Michigan No-Fault Automobile Insurance Basics

No-fault insurance is required by law in Michigan. Every auto owner must purchase certain basic coverages in order to register a vehicle in Michigan. It is against the law to drive, or let your car be driven, without no-fault insurance. The basic no-fault policy has 3 parts:

1) Personal Injury Protection (PIP)

If you are injured in a car accident, this part of your no-fault policy will reimburse all of your medical costs. It will also pay, up to a maximum amount, for the earnings you would have made if you had not been injured, for up to three years.

In 2007, the allowed amount under no-fault was $4,589 per month. If you are killed in an accident, your policy will pay your family up to the monthly amount for three years, based on what they would have received from your earnings and fringe benefits. You may also be entitled to up to $20 per day for replacement services, such as housekeeping, that you are no longer able to provide for yourself or your family because you are injured.

You may synchronize PIP coverage with any health or disability policy you have (except Medicaid, Medicare or a Medicare supplemental policy) to reduce your PIP premium. The health or disability plan then becomes the primary payer for medical or wage loss expenses, and the auto policy would cover remaining medical or wage loss expenses. These coverages are also called excess medical and excess wage loss.

2) Property Protection Insurance (PPI)

In Michigan, no-fault will pay up to $1 million for damage your car does to other people’s property, such as buildings and fences. It will also reimburse for damage done to other people’s properly parked vehicles.

3) Residual Liability Insurance Bodily Injury and Property Damage (BI/PD)

The no-fault law protects insured persons from being sued as the result of an auto accident except in certain special situations. These are some of the circumstances under which you could be sued:

One, if you cause an accident in Michigan in which someone is killed or seriously injured.

Two, if you are involved in an accident in Michigan with a non-resident who is an occupant of a motor vehicle not registered in Michigan.

Three, if you are involved in an accident in another state.

Four, you can be sued for up to $500 in damages to another person’s car, which is not covered by insurance, if you are 50% or more at fault in the accident.

A Michigan required no-fault policy will pay up to your coverage limit amounts if you are sued or are legally responsible for damages in these situations.

The minimum required Residual Liability Insurance Bodily Injury and Property Damage coverage limits are:

Up to $20,000 for a person who is hurt or killed in an accident.

Up to $40,000 for each accident if several people are hurt or killed.

Up to $10,000 for property damage in another state.

These limits are often called 20/40/10.

Courts sometimes award more than these amounts. If this happens, you would be responsible for paying the amount not covered by your policy. To look after themselves, many people buy extra liability insurance.

There are some optional insurance coverages you may wish to consider. Michigan state law does not require that these be purchased-

Collision Insurance which pays for repairs to your car when it is damaged in a crash, Comprehensive Insurance which pays for your car if it is stolen or for repairs if it is damaged by falling objects, fire, flood, vandalism, or collision with an animal, and Uninsured Motorists Coverage which covers you if an uninsured motorist seriously injures you or a member of your family.

An eligible person for auto insurance is a person who has a car registered in Michigan or has a valid Michigan driver’s license. However, there are times when a company can refuse to insure you.

You can be denied car insurance if:

-you are not required by law to have no-fault insurance.

-your driver’s license is suspended or revoked.

-within the past five years, you have been convicted of attempting to defraud an insurance company, or have been denied payment of a claim over $1,000 because there is evidence of fraud on your part.

-within the past three years, you have been found guilty of a felony with a motor vehicle, driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs, failing to stop at the scene of an accident, or reckless driving.

-the car you want to insure does not meet Michigan safety requirements.

-within the past two years, your auto insurance has been canceled because of non-payment of premium. This can be waived if you pay the entire premium on the policy you are buying in advance.

- the insurance you would like to buy requires you to be a member of a group, club or organization and you are not a member of the group or do not join the club or organization.

-your driving record has more than the allowable number of “eligibility points.”

-you do not meet the requirements of a company’s underwriting rules.

Insurance Eligibility Points

Insurance companies assign insurance eligibility points for certain traffic violations.

These points are not the same as points on your official driving record. You can be turned down for auto insurance if you have seven or more eligibility points from violations within the past three years.

