An Intro To Life Insurance

There are many options available for life insurance, and for most people these options can be somewhat confusing. Below is a brief review of each type and some advantages and disadvantages of each. When choosing a policy it is important to look at the larger picture so that you make a wise choice in terms of cost, coverage and benefits.

Term life insurance

These plans provide monetary benefits only if death occurs within the time period that the insurance is set for. Term insurance is generally most affordable and offers additional savings for younger policy holders.

Permanent life insurance

This policy is a more long lasting option for insurance. The premiums are higher, but there is not a term on the length of time that the policy will pay out. Another benefit to these types of policies is that some companies take the profit and reinvest it and pay dividends to the policy holders. There are no taxes on these dividends unless the holder accesses the cash value.

Whole life insurance

Another type of policy with a cash value is the whole life insurance policy. These types of policies have a set premium for the length of the policy. At policy inception and in the early life of the policy rates are rather high compared to the risk of death, but over time as the risk for death increases the policy remains low and can be more affordable than other types of policies. Universal life insurance A universal life policy combines the benefits of a term and whole life policy. The policy provides for accumulation of cash reserves, which can be borrowed against at a later time. Premium payments and coverage amounts can be varied year to year

Variable life insurance

Variable life insurance is a policy that has some similarities to an investment plan. The profits that the company makes are reinvested into stocks and bonds, and these investments affect the cash value that the policy carries. This can provide a greater cash return on your policy, but it can also offer less as the money is tied to market performance. Single premium policy

The single premium policy is a unique type of insurance. This policy has one premium up front for the amount of the life insurance coverage. This amount, while large, does have some security behind it. It allows someone to give the policy as a gift, or add it to an estate plan. There is no risk that the policy will be canceled due to non payment, and this allows security if it is bought for someone as a gift or as protection for the family for the future.

Survivorship policy

A new type of policy that has been offered recently is a survivorship policy. This is a policy that covers two separate people under one policy. After the first person dies, the remaining person receives no benefits. There is no payout until both parties covered under the policy have passed away. This type of policy might not make much sense to people, until they consider that this policy is a great thing for estate planning for children and other family members.

Now, how to decide what you need and want out of a policy? The best thing is to take a look at your goals. For example, Do you want a policy that remains unchanged, or one that can be adjusted from time to time depending on your current life situation? Do you view insurance as something that you get leave alone, or something that can help you now as well as your survivors in the future?

Talking with a reputable insurance agent can be helpful in terms of narrowing options and addressing the complex array of needs a potential plan might fill. Many times, an agent can do a profile on you and give you exactly what you need without the unnecessary and often expensive extras.

Nicole Soltau is the President and Founder of http://CreditUnionRate.com The Leading Credit Union Directory Search, Find, Join.

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Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich talks to the media at his home in Chicago, Friday, Jan. 9, 2009. The Illinois House voted Friday to impeach Blagojevich. (AP Photo/Paul Beaty)AP - The Illinois House voted overwhelmingly Friday to impeach Gov. Rod Blagojevich, an unprecedented action that sets up a Senate trial on whether he should be thrown out for abuse of power, including allegations that he tried to sell President-elect Barack Obama's vacant Senate seat.



Steve Pruitt, from Belle Chasse, La., fills out an employment application during a Dollar General job fair in Metairie, La., Thursday, Jan. 8, 2009. The nation's unemployment rate bolted to 7.2 percent in December, the highest since early 1993, as nervous employers slashed 524,000 jobs. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)AP - The nation's unemployment rate bolted to 7.2 percent in December, the highest level in 16 years, as nervous employers slashed 524,000 jobs, capping one of the worst years in modern history for American workers.



President-elect Barack Obama, flanked by CIA Director-designate Leon Panetta, left, and National Intelligence Director-designate, Ret. Navy Adm. Dennis Blair, announces his intelligence team, Friday, Jan. 9, 2009, during a news conference in Washington. (AP Photo/Lawrence Jackson)AP - Promising to protect the United States while adhering to its core human values, President-elect Barack Obama formally unveiled his intelligence team Friday, praising their integrity, management skills and willingness to tell him the truth.



U.S. Senate appointee Roland Burris, left, speaks as his attorney Timothy Wright III listens during the Illinois House Impeachment Committee hearing at the Illinois State Capitol Thursday, Jan. 8, 2009, in Springfield, Ill. (AP Photo/Seth Perlman)AP - The Illinois Supreme Court says Secretary of State Jesse White doesn't need to sign Roland Burris' appointment to the U.S. Senate to make it valid.



A mosque's minaret is seen though smoke caused by explosions from Israeli military operations in Gaza City, Friday, Jan. 9, 2009. Israeli jets and helicopters bombarded Gaza early Friday and Hamas fired a barrage of rockets into southern Israel, as Israel's government said it will press forward with its offensive despite a U.N. resolution calling for an immediate cease-fire. (AP Photo/Abdel Kareem Hana)AP - Israeli jets and helicopters bombarded Gaza Friday and Hamas responded with a barrage of rockets on at least two cities as both sides defied a U.N. call for an immediate cease-fire.



