Life is full of twists and turns. Well, a known fact is that life is highly uncertain and we ourselves do not know what is waiting us in the very next moment. At a given moment, we might feel at top of the world and in the very next moment we may land in some or the other problem. Therefore, it is very important that whatever things we do in life, we should make proper planning because planning is essential. Knowing that life is uncertain, we try to secure our self and the lives of our loved ones. Therefore, we try to do things like taking up life insurance policy, investing in the right investments and many similar things. There steps that we take are definitely wise and these things help us in the future. One such evidence is the life settlement scheme that was introduced to help the senior citizens who are in need of money. With the help of a life settlement policy, they can sell off their life insurance policy and get the insured amount in return. This is definitely a good thing because with old age comes the problem of shortage of money.
People who stay in Coventry can easily apply for Coventry life settlement because this gives them a chance to sell off their life insurance to a life settlement agent and get the insured sum of the money in return. Well, there are some basic criterions that need to be fulfilled while opting for life settlement policies. The person has to be of sixty-five years of age or more. Moreover, he or she should not be suffering from any terminal disease and should have a life expectancy of atleast twelve years. Once you match up to these criterions, then you can easily opt for a Coventry life settlement and can solve all your financial problems.
One can never avoid death; it is an inevitable truth associated with life. However, one can make it more secure and enjoyable by taking sensible step with life insurance policy; if you are thinking that how a life insurance policy can make your life enjoyable as it reimburse money only after death of the policy holder or after contracted period of time, then you must update your knowledge. Now one can sell his or her unwanted insurance policy anytime; this scheme is really very beneficial for everyone as it equally benefit the person who is investing in life settlement. Being the policyholder, you possess the privilege to sell it whenever you want; definitely it gives you double benefit as it provides you with good cash as well as relief from unaffordable premiums. By selling your policy you can meet variety of financial requirements right from medical treatment to home improvement or any vacation.
Life settlement is not only beneficial for the policyholder but also advantageous for the investor. Person, who is investing in life settlement, gets great financial benefits as after completion of settlement process he or she is the only owner of the policy. Basically, individual investors invest in policies that are of high valued and bear less risk; in cases where the policy has numerous unpaid premiums, only life settlement firms like investing in life settlement policies. There are n numbers of benefits associated with life settlement; the biggest advantage that an investor gets from such policies is lower face value. For policies, that are long term this face value is very high therefore when a person sells it this value gets transferred in the account of investor. In fact, by investing in life settlement one can get the great way earn money in future as a policy can be sold multiple times.
Since money is the major factor to live life happily, investing in life settlement offers every investor the great opportunity to fortify this factor. In bread sense, for a policy holder buying a life settlement policy is an investment itself; since it give him or her unexpected benefits at the time of financial crisis. Usually, this policy is sold to only those people who have a very low expected; this the basic reason why it offer such a high value and incredible monitory benefits. In many cases, people who suffer from any life threatening disease buy this policy with an intention to sell it in future; in fact this thought has helped many people in enjoying every aspect of life to the fullest.
If done properly, investing in life settlement can prove to be the most sensible decision of any investor. The popularity involvement of life settlement companies in every life settlement deal has made it more reasonable for both parties as these companies take care of every assessment and create justified deal for them. This procedure is really helping investors in establishing a better financial condition and giving seniors a reason to enjoy life to the fullest. Therefore if you are interested in any of available life settlement schemes, then go for it without any doubt and get best benefits.
Tuesday, December 16, 2008
Get Great Financial Benefits by Investing in Life Settlement
Monday, December 15, 2008
Sunday, December 14, 2008
The Lowdown on Life Insurance Medical Exams
There are three main ways a new life insurance policy is priced: Underwritten policies are those where you answer questions on your personal and family medical history and undergo a medical exam arranged by the insurance company; a simplified issue life insurance policy application asks you some medical questions but does not require a medical exam; and a guaranteed issue life insurance policy requires no questions and no medical exam. If you're healthy, or even if you have a few medical problems, you're likely to get the best insurance value from an underwritten policy, which is priced specifically for you. Simplified issue and guaranteed issue life insurance policies set a price that assumes risk that you may not have.
Whether you're buying term life insurance or whole life insurance, you'll likely be asked to undergo a medical exam. These are typically performed by licensed paramedicals who are often independent contractors hired by the insurance company. They will schedule a visit to your home for the exam and bring all the necessary supplies. The life insurance company foots the bill for the exam.
