Selecting Your Life Insurance
Life insurance means different things to different people. When it’s time to select a policy, the first step you should take is to think about your goals. Figure out why you need life insurance. Do you simply want coverage for when you die’ Do you want to replace your income’ Many people want life insurance in order to establish a fund for big life expenses, such as college, retirement or to cover outstanding debts if they die or become disabled. You need to think about what you want life insurance to accomplish for you before you can decide what kind of policy is best for you.
Secondly, before you ever buy a policy, take a careful look at how much you can afford to spend. It doesn’t do any good to pay premiums for years only to go into default when economic times get tough. Be absolutely sure you can afford to make the payments on the policy you buy. Know exactly how much you can budget each month on life insurance premiums. Term life policies are usually a bit less expensive than whole life policies. Some people choose whole life as a useful investment tool, and still others opt for careful combination of term life and whole life to meet their unique financial goals. Whichever policy or policies you decide are best for you, always be sure you can make the scheduled payments. Your insurance agent can help you find options to schedule payments in ways that keep your budget in the black.
Third, don’t forget that your life insurance needs to protect your real earning power, and that is more than just your salary. If your family would have to buy its own health insurance after your death, for example, or even if you think it’s likely your employer would drop their coverage in the future, be sure to include this cost in your life insurance figure. You probably also want to calculate 3 per cent inflation (at least) into the figure that will provide for your family’s needs. Be realistic so that you select the amount of coverage that really meets your family’s needs.
Finally, consider what stage you are in life. It may be that all you need is a death benefit. But if you have people dependent on you for their income, you may need to leave them a great deal more. If you have dependents, make sure your income is replaced in the event of your death or incapacity. And if you need more money for your retirement than your social security checks and pension will provide, consider whole life as an investment tool.
Look long and hard at your goals, your budget, and the needs of those you love. Consider where you are in your life and what you want to do with the years ahead. When you have clear goals you can share with your agent, then he or she can help you find the exact coverage that is best for you.
Tom Martens is the content syndication coordinator at Lifeinsurance-Southafrica.co.za South Arica?s leading Life Insurance and Life Cover portal.
