Five Steps To Cheap Life Insurance Premiums

Life insurance is all about calculating risk. When you take out a policy, you and your insurance company are both hoping that you'll never have to make a claim. Insurance companies are experts at assessing risk, and calculating how likely it is that a certain type of person will die at any given age.

People are classed in categories, such as low-risk and high-risk-depending on their age, health and lifestyle, and those high-risk people pay much higher insurance premiums, because they're more likely to die sooner rather than later. How can you make sure you're in the low-risk category? Try following one or more of these five suggestions.

Become a Vegetarian

Some insurance companies are beginning to include diet in their risk assessment when they calculate premiums. They know that a meatless diet is much healthier than one that includes large amounts of animal protein. No animal protein and much less saturated fat in the diet means vegetarians have a 40% lower risk of developing some cancers, and a 30% lower risk of developing heart disease.

Not all insurance companies take vegetarianism into account when calculating premiums, but if you're a vegetarian your arteries are going to be in better shape, you may have lower blood pressure and cholesterol, so those factors can help you get lower premiums with some providers.

Lose Weight

Obesity increases the risk of cancer, diabetes, hypertension and heart disease, and on average, obesity reduces life expectancy by nine years. Not surprisingly, insurance companies view obesity as a risk factor, and the higher your body max index, the higher your insurance premiums.

If you're overweight or obese, you're paying a much higher premium than you need to and, you're reducing your life expectancy as well. Losing weight will cut your insurance premiums and might just give you a new lease of life too.

Women: Get Covered Before Getting Pregnant

Insurance companies view pregnancy as a high-risk condition, due to illnesses that may affect pregnant women. For example, previously healthy women may develop diabetes or hypertension during pregnancy, literally without warning. If you are pregnant when you apply for life cover, you can expect much higher premium quotes than you'd get either before or after pregnancy. You'll typically pay at least 50% more for premiums if you apply while pregnant. To keep your premiums low, buy life cover before getting pregnant.

Give Up Extreme Sports

Also on the long list of things that insurance companies view as risky are extreme sports such as sky-diving, mountain-climbing and bungee-jumping. If these are your favorite sports, you're going to pay much more for your life cover.

However, even if you're not an extreme sports lover, it might pay to check your premium and find out how your favorite sports are classified. Some insurance companies put much safer sports such as horse-riding in the high-risk category, so you're better off finding an insurer with more favourable sporting classifications.

Give Up Smoking

The new emphasis on obesity doesn't make the risks of smoking any less. Insurance companies still charge smokers up to twice as much for their insurance premiums as they do non-smokers. If you're a smoker, kicking the habit will save more on your insurance than any other lifestyle change.

In addition to the above steps, one of the most powerful money saving tips is to compare as much of the market as you can and use a discount life insurance broker. If you know what cover you need you can get discounted life insurance quotes from Life Saver who compare up to 20 insurers instantly online.

Source: EzineArticles.com/?expert=Chris_Johns

Finding Cheap Life Insurance is Easy

If you've been putting off buying life insurance or increasing the amount of coverage you already have, don't wait any longer! Cheap life insurance is easy to find. In fact, rates have been dropping for the last ten years and are expected to continue dropping throughout 2008, especially for term policies.

How much? Well, ten years ago, a healthy 40-year-old man would have paid $515 for a $500,000, 20-year term policy. Today, that same policy is only $345.

The best way to cash in on the cheapest prices for your life insurance is to comparison shop for a policy through an insurance comparison website (see below). By filling out a simple form, you'll receive quotes from several A-rated insurance companies.

However, before you decide to buy, you should stop and ask yourself a few questions.

Do I Need the Protection of Life Insurance?

Life insurance protects your loved ones and helps ensure their financial security. You may need life insurance if ...

* Anyone depends on your financial support, whether children, a spouse, a business partner, parents, or anyone else

* You want to provide funds to pay off debts, medical bills, funeral expenses, or other financial needs after your death

How Much Life Insurance Do I Need?

You can talk with an insurance professional on the better insurance comparison websites to get some help deciding how much coverage to buy (see link below). They are not paid by commission, so they have no interest in steering you towards a higher amount than you need.

