Although there are many options surrounding insurance policies, you may wish to consider taking out endowment life insurance. This option is slightly different from many standard life insurance policies, in that you receive funds whether you live or die.
An endowment life insurance policy bears comparison to a term life insurance plan. Both of these policy kinds are active for a certain period of time, normally between 10 and 30 years. Whereas a term insurance plan only pays out should you die during that period, an endowment policy will pay out whether you live or die. Once the policy is due to end, the insurer will pay out a lump sum for you to use if you are still living. No further payments are received from a term insurance policy after the death benefit has been paid.
Another advantage of an endowment life insurance plan is that you can decide to cash it in before the policy expires. This commonly means that you will receive less money than you would have done if you let it mature, but you can receive the money back at a time that you most need to use it. For instance, if you cash in a policy after 15 years and it is due to run for another five, then you are likely to receive approximately half of the total that would have been paid out at the end of the policy. The exact amount of money you receive if you cash in will depend on the arrangements you have made with the insurer.
The major drawback of this type of insurance is that you are likely to have to pay a high premium than you would with any other kind. It is possible to get around this by getting a low cost endowment policy. This does mean lower premiums; however, the amount that will be paid out will decrease over time.
As another viable option, you could opt for a return of premium insurance plan. This is a relatively new concept on the market but delivers a win-win situation for you. The plan is also for a specified amount of time and the premiums will be monthly like the other products. Should you pass away during the policy period, your named beneficiary will receive the death benefit like all the other plans.
After the period has ended and you are still living, the insurer will pay back the premiums in full to you. The amount will be 100% of what you paid in as these payments are tax-free. If you decide to terminate the return of premium policy, then the insurer will pay back a partial amount of the money that you paid each month. With this insurance plan you can basically hedge your bets.
In order to get lower premiums you need to be aware of a few conditions that affect how much you will pay. The first of these is your age; you are likely to pay a higher premium if you take out insurance in later life. This is why it makes sense to take insurance out in your earlier years. The second point to remember is that smokers will pay more than non smokers, sometimes as much as 50% more.
You can find out all about return of premium insurance and endowment life insurance policies from your financial advisor or insurance agent. Take the time to look at the policies closely and ask any questions that you have. If you feel you are ready to buy these policies, most providers have a quick and straightforward application form on their websites.