Variable Universal Life Insurance Is It Different From The Others?

Variable Universal Life Insurance Is It Different From The Others?
By Elizabeth Newberry

A variable universal life insurance policy is a form of whole life insurance. With a variable universal life insurance policy, not only are you offered flat-out life insurance, but you are also offered more security and investment components that are not offered with other kinds of life insurance policies.

The difference between a variable universal life insurance policy and any other kind of life insurance policy is that not only does variable universal life insurance offer a cash value element, it offers more flexibility and control over that cash value element than any other type of insurance.

A variable life insurance policy will insure you for life, and any cash accumulated with a variable universal life insurance policy is tax-deferred. This means you will not have to pay taxes on the money you earn.

Admittedly, there are investment risks that come with variable universal life insurance policies. If your investments are very successful, the person whom you have named as your beneficiary will be paid a fairly high death benefit. However, even if your accounts investments are unsuccessful, the person whom you have named your beneficiary will still be paid a minimum death benefit in the event of your death. Even more good news? Variable universal life insurance policies are regulated by Federal Securities Laws, so you can purchase them with confidence. They even have to be sold with informative brochures so you know exactly what you are getting.

With all the different life insurance policies out there, not to mention and the pros and cons of each, your safest bet is to talk with a life insurance agent before committing to one particular life insurance policy. Express your needs and the amount you are willing to spend. Be sure to shop around, as well. Get quotes from several different life insurance agents and find out if your needs are covered before choosing the one that is right for you.

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A Quick And Easy Route To A Life Insurance Quote

A Quick And Easy Route To A Life Insurance Quote
By Craig Thornburrow

Getting a life insurance quote may be an easier process than it used to be. No longer is it necessary to make an appointment and go to the office of the nearest insurance company to sit down and fill out reams of paperwork. Getting a quotation for the cost of a policy also need not involve bringing an insurance salesperson into your home.

Too many times the potential client felt pressured when trying to obtain a quotation this way. But now, with the Internet so easy to use a person can get estimates on the cost of insurance from several companies without so much as leaving their computer screens.

If this is the route you choose to go then in only a few moments the information you need to give can be put into the online form and you can get a life insurance quote for free. This quote will come with no obligation to purchase the insurance and also means that the person can get quotes from as many companies as they choose.

The forms will ask for the most common identifying information such as height, weight, gender and age. It will want to know if you are a smoker or use tobacco in any form. There will likely be some questions regarding your overall health. Then the form will have a place for you to pick the size and type of policy that you are interested in purchasing.

Another nice thing about being able to apply for insurance from the comfort of your own home is that you can do it whenever it is convenient for you. There is access to these forms twenty four hours a day seven days a week. Also, be reassured that these companies will not pass along your personal information to anyone else. They will respect your privacy. It is the way they are able to keep their clients.

For someone who is looking for a more informed approach to getting a life insurance quote they may want to go in to the office of the insurance company to learn more about the different types of insurance that are available to them.

The Internet is one source but if you have specific questions you need a person to be able to answer them. This person can explain the various terms that go along with the types of insurance and what they mean to the potential customer. They can explain the benefits, the costs and the outcomes of buying the various kinds of policies.

This information is important if you are seriously considering buying a policy of some type. When you are ready to get a life insurance quote you want to be sure that you have enough information on what you want to ensure you are buying the right policy.

Craig Thornburrow is an acknowledged expert in his field. You can get more free advice on a life insurance company and life insurance rates at http://www.bestdeallifeinsurance.com

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What Everyone Should Know About Term Life Insurance

What Everyone Should Know About Term Life Insurance
By Wayne Messick

A term life insurance policy is often referred to as pure protection, since all you are buying is a death benefit. In a way you are renting protection for the term or life of the policy, say 10 years. If you die during that time, the policy will pay its death benefit.

To make a term insurance policy marketable there are a few elements that make it more like renting an less like pure protection.