A good guideline is to buy five to ten times your annual salary.

Should I Buy Term or Whole Life Insurance?

Term life insurance is less expensive because whole life includes an investment component. Just be sure that whatever type of policy you choose, you can afford to keep paying for it in the long term.

Take a few moments now to secure your family's future through the gift of life insurance for yourself.

Source: EzineArticles.com/?expert=Brian_Stevens

Life Insurance - Don't Fear the Reaper

fDeath is a part of life, yet many people don't consider the fact that when the Reaper comes knocking, their loved ones will be left behind. Providing support for your family in the form of life assurance can help in the most difficult times by easing any financial worries they may otherwise have.

The most common reasons to take out a life insurance policy are:

Mortgage payments
If you have an outstanding balance on your home, a life insurance policy could take care of this, ensuring your family won't be made homeless, thus adding to the grief.

Income replacement
If you are the main wage earner, a life insurance policy could replace the income you would otherwise have made, avoiding financial hardship for your family.

Childcare support
If your partner is left alone with small children, life insurance can provide the money to pay for necessary childcare.

Education
A life inssurance policy can help provide the fees for your child's education at school or university.

There are as many different types of life cover as there are reasons to have it. It can be confusing, so if you're unsure about which would suit you it's best to compare different policies and seek further advice before deciding. Here's a summary of the most common types of policy:

Level Term Assurance
This type of policy is taken over a fixed term and pays out a lump sum if the policy holder dies during that term. The sum payable remains guaranteed throughout.

Decreasing Term Insurance
Similar to Level Term in that the policy is over a fixed length of time, but the sum decreases over the duration of the policy. Commonly used to protect mortgage interest repayments.

Convertible Term Assurance
The same as Level Term, but with an option to convert to a Whole of Life or Endowment insurance policy.

Whole of Life Insurance
Guarantees a lump sum on the policy holder's death, provided payments are maintained. Does not run out, and premiums are fixed for the first ten years.

Endowment Life Insurance
This type of policy takes your premiums and invests them in the stock market, and pays out the returns upon the end of the term or the death of the policy holder, whichever comes first. It can be a tremendous asset to someone who understands stocks and shares.

Family Income Insurance
As the name suggests, this policy will help out widows or widowers with a family to support. Rather than a single lump sum, this policy pays out the sum in the form of regular monthly payments. Payments last for however long is left on the term at the time of death.

Some life insurance policies come with additional benefits such as critical illness cover; a sum is payable should you be diagnosed with certain illnesses like kidney failure, cancer or Parkinson's Disease. You may also be offered a waiver of premiums; a form of PPI which will continue to pay your premiums if you cannot work for health reasons.

As with all insurance policies, life insurance should not be rushed into. It's important to understand exactly what you're signing and paying for, and any exclusions which may apply. Some policies will not result in a payout if death occurs due to a pre-existing condition, or one which was known about and not declared when the policy was taken out. Others refuse to pay out for deaths caused by undertaking dangerous activities such as extreme sports.

Protect your family with a life insurance policy. Taking out a Level Term Assurance or even a Whole of Life Assurance policy can help your nearest and dearest through the hardest times.

Source: EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jay_Tillotson

Understanding Canadian Term Life Insurance

Are you adequately covered with life insurance? The truth is that most families are underinsured against an unforeseen premature death. While this is not a topic that most like to discuss, it is important to consider and take action to resolve. Protecting your assets and your loved ones typically involves purchasing life insurance. There are many different types of life insurance to become familiar with, although today we are just going to discuss insurance.

What is term life insurance? It is an insurance policy that protects the insured party for a specific time period, called the term. For example, if you purchase a 1 year term life insurance policy, the policy will protect the insured individual for the entire 1 year period of time. If anything were to happen to the insured party during the term, the insurance company would pay out the death benefit to the beneficiaries. The beneficiaries are determined at the time of the insurance application, although they can be changed in the future.

