Life Insurance Articles
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Get Info On Universal Life Policies
Universal life policies are valuable but complex insurance contracts that provide for a death benefit to be paid to a beneficiary in the event of the death of the insured person. Although life insurance is the primary feature of universal life policies, a secondary feature is a savings ...
Long term life insurance is aptly named, as the periods of coverage provided by such policies are for an entire lifetime in most cases, or for very long periods of time, such as 20 or 30 years. Long term life insurance tends to be more expensive than short term life insurance is ...
Evaluating term life vs. whole life insurance is like comparing a truck and a car. Yes, both are automatic vehicles that go from place to place on four wheels. But the real comparison is in what these items do; one’s primary purpose is to carry passengers, and the other’s is to carry ...
One of the oldest mutual life insurance companies in America and with deep roots in arguably the birthplace of the American insurance industry, Philadelphia, Penn Mutual Life Insurance has been a major player in the life insurance field since the mid 1800s. A “life-only” company with no ...
In the early days of the modern insurance industry, all life insurance policies were variations of term life. However over time it became apparent that term life insurance had one glaring drawback: people often outlived the term of the policy and had nothing to show for it afterward. Indeed ...
In simplest terms, life insurance is an insurance contract which pays a pre-determined benefit to a named beneficiary upon the death of the insured. The earliest known form of life insurance dates to Roman times, during which communal societies were founded to pay for final expenses. An ...
Elderly life insurance is becoming more and more affordable as medical technology improves and advances are made that allow people to live longer, healthier lives. In fact, with many couples now having children while in their 40’s and even in their 50’s, the definition of what elderly ...
State Farm Insurance Company began business in 1922 in response to mass production automobiles. They became the number one auto insurer within the U.S. in 1942 and have remained that industry leader to this day. Now a mutual company, owned by policyholders, State Farm has accumulated eighty one ...
A joint life insurance policy is in most respects no different than any other life insurance policy. It can a term, whole or universal policy. If it's a permanent policy its cash value can be of a fixed or variable nature. What makes a life insurance policy “joint” is that it has more ...
What Is Term Life Insurance
Term life insurance is pretty straightforward. One buys a policy for a certain face value for a certain amount of time. The term can be as short as one year or as long as 30 years or longer. The premium and face value of the policy remains ...
Allstate was founded in 1931 and began as part of Sears, Roebuck & Co. The company had the largest initial public offering (IPO) in U.S. history in 1994 and became totally independent one year later. The company headquarters are in Northbrook, IL and now has 14,000 agents and 37,000 ...
Pacific Life has been providing insurance products since 1868 and the end of the Civil War. They are a well known and are highly visible in North America, noted for the whale in their logo and commercials. AM Best gives Pac Life an ‘A+’ for financial strength, which is a superior rating. ...
Cash value life insurance is the value of the cash portion of a whole life insurance policy. Whole life insurance is a type of permanent life insurance. It remains in force for as long as the policy owner is alive and as long as he or she pays the premiums. Unlike term life insurance, which is ...
Whether you are purchasing life insurance, health insurance, or annuities for your retirement, researching the credit rating of the insurance carrier you are will use is a critical part of the equation. The financial strength of the insurance company that you are using may be a determining ...
Each of the top five life insurance companies offers insurance products that are suitable for people of all ages, income levels and insurance needs. Whether a person needs term or permanent life insurance, he or she will be able to find the policy that best suits his or her needs at AXA ...
Since 1859, AXA Equitable has been providing financial protection to families and businesses through insurance and annuities. Formerly ‘The Equitable’, the company now has just over half a $1 Trillion in assets under management.
What is Key Man Life Insurance
Key man life insurance, also known as key executive or key employee insurance, insures an individual without whom a company may not be able to continue. Just as life insurance protects a family from financial catastrophe in the event of the death of the primary breadwinner, key man life ...
Chartered in 1862, John Hancock Mutual Life Insurance Company began offering insurance and services in Boston, MA. The four founders chose the name John Hancock, Revolutionary War leader and signer of the Declaration of Independence, feeling that name represented integrity and commitment. Known ...
Monumental Life Insurance Company was founded in Maryland during 1858 and originally offered life and fire insurance. Until 1935 it was known as the Mutual Life Insurance Company of Baltimore, known as the ‘Monumental City’ which inspired the new name. AEGON formed as a holding company in ...
2010 marks the two hundredth year that The Hartford has been offering insurance in the United States. Founded in Hartford, Ct, the original company name was Hartford Fire Insurance Company. Famous clients over the years include Abraham Lincoln, Robert E. Lee, and even ‘Babe’ Ruth. The ...
Aviva Life Insurance companys heritage traces back to 1696, the year which the fire insurance company was formed in a London coffee house. Another more recognizable iteration, General Accident, went on to insure famous individuals such as Winston Churchill and John F. Kennedy. The company grew ...
Life insurance is a key component of holistic financial planning and one of the most important purchases many families make throughout their lives. Buying life insurance not only provides families with a peace of mind but also the means to achieve the future dreams of all family ...