The premiums are level from the day you buy it until the end of the term. If you actually paid the real corresponding costs your payments would rise each year. In that case, if there was any chance that you could be convinced that you no longer needed the insurance, you would drop it and the company would not make very much money.

Most term life insurance policies are guaranteed renewable before or at the end of the initial term. Insurance companies know that your needs for insurance will last for as long as you live, so they want you to keep paying for insurance far beyond that initial term period.

The benefit to you of the renewable feature is that you don't need to prove to the insurance company that you are still insurable in order to keep the term insurance policy in force for a longer period than the original term. Naturally, each time you renew, the premiums will be higher for the next period of years because you are older and, therefore, more likely to die.

Another feature, convertibility, is usually part of the policy as well. In my opinion the convertibility feature is vital and something the terms of which must be clearly understood by you and your advisors in order to make sure the policy is a flexible as you will need it to be.

The convertibility feature means that the term insurance policy can be exchanged for another type of life insurance usually at any time before the expiration of the policy's term. Buying a convertible term life insurance policy will put you in control since will be able to convert to a permanent type of coverage at a later time, without having to prove that you are still insurable.

Usually people choose term insurance for protection when the need for it is only temporary, such as mortgage protection, business bank loans and trade account protection required by a vendor, or perhaps as income replacement when their children are young. There are times when the requirements for immediate cash protection in order for them to keep the commitments they have made if they were to die make term insurance the only possible solution.

In other words term life insurance is a permanent solution for a temporary need. And it is a temporary solution for a permanent need.

You can figure out how much you need and get a quote online. You can buy term insurance through the mail and never have to speak with an agent. The Internet sets you free to get what you want when you want it and pay almost whatever you want.

The question is, does that make the most sense for you, your family and your business? Isn't it possible that a trained agent who has spent a lifetime helping people like you will have insights and experiences to share that you can benefit from? Remember, when you buy life insurance commissions will be paid to someone. Should that be a wholesale aggregator with a web site or a trained professional you trust who has to look you in the eyes for as long as you all shall live? You decide.

Remember, term life insurance is like wetting the bed, it provides instant relief but sooner or later you are going to have to get up and do something about it. I remember the first time heard that expression. Now that thirty years have passed I understand what he meant.

Wayne Messick is an investigative reporter whose web site offers over three hundred life insurance articles o help you understand the power and importance of life insurance for your family and your business.

If you are a business owner wanting to leverage what you are already doing right and address what is not working visit the Peer Groups area of his web site.

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Understanding Life Insurance Illustrations

Understanding Life Insurance Illustrations
By Barry Waxler

Many people feel that trying to get an understanding of Life Insurance Illustrations and taking a crash course in the Greek Language are on about the same difficulty schedule. Although they are somewhat daunting, Life Insurance Illustrations are not quite Greek when you understand a few simple facts about them.

The Life Insurance Illustration for a simple Term Life Insurance Policy may appear to be complex enough. It can often run several pages and contain quite a few numbers. Yet compared to the Illustration pages for a Variable Universal Life Policy, the simple Term Illustration will seem like a first grade arithmetic page. When you understand a few basic facts about them, however, it is a bit less complicated.

First, the Life Insurance Illustration is going to be presenting you two completely different scenarios about the performance expectancy of your policy. The first is called the guaranteed performance and the second is the non-guaranteed performance. As one wag put it, the only thing that is really guaranteed is that the actual performance of your policy will correspond to neither of the projections in the Illustration.

The guaranteed portion is based on what the Insurance Industry considers the worst case scenario. It is about the worse that you can expect. This is why they call it the guaranteed. Your policies actual performance is going to be better. Why should you expect that? Well, mainly because the Insurance Industry is a highly competitive business and they work hard to maintain their reputation. In other words, they are going to do better than the worst case scenario even if times get hard and their investment choices are not the best.