Health questions
When you submit your completed application for your life insurance policy, your agent or life insurer will call a paramedical service to let them know you require an life insurance medical exam. The service will then contact you to arrange a convenient time and place. You must have the exam or your application won't be processed.
The life insurer may still request an attending physician's statement (APS) from your doctor, but you cannot have the life insurance medical exam done by your own physician.
In a basic exam, the paramedical will take your medical history (even though you've already supplied it on your application), height and weight, blood pressure, pulse, and blood and urine samples. Beyond that, tests will vary based on your age and policy amount.
For example, MetLife will order an in-home EKG for applicants age 50 and older who are applying for face amounts of at least $1 million. For applicants age 70 and older who are applying for $2 million policies and higher, MetLife forgoes the paramedical exam and requires an exam by an M.D. chosen by MetLife (not your own doctor). The doctor will ask the same medical questions as a paramedical and get your height, weight, blood pressure and pulse, plus do a brief medical exam such as listening to your heart.
Jacki Goldstein, Vice President of Life Underwriting at MetLife, emphasizes that this is not a comprehensive medical exam and does not include sensitive issues, such as a breast exam for women. Goldstein also stresses that the M.D. life insurance exam is not a substitute for good routine medical care.
When age and face amounts get higher, a treadmill test may be required. For example, MetLife requires treadmill tests for applicants who are at least 50 and applying for over $10 million in insurance or applicants 76 and older applying for $5 million or more.
If you're applying for a low face value policy, you may not even be asked to do a paramedical exam. For example, if you're age 40 and applying for $50,000 of life insurance, MetLife requires no specific tests or measurements. And for some cases, MetLife asks for a "simple paramed" exam, encompassing the basic measurements and blood and urine work but without the paramedical question list. Guidelines for tests will vary among life insurers.
What are They Looking For?
The life insurance company wants to know if you have any health condition that could shorten your life which in turn affects the insurer's risk and your policy premium. When samples of blood and urine are collected, the insurer tests for HIV, cholesterol and related lipids, liver or kidney disorder, diabetes, hepatitis, prostate specific antigen (PSA) and immune disorders. The urine sample might go through routine analysis, plus screening for certain medications, cocaine and other drugs.
Results go to the life insurer's home office for an underwriter to review. You can usually send a written request if you want a copy of the results, and some insurers will automatically send you a copy of your lab work. If there's anything of concern about the lab results, you would need to consult your own doctor. Goldstein says, "It's not uncommon to have abnormalities that don't mean anything."
A life insurance underwriter then reviews your application and the results of your medical exam. They decide your life insurance rating, which sets your premium. If there are lingering questions about your health, they may request additional information or medical tests. In the very rare event you are unknowingly quite ill chronically or terminally your application would be declined and you would have to look for a high-risk carrier or one that offers guaranteed issue life insurance.
Don't Let Your Life Insurance Premiums Go Up In Smoke
Smokers pay higher premiums for life insurance because of their higher mortality rate. If any nicotine shows up in your results, you'll be considered a smoker. The test also detects nicotine from a transdermal patch.
After the Life Insurance Exam Results
If your test results correlate with the classification used for your original life insurance quote, you'll have no problem getting that rate. If a medical problem is discovered, you might be offered a life insurance policy with a higher premium.
There are two types of risk ratings: "flat" ratings, sometimes called temporary flat extras, and "table" ratings. Underwriters assess health conditions based sophisticated table to determine how to rate certain health conditions.
For instance, an underwriter might apply a flat rating for a short period of time for a person who has just had surgery. On the other hand, a person with high-blood pressure could receive a table rating, which increases premiums by a set amount for the duration of the policy, depending on your medical condition and age. If you disagree with a rating you receive, contact your agent.
Agents can find out if the rating can be revised based on supplemental medical tests to prove you qualify for a better rating.
Even if you end up declining the life insurance policy, your test results become part of your record in MIB Group's database (formerly the Medical Information Bureau), a clearinghouse of medical information that insurers share which stores information for seven years after you apply for a life, health, disability income, long term care or critical illness insurance policy.