Established in 1875, Prudential is now among the industry leaders in insurance and asset management. Operating out of a headquarters in Newark, New Jersey, Prudential and Prudential Life Insurance now handle $667 billion in assets under management. Standard and Poor's rates them at AA- for ...
Many people searching for life insurance find that selecting a term insurance policy is the best option for reducing the cost of life insurance. Finding the best term rate will depend on two primary factors: The number of years selected for the term, which is also known as the length of ...
Two of the most important criteria for evaluating life insurance options are choosing between term and permanent insurance and understanding the factors that affect the cost of the policy. Term insurance is temporary while permanent insurance lasts for the life of the insured. With ...
Since forming as a result of the merger between Nationale-Nederlanden and NMB Postbank Group in 1991, the ING Group has aggressively pursued a policy of perpetual growth. Through a combination of acquisitions, buyouts and savvy financial management, ING, in less than 20 years of existence has ...
Anyone with financial dependents needs life insurance. Life insurance was created to protect families from financial hardship in the event that the primary earner died. Over the years, as more and more families require two incomes to meet their monthly expenses, life insurance is imperative for ...
Many people assume that term life insurance is best suited for young families with children. Term insurance, however, can also be a good choice for seniors aged 55 and over. A term policy, which is in force for a set period of time, is inexpensive and uncomplicated. The term can be for as ...
Today, term life insurance is one of the best consumer buys. It can be purchased online in a matter of minutes. This capability is a triumph of modern technology. The fact that we are able to buy term life insurance online with lightning speed doesn’t necessarily make that the ...
Thanks to the presence of its blimp at many sporting events and its incorporation of Snoopy from The Peanuts comic strip into its advertising campaigns, Met Life has become the most recognizable life insurance company in the United States. But Met Life is no Johnny-come-lately.
Whole life insurance, which is permanent insurance that remains in force for the entire life of the insured, has a cash value component. Part of the premium, regardless of whether is it paid in installments or as a single lump sum, is invested. Earnings grow tax-deferred ...
Universal life insurance is a relatively new type of policy. Unlike term life insurance, which is temporary, universal life insurance is permanent. As long as the premiums are paid, the policy remains in force until it matures. The policy matures when the insurance company pays the death ...
ROP (Return-of-Premium) life insurance is term insurance that returns either a portion or all of the premiums paid at the end of the term if the insured is alive. For many people the primary benefit of a standard term policy is that it is not expensive. However, it doesn’t ...
Like all permanent life products, a variable life insurance policy has two separate and distinct parts: The death benefit value that is paid to the beneficiary upon the death of the policyholder, and, the cash value to which returns and interest earned are credited while the ...
There may be a perception among people on a fixed income or with a limited budget that life insurance is a luxury that is only available to the wealthy. But that perception would be wrong on several counts. The most prominent of them being the fact that affordable, low-cost term life insurance ...
No one is really sure when it started but it seems as though the debate about which type of life insurance is best—whole or term—has raged since the creation of insurance itself. Each has their passionate adherents and they make valid points in their defense. So who is right, which is the ...
Shopping around for affordable life insurance can be a daunting task. It is one of the most important decisions a person will make as it could have a significant impact on the financial well-being of the beneficiaries. Obviously, it’s not a decision to be made lightly because of its ...
There is an important choice to be made for families seeking the protection of life insurance. The decision is whether to purchase term life insurance or whole life insurance. First, it is important to understand the similarities and differences between the two.
Life Insurance Company Ratings
When investors make the decision to put their money into a life insurance policy or an annuity, they look at a variety of factors to help them decide which insurance company can best meet their needs. For example, they might consider the types of products the company has available, the hard ...
Life insurance provides many necessary benefits, and it is an integral part of a solid financial plan. In the event of a person’s death, a life insurance policy can provide benefits such as covering funeral and final expenses, paying off a mortgage, making up for lost income, or funding a ...
One of the first things you need to understand about life insurance is that the entire premise is based on probability and statistics. There is a reason why insurance companies charge less premiums to younger people than do for older people and it is that they are less likely to have to pay out ...
If you have recently discussed your family’s life insurance needs with a financial planner, you may have left the meeting staggered at the amount of insurance they have recommended and be wondering, “Why do I need so much?” That would be a great question for your financial professional, ...
While most expect young people with dependents or significant assets to acquire life insurance, they don’t always see the need for life insurance for the elderly. However, an elderly person, and his or her beneficiary, can benefit from a life insurance policy in many ways. The death benefit ...
For many families, term life insurance is a cost effective way to provide financial protection and stability. To find the best term life insurance rate, first identify the length of the term, or the number of years the policy needs to be in force. Next, determine the value, or death benefit, ...
Annual Renewable Term Life Insurance, or ART, is a special type of term insurance. Essentially, the policy owner is buying a one year term policy every year. At the anniversary date, a premium is paid and another one year term policy goes into effect.
Though the fundamentals of this type ...
Aviva Life Insurance is a division of Aviva Plc. The company is a British insurance group that is the fifth largest insurance company in the world. It is the largest insurance group in the UK. The company began more than 300 years ago. It currently does business in more than 28 countries. The ...