There are many reasons that people buy term insurance. To start, it is generally the least expensive type of life insurance. If you are looking to insure yourself for a large amount, this will be the most affordable option. In addition to the price, Canadians also buy insurance to protect people and things during a specific duration of time. For example, suppose that you want to insure your family for a higher dollar amount until your children graduate from high school. Or, maybe you want to make sure that your spouse is protected until you both reach the age of retirement. There are many reasons such as this that a insurance policy would be the most appropriate option for you to consider.

One downside to term insurance is that when the term is up, you will have to renew at the insurance rates at that time. Due to that time being at a point in the future, the rates are almost always substantially higher. The best thing to do when you are planning to purchase Canadian life insurance is to plan ahead and choose the most appropriate term length for your personal needs.

When you are starting to shop for insurance, you will find great rates by shopping online. Search the major insurance carriers and trusted sites to gather information and to compare rates.

As you are shopping, keep in mind that your insurance rate will be determined by the life insurance company, your age, your health status, whether you smoke or not, your gender and the amount of life insurance that you have requested. Be as accurate as possible on the insurance application and when you are getting rates. Research companies, compare rates and make the best selection for you and your loved ones.

Source: EzineArticles.com/?expert=Monty_Loree

10 Ways To Get Cheap Life Insurance

Your age and health will affect what you pay for your life insurance.

If your lifestyle is too risky, you're in the military or you have unhealthy habits like smoking or drugs.

However, even if you're not the healthiest person out there, there are still ways to save on your life insurance.

1) Don't count on being able to save as much if you are no longer employed. Before you make any big decisions on retiring or becoming unemployed, be sure to check and see if your employer will continue to split life insurance costs with you.

2) Be honest in your responses to questions. If you smoke, you should admit to it rather than trying to hide it. This may cost you at first but will save you money in the long run.

3) Typically, you can pay your life insurance premium once a year, once every half-year, once a quarter, or once a month. Paying quarterly or monthly might seem easier to fit into your budget, but some companies charge high fees for paying premiums frequently. If a company levies high charges for paying more frequently, try budgeting so that you can pay your premium only once or twice a year.

4) If you are in poor health, there are companies that specialize in high-risk applicants, although the premiums for these policies can be expensive and in many cases the face amount is limited. If you are in truly poor health it may be worth considering one of these companies as an alternative and comparing rates.

5) Be careful of "churning." While most life insurance agents are honest, watch out for ones that try to "sell" you too much or get you to sign up for policies you are not comfortable with. Agents only get paid when a sale is made so sometimes they can be overly aggressive.

6) Lose weight! Being overweight costs more than most can imagine - overweight people spend more on life insurance because increases in weight are related to increases in diseases and bad health.

7) Keep your plan flexible! Special clauses known as riders can always be added to your policy. Two common clauses available with term insurance, the renewable and convertible clauses, are especially good to get for those seeking cheap life insurance.

8) All policies are not the same. Some provide lifetime coverage, while others provide coverage for a fixed number of years. Some build up cash values and others do not. Some policies can still offer benefits while you're living. Your choice should be based on your needs and what you can afford, so that you get truly affordable life insurance.

9) Consider low load policies. High immediate cash surrender values are carried as an asset on the corporate books so no assets leave the corporation, reducing your risk. Some life insurance providers also use low load policies to fund employee benefits using corporate dollars.

10) There are often hidden costs in life insurance policies, such as fees and large commissions, that you may not find out about until after you purchase the policy. I recommend hiring a no-fee life insurance advisor to research all this for you and provide an objective analysis.

Source:articlesbase.com/insurance-articles/10
-ways-to-get-cheap-life-insurance-347687.html

Tips for Finding Cheap Life Insurance

Cheap life insurance is out there, if you know what you're looking for. That's why it's important to do your research. You've got to educate yourself on the various types of life insurance policies that are available, including additional benefits that may or may not be offered.

Plus, you should make an effort to research your options as they relate to the various life insurance companies. It'll be to your advantage to know what you want and need in terms of cheap life insurance before you start getting quotes.

Term vs. whole life

The first big determinant of cheap life insurance is the type you select. Term life insurance will almost always cost you less than whole life insurance. Term insurance is purchased for a specific period of time, for a specific face value.