MIB is jointly owned by about 470 insurance companies. So, if you go shopping around for other term or whole life insurance policies, remember that your medical information is accessible to other insurers in the near future. Note that MIB's database does not contain actual medical records but rather codes that represent medical conditions and tests, hazardous hobbies and even your bad driving record.
If you want to check your MIB file, or dispute information in it, you can obtain one free report annually at www.mib.com.
No Way, You Say?
Life insurance medical exams are really quite routine. But if you want to avoid a medical exam at all costs, you could buy a simplified issue life insurance policy, which requires only that you answer a few medical questions, or a guaranteed issue life insurance policy, which requires neither an exam nor questions.
Keep in mind, though, that if you're in general good health, or even with a history of some health issues, you'll likely get a much better rate by buying a life insurance policy that requires a medical exam.
Tips for a Better Life Insurance Medical Exam
Certain health conditions simply cannot be masked, but to obtain the best possible results, here are some recommendations:
-Get a good night's rest the night before your exam. -Don't drink for at least eight hours before the exam.
-Avoid coffee, tea or other caffeinated drinks such as soda for at least one hour prior to the exam.
-Limit salt intake and high-cholesterol food 24 hours before your exam.
-Don't engage in strenuous physical activities 24 hours before the exam.
Source: Exam & Profile Services, Beaver Dam, Wisconsin
Friday, December 12, 2008
How to Acquire Life Insurance
Okay here it is life insurance. Don't get me wrong I am not putting down term life insurance. Utilizing your savings, borrowing against your life insurance, and getting a home equity loan are also useful to pay off credit card loans.
An actuary is the guy who develops the life expectancy tables for life insurance companies. So, having a whole life insurance policy is also like having your own little savings account. The face value of your life insurance can be tailored to help provide the income stream through this interim period.
Unclaimed inheritance can include: Bank accounts Savings Accounts Life Insurance Payments Safety Deposit Boxes Social Security checks Old Pay Checks Stocks, Bonds and Dividends the list goes on and on. Lots of people - especially our lawyers and accountants - have opinions about what kinds of life insurance we should own. Many planners will suggest that all or part of an irrevocable trust be funded with life insurance.
It is also recommended that you check your account before any major decisions, which may require a credit check such as buying a house or applying for home or life insurance. What really worries life insurance underwriters? Fixed annuities are offered only by insurance companies licensed to underwrite life insurance and annuities by the state in which you reside.
Once you have a family of your own, acquire a reasonable amount of life insurance. Life insurance - life insurance quote, life insurance rate, term life insurance, Jankowski had all the life insurance they needed.
Sam cashes in his life insurance and borrows against this house. So who uses permanent life insurance? Some term life insurance policies are renewable for one or more additional terms even if your health has changed.
Term insurance is commonly known as a 'pure' form of life insurance because it only covers the insured for a specific period of time. Once you file for bankruptcy, you will have trouble getting a mortgage, a loan, new credit cards, life insurance and even some jobs. It is one of the most important life insurance policies a person who owns a home can buy.
The Advantages of Term life insurance typically boasts low premiums. If you were owed money from a life insurance policy from a company in New York, that company may report the money in the New York state database. And isn't this why you buy life insurance in the first place.
These benefits may include health insurance, retirement savings plans, disability insurance, life insurance, dependent care reimbursement accounts, vision care, dental insurance, employee assistance plans, job counseling and educational benefits. Both refer to the selling of your life insurance to a third party. The variations on whole life insurance cover include:
Non-profit
UK whole life insurance policies: This is the simplest form of whole life cover, and enables you to enjoy the convenience of level payments through the term of the policy until you die.
Knowing what you would like to accomplish with your life insurance policy and approximately how much you need to achieve these goals will help you determine how much life insurance you should consider purchasing. The equity is then put into no risk custom life insurance product. You will receive more by selling your life insurance than you would if you simply surrendered it to the insurance company.
They were obviously good prospects for life insurance. Confirm the policy can be cancelled without penalty: Most term life insurance policies can be cancelled at any time without penalty.
Monday, December 1, 2008
"return of Premium" Term Life Insurance Comes of Age
With a traditional term insurance policy, you buy a coverage term, such as 15, 20 or 30 years, and pay a fixed annual price. If you don't die within that term, your contract ends and you receive nothing, having paid for the "risk" that you might have died.