Likewise, the non-guaranteed figures are going to represent a reasonable guess as to the future performance of factors that can not usually even be reasonably guessed at. The Insurance Companies do not employ fortune tellers and all they can do is try to anticipate the impact of a lot of different factors and how they will play out in the future. It would seem from this that the Life Insurance Illustration does not really serve any purpose at all. This is not the case at all.

The true value of the Illustration lies not in the accuracy of its projected numbers but rather in helping to understand the basic principles that will guide your policys performance. There are four factors that create movement in the value of a policy. Premiums and earnings cause an increase in cash value. Mortality charges and expenses decrease the value. The Life Insurance Illustration will show how these four moving factors impact your policy during its life. Do not be daunted by the complexity of the Illustrations or by the seemingly endless columns of numbers. The Life Insurance Illustration is not a flashy sales tool, but a valuable source of understanding and knowledge. It can be understood with a bit of guidance and can help make the selection and comparison process more accurate and beneficial.

Barry Waxler is a financial advisor at UFCAmerica.com.

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A Primer on Life Insurance for Mothers

A Primer on Life Insurance for Mothers
By Marsh Kaminsky

One of my client's wives paid me a visit to ask about life insurance, a product I was well acquainted with. She told me that she and her husband were visited last night by a life insurance agent. Jan, what did he try to sell you?

A $90,000 whole life policy with an annual premium of $500. Is that okay?

Knowing that few people really understand life insurance, I asked her if she really understood what the agent was talking about.

I thought I did last night, she replied, ut when I woke up this morning, I wasn't so sure. That's why I'm here. You once told me to never buy life insurance unless I talked to you about it. Well, I'm here. Could we chat about it?

I was glad that Jan was here instead of Mark. I have learned that it is much easier to talk to women about life insurance than men. Women seem to better understand the financial consequences of their spouses' death, especially if they are mothers. Most men, however, don't want to face life insurance because they think that they will never die. Women know better.

I was no stranger to the murky world of life insurance. Throughout my 20 years as a CPA, I'd often locked horns with insurance agents and financial planners who wanted to sell garbage life insurance products to my clients. In my role as a CPA, I always believed that it was my job to act as a mother hen and protect my clients from the wolves.

I began by asking Jan a question that zooms to the heart of the matter. Tell me Jan, why are you buying life insurance? What do you hope to accomplish?

She answered, To protect me and the children in case Mark dies.

That quickly established the fact that Jan knew about the key issue: that life insurance has but one purpose: protection in case disaster strikes.

Then I asked her another question. Just suppose that you knew for sure that Mark was going to die tomorrow. How much life insurance would you buy on his life ---$90,000 or $450,000 --- assuming the premiums were identical?

She looked at me as if I was crazy. I'd buy the $450,000 policy. Who wouldn't?

I then gave Jan a quick education about life insurance, explaining that there are only two kinds of life insurance, term and cash value. The problem is knowing which one of them is the better buy.

Term insurance is pure insurance ( protection) coverage. If you pay the premium and die , the insurance company will pay the face value of the policy to your beneficiary. It is available to age 95 and can be purchased yearly, or on a guaranteed level premium basis for 5,10,15, or 20 years. The product is uncomplicated and very inexpensive. The premiums, however, do increase each time the policy is renewed since the insured has grown older.

Cash value life insurance (sold as whole life, endowment, straight life, permanent life, universal, and a zillion other names) is the second type. It differs significantly from term because there is a savings or investment feature attached--the cash value. About 75% to 80% of every premium dollar goes to this cash value kitty and the remainder pays for the actual life insurance protection. These policies typically last to age 100 and the premiums remain level for one's entire life.

Thus, in one slick package, a cash value life insurance policy claims to accomplish two worthy goals: death protection and family savings. It was my job to convince Jan that cash value insurance fails miserably on both counts and that she must, for her and her children's sake, buy pure term life insurance and nothing else.

