Despite the underlying simplicity of life insurance, most web sites channel their online clients through a telephone based help and advice service manned by experienced personnel. They represent your safety net so if a little technical knowledge is called for, help is at hand.

But it’s always a good idea to have a few Top Tips in your back pocket when you’re shopping online for life insurance. They’ll help you ask the right questions and find the best policy.

1. Always have your Life Insurance policy “Written in Trust”.

This means that in the event of a claim, the money goes directly and immediately to the person(s) you nominate when you first take the policy out. It also avoids all possibility of your estate having to pay Inheritance Tax on the proceeds of your policy and that could represent a 40% tax saving !

All you have to do is tell the online brokerage organising your policy that you want your policy “Written in Trust” and the names of the people who the life insurance company pay in the event of a claim. They will then sort it all out for you. The extra good news is that this service is invariably free of charge. So it’s a win win situation and there aren’t many of those around these days !

2. In the early years a Reviewable Life Insurance Policy will be cheaper but a Guaranteed Policy will work out a better buy in the longer term.

With a “Guaranteed Policy” the insurance company guarantees never to increase your policy’s premium.

With a “Reviewable Policy” you agree that your insurance company can review the cost of your policy at regular intervals. But don’t be kidded – in our experience a “review” is just another word for a price increase. After all, who’s ever heard of an insurance company passing up a chance to charge you more! The review intervals are usually between 2 to 5 years but this does vary between insurance companies. You will find the details of the review intervals on the documents sent to you before you accept the insurance – these are called The Key Features Documents.

So, comparing otherwise like for like policies, in the early years the premiums for a “Reviewable Policy” will undoubtedly be lower than the premiums for a “Guaranteed Policy”. Thereafter, the premiums for a Reviewable Policy increase eventually catching up with and overtaking, the premium for a “Guaranteed Policy”.

In our experience, you can expect the monthly premiums for a Reviewable Policy to exceed those of a Guaranteed policy in about 7 to 10 years and then within the following 10 years, more than double again. If your budget is currently tight then by all means choose a Reviewable Policy – after all your salary may increase in coming years and ease the strain. On the other hand, if the premiums for a Guaranteed Policy are affordable, we think they represent your best buy.

A footnote. Many insurance companies have stopped offering “Guaranteed” rates for standalone critical illness insurance policies. This because they have experienced much higher claim rates than they initially expected. However, you may still find a Guaranteed life insurance policy that also provides critical illness cover. As we have explained, “Guaranteed” rates are especially good value and if you can get a quote for a Guaranteed life policy that includes critical illness cover, you may have a real bargain.

3. Thinking about a Joint Life Insurance Policy?

A Joint Life Insurance policy is usually written on a first death basis. This means that the policy will pay out on the death of the first policyholder, subject to the policy being in force at the time. This leaves the second person uninsured and older. Older people can struggle to get life insurance at an affordable premium, so rather than a Joint Policy consider taking out separate policies now. Overall it will work out a little dearer – but you get twice the cover and double the peace of mind.

4. Taking out a Life Insurance Policy? Now would be an ideal time to include Critical Illness cover.

Are you likely to need Critical Illness Insurance in the future? Yes? Then consider adding it now to the life insurance policy you’re arranging. Why? There are three reasons.

Firstly, a Life Insurance policy combined with Critical Illness cover will work out significantly cheaper than buying two separate policies. Secondly, as we have already explained in the footnote to Tip 2, you may be able to buy a combined Life and Critical Illness policy with a guaranteed premium. That could be a real bargain. Finally, premiums for critical illness cover increase rapidly as you get older – so the sooner you take it out, the cheaper it will be.

5. Don’t confuse Terminal Illness cover with Critical Illness cover.

There’s world of difference between Terminal Illness and Critical Illness cover so it’s important to understand the difference.

Terminal Illness cover pays out the insured lump sum if a Medical Doctor diagnoses you with an illness from which the Doctor expects you to die within 12 months. Most good life policies automatically include Terminal Illness cover at no extra cost. It’s basically an early, and welcome policy payout.