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Tyre Dawn and her son, Lukyan, 4, are seen  outside an organic food store, Tuesday, Jan. 6, 2009, in Ashland, Ore. There are so many parents in this outdoorsy, Zen-loving, organic-eating town who won't get their kids vaccinated that federal doctors are paying just to hear their side of things. On Saturday,  Jan. 10,  locals will get $50 apiece to talk about their worries over the risks of childhood shots. This town doesn't trust the government.  (AP Photo/Jeff Barnard)AP - There are so many parents in this free-spirited, unconventional small town who won't get their kids vaccinated that federal researchers are paying money just to hear their side of things. On Saturday, 80 locals will get $50 apiece to talk about their worries over the risks of childhood shots.



This Feb. 25, 2005 file photo shows 'The Sopranos' actor Lillo Brancato Jr. in New York. Brancato was sentenced Friday, Jan. 9, 2009 to 10 years in prison for his role in a botched burglary in December 2005 that ended in the killing of an off-duty New York police officer. (AP Photo/David Greene, File)AP - A former actor on "The Sopranos" was sentenced Friday to 10 years in prison for a botched burglary in the Bronx in which an accomplice shot and killed an off-duty police officer. A jury acquitted Lillo Brancato Jr. of second-degree murder in the death of the police officer, but convicted him of attempted burglary. He had faced up to 15 years in prison.



AP - A man may have tipped his intentions when he stood in line at an Ohio bank wearing a ski mask before staging a holdup. Police in Stow near Akron say a 24-year-old man was arrested minutes later on Thursday following a brief car chase.

In this Nov. 23, 2008 file photo, Indianapolis Colts quarterback Peyton Manning rolls out as he looks for a receiver during the first quarter of an NFL football game against the San Diego Chargers in San Diego. Manning made The Associated Press 2008 NFL All-Pro team announced Friday Jan. 9, 2009.  (AP Photo/Denis Poroy, File)AP - A changing of the guard — and tackles and running backs and receivers — saw 15 first-timers make The Associated Press 2008 NFL All-Pro team announced Friday. While such standbys as three-time NFL Most Valuable Player Peyton Manning and six-time All-Pro Ray Lewis made the squad, there was plenty of room for newcomers. Ten of the 14 offensive players and five of the 13 on defense had never been All-Pros.



Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich gestures as he announces former Illinois Attorney General Roland Burris as his choice to fill the vacant U.S. Senate seat of President-elect Barack Obama during a news conference in Chicago, Illinois December 30, 2008. (Frank Polich/Reuters)Reuters - The Illinois House of Representatives impeached Gov. Rod Blagojevich on Friday for abuse of power, including a charge that he tried to sell President-elect Barack Obama's former U.S. Senate seat.



Employers slashed payrolls by 524,000 in December, driving the unemployment rate to its highest level in almost 16 years, a government report showed on Friday, suggesting that the year-long recession was deepening. (Graphic/Reuters)Reuters - The U.S. unemployment rate surged to the highest level in nearly 16 years last month as a deepening year-long recession forced companies to cut payrolls by more than half a million jobs, data showed on Friday.



Palestinians collect their belongings from their destroyed house after an Israeli air strike in Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip January 8, 2009. (Ibraheem Abu Mustafa/Reuters)Reuters - Israel rejected a U.N. resolution calling for a ceasefire in the Hamas-ruled Gaza Strip on Friday and warplanes and tanks pounded the Palestinian enclave.



Reuters - Citigroup Inc said Robert Rubin has retired from the bank.

Reuters - The U.S. Treasury has done nothing to ensure a $700 billion financial bailout fund is used to stabilize the weak mortgage market, which caused the U.S. economic crisis, a congressional watchdog said on Friday.

President-elect Barack Obama waves to supporters as he leaves the Presidential Inaugural Committee offices in Washington, January 8, 2009. (Jim Young/Reuters)Reuters - President-elect Barack Obama's economic team is working to overhaul the $700 billion financial rescue program to stem mortgage foreclosures and spur the flow of credit to the struggling U.S. economy, an Obama aide said on Friday.



Reuters - The U.S. Supreme Court said on Friday it would consider a challenge to a central provision of the 44-year-old voting rights law aimed at preventing states and local governments from making it harder for minorities to vote.

A foreclosed home is seen in Stockton, California in this May 13, 2008 file photo. A top bank industry group said on Friday that it opposes an agreement between financial giant Citigroup Inc  (Robert Galbraith/Files/Reuters)Reuters - A top bank industry group said on Friday that it opposes an agreement between Citigroup Inc and Democratic senators that would rewrite U.S. bankruptcy law to help troubled mortgage borrowers avoid foreclosure, saying it could make home loans more expensive.



Relatives mourn the death of a Palestinian journalist who was killed during an Israeli strike in Gaza City. A defiant Israel pounded Gaza with bombs and shells Friday, vowing to pursue its war on Hamas despite a truce order from the UN Security Council, amid warnings the population was running out of food.(AFP/Mahmud Hams)AFP - A defiant Israel pounded Gaza with bombs and shells Friday, vowing to pursue its war on Hamas despite a truce order from the UN Security Council, amid warnings the population was running out of food.



The Sirius Star is anchored off the coast of Somalia in November 2008. Somali pirates said Friday they had freed the Saudi-owned supertanker, whose capture nearly two months ago wreaked panic in international shipping and spurred the world into tougher anti-piracy action.(AFP/US Navy/File)AFP - Somali pirates said Friday they had freed a Saudi-owned supertanker, whose capture nearly two months ago caused panic in international shipping and spurred the world into tougher anti-piracy action.




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