Jan, there are two reasons why you must not buy that whole life policy or any other cash value product. First and most importantly, cash value life insurance is anywhere from five to ten times more expensive than the equivalent amount of term insurance. It's like paying $75,000 for a $15,000 automobile just because you went to the wrong dealership.

To keep their customer's attention away from the high cost of cash value, agents focus their sales spiel on the investment feature, usually with the aid of reams and reams of incomprehensible computer printouts. This sales tactic has literally duped the American public out of trillions of dollars in the last 150 years, ever since cash value was invented.

Jan, how much time did the agent spend last night talking about the actual insurance protection versus how much money you'll earn from the cash value policy?

She thought a bit before answering. Well, he spent the whole evening going over a bunch of computer printouts that showed us how rich we'd be in fifty years when we retire, and how much we could borrow from the policy if we ever needed a loan.

But what did he say about your protection needs?

Come to think about it, hardly anything at all. After we told him that we could afford a $500 yearly premium, he looked in a book and said that he had found a great $90,000 whole life policy that we could afford. But about protection, he really said very little. I could tell that she was starting to bristle in anger, a sign that I was doing a good job.

I then told Jan that people with children living at home should have, as a rule of thumb, about eight to ten times their yearly gross income in life insurance protection. For Mark and Jan, that translated into at least $475,000. The agent who met with them should have figured that out and done his utmost to assure such adequate protection.

You see Jan, that agent's sole emphasis should have been on your financial protection in case Mark dies tomorrow, not about making you a rich lady in 50 years. The agent's decision to sell you the anemic whole life policy would literally rob you and your kids of $385,000 if Mark dies tomorrow.

But Mark is not going to die tomorrow. Don't say that!

Jan, you don't know that. He could die tomorrow or in a week from any one of a thousand and one different causes. And so could you or I. That's why you must be fully protected right now. Life insurance is a today need.

I continued...Jan, remember when I told you that there were two reasons to avoid cash value life insurance?

Yes.

You told me Jan that the agent spent most of last night talking about the wonders of the cash value investment. Now I am going to give you the real scoop about that. This one always puts the final nail in the cash value coffin.

The cash value, I continued, is not like an ordinary investment such as stocks, bonds, or a bank savings account.

But the agent said it was just like a bank savings account...

It resembles a savings account about as much as a shark resembles a goldfish. Tell me Jan, what do you think happens to the cash value---the promised pot of gold---if Mark dies? Who gets it? The fun starts...

That's easy, she replied, I do...it's our money...our investment...right? Marsh...tell me I am right!

Sorry, you are wrong. If Mark dies, the insurance company keeps it. That means that all that extra premium you paid for so many years goes up in smoke.

So what do I get if Mark dies?

You get the face amount of the policy...but you could have gotten that for a fifth of the premium with a term policy.

Marsh...you can't be serious. In my worst nightmare, I would not expect something like this. Are you sure?

Very. But if you want some proof of your own, get the book What's Wrong With your Life Insurance by Norman Dacey. That's just one of many books in the library that echoes what I have been yapping about. Don't think I am the Lone Ranger on this.

Apparently she got fed up. Her voice rose as she said, The agent never said word one about any of this! Are you telling me that he bent our ears off last night just to sell us a chump change policy that will leave me seriously underinsured just so he could make a bigger commission...and that they steal my investment to boot if Mark dies?

That about hits the nail on the head. And one more thing...when you tell the agent you want a term policy instead, expect another visit from him. Be aware that they are very well trained in changing minds. Plus, you might want to shop around for the best deal. Even among term policies there is a wide variance in price.

End

Postscript:

It is this author's hope that anyone in possession of this article pass it onto their relatives, friends, and neighbors. The information in this article can put many thousands of extra dollars in the bank accounts of those who need it most.

Copyright 2000
Marsh Kaminsky CPA (retired due to disability)
e mail: Thetermite@aol.com

Because of Multiple Sclerosis, I am a retired CPA. Besides my interest in life insurance, I have a very strong interest in early preschool learning.