A Critical Illness policy pays out the insured lump sum if you are diagnosed with one of a wide range chronic illness and there is no life expectancy criteria. Indeed, with many of the insured illnesses you could expect to survive for many years. For example: certain cancers, heart disease, stroke, multiple sclerosis, loss of speech, sight or hearing, onset of Parkinsons or Alzheimers disease, third degree burns etc. Say you were an engineer aged 40 and you lost your sight. A Critical Illness policy would pay out immediately and that money could well be vital in helping you and your family through many difficult financial years ahead. If you just had Terminal Illness cover there’d be no chance of a payout.

So as you can see, Critical Illness cover is far more comprehensive than simple Terminal Illness cover and for that reason critical illness cover always costs you extra.

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In this article we will cover several of the top myths to help you avoid them. By reading and understanding this article I hope you can get the right point of view on your decision when choosing a term life insurance to cover you and your family.

Myth #1: I don’t work outside the home so I don’t need life insurance.

False! Just because there’s no paycheck to replace, doesn’t mean life insurance is unnecessary. A life insurance policy that provides coverage for a stay-at-home parent isn’t so much about the money they bring in to the household, but instead about the money they keep in the household.

In fact, have you ever considered how much it would cost to pay for childcare and housekeeping in the absence of a stay-at-home parent? Don’t underestimate how much this would require, child care is expensive and is a growing cost.

Myth #2: I’m young so odds are I won’t need life insurance.

Some people are gamblers by nature and choose to take their chances by skipping out on life insurance completely. Although it is unlikely you’ll die during your working years, you’re not insuring for what’s likely to happen but instead, for the worst-case scenario.

That’s why term life insurance is inexpensive for young, healthy people. Buying life insurance now means you’ll be providing financial security without spending a lot of money for it.

For example, online quotes show that a $250,000 10-year term policy for:

o a healthy 35-year old woman costs as little as $165 a year
o a healthy 35-year old man costs as little as $195 a year

What’s more you may even be eligible for preferred life rates that mean the annual premiums are even less! Preferred rates are lower premiums – for the same coverage – offered by an insurer based on your health. The good news is that eligibility for preferred rates is common and could save you up to 30 per cent off the standard rate.

Myth #3: If it’s really so cheap there must be a catch.

There’s no catch to term life insurance. Your basic term life insurance policy will offer you coverage so long as you pay your premium. You buy term insurance coverage for the duration of time you’ll need life insurance, whether that’s until the kids are out of school or until your mortgage is paid off.

Plus, your premiums are fixed for the length of the term. They won’t increase even if the status of your health changes.

Myth #4: I don’t need life insurance once my children are self-supporting and my mortgage is paid off.

Everybody’s insurance needs vary. But how would your spouse manage daily living expenses without your help? And what if your spouse outlived you by 10, even 20 years?

Even if your children are no longer living at home and you no longer have large debts, like a mortgage, there still are questions you should consider before deciding that life insurance is unneeded.

Myth #5: I have life insurance through my job. I don’t need any more insurance coverage.

False. The truth is your life insurance coverage through your work may not be protecting yourself and your loved ones as much as you think. Review how much your employer-paid insurance provides and calculate whether this is enough to keep your family comfortable through the difficult times if you’re not around.

What’s more, when you leave your job for any reason, including retirement, your coverage usually stops.

Myth #6: It’s such a hassle to get life insurance.

Thanks to the Internet, getting quotes is fast and easy. There are a number of online life insurance quote services and usually, all you have to do is answer a few simple questions to get quotes. Sometimes, you can even buy a policy online.

Final Fact:

From the time you marry, buy your first home, start a family and enjoy retirement, having life insurance means you and your family have the security knowing you can reach the long-term financial goals you have set out.

Life insurance policies provide you with customized coverage for your family’s needs. Comparing quotes on the Internet can help you find affordable life insurance that will protect you and your family in the years to come.

