Life insurance provides death benefits, and some types of policies also have investment characteristics. Deciding what type of life insurance is a smart choice for your personal circumstances but can be challenging. Work with an agent at The Shay Agency, serving Wilkes-Barre, PA and the surrounding areas, to discuss the different types of life insurance available.
Here are a few things to consider that will help you make the right decision:
Coverage Term
Term life insurance with level premium payments is available for a specific number of years, which are 10 to 30 years in five-year increments. If the time needed for life insurance is predictable, the term life insurance is a good choice. However, after the term is over, life insurance premiums will be much higher. For life insurance needs longer than 30 years, it is better to get whole life (also known as “permanent”) insurance.
Death Benefit Choices
The amount of the death benefit needs to be decided. Term policies only offer payment of a level death benefit. Whole life policies offer the choice of a level death benefit plus the cash value, a decreasing death benefit that is reduced by the accumulated cash value in the coverage, and a decreasing death benefit to reduce premiums over time.
Policy Guarantees
Term policies, some universal life, and some whole life policies offer a guaranteed premium amount and guaranteed death benefit. In other types of policies, which are designed to be investment vehicles, the policy premiums and death benefit are based on the assumption that is made for the rate of return. Premiums may be larger, and death benefits may be smaller if the underlying investments of the policy have a lower rate of return.
Cash Value
Term policies do not accumulate any cash value. Permanent whole life and other insurance policies that have investment characteristics accumulate cash value over time. Some prefer to have term insurance that comes along with a conversion rider that allows the option to convert the policy to permanent life insurance at some point in the future.
Talk with your agent at The Shay Agency in Wilkes-Barre, PA about these issues and any others to get a complete understanding of the options available for life insurance in New York and Pennsylvania.