Below you’ll find some tips on buying life insurance to help you get a fair deal.
- Wondering how much life insurance to buy?
You definitely want sufficient coverage but you also don’t want to buy too much. Some say the rule of thumb is 5 to 10 times your annual income, however, it’s best to have a life insurance agent or advisor to help you calculate this if you are unsure.
Your agent will most probably use a method that factors in your after tax income from now until your retirement, your annual expenses including food, healthcare, clothing, etc, as well as the number of years you have left until retirement.
These costs along with the effect of inflation are also factored in to give your insurer a good estimate of your family’s financial loss if an unexpected death should occur.
- Compare life insurance quotes and policies
In order for you to find the best deal it’s extremely important for you to shop around!
Get quotes from a variety of different companies and don’t forget to compare apples to apples! What good is comparing a policy to another if they have different benefits?
Make sure you understand what kind of coverage you are getting! Learn the differences between Permanent life insurance and what is term life insurance, because they both serve different purposes.
- Go at your own pace
You should never rush into purchasing life insurance because this could cause you to buy either too much or too little. Give yourself time to sift through all your information about each company, the quotes offered and what type of coverage you are really getting.
An issue that worries some buyers is the feeling of being “pressured” to purchase a policy. A good and ethical agent will give you time to sort through your data.
Read more about working with a life insurance agent, to help give you some tips.
- Be truthful
In your search for how to buy life insurance this is an important one. Always be truthful on your application for life insurance as this could cause problems in the future.
Being dishonest could lead to a wrong quote, application rejection or your policy could be voided and your premiums returned.
If you die within the first 2 years of purchasing life insurance, your insurer has a right to contest the claim if they feel you provided inaccurate or misleading information on your application.
It helps to be honest!