How insurance companies assign eligibility points:

-Driving more than 15 mph over the speed limit (careless driving) – four points

-Driving 11-15 mph over the speed limit – three points

-Driving 15 mph or fewer over the speed limit on freeways that used to have a maximum speed limit of 70 mph – two points

-Other moving violations – two points

-The first accident in which you are more than 50% at fault – three points

-The second and all following accidents in which you are more than 50% at fault – four points

Company Guidelines

Insurance companies also use certain guidelines, called underwriting rules, to help determine whether they will insure you. These rules may be different for each company, but each company must apply its rules in the same way to everyone.

Ineligible Persons

If you find you are not eligible for auto insurance, you may want to ask your agent to apply to the Michigan Automobile Insurance Placement Facility for you. The Facility was created to offer insurance to those persons who have difficulty finding insurance through regular companies. Any licensed agent can help you apply for insurance through the Facility.

About this Author

Receive a free online auto insurance quote that will save you money by visiting http://www.your-car-insurance.biz a reliable auto insurance website that provides auto insurance information and resources.

 
債務整理大阪

  • 債務整理東京
  • 債務整理名古屋
  • 債務整理千葉
  • 債務整理埼玉
  • 債務整理横浜
  • 債務整理滋賀
  • Life Insurance Basics

    Buying Life insurance often seems like a daunting and unnecessary task, but neither statement needs to be true. Buying Life Insurance can be simple, if given the right tools and the need for life insurance is a matter of financial responsibility.

    Before diving into the process of purchasing, it’s important to understand which type of insurance you may need. There are two types of life insurance, Term Life insurance (temporary) and Permanent life insurance (such as whole or universal). Both types of policies offer financial benefits for the policy holder or their beneficiary to protect against death or life-altering accidents. Which type of insurance to purchase is dependent upon the needs of the insured and the purpose for which you are seeking life insurance.

    To better understand which type is best for you, let’s take a look at the two types of insurance and what they offer:

    TERM LIFE INSURANCE

    Term life insurance is often the easiest and cheapest type of insurance to purchase. Term Life is an excellent source of added insurance, especially during the work years of life. The benefits of purchasing term life insurance are it’s initial affordability and renewability.

    Term Insurance can be purchased relatively cheap and is carried for a specified period of time (referred to as relevant term). This type of insurance is paid, dollar for dollar, there is no equity and no cash value to the holder. Upon death, the insurance would pay out to the beneficiary (person designated by insurance holder) the cash benefits. The cash is often used to cover debts incurred such as mortgage, loans, funerals and college tuition for dependents.

    The fixed term of the insurance is set dependent upon your needs. You can set it for one year, with a renewable term. The downside is that each year you have to prove insurability and in general the cost of purchasing the insurance will increase. Once the policy has reached it’s date of expiration, you can opt to renew the insurance, at an increased cost.

    WHOLE LIFE INSURANCE or PERMANENT LIFE INSURANCE

    Whole life insurance policies or permanent insurance carries less initial investment as compared to the cost of Term Life insurance rates. The policies are held over a longer period of time and often are paid out with death as long as the payments are made and current.

    The downside to purchasing whole life insurance is the overall cost of the insurance vs. the benefits. In other words, will the amount you pay in premiums be worth the pay-out benefits when you need them? It’s important to get an accurate idea of what the cost vs payout will be from an authorized insurance provider.

    On the upside, whole life insurance increases in value and can often, if needed, be borrowed from by the insured prior to cashing in the policy. This benefit can often assist a family during tough financial times.

    When deciding which type of life insurance policy suits you best, consider the purpose of the policy, the cost and the payout. An authorized insurance agent can often help you decide which policy will best meet the needs of you and your family.

    The internet can be a wonderful tool to assist you in comparing rates on various types of insurance against various companies. This is a great first step to purchasing life insurance, but should not be the only step.

    It’s important to do your homework when shopping for life insurance. Like any other financial investment, knowing the pros and cons of each company can be beneficial in the long run to prevent surprises when trying to cash in the policy. You can check up on the rating of insurance companies through a variety of national life insurance rating policies and can be found on the web.

    Purchasing life insurance can be beneficial and offer financial security once you understand the basics.