Whole life, as the name implies, provides life insurance benefits for the rest of your life, whether that ends up being 10 years or 50. Whole life insurance policies generally have a cash value aspect meaning you'll pay more in monthly premiums. The amount over and above that which is necessary to cover the premium is used for investment purposes.

Even if you do choose whole life insurance, your costs can be lower if you look around for a policy that has lower fees. The fees you want to pay attention to aren't really fees, they're commissions. Commissions can eat away at the cash value of your whole life policy. When researching, look for the term, "low load" as that generally means lower fees.

But be careful. You'll find this type of life insurance won't be cheap if you withdraw funds. When the policy's cash value is greater than the premiums paid, you'll likely have to pay taxes. A loan against the cash value may have the same end result.

Think long and hard about this type of life insurance policy; it's not meant to be a substitute for a more traditional type of investment plan. And the premiums you'll pay will be hefty.

Steer clear of guaranteed issue policies

Also when looking for a cheap life insurance policy, you won't find it in a "guaranteed issue" type of policy. These policies are guaranteed to cover anyone, regardless health. No medical exam is required but that convenience comes with a big price tag.

Because the life insurance company is taking a substantial risk by insuring individuals without knowing their state of health, premiums will be high. If you're healthy, opt instead for a traditional term policy.

If you're not healthy, taking steps to improve your health may help you find cheaper life insurance. Lowering weight, blood pressure, and cholesterol levels are beneficial steps. Kicking the nicotine habit is also advisable. The better your health at the time of application, the cheaper your life insurance premium should be.

Finally, to get cheap life insurance, purchase just what you need. Reevaluate your life insurance needs periodically and adjust upwards or down as necessary. The bottom line: Finding cheap life insurance is possible, but it does take work.

Source: articlesbase.com/non-fiction-articles/tips-for-
finding-cheap-life-insurance-33866.html

Cheap Life Insurance Rate - More Steps To Massive Savings

Do you want a very cheap life insurance rate that will NOT make you stay with inadequate coverage? Then apply the following tips and you'll pay far less for more...

1. If you decide to pay your premiums monthly, you'll pay higher rates. Yes, paying monthly might be less stressful but it is also much more expensive.

There are transaction fees that are incurred when processing a check. For 12 checks (that is, your monthly payments) you will have a sum of twelve transactions. This implies that transaction costs would be 12 times more for individual who make monthly payments.

That is one side of it: Insurers also incur certain administrative costs for your monthly premiums. For example, it costs insurance companies millions of dollars every year to mail payment notices.

These costs plus a profit margin for this "value-added service" is factored into your life insurance rates making it more than a comparable profile that pays annually every year.

2. If you participate in high risk or dangerous sports you'll attract high rates. It is therefore up to you to quit such dangerous sports if you want lower rates.

3. Believe it or not, the way you drive can affect your life insurance rates negatively. Being found guilty of traffic offences is not just bad for your auto insurance rate it also has an effect on your life insurance premium. The simple reason is that if you're such a driver, you'll most likely require medical attention for crash related injuries than a very cautious driver.

Hence, good driving does not only help your auto insurance, it also helps you get lower rates in life insurance. Fast muscle cars and super bikes can also make you pay higher premium because they make you a bad risk. This is because they will more easily cause the policy holders death due to their higher risk of accidents.

4. Professions that are regarded as hazardous get more expensive rates. You'll get cheaper rates if you quit a hazardous occupation for something safe. If your occupation exposes you to hazardous substances, for example, your life insurance premiums will be much more than that paid by a comparable profile who probably works as a receptionist in a shop.

5. You will save a lot of money on life insurance if you get and compare quotes from five or more quotes sites. In one case study of a profile, the insurance quotes site used returned many quotes as usual. The exciting thing was that the difference between the highest and lowest quote was more than $2,000. You could save this much depending on your profile and how well you shop.

Here are recommended pages for life insurance quotes...

InsureMe Life Insurance Quotes

Life Insurance Quotes

Chimezirim Odimba writes on insurance.

Source: EzineArticles.com/?expert=Chimezirim_Chinecherem_Odimba