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Maybe it would be a good idea to assess their insurance needs at this stage in their lives. Something that is almost certain to crop up is the worrying matter of inheritance tax. House prices have risen considerably over the past years and the family home that suited their lifestyle some years ago will probably be worth an amount approaching or over the inheritance tax limit. Even if they downsize their property, they may invest in something like a holiday home and the actual capital is still there.

Inheritance tax is charged on taxable estates with a value of more than £300,000 in the 2007/8 tax year. This amount rises annually – 2006/7 was £285,000 for instance.

To work out the value of their estate, they will need to take the value of their home, savings, investments, life insurance policies, any business interests and any other assets which they have accumulated. When the total of this has been reached, any liabilities will need to be deducted. Typically this will be any mortgage outstanding, loans and other debts. The remaining figure, less the amount exempt from Inheritance Tax is the one that Inheritance tax will be calculated from.

Inheritance tax would be charge on the death of the second partner. There is no inheritance tax between spouses.

To put it simply, if their estate – their assets minus their liabilities – is worth around £400,000, then using the 2007/8 allowance of £300,000 there would be £100,000 which would attract a tax of 40%. That’s £60,000 to their beneficiaries and £40,000 to the taxman.

You may think this is a fairly large estate, but do consider what your home could be worth at today’s values.

Now this couple may be quite happy to potentially give £40,000 of their hard earned money away, but we think probably not!

The couple would be advised to take some specialist advice at this stage, but a solution could well be to take out some whole-of-life insurance cover. An amount that would cover the estimated inheritance tax bill would relieve their beneficiaries of any worries when the inevitable time comes. The policy must be written “in trust” and the result will be that the payout will not be counted as part of the estate. By using this important proviso, there should be no delay in the payment of the policy to beneficiaries.

Most policies designed to help with inheritance tax dues are investment linked and offered on a reviewable basis. The plan will be reviewed at five or maybe ten yearly intervals. If the investment part of the plan has not performed as hoped, then the cost of the premium could rise and our couple need to be aware of this.

For an easy way to get some advice on this important subject, an on-line broker will be able to steer our couple towards the right product for them, at the right price.

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Just how important is Life insurance and what will you gain from coverage – well for one it offers peace of mind for those at troubled times where there may have been a bereavement or an accident and it also provides instant cash payouts if a death has occurred.. Insurance proceeds you will find are a reliable source that you can depend upon when times are hard and the going gets tough.

Claim peace of mind by going along to an insurance broker to talk on Life insurance. Insurance companies have well trained staff at hand that can give you good advice and support on what best suits you and your family`s needs and better still your budget. By doing this you will have secured your own and anyone close to you a little sense of security.

Insurance means assurance where you can rest assured that you have done the right thing. After talking to experts in the field of Life insurance you will find that they also can help with all types of insurance policies, like home content and accidental breakage. Payouts can help with hospital treatment and expenses that may incur from dental surgery even pet coverage options.

If you have a young family dependant of you then this is more reason to finalize some financial backing in your time of need should you be unfortunate to lose a partner or family member through a tragic accident or a sudden premature death.

Information on insurance policies can be found online. If you still feel a little apprehensive, don`t be, speak to others who have insurance and is familiar with the whole procedure – this may help you a great deal in understanding the importance of it all. Remember the decision is yours but if you decide to go forward with taking out some security like Life Insurance then you will find that you have made the best decision you are ever to make.

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There are many moments in our life that will affect our financial condition and obligation. Getting married has a new baby, house and property purchase, kids education, just to name a few. With that many factors that depend in our income, it will be a wise decision to make sure that the family will be insured and financially protected when we die.

If he has a family who depends upon his earning capacity, he is a perfect candidate for life insurance. A person should consider the long term as well as the short-term financial obligations to decide whether he needs life insurance. The questions to ask are:

1. Do you have people including family and business partners who are financially dependent upon you over a long period of time?