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Why Don't Women Have Life Insurance?

Why Don't Women Have Life Insurance?
By Ivon T. Hughes

Traditionally, life insurance companies solicited men as the main breadwinners in a family to ensure, that they had adequate life insurance coverage.

Now, times have changed, but the statistics on women show that great percentage of American and Canadian women carry no life insurance. And those that do have a policy, carry about half as much coverage as men do.

Most modern U.S. and Canadian households are dual-income households. If you are married, especially if you have children, would your husband be able to afford the family style of living if you were to pass away? If you are single, who would assume the burden of paying for your final costs if you were to pass away? This may fall to your parents, who are also likely to be living on a fixed income. Many single women, especially those with children, may be on a tight budget and feel they can't afford life insurance. However, they may be surprised to know that a 30 year old healthy woman can purchase a $250,000 10-year term life insurance policy for $12.00 a month. If you are a healthy 50 year old, that does not mean it is too late to buy affordable life insurance; your cost for the same policy as above would only be about $37.00 a month. If you have children, it is especially important to make sure they will be taken care of if anything were to happen to you.

Studies show that nearly six out of ten women in Canada are living on their own by the time they are 85. In addition, women generally outlive men by an average of six years. If you have adequate life insurance coverage, dependents will be able to continue their lives and standard of living. That way they only have to deal with the grief of your passing, instead of any financial burdens incurred by it.

Women need life insurance protection to ensure that whoever survives them will be provided with available capital. Term life insurance has always been one of the most cost-effective ways for both men and women to protect their loved ones. Compare term life insurance rates and policies today and see how affordable peace of mind can be.

Ivon T. Hughes, The Hughes Trustco Group Ltd.
Online Insurance Broker - Get a FREE Quote TODAY!
Tel: (514) 842-9001
Email: info@trustco.ca
Web: http://www.hughestrustco.com

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Life InsuranceCheck Out All Your Options First

Life Insurance-Check Out All Your Options First
By Lee Van

Life insurance is a controversial subject as there are many people who would not want to be without a policy and others who think this is entirely a waste of money and only for the well off to have.

When one examines the concept it is perhaps those people who are not so well off that need the life cover more than the wealthy do. Should something unforeseen happen to the bread winner, who would pay the mortgage every month, where would the money come from for education and living expenses for the children? The policy is paid out within days after the death of the insured. It will be paid out in a lump sum which is tax free. It could then be invested and the interest would pay for the living expenses of the family. There would be money for any emergency that might arise in the family.

Life insurance is affordable for most people. The best way is to contact insurance companies and get information about their policies for life cover and make a decision to put a financial umbrella over your familys heads. There are companies that will give you all the information that you require over the phone. They will explain in understandable terms and will even arrange everything for you telephonically and the policy will be mailed to you. Also do your research on the internet and check out all options available to you. You will normally find that policies sold over the internet have cheaper rates than the conventional insurance policies.

Lee Van writes informative articles on various subjects including Life Insurancehttp://www.lifeinsuranceswebsite.com

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A Life Insurance Quote Became Reality

A Life Insurance Quote Became Reality
By Rolf Rasmusson

Life insurance quote

Thank goodness John took his life insurance quote seriously. It didn't prevent our daughters from wishing he were still here but thanks to his foresight they and I still have the things he worked for because he turned that life insurance quote into a policy before his untimely death.

Byron, my wonderful husband died at age 33 leaving myself and our two daughters behind. Six months prior he felt a tingling in his arms and it was discovered that Bryon had a terminable brain tumor. I am now raising our (2) daughters on my own as a single parent. How I miss our sweetheart.

Fortunately, when Byron and I were married he made arrangements for such a possibility as he was a caring and considerate man. Being able to invest a portion of the proceeds into a clothing store I owned allows me more time to spend with our daughters and attending to their needs. Because of his foresightedness we have financial stability, security and much peace of mind.

