While term life insurance is among the cheapest of all life insurance policies, millions of people are going through life without it. Are you one of them? It might seem like a bit of a luxury if you are young and in great health, but in reality, very few people can get away without life insurance. Unless you are financially set for the rest of your life or have no dependents that rely on you, you should have insurance. Here are some ways to save even more money on your policy as well as some general advice on buying term life insurance.
First of all, you should get life insurance immediately. Don’t wait around until you have time, skip your evening web surfing or television watching to find a policy if you don’t already have one. Thanks to the internet, you can get quotes online at any time.
The best way to get the cheapest rates on term life insurance is to shop around with different providers to see who can give you the best deal. Remember to check with the companies who hold your car and homeowners insurance too. Usually you can get discounts for having all of your policies with one provider.
Make plans to pay your premiums just once a year rather than on a monthly or quarterly basis. This will net you a discount since it saves the company time in sending out invoices and depositing payments. If you aren’t in a situation to do so this year, divide the annual cost by 12 and put that amount into a separate savings account each month so that next year you can painlessly write a check for the full amount.
If you are a smoker or aren’t in great physical shape, you should consider taking action to change that. People who smoke or are overweight are at a greater risk for dying prematurely which means that the insurer makes a payout to the beneficiaries. If you are in this group, you’ll see that the additional risk that you present translates into a higher cost policy. Check with your insurance agent to see how you can prove your health changes and then work on making, and tracking them, so that in the future you’ll be able to get your policy adjusted to reflect your new health status.
Never cancel one life insurance policy before your new one is in effect. Even though it will mean paying for an extra month of premiums, it will ensure that you don’t go a day without coverage.
Finally, since term life insurance is so inexpensive, make sure that you and your partner, if any, are adequately insured. You never know when life will take an unexpected turn. A good rule of thumb is to get at least ten times the amount of your annual salary. If you make £60,000 a year then you should buy, at minimum, a £600,000 policy. Aim to buy more if your budget allows. If either you or your partner is a stay at home parent, make sure to have £500,000 in insurance for them since they provide a significant economic value to the family.