2. In the event of your death, do your dependents have enough assets and resources including liquid cash to take care of all their needs and to pay off your financial debts?

The second question requires a further assessment of the short-term financial needs of the family of the deceased. These include working out the following factors:

Inheritance procedures can be time consuming and the family will need funds till they get access to the property of the deceased.
The availability of other liquid assets like bank accounts or stocks can reduce dependency on life insurance.

The existence of a large amount of non-liquid assets as against liquid assets makes it necessary to have insurance.
The amount of debts and taxes the person stands to owe after his death.

Businessmen must ensure there is enough cash flow in the business for his inheritors to maintain his business.

Considering the above questions, one would find most people do need life insurance, though one can do without it if one has no dependents or young kids to support. Still, other obligations like a home mortgage or a sole proprietary business or planning for a comfortable retirement for yourself or your spouse are some of the reasons why a life insurance is still a good financial program to pick up.

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First, we have term life insurance. It covers its policyholders for a certain amount of time, and that time can be up to 30 years. It costs much less than whole life insurance and policyholders can be covered by level-term premiums and annual renewable premiums. With level-term premiums, the premiums stay the same throughout the duration of the policy, whereas with annual renewable premiums, the premiums increase as the policyholder ages.

Next, we have whole life insurance, which combines term life insurance with an investment component. There are two elements involved with whole life insurance—the mortality charge, which pays for the insurance coverage, and the investment component, which earns interest and claims to act as a savings mechanism. However, as the policyholder ages, the mortality charge increases and the investment component decreases. Plus, the cash surrender value (the amount you would get back if you cashed in your policy) is not always what it appears to be. It fluctuates with markets, making its relation to reality a difficult one.

In the end, if you are on a budget and in search of a good, affordable life insurance policy, term life insurance is probably the best option for you. It is affordable and does not include more coverage that what you actually need. However, if you are wealthy enough to purchase whole life insurance, it can act as an estate-planning vehicle, applying the proceeds to your estate taxes rather than leaving your family to fight in out with the government.

Another problem is that whole life is extremely expensive, and if you’re on a limited budget, you may not be able to afford all the insurance coverage you actually need.

Wealthy people sometimes use whole life policies as an estate-planning vehicle. They can set up an insurance trust, which applies the proceeds of the policy to their estate taxes when they die. That can save their heirs the considerable expense of settling the estate with Uncle Sam.

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One type of life insurance policy is called “Whole Life Insurance”, this type of life insurance is effective provided you continue to make the monthly payments upon the premium. This is a very popular type of life insurance because it allows you to build a cash value on the policy and is on a basis that is tax-deferred. The way this works is that a portion of the premium you are paying is put into an account of savings that the policy invests into. All interest that is earned upon the policy is put into the savings and helps to build the cash value. Once the cash value reaches a higher level, you could be required to pay the premium after age or you could be allowed to borrow against that cash value.

Another attractive benefit of having a whole life insurance policy is that your premium will always remain the same. At no time will the amount change at all, therefore as long as you continue to pay the premium each month, you will remain at the same amount for the entire time. If you choose to take a loan out on the cash value you have earned, the only difference you will have to pay is paying back that loan. One downside to this policy is the fact that you will have no control whatsoever over how the company chooses to invest the dollars you pay on your premium.

Another type of life insurance is the term life insurance policy. This policy is selected for a specified amount of time. If you should happen to pass away during the term of this specified time, then your family would then receive payment in the form of a lump sum as the contract specifies. Typically, the premiums upon this type of policy is far cheaper than other types and it does not allow you to build any type of cash value. With this type of life insurance, your premium can change or increase on a yearly basis and it generally does increase each year. It is the more expensive type of insurance that is available however it will provided your family with complete protection in the event of your death.

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In term insurance, the premium increases during the time, as the chances of death are greater. The term policies include renewable, which means the policies can be renewed after the period with a higher premium; decreasing policy in which coverage lessens each year; and convertible in which the policy can be converted to cash value policy after the period. In whole life, the premium remains constant for the entire life. Generally, the premium for the whole life is higher than that of term.

