Thursday, February 12, 2009

life insurance rates

What are life insurance rates?
Permanent Life Insurance is just that. It can last until you’re 100 in many cases. And it can have components that build cash value.

Term Life Insurance is pure protection for a specified period of time — usually 10, 15, 20 or 30 years. In most cases, Term Life builds up no cash value. However it is much cheaper than Permanent Life Insurance for a comparable amount of coverage.

How are life insurance rates calculated?
Life insurance, in fact all insurance, is based on the concept of sharing risk. A large number of people pay a small percent of potential insurance claims so that the beneficiaries of those who die can receive a large amount relative to what they may have paid.

Life insurance companies are careful not to insure (or charge higher rates for) people who statistically, because of medical conditions or riskier behavior, may die prematurely. If they took people with a “higher risk,” this would eventually raise rates for others who are healthy and want insurance because the life insurance company would be paying out more than they collect in premiums from all of their policyholders. Too little premium for too many claims could also harm a company that may not then be around to help the families of those who have policies with them. An insurance company has to be prudent so that they are there to serve all the policyholders when they’re needed most.

Your life insurance rate is the price you pay to receive the life insurance coverage for which you are applying. For term life insurance, that rate is always guaranteed for the length of the life insurance policy (i.e. if the policy is for ten years, the rate will remain constant for ten years). This is the benefit of term life insurance: affordable coverage during the period of your life when you need it the most.

The actual dollar amount you pay is determined by an "underwriting process." This process is used by the life insurance company to determine your life expectancy. Many factors are taken into account: your age, sex, driving habits, medical conditions, family health history, and others. Those who are expected to live longer will generally pay less. Those whose life expectancy is less certain (based on health issues or avocation and hobbies) will generally pay more.

How to Research Life Insurance Rates That Will Save You Tons.?
A variety of polices are available to the consumer looking for life insurance rates, whole life policy types. Depending on your medical history and how old you are, your rates will be decided. Once you have chosen a policy based on the variety of beginning rates, your rates will usually be the same for the rest of your policy payments.

The least expensive whole life policies are available to young people. When you get older the prices will go up as well. Choosing a good whole life policy when you are young will provide a more than adequate death benefit as well as investment options.

How does my weight affect life insurance rates?
Well, if you have normal weight for your height, you will be considered a preferred or a super-preferred rate. It's one of the factors that all insurance companies look at. Obviously, if you're carrying an extra 100 pounds, you're doing something deleterious to your health. Insurance companies know the factors, they have the statistics; they're going to be right most of the time, they'll be wrong some of the time. They're going to charge more for that type of condition. If you lose weight and you improve your health condition, they are more than open to looking and your rate and considering giving you a better premium at a later date.