Submitted by Professional Risk Management on February 14th, 2017
With rates as low and competitive as they have ever been, it’s a “buyers” market in life insurance. Still, in these cash-strapped times, curbing costs and expenses is a priority for most people, and buying life insurance is no different. While the cost of life insurance is predicated upon several factors over which we have little control, such as age, gender, and health, there are still many ways to reduce cost. A skilled advisor can guide the process of obtaining life insurance, explain the many products offered, and find “hidden” ways to control costs.
Health Factors
Your health condition and history, including your family’s history, are the biggest factors used to determine your rate. Life insurers have actuarially determined which health conditions present the greatest risk and will apply premium ratings or simply decline coverage accordingly. However, even if you have health issues you shouldn’t be discouraged. Each life insurance company uses different standards in assessing risk and applying ratings. An experienced advisor will always look at several companies to find the one that is willing to work with your unique set of health conditions and financial constraints.
Many health factors can be controlled or modified to earn a more favorable rating. The obvious controllable health issue is smoking which can increase your insurance cost by as much as 50%. Most insurers want you to be smoke free for at least 3 years before they will issue a favorable rating. Weight is another big factor. Sometimes even very minor weight loss could push you into a higher rating class.
Many companies provide some underwriting guidelines on their websites so you can see into which ratings class your height and weight fits. Hypertension and cholesterol levels are determinants that you may also be able to influence by changing your diet or kicking up your exercise before applying.
By working on these measures prior to taking a medical exam for life insurance you could greatly influence the rating that is applied by the insurer. Additionally, steps right before your exam to improve your rating, such as fasting for a day which could help to lower your cholesterol. Additional efforts might include avoiding alcohol, fatty foods, caffeine and sodium intake 24 hours before the exam. Also, it’s not a good idea to exercise just before an exam. Most importantly, get a good night’s sleep.
Lifestyle Factors
Life insurers also consider the way you live and “how hard” you live in their assessment. In addition to asking a lot of questions about your activities, hobbies and occupation, they will check your background including your credit and driving records. Any indication that your lifestyle introduces additional risks to your health will generate a higher rating. If you have a lot of violations or accidents on your driving record you will pay a higher premium, so you may want to wait until some of them fall off your record. Lifestyle or hobby choices such as dangerous sports, driving motorcycles, or raising poisonous pythons may lead to increased insurance costs.
How Much Life Insurance You Buy
One of the easiest ways to control your life insurance costs is to make sure you buy just what you need. Some people buy life insurance based on some general rule such as 10 times income. This approach is not advisable because it is likely to lead to either insufficient coverage or excessive coverage. The only way to know exactly what you need is to do a thorough assessment of your family’s needs, calculating the cost to replace income, pay off debt, and pay for future obligations.
Also, it is important to note that insurance premiums are often discounted at different coverage thresholds. For instance, a $1 million policy may cost less than a $850,000 policy due to a premium break at the million dollar threshold. You can find premium breaks at $250,000 and $500,000 thresholds with some insurers.
How You Pay for Life Insurance
Many people pay for their life insurance policy through monthly payments or automatic drafts from their bank account. While this is certainly a convenient way to pay, most insurers charge a fee for this privilege. You can lower your annual life insurance cost by as much as 10% by paying in one annual installment.
Shop and Compare
Life insurance rates have come down sharply in the last decade, and competition among life insurance carriers has grown fierce, especially with the ability to shop online. It’s easy to compare premiums between dozens of carriers. However, premium cost is only one, and perhaps the least important point of comparison. Underwriting standards vary widely between companies because each insurance carrier views such things as height-weight ratios, hypertension, cholesterol and other maladies differently. A simple query will result in in multiple offers which carry an array of health ratings, premiums, “special offers” and additional riders. For example, some companies may promote an extremely competitive “super preferred” premium rate, yet less than 1% of applicants can qualify. It is a very arduous process to search, review, and understand how each company addresses underwriting issues and the resulting policy types they offer.
An experienced, licensed professional can sort through the often overwhelming volume of offers and the dense, confusing language which accompanies them. An insurance professional will critically assess what product will best serve your needs, balancing overall cost and the scope of coverage to maximize value.
*This content is developed from sources believed to be providing accurate information. The information provided is not written or intended as tax or legal advice and may not be relied on for purposes of avoiding any Federal tax penalties. Individuals are encouraged to seek advice from their own tax or legal counsel. Individuals involved in the estate planning process should work with an estate planning team, including their own personal legal or tax counsel. Neither the information presented nor any opinion expressed constitutes a representation by us of a specific investment or the purchase or sale of any securities. Asset allocation and diversification do not ensure a profit or protect against loss in declining markets. This material was developed and produced by Advisor Websites to provide information on a topic that may be of interest. Copyright 2014-2016 Advisor Websites.