Without his pre-planning and preparation it's terrifying to imagine where the girls and I would be today. The plans for the future to a certain measure are still in tact. While we grieve our loss the void will never be filled but our thoughts of John brings great warmth to our hearts.

John was a father and husband who unselfishly thought enough of us and our future to make the decision to turn a life insurance quote into reality for the living. We can't thank John enough.

More about a life insurance quote

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Why Families Shouldn't be Without Term Life Insurance

Why Families Shouldn't be Without Term Life Insurance
By John H Brennan

My father died when I was nine. He left behind my mother and four children aged between seventeen years and nine and no money. Sure I missed him but at nine I didn't really have much idea about death or loss. I know it sounds selfish but what I really missed was our old lifestyle. We had to move house because we lived in a company house and couldn't stay there anymore. We had to give up our car because that was provided by the company too. All we could afford was a run down council house. It was small and cramped and didn't have much in the way of fences so we felt we had neighbours right on top of us. This was all salt to the wound of our grief, all these niggly things that had now become our life. I don't know why my father didn't take out life insurance, all I know is that he didn't and we bore the consequences of that decision for a long time.

It has made me wonder why so many people roll their eyes when the words 'life insurance' are uttered out loud. Sure I can understand not wanting to contemplate a scenario that would require you or your family to actually need it but that is no excuse for ignoring it altogether and not planning ahead. Imagine, just for a moment, your familys life if the worst was to happen and you didnt have life insurance?

The purpose of life insurance is to guarantee an income to your spouse and children if you were no longer able to contribute to their welfare like you do now. Think about it, if something were to happen to you, could your family afford to live in your current home? Would there be enough money to maintain their current lifestyle? Would the cost of a funeral become a burden? Would your spouse be able to support your family easily? Or would the stress and grief and financial burden of loosing you cause unendurable hardship for them?

Maybe you think that because you have saved and invested wisely and setup a solid foundation that despite missing you, your family would be OK financially. The reality is that it is unlikely. This is particularly true for families with young children. This is often a time where families are still struggling to become established and often debts are high, savings low, caring for children is costly and income may not be at its peak or perhaps one partner is out of the workforce to care for the children. Of course, it is this time when funds are often stretched that life insurance is most needed but often that very fact puts families off from the regular commitment of insurance premiums.

But the good news is that it makes you a good candidate for term life insurance because it is the most inexpensive form of life insurance around. The premiums for term life insurance are worked out based on your age and health and is usually purchased in terms of a specific number of years 1, 5, 10, 20 or whatever period you would prefer. The upshot is that term life insurance has the highest coverage for the lowest premiums.

While term insurance is not ideal for older individuals as prices go up substantially with age, it is the a great solution for younger couples or families who have high debts including mortgages, life expenses and dependants. The insurance can cover you while your children grow and the mortgage is paid off. By the time the policy expires you will more than likely have invested, paid off your major debts and no longer have dependants.

So Who Needs to be Covered with a Life Insurance Policy? Given that insurance is really about income protection providing funds when you can't you would normally cover whoever is contributing to the family finances. So first up, make sure the primary income earner is covered. If this income disappeared then you want to make sure the ongoing family needs are covered.

But don't stop there. If your spouse looks after the children full-time and something were to happen to them, how would you fund childcare? Insurance could cover that additional cost. So if any secondary income is relied on to cover expenses either through income or an unpaid contribution then that person should also have an insurance policy.

Do you need to get life insurance for your children? Generally, this is only advised if you can't afford funeral expenses (generally about $5000). Otherwise, there is no reason for children to be insured as they do not contribute to the family income.

Having life insurance not only gives you peace of mind knowing your family will be taken care of after you or your spouse has gone, it may well be one of the best financial decisions your family could make.

Specialist term life insurance advice is crucial for anyone contemplating taking out a life insurance policy. Get the information you need so that you can be confident you are choosing the right policy for you and your family. Get the latest Life Insurance Policy information.

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