The premium for term increases to cover the cost of the insurance. Therefore, in the beginning, the premium is less and it increases thereafter. In whole life insurance, the premium is higher than the cost of the insurance in the beginning. This extra amount is kept as a cash value component, which is invested to get an annualized return of 5-6%. In the latter years, when cost is more than the premium, money is taken from the returns of the cash value component and the cost is recovered.

The benefit of term is that since the premium is less, the extra money can be prudently invested elsewhere to get a higher return by the individual. Whole life provides cash value, which can be used to borrow money to spend for other purposes such as education of children. There are many innovative policies that provide many features such as guaranteed returns and dividend payments.

Before deciding between term and whole life insurance, it is important to consider the financial resources and the objective of the insurance policy. It depends upon the age of the insured, his or her future needs and the number of dependents.

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These new policies exploit a loophole in the new Finance Bill and should result in savings of between 5% and 15% for standard taxpayers and around 30% for higher taxpayers.

But there are strings attached! You can’t add extras on to your life policy such as critical illness cover and the insured sum must be a fixed sum. Neither can you have a joint policy. Basically, it has to be a bog standard, level term, single beneficiary, life insurance policy.

Then there are more restrictions, but quite honestly, these are unlikely to pose a problem to anyone unless they’re very wealthy! You can’t have one of these special life policies if the annual contributions you pay into your pension plus the life insurance premiums, exceed £215,000 per year. Furthermore, if the value of your pension fund plus the payout on your life policy exceeds £1,500,000, the current limit set by the Chancellor, then the excess will be taxed at 55%. Conventional life insurance policies are excluded from this calculation.

Tax relief on the premiums is automatically collected by the life insurance company so you pay a premium which is already reduced by standard rate tax relief. If you’re a higher rate taxpayer, you’ll have to claim the extra tax through your self-assessment tax return. However, once you’ve told your taxman about your premiums, they should automatically continue to give you the tax relief through your tax code.

So why are the savings less than the value of the tax relief? Well, the reason is that the life companies have to administer the tax relief and there are certain operational restrictions imposed by the Inland Revenue on the insurance company. This means that the basic cost of these policies is a little more than conventional life insurance – but after the tax relief you should save.

As with all these loopholes, you must be aware that the Chancellor could remove the tax relief. Having said that, it is rare for a future tax change to be applied retrospectively so you are likely to be safe. Your income could also change and move you into a lower tax bracket. This would reduce your savings.

This new type of life policy is now available from most of the big UK insurers and specialist life insurance brokers. However, you won’t be able to get an online quotation – you’ll have to speak on the phone to a Life Insurance Adviser.

And just to confuse matters these policies are known under a range of names: Pension Term Insurance, Life Insurance with Tax Relief, Life Protection with Tax Relief – but they all mean the same thing.

Oh yes, let me confirm one miss-understanding. No, you don’t have to buy a pension at the same time!

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Depending on your physical condition, your location, and the term life insurance company you are making your application to, you may be able to receive the medical exam in the comfort of your own home. The medical exam required of term life insurance applicants is usually not a long process – all in all, expect the exam to last anywhere from 15 to 30 minutes. More good news is that your term life insurance medical exam is usually free.

When you head out for your term life insurance medical exam, you can expect several things – all of which are normal of any general medical exam. The doctor will weigh you and measure your height, take your blood pressure, and will most likely take samples of both your blood and your urine. You will be asked questions about your medical history so you may want to take certain information with you for easier reference. Be prepared to discuss any past or current medical conditions you have, any surgeries you have had, medications and/or medical treatments you are currently taking or have taken in the past, and possibly your family’s medical history. You may also be required to provide contact information of previous and/or current health care professionals by whom you have been treated.

You may be a bit hesitant to provide such personal information to a doctor that you may not even know; however, rest assured that all information is confidential and used only for your term life insurance application. The doctor will send the information directly to the insurance company.

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