Universal life insurance is a flexible version of whole life insurance or permanent insurance. What makes this type of policy attractive is that unlike traditional versions of whole life, universal life insurance lets the policy holder change options during the policy term. Many of the ...
New York Life Insurance Company has been a staple in the insurance and annuity industry for one hundred and sixty years. Further, they have led the insurance world by taking a number of first steps in the financial services to Americans. For example, New York Life Insurance paid the first cash ...
MetLife was founded in New York City in 1863 to insure Civil War soldiers against disabilities due to war. Some years later, the company survived to become a dedicated life insurer. Keeping the focus on industrial and working class people kept MetLife strong through more than one ...
Term life insurance has long enjoyed a deserved reputation as the lowest-priced form of life insurance. That reputation has been enhanced over the last decade by a veritable price war among carriers. Term insurance rates have fallen to what appear to be rock-bottom levels – although ...
Age and mortality are two subjects that go together. Similarly, life insurance and mortality go together. Transitive logic would seem to suggest a connection between age and life insurance. Advanced age can contribute to both the acquisition of ...
Term insurance is the original and most basic form of life insurance. It is also considered the most affordable of all types of life insurance. There are several types of term insurance and the premium rate differences between them help explain ...
Because life-insurance companies assume the mortality risk of the lives they insure, they often request that applicants undergo a medical exam. The purpose of the exam is to uncover health threats that were heretofore undetected, hence not present in medical records.
It has become ...
Decreasing term life insurance is intended to fulfill an insurance need that decreases over time in a predictable, systematic way. The face value of the policy – the death benefit received by the beneficiary(ies) of the policy – gets progressively smaller over time. Finally, it disappears ...
The essence of insurance – life insurance or any other form - is the substitution of cost for risk. Individuals transfer risks to insurance companies, who assume risks by contractually agreeing to make contingent payments to individuals or their heirs. The value of insurance contracts depends ...
In cash value life insurance, part of the insurance premium is allocated to an investment account that accrues a cash value. Thus, cash value insurance has a dual purpose – first, life-insurance protection and second, attainment of an investment rate of return.
Comparisons between term life insurance and whole life insurance began as soon as whole life was invented. Term insurance was the original form of life insurance. The insurance contract, or policy, has a specified, limited duration. The premium rate paid by the policyholder closely tracks the ...
The category of senior life insurance refers to life insurance designed for and purchased by people whose age exceeds a certain threshold level. The specification of that level is mostly arbitrary. Years ago, seniority was defined as having passed 65 years of age – the age at which most ...
Life insurance is the orthodox solution to the financial problem posed by the risk of unexpected, premature death. By entering into a contract requiring an insurance company to compensate a named beneficiary or beneficiaries in the event of his death, an insured individual can transfer risk ...
30 year term life insurance is a form of temporary life insurance that lasts 30 years. Its features and benefits can be compared and contrasted with those of permanent life insurance, on the one hand, and those of shorter-duration term life insurance policies on the other.
Some insurance companies offer life insurance policies without requiring the applicant to verify his or her insurability by taking a medical exam or even answer questions about medical status. These policies are called guaranteed issue or guaranteed acceptance life insurance. The various types ...
Level term life insurance is the most popular variant of term insurance. Term insurance is the oldest and least expensive form of life insurance. Like other forms, it provides a tax-free death benefit to one or more beneficiaries upon the death of the insured. Its most basic form is called ...
A return of premium term life insurance policy is an insurance contract in which the policyholder(s) will receive the aggregate value of all premiums paid at the end of the contract’s term, provided the insured does not die and the policy remains in force. Return of premium life insurance ...
Indexed universal life insurance is permanent life insurance that possesses the same features as universal life insurance but adds one additional feature – the investment performance within the cash account is tied to a financial index. Most often, the index will be based on equity ...
As the name implies, whole term life insurance is an insurance contract designed to remain in force for the whole life of the insured. It is the most basic form of permanent insurance. In addition to its guaranteed death benefit, whole life offers level lifetime premiums and a cash value that ...
Supplemental life insurance is additional insurance bought by a current policyholder. The purpose in acquiring additional insurance is to increase coverage, either because the insurance need has increased or because it has changed in scope. Supplemental life insurance will often be purchased ...
Universal life insurance is a form of permanent insurance that evolved out of the experience with whole-life insurance. The defining features of universal life insurance are flexibility of premiums and the death benefit. Most of this flexibility derives from the policyholder’s ability to use ...
Insurance is the practice of substituting cost for risk. This suggests that it is possible to insure almost any risk if sufficient cost is incurred. This is the underlying principle behind High Risk Life Insurance. People who engage in high-risk activities – whether as a vocation or avocation ...
Life insurance is provided by insurance companies to individuals who have a life insurance need. That need exists when the individual’s untimely death would cause significant financial hardship to others. The life insurance contract, or policy, guarantees that benefits lost due to the ...
Of the half-dozen major types of life insurance, the two oldest and most popular are term and whole life insurance. These two represent the two approaches or schools of thought in dealing with mortality risk. Understanding the difference between term and whole life insurance is vital to ...