    About this Author

    To learn more about best type life insurance [http://lifehealthplan.net] check out our Web Site at [http://lifehealthplan.net]

    Life Insurance Basics

    Buying Life insurance often seems like a daunting and unnecessary task, but neither statement needs to be true. Buying Life Insurance can be simple, if given the right tools and the need for life insurance is a matter of financial responsibility.

    Before diving into the process of purchasing, it’s important to understand which type of insurance you may need. There are two types of life insurance, Term Life insurance (temporary) and Permanent life insurance (such as whole or universal). Both types of policies offer financial benefits for the policy holder or their beneficiary to protect against death or life-altering accidents. Which type of insurance to purchase is dependent upon the needs of the insured and the purpose for which you are seeking life insurance.

    To better understand which type is best for you, let’s take a look at the two types of insurance and what they offer:

    TERM LIFE INSURANCE

    Term life insurance is often the easiest and cheapest type of insurance to purchase. Term Life is an excellent source of added insurance, especially during the work years of life. The benefits of purchasing term life insurance are it’s initial affordability and renewability.

    Term Insurance can be purchased relatively cheap and is carried for a specified period of time (referred to as relevant term). This type of insurance is paid, dollar for dollar, there is no equity and no cash value to the holder. Upon death, the insurance would pay out to the beneficiary (person designated by insurance holder) the cash benefits. The cash is often used to cover debts incurred such as mortgage, loans, funerals and college tuition for dependents.

    The fixed term of the insurance is set dependent upon your needs. You can set it for one year, with a renewable term. The downside is that each year you have to prove insurability and in general the cost of purchasing the insurance will increase. Once the policy has reached it’s date of expiration, you can opt to renew the insurance, at an increased cost.

    WHOLE LIFE INSURANCE or PERMANENT LIFE INSURANCE

    Whole life insurance policies or permanent insurance carries less initial investment as compared to the cost of Term Life insurance rates. The policies are held over a longer period of time and often are paid out with death as long as the payments are made and current.

    The downside to purchasing whole life insurance is the overall cost of the insurance vs. the benefits. In other words, will the amount you pay in premiums be worth the pay-out benefits when you need them? It’s important to get an accurate idea of what the cost vs payout will be from an authorized insurance provider.

    On the upside, whole life insurance increases in value and can often, if needed, be borrowed from by the insured prior to cashing in the policy. This benefit can often assist a family during tough financial times.

    When deciding which type of life insurance policy suits you best, consider the purpose of the policy, the cost and the payout. An authorized insurance agent can often help you decide which policy will best meet the needs of you and your family.

    The internet can be a wonderful tool to assist you in comparing rates on various types of insurance against various companies. This is a great first step to purchasing life insurance, but should not be the only step.

    It’s important to do your homework when shopping for life insurance. Like any other financial investment, knowing the pros and cons of each company can be beneficial in the long run to prevent surprises when trying to cash in the policy. You can check up on the rating of insurance companies through a variety of national life insurance rating policies and can be found on the web.

    Purchasing life insurance can be beneficial and offer financial security once you understand the basics.

    About this Author

    To learn more about best type life insurance [http://lifehealthplan.net] check out our Web Site at [http://lifehealthplan.net]

    Insurance – All the Basics

    What is insurance?

    Insurance is a means of providing protection against financial loss in a great variety of situations. It is a contract in which one party agrees to pay for another party’s financial loss resulting from a specified event.

    Insurance works on the principal of sharing losses. If you wish to be insured, against any type of loss, agree to make regular payments, called premiums, to an insurance company. In return, the company gives you a contract, the insurance policy. The company promises to pay a certain sum of money for the type of loss stated in the policy.

    History

    Insurance is thousands of years old. The Code of Hammurabi, a collection of Babylonian laws of 1700BC, is believed to be the first form of credit insurance. A borrower did not have to repay a loan if personal misfortune made it impossible to do so. Insurance as we know it today can be traced to the Great Fire of London in 1666, which devoured 13,200 houses. In the aftermath of this disaster, Nicholas Barbon opened an office to insure buildings.