An ROP term life insurance policy gives you 100 percent of your premium money back (it's tax-free) at the end of your term if no death benefit has been paid. Or put another way, "You can rent your insurance or you can buy it," says Alan Lurty, Senior Vice President at ING.
How much will it cost me?
An ROP term life insurance policy will cost more than a comparable traditional term life insurance policy, and there is a significant range among insurers for that surcharge, plus significant ranges depending on your age and the length of term you want.
It will really pay to shop around for the best term life insurance quote, but on the low end you can expect to pay 50 percent more than comparable traditional term life insurance. So, for example, if your annual life insurance rate for traditional term insurance would be $3,000, adding an ROP option could bring it up to $4,500 annually. On the high end, you might be looking at paying 150 percent more over the base premium, so that $3,000 premium would become $7,500.
Shoppers should also note that with a ROP term life insurance policy, generally the longer the term the less you'll pay out overall in premiums. So a 30-year ROP term policy could actually end up costing less total money, at the end of the term, than a 15-year ROP policy. How does that happen? Because the 30-year term gives the insurer more time to make its money back by investing your premiums. So make sure you price out different term lengths when getting a life insurance quote.
Generally, you will not be returned premiums for extra riders you may add to the ROP term policy.
Who considers it?
The likely customer for ROP term life insurance is a person who has the confidence he'll outlive his life insurance policy. Or it could be the person who can't get over the feeling that term life insurance is a "waste of money" if the death benefit isn't paid out. ROP term life insurance provides a way to hedge your bets no matter what happens.
What if I surrender my ROP policy early?
It's not wise to buy any life insurance policy if you don't intend to keep up on payments. However, if you do surrender an ROP term life insurance policy early, you will get some of your premiums back based on a sliding scale if you've held it for a few years. Check your life insurance policy details about that sliding scale before you buy.
Many life insurance companies offer no premium returns if you surrender your life insurance policy within the first few years. Your life insurance policy will spell out the rules for surrendering it, such as when partial premium returns would start and the sliding scale for those returns.
For example, just because you're halfway through your life insurance policy term doesn't mean you'll get half your premiums back if you surrender it. The longer you keep it, the higher percentage of premiums you'll get back, up to 100 percent at the very end of your term. (If you die during your term, your beneficiaries receive the death benefit without any premium return.)
Can I get it for less?
Life insurance companies such as ING and Genworth offer two flavors of ROP term life policies, usually called basic and enhanced (more expensive). Under the "basic" contract, you pay a lower life insurance rate than an enhanced life insurance policy because you get back less if you surrender it early.
For example, if you bought ING's 15-year term life "basic" ROP life insurance policy and surrendered it in year 10, you would receive 30% of your premiums back. If you held ING's "enhanced" 15-year life insurance policy for 10 years you'd receive 60 percent back.
For either basic or enhanced life insurance policies you always receive 100 percent of your premiums back if you get to the end of your term.
Invest the difference?
Maybe now you're thinking that another option would be to take the premium difference between traditional term life insurance and ROP term life insurance and invest the difference. Would you come out ahead at the end? It depends mainly on your term length. Lurty of ING offers this example: Say you're looking at traditional 30-year term for $1,500 or ROP 30-year term for $2,000 annually. That's $500 a year you could otherwise put into investments. To equal the money you'd get back from your ROP life insurance policy at the end of 30 years, you would need to see an investment return on the premium difference of about 7 to 8 percent. How well has your portfolio been doing? Lurty says that with ROP term life insurance policies you don't have to worry about "investing the difference" because it's being done for you.
Note that the example is for a 30-year term. With shorter-term ROP life insurance policies, like 15 or 20 years, you might indeed yield more at the end of the term by investing the difference. And you would need the self-discipline to actually invest those extra dollars each year.
Of course, should you die within the term, only the death benefit is paid out. Thus, don't view this as an investment product.
Expect to see more return-of-premium insurance policies as it catches on.
Companies selling return of premium term life insurance:
-American General Life Insurance Co.
-Fidelity Life Association
-Genworth Life & Annuity Insurance Co.
-ING Reliastar Life Insurance Co.
-Lincoln National Life Insurance Co.
-Pruco Life Insurance Co.
-Pruco Life Insurance Co. of New Jersey
-Transamerica Occidental Life Insurance Co.
-The United States Life Insurance Co. in the City of New York