals and websites giving access to the latest rates and offers, making it possible to effectively identify the providers that is most affordable to you.

Do maintain a healthy lifestyle and seriously consider quitting smoking. Smoking alone and push rate up by as much as three to four times above the average. Hazardous activities or hobbies also tend to make life cover more costly; so if you intend to keep premiums affordable, then reduce your risk of dying sooner.

Reader’s Question:

Why should I go with a Universal Life Insurance Plan? Are they better than the whole life policy that I currently have here in North Carolina?

Enrico

Charlotte, NC

Universal Life Insurance Plans are a type of whole life or permanent life insurance coverage that is geared more towards individuals who are investment-oriented and would like to have more control of how your money is invested. Universal Life Insurance policies also reflect the kind of risk tolerance that you would have when investing.

So a Universal Insurance plan can also be seen as a life insurance policy with a sort of mutual fund attached to it. The goal is to grow your money or the Cash-Value amount of your policy in the long-term (and while the policy is still in force). Admittedly, this kind of policy is not for everyone and it would be a good idea to have some basic knowledge about how investment portfolios work.

The only real difference between a traditional whole life plan and a universal life insurance plan is that you are given control over how your money grows. If you are somewhat of a risk-taker, even a conservative one and recognize that you can make money (a lot of it) by investing and also wants the capability of choosing what kind of investment mechanisms your money should be going into, then a Universal Life Insurance Plan might be for you.

This kind of policy has a lot of promise, but like anything there will always be some amount of risk involved so consult a life insurance agent or broker there in North Carolina, and ask as much questions as you feel necessary to understand this kind of coverage.

Reader’s Question:

I currently own a 2-year old life insurance policy but I’m not satisfied with the premiums I’m paying. Can I do something to get cheaper life insurance rates?

Baron

Lafayette, IN

Yes, the good news is that there are still some effective ways to get savings on your life insurance coverage. Here are a few tips that could prove quite useful to you:

1. Make Sure You Have the Right Policy

Paying for the wrong kind of policy is an utter waste of money, but you’ll be surprised at how often this happens. If you just need coverage for a certain period of time, such as while raising a family or paying your mortgage, then go with a term life insurance plan. Want to accumulate substantial amount of money and have permanent coverage? Then a whole life insurance plan is recommended.

2. Take Advantage of “Price Breaks”

With most life insurers today, choosing a higher coverage amount (a.k.a. death benefit or face value) can actually give you lower rates. So if choosing between a $350,000 policy and a $450,000, going with the latter can actually save you money.

3. Live a Healthier Lifestyle

Taking care of your health and quitting smoking can do real wonders in keeping your rates affordable. There is no better time to start this than now.

4. Go with Annual Payment Plans

If your life insurer offers this, consider paying your coverage a year in advance. This entitles you to get discounts or lowered premiums.

5. Look for Discounts

Discounts abound, and you want to make sure to ask your insurer about those you might be eligible for. This is an almost effortless to get savings out of your life insurance bills.

6. It Wouldn’t Hurt to Shop Around

There are hundreds of life insurance companies out there and it would be a good idea to run a free quote check from insurance comparison portals (like this website) to know what is being offered. There are times when the only way to get cheaper life insurance is to switch carriers.

Reader’s Question:

This is the first time that I would search for my life insurance so I need some expert’s advice. How do I find the best universal life insurance companies here in Arizona to offer me good quotes that I can choose from?

Antoine

Scottsdale, AZ

There are a lot of helpful resources that you can find online aside from the Websites of life insurance companies that provide Arizona life insurance quote on several policies. If you take advantage of the availability of the Internet, you can truly make your loved ones more financially protected should you depart this life. A lot of new life insurance providers come to play which makes the business more competitive, thus more options for you to get the most suitable Arizona life insurance quote for you.

A simple way to find the best life insurance companies is to review the various kinds of insurance you carry such as auto and home and see if your insurer or insurers also offer life insurance policies. It would seem sensible to obtain term life insurance quote from them first for you to be familiar with their terms and conditions aside from the kind of customer service they offer so that you can get the best value of your money for your life insurance plan.

Since this is your first time to search for your Arizona life insurance quote, it is better that you fire up your search engine to get the most affordable life insurance quotes. However, make certain that you obtain life insurance quotes from several insurers. These life insurance quotes that you see online are not only free but you can get accurate information quickly.