    Types of Insurance

    Insurance generally covers situations involving pure risk – that is, situations in which only losses can occur. Such situations include fire, floods and accidents. People also buy insurance to cover unusual types of financial losses like, a dancer might insure her legs against injury. There are mainly three types of insurance policies sold:

    1. Life Insurance

    A life insurance policy provides that the insurance company will pay a certain amount when the person dies. This may be paid in a lump sum or in installments to the beneficiary [people named by the policyholder to receive the death benefit]. Some types of life insurance policies also enable policyholders to save money. Such policies have a cash value. A policyholder may borrow money against the cash value or surrender the policy for its cash value.

    Annuities

    These are savings plans sold by insurance companies to provide a fixed and regular retirement income. If the annuitant [owner of the annuity] dies before receiving the guaranteed number of payments, the insurance company must continue the payments to the beneficiary.

    Dividends

    Some insurance policies refund part of the premiums in the form of dividends. Such policies are called participating policies. An insurance company pays dividends if the money it collected in premiums exceeds the amount needed to pay benefits and administrative costs. Dividends may also include a share of the profits the company earned on investments made with premium funds. Dividends are most commonly paid on life insurance.

    2. Private Health Insurance

    Health insurance pays all or part of the cost of hospitalization, surgery, laboratory tests, medicines, and other medical care. The rising cost of medical care has increased the need for adequate health insurance. You could suffer a major financial hardship without such coverage, especially in case of a serious illness or accident.

    Dental insurance is one of the fastest-growing types of health insurance. It helps pay for a wide variety of dental services.

    3. Property & Liability Insurance

    Individuals and businesses buy property and liability insurance to protect their assets against financial loss. Property insurance provides direct compensation if a policyholder’s possessions are damaged, destroyed, or lost as a result of perils. Liability insurance protects individuals and businesses against possible financial losses if their actions result in bodily injury to others or in harm to property owned by others.

    The main types of individual coverage are:

    o Homeowners Insurance

    This provides protection against losses from damages to an owner’s home and its contents.

    o Automobile Insurance

    This is the most widely purchased and most important kinds of insurance. Drivers are legally responsible for any costs arising from accidents they cause. This insurance protects a policyholder against financial losses from accidents.

    Financial viability of Insurance Companies

    Financial stability and strength of the insurance company should be a major consideration when purchasing an insurance contract. An insurance premium paid currently provides coverage for losses that might arise many years in the future. For that reason, the viability of the insurance carrier is very important. In recent years, a number of insurance companies have become insolvent, leaving their policyholders with no coverage (or coverage only from a government-backed insurance pool with less attractive payouts for losses).

    How Insurance Is Sold

    Most insurance companies sell policies through agents. Exclusive agents are employees of an insurance company who sell only that company’s policies. Independent agents sell policies for several companies.

    About this Author

    David Dugan is a contributing author to the insurance information site http://insurance.divinfo.com/, a site that has information on auto, homeowners, life, pet and many other kinds of insurance as well as the retirement site http://retirement.divinfo.com

    The Basics – What Insurance Is, Why Do You Need Insurance?

    According to Wikipedia, insurance is:

    “Insurance, in law and economics, is a form of risk management primarily used to hedge against the risk of a contingent loss. Insurance is defined as the equitable transfer of the risk of a loss, from one entity to another, in exchange for a premium, and can be thought of as a guaranteed small loss to prevent a large, possibly devastating loss”

    Insurance can be Personal or Business one, but the main goal of insurance is to insure you or your business against a possible loss. Term insurance can be described as:

    - A small loss that prevents a large, possibly devastating loss.

    Insurance protects you against financial loss in a future if you have an accident. Insurance is a contract between you – a policyholder (person or entity buying the insurance), and the insurance company. Policyholder’s payments are called premium.

    At Free Insurance Quotes Site we have some great offers that you don’t want to miss! Feel free to fill out the form and do the insurance quote. Most important – it’s free of charge and you can save up to $550 for year or more!

    There are a lot of types of insurance, but let’s stick with the main ones:

    Auto Insurance

    Auto insurance also known as

    - vehicle insurance

    - car insurance

    - motor insurance

    It is purchased for cars, trucks, motorcycles and other vehicles. The primary use of auto insurance is to provide protection against losses incurred as a result traffic accidents.

    There were more than 180 million automobiles in USA in 2006. About 175 million were covered by auto insurance companies. It’s the largest auto insurance market in the world. There are more than 35 million automobiles in Russia. About 34 million are insured as well. China – 10 million insured automobiles.

    Auto insurance provides:

    a) Property coverage – it pays for thief or damage of your car

    b) Medical coverage – it pays for your responsibility to others for bodily injury or property damage

    c) Liability coverage – it pays for the cost of treating injuries, lost wages or even funeral costs.

    Insurance premium varies for males and females, teenagers and adults. According to the statistics males drive more miles than females and consequently have a proportionally higher accident involvement at all ages. Teenagers who have no driving record will have higher car insurance premiums as well.

    Owners of sport cars, motorcycles would have higher insurance premiums as opposed to compact cars, midsized cars and electric cars.

    Your auto insurance policy is a contract, most polices are issued from six months to one year period. In USA, Russia, Brazil, Japan auto insurance company should notify you by mail, phone or any other method to renew your policy.

    Home Insurance

    As auto insurance, home insurance provides compensation or insure you against damage of a home from disasters. Sometimes it’s called hazard insurance or homeowners insurance as well. In the real estate industry it is abbreviated as HOI.

    This is the type of insurance that covers private homes. It can include:

    - losses occurring to one’s home

    - loss of home use

    - home contents

    - loss of other personal possessions of the homeowner

    In some geographical areas, it is necessary to buy additional insurance plan for certain types of disasters, for example:

    - flood insurance

    - earthquakes

    - war

    They excluded from original policy plan and require additional coverage. Home insurance policy is a lengthy contract. It names what will and what will not be paid in the case of various events. It can be seasonal or long term.

    Home insurance company should notify you by mail, phone or any other method to renew your policy.

    Health Insurance

    Health insurance is the type of insurance that pays for medical expenses. It also known as:

    health coverage
    health care coverage
    health benefits

    Policy can be purchased by individual or company on group basis to cover its employees. Health insurance policy is a lengthy contract. Policyholders should pay premiums to help protect themselves from unexpected healthcare expenses. Insurance contract can be renewable annually or monthly.

    In 2008 approximately 84% of USA citizens have health insurance:

    About 9% purchase health insurance directly
    About 60% obtain it through an employer
    About 20% of Americans obtain health insurance from various government agencies.

    In 2006, there were 16% of Americans (47 million people) who were without health insurance. Average spending is higher in the individual market. Many medical expense plans include coverage for dental expenses. Stand-alone dental insurance is also available.

    Health care system is mainly in private hands in USA. Hospitals and doctors generally funded by payments from patients and insurance.

    Hospitals provide some outpatient care in their emergency rooms and specialty clinics, but primarily exist to provide inpatient care.

    In 2008 a report by the Commonwealth Fund ranked the USA last in the quality of health care among the 19 compared countries. According to the Institute of Medicine of the National Academy of Sciences, the United States is the “only wealthy, industrialized nation that does not ensure that all citizens have coverage”.

    Life Insurance

    Life insurance is also known as life assurance. Insurer (or Life Insurance Company) agrees to pay sum of money upon the occurrence of the policyholder’s death, illness, critical illness, terminal illness or other event. Policyholder pays a fee at regular intervals or in lump sums. This fee is called a premium.

    Life insurance can be:

    Temporary.

    It’s life insurance coverage for a specified term of time for a specified fee (premium). Usually premium buys protection in the event of death and nothing else.

    Permanent

    Type of insurance that remains in force until the policy matures (in other words pays out), unless the policyholder fails to pay the specified fee when due.

    As with most insurance policies, life insurance is a contract between the insurer and the policyholder whereby a benefit is paid to the designated beneficiaries if an insured event occurs which is covered by the policy.

    Insured events that may be covered include:

    Protection policies
    Investment policies
    Illness

    Each contract may include limitations of the insured events. Usually they a written to limit the liability of the policyholder: for example claims relating to war, suicide or fraud. Any misrepresentations by the insured on the application will cause the nullification of the contract.

    Upon the insured’s death or illness the insurance company requires acceptable proof before it pays the claim. For example list of necessary documents that required upon the policyholder’s death:

    Death certificate
    Completed, signed and notarized claim form

    If insured’s death looks suspicious, it can be investigated by insurance company before deciding whether it has an obligation to pay the claim. Proceeds from the policy may be paid as a lump sum or as an annuity.

    About this Author

    At Free Insurance Quotes Site [http://freeinsurancequotessite.net/] we have some great offers that you don’t want to miss! Feel free to fill out the form and do the insurance quote. Most important – it’s free of charge and you can save up to $550 for year or more!

    Health Insurance Basics – Common Definitions and Tips For First Time Buyers

    Choosing a health insurance plan that is right for your family can be a bit daunting…but it doesn’t have to be. Becoming familiar with the different health insurance plans that are available both for individuals and families will help you navigate the health care insurance field and make an better informed decision concerning health insurance. Read on to learn some of the health insurance basics.

    HOW TO CHOOSE THE BEST INSURANCE PLAN FOR YOUR NEEDS

    First, determine if short term or long term health insurance is what you need. If you are unemployed, yet hope to be hired in a few months with a company that offers group insurance, than perhaps short term health insurance is for you. Also some companies require a new employee to work for three to six months before they are eligible for health benefits. Short term could offer the temporary coverage you need. Next, decide if basic health-care coverage or comprehensive health care coverage will better meet your needs.

    BASIC HEALTH CARE COVERAGE

    This plans covers inpatient hospitalization and out-patient surgery in case of a major accident or illness. The monthly health premiums are lower and are generally the choice for those who are primarily interested in coverage in case of severe accident or illness.

    COMPREHENSIVE HEALTH CARE COVERAGE

    This plan covers preventative care, Dr’s visits, prescriptions, along with hospitalizations and out-patient surgery. Comprehensive health care coverage has a higher monthly premium, and it generally has a low co-pay at the time of a Dr’s appointment. This plan may be the better choice appropriate for those who have reoccurring medical expenses.

    AVAILABLE INDIVIDUAL AND FAMILY INSURANCE PLANS

    Health care plans usually fall into two categories, indemnity or managed-care plans. They differ in regard to how bills are paid, ability to choose health care providers and out-of pocket expenses. Generally, you’ll have a broader choice of health care providers with indemnity health-care plans and less out-of -pocket expenses and less paperwork with a managed-care health insurance plan.

    MANAGED CARE PLANS

    HMO’s (Health Maintenance Organizations), PPO’s

    (Preferred Provider Organizations), and POS’s (Point of Service Plans) are all managed health-care insurance plans.

    INDEMNITY PLANS

    Under this plan, insurance companies pay their share of the cost for services after they receive a bill. This may mean that you will have to pay your bill for medical care at the time of service and then seek reimbursement from your health insurance company.

    WHAT ARE SOME OF THE ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES OF AN HMO PLAN?

    - Lower out of the pocket expenses

    - Fewer choices in regard to physicians and hospitals than other health insurance plans

    - A PCP (Primary Care Physician) is required and will meet most of your health-care needs

    - A referral is needed from your PCP before seeing a specialist

    WHAT ARE SOME OF THE ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES OF A PPO PLAN?

    - Health insurance companies offer a network of preferred doctors and hospitals

    - These health care providers offer the members services at discounted rates

    - Usually an annual individual or family deductible must be paid before the health insurance companies begins to pay out money for medical bills.

    WHAT ARE THE ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES OF A POS?

    - Combines features of both the HMO and PPO plans

    - Members are usually required to choose a Primary Care Physician (PCP)

    - PCP services are not usually subject to a deductible

    - Preventative care visits are generally covered

    HEALTH INSURANCE TERMS

    As with any genre, health care insurance is filled with jargon exclusive to its field. The following is a list of terms and their meanings that will hopefully give you good grasp of health insurance terms.

    COINSURANCE

    The percentage of medical costs you have to paying after meeting the deductible amount that is attached to your plan.

    CO-PAYMENT

    This occurs under an HMO plan and requires a specified dollar amount be paid to the health insurance provider on each visit.

    COVERED BENEFITS

    A covered benefit must always be a medical necessity. The determination of whether something is a medical necessity or not is made by the health insurance company.

    DEDUCTIBLE

    The amount you must pay in medical expenses before your insurance company will begin to cover your medical bills.

    DEPENDENT

    A dependent is someone other than yourself who is covered under your health insurance plan. This could include a spouse, child, unmarried partner. For children there are age limits at which they are no longer covered under a parent’s health policy.

    DISABILITY

    In the event that you are unable to work for an extended period of time due to an injury or a medical condition, disability insurance provides funds to cover your living expenses in a specified amount.

    GATEKEEPER

    Another title for your Primary Care Provider (PCP)

    GROUP INSURANCE

    Employers often offer group insurance plans. Under group insurance an employee can generally obtain a much more affordable plan.

    IN NETWORK/OUT OF NETWORK

    In network refers to those physicians who have been contracted under a health care plan to provide services to their members. Staying in network allows lower charges and a smaller percentage of out of pocket expenses. Conversely, going out of network generally means charges are higher and you will have to pay a greater percentage of out of pocket expenses.

    GRACE PERIOD

    This is a specified period past the due date of a premium during which coverage may not be canceled. This prevents health insurance companies from canceling your policy if payment should arrive a few days late.

    OPEN-ENROLLMENT PERIOD

    Generally, this is a once-a-year period of time that allows you to make changes to your existing health insurance coverage. (A change in marriage status or the birth of a child also allows you to modify your health insurance plan.

    PRE-CERTIFICATION(Pre-authorization)

    Before surgery or hospitalization, the insurance company must be contacted to get approval for a medical service to take place. Failure to do so typically means the insurance company will NOT pay for the service. This does not apply in an emergency situation, although the insurance company should be contacted as soon as possible.

    PRE-EXISTING CONDITION

    A medical condition that existed before an insurance policy became effective. Most insurance companies require a three month to one year waiting period before a pre-existing condition can be covered under their plan.

    PREMIUMS

    Monthly payments for insurance coverage. Monthly payments can easily reach $100 for singles and two to three times that amount for a family.

    REFERRAL

    A written form from your Primary Care Provider to another Dr. (usually a specialist) giving consent for you to go to them for medical services.

    SECOND SURGERY OPINION

    On occasion an insurance company will ask you to be seen by a second Dr. to determine if the recommended procedure is necessary or if an alternate method could accomplish the same result.

    URC (Usual, reasonable, and customary)

    URC refers to the dollar amount an insurer will usually pay for a service or procedure based on what is customary for the area in which you live. An insurance company will not pay $800 for a procedure that costs only $300.

    HEALTH INSURANCE QUOTES

    Be sure that you shop around to find the best health insurance plan. Compare quotes from at least 3-5 different insurance companies before you decide to purchase.

    About this Author

    Get started comparing health insurance quotes today!

    Life Insurance Basics

    Buying Life insurance often seems like a daunting and unnecessary task, but neither statement needs to be true. Buying Life Insurance can be simple, if given the right tools and the need for life insurance is a matter of financial responsibility.

    Before diving into the process of purchasing, it’s important to understand which type of insurance you may need. There are two types of life insurance, Term Life insurance (temporary) and Permanent life insurance (such as whole or universal). Both types of policies offer financial benefits for the policy holder or their beneficiary to protect against death or life-altering accidents. Which type of insurance to purchase is dependent upon the needs of the insured and the purpose for which you are seeking life insurance.

    To better understand which type is best for you, let’s take a look at the two types of insurance and what they offer:

    TERM LIFE INSURANCE

    Term life insurance is often the easiest and cheapest type of insurance to purchase. Term Life is an excellent source of added insurance, especially during the work years of life. The benefits of purchasing term life insurance are it’s initial affordability and renewability.

    Term Insurance can be purchased relatively cheap and is carried for a specified period of time (referred to as relevant term). This type of insurance is paid, dollar for dollar, there is no equity and no cash value to the holder. Upon death, the insurance would pay out to the beneficiary (person designated by insurance holder) the cash benefits. The cash is often used to cover debts incurred such as mortgage, loans, funerals and college tuition for dependents.

    The fixed term of the insurance is set dependent upon your needs. You can set it for one year, with a renewable term. The downside is that each year you have to prove insurability and in general the cost of purchasing the insurance will increase. Once the policy has reached it’s date of expiration, you can opt to renew the insurance, at an increased cost.

    WHOLE LIFE INSURANCE or PERMANENT LIFE INSURANCE

    Whole life insurance policies or permanent insurance carries less initial investment as compared to the cost of Term Life insurance rates. The policies are held over a longer period of time and often are paid out with death as long as the payments are made and current.

    The downside to purchasing whole life insurance is the overall cost of the insurance vs. the benefits. In other words, will the amount you pay in premiums be worth the pay-out benefits when you need them? It’s important to get an accurate idea of what the cost vs payout will be from an authorized insurance provider.

    On the upside, whole life insurance increases in value and can often, if needed, be borrowed from by the insured prior to cashing in the policy. This benefit can often assist a family during tough financial times.

    When deciding which type of life insurance policy suits you best, consider the purpose of the policy, the cost and the payout. An authorized insurance agent can often help you decide which policy will best meet the needs of you and your family.

    The internet can be a wonderful tool to assist you in comparing rates on various types of insurance against various companies. This is a great first step to purchasing life insurance, but should not be the only step.

    It’s important to do your homework when shopping for life insurance. Like any other financial investment, knowing the pros and cons of each company can be beneficial in the long run to prevent surprises when trying to cash in the policy. You can check up on the rating of insurance companies through a variety of national life insurance rating policies and can be found on the web.

    Purchasing life insurance can be beneficial and offer financial security once you understand the basics.

    About this Author

    To learn more about best type life insurance [http://lifehealthplan.net] check out our Web Site at [http://lifehealthplan.net]

    Life Insurances Basics

    Have you ever thought what will happen to your liabilities in case of your untimely death? Will your survivors bear the burden?

    Why not insure your life? Put simply, life insurance is a contract between the policy holder and the insurer where the insurer agrees to pay a pre-determined sum of money in case of the holder’s death or any other event such as terminal illness or critical illness.

    How do you insure life? The policy holder agrees to pay a set amount known as premium at regular intervals or in lump sums. In fact, one can also insure the death to cater for after funeral expenses that are included in policy premium.

    Life insurance policies can either be protection plans or investment plans. While the former gives benefit in case of the occurrence of a specific event. The latter is designed to facilitate the growth of capital by regular or single premiums. A common form of protection policy is term insurance while that of investment policies are whole life and universal life.

    However, there is a difference between the insured and the policy owner (policy holder), although the holder and the insured are more often than not, the same person.

    If A buys a policy on his own life, he is both the owner and the insured. If A’s wife ‘B’ buys a life insurance policy for her husband, she is the owner and he is the insured. This simply means that the insured is a participant in the insurance contract, but not necessarily a party to it.

    In case of a life insurance policy, the beneficiary receives policy proceeds in case of the death of the insured. In cases where the policy owner is not the insured (also referred to as the cestui qui vit or CQV), insurance companies seek to limit policy purchases to those with an ‘insurable interest’ in the CQV.

    Life insurance contracts are based on utmost good faith. The individual for wishing to be insured and the insurer both accept that the other party is acting in good faith. Exclusions in case of life insurance policies are death in event of suicide, fraud, war, riot and civil commotion.

    About this Author

    ApnaInsurance.com is India’s first online definitive guide to insurance requirements. Learn & compare various insurance schemes and apply for insurance including health insurance, life insurance & car insurance schemes offered by different insurance companies in India.

    Auto Insurance Basics

    Auto insurance is a contract that protects your financial security in case of an accident. Although it is not mandated by federal law, the purchase of auto insurance is usually a requirement in most states; every state (with the exception of New Hampshire and Wisconsin) have minimum insurance laws.

    These two states, instead of having insurance requirements, have mandated financial responsibility laws, so that the owner of a car is required to show that he has sufficient funds to pay any necessary claims. If said owner cannot produce proof of satisfactory assets, then he must buy an auto insurance policy. Regardless of the law, having good auto insurance is practical for the driver who wishes to avoid lawsuits or immense repair bills.

    According to the Insurance Information Institute (III), a basic auto insurance policy is comprised of six basic types of coverage. While some of these types of coverage are required by state law, some are considered optional.

    These are: 1. Bodily injury liability 2. Property damage liability 3. Medical payments or Personal Injury Protection (PIP) 4. Collision 5. Comprehensive 6. Uninsured/Underinsured motorists coverage

    Liability Insurance

    Liability coverage is the foundation of any car