{"id":301,"date":"2022-12-01T14:00:31","date_gmt":"2022-12-01T15:00:31","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/huachen.me\/?p=301"},"modified":"2023-11-14T00:53:13","modified_gmt":"2023-11-14T00:53:13","slug":"is-life-insurance-worth-it","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/huachen.me\/index.php\/2022\/12\/01\/is-life-insurance-worth-it\/","title":{"rendered":"Is life insurance worth it?"},"content":{"rendered":"

Nothing beats the peace of mind that comes with knowing that your loved ones will have help after you\u2019re gone. That\u2019s why purchasing a life insurance policy is so important. It can feel overwhelming to know when and if you should purchase life insurance. If you’re asking yourself “is life insurance worth it”, we can confirm that in most cases it most certainly is.<\/p>\n

There are many questions to ask your self when considering life insurance. “What are my life insurance options? How about life insurance costs? What is the difference between a term policy and whole life coverage?”<\/p>\n

When you buy life insurance, you in some ways buy peace of mind. Let\u2019s explore the types of life insurance, how life insurance works, and if now is the right time for you to purchase a life insurance policy.<\/p>\n

What is life insurance?<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Put simply, life insurance is income replacement. Life insurance plans help provide financial security to your family when you are gone .When you purchase a policy, you\u2019re paying a premium to your provider who agrees to pay the amount (a.k.a. a death benefit) to your dependents if you were to pass away. A secure life insurance plan helps to provide your loved ones with long-term financial stability. It can be reassuring to know that coverages such as final expense insurance, or lost income coverage, can help provide financial support. Your loved ones be taken care of when you protect their financial situation with a life insurance policy. There are two main types of life insurance:<\/p>\n

Overview of term vs. whole<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Term life insurance <\/strong><\/a>is a type of insurance policy that provides coverage for a specific amount of time; in most cases somewhere from one to 30 years. When you purchase a term life insurance policy, if you pass away during the covered period of time, the insurance company then pays a death benefit to whomever you have named as the beneficiaries of your policy. However, if you are still alive once the policy ends, your insurance company does not pay out anything at all, and your coverage stops.<\/p>\n

Whole life insurance, the second type we\u2019ll talk about in this post, is a bit more complicated than term life policies. It is also typically the more expensive life insurance. Whole life insurance is permanent life insurance that both pays out a death benefit and builds up a cash value over time. This means that a portion of each premium payment you make is channeled into a savings component of your policy, called its \u201ccash value\u201d.<\/p>\n

In some situations, depending on your company and policy, you can choose to withdraw from these funds, or borrow against the amount. Whole life insurance is the most common type of life insurance, and, with this type of policy, you are covered for your entire life, as long as you’re consistent with paying premiums on time.<\/p>\n

Younger is better<\/strong><\/h2>\n

You may be fortunate enough to be at a point in your life where you\u2019re young and healthy, but that doesn\u2019t mean it\u2019s not worth it to look ahead. For example, taking out a life insurance policy earlier in life can let you lock in better rates for the long term. Additionally, if you own property together with another adult, a life insurance policy can help them keep up rent or mortgage payments in the event of your passing.<\/p>\n

Reasons you need life insurance (even at a young age)<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Even if you are young and healthy, life insurance may be smart move. Here are some of the reasons you may need life insurance:<\/p>\n

You\u2019re going to have a baby<\/strong><\/h3>\n

If your income disappeared, your minor children, who are unable to support themselves, would most likely be put at a severe disadvantage. The same is true if they will rely on you to help pay for their education or offer disability support.<\/p>\n

You\u2019re getting married<\/strong><\/h3>\n

If you\u2019re creating a life with your partner and they rely on your salary to pay for things like household spending, losing your income contributions could be disastrous for them.<\/p>\n

You support your parents financially<\/strong><\/h3>\n

If you are providing for an aging parent, life insurance can help your loved ones find new sources of assistance if you pass away.<\/p>\n

You have private student loan debt<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Your debts do not simply vanish when you pass away. People tasked with settling your estate\u2019s debt who didn\u2019t follow probate laws, co-signers on a loan, joint owners or account holders, spouses in community property states like California and Texas, and people tasked with settling your estate\u2019s debt who didn\u2019t follow probate laws could all be on the hook to pay your debts.<\/p>\n

You work for yourself<\/strong><\/h3>\n

If you work for yourself, you\u2019ll need to consider the consequences of your death if you have a business partner or staff. To keep things running, you could take up a life insurance policy with your company partner as the beneficiary.<\/p>\n

You have a high-risk job<\/strong><\/h3>\n

You have a higher risk of mortality if you work in a dangerous or high-risk environment than if you sit at a desk all day. A larger premium is usually paid for in jobs like aviation, construction, firefighting, mining, oil and natural gas, and a few other fields.<\/p>\n

You have extreme hobbies<\/strong><\/h3>\n

If you\u2019re a thrill seeker who loves extreme sports, a life insurance company will most likely consider you a higher-risk customer. However, it\u2019s similar to having a high-risk job: you\u2019ll pay more for insurance, but the expense is justified given your risk of dying from unnatural causes.<\/p>\n

Who doesn\u2019t need life insurance?<\/strong><\/h2>\n

You can probably avoid buying a life insurance policy if no one in your life would be financially impacted by your death. For the time being, you may find that saving and investing in other assets \u2014 such as stocks, bonds, retirement funds, or real estate \u2014 is a better option.<\/p>\n

Keep in mind that your life insurance coverage will be more reasonable if you are younger and healthier. If you anticipate significant life changes, it may be worthwhile to consider your options in order to lock in competitive pricing.<\/p>\n

Should young people buy term or whole life insurance?<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Term life insurance is, in general, the cheaper and more flexible alternative, and thus the preferable choice for the majority of people. You can customize term life insurance to cover the years of your life when your death would have the greatest impact on your loved ones, and then review the policy when they can sustain themselves without your life insurance.<\/p>\n

How much life insurance should I get?<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Of course your own financial security should be factored in when buying life insurance. While life insurance is a worthwhile investment, it’s important to remember that you will likely have monthly payments on your policy. The amount of life insurance you purchase will have a direct impact on the amount of your premium payments.<\/p>\n

When considering purchasing a term life insurance policy or whole life insurance, consider who is financially dependent on you, and what is your medical history, your life expectancy. In the matter of an untimely death, what will happen with your outstanding debts? Which policy can accumulate cash? How much of a death benefit amount would provide the financial protection you and your family need.<\/p>\n

Online insurance calculators, like this one<\/strong><\/a> from NerdWallet, are a wonderful place to start when shopping for coverage. They\u2019ll ask you questions about your lifestyle and requirements to help you figure out how much coverage you need.<\/p>\n

You can also calculate how much life insurance you need<\/strong><\/a> manually with a few simple steps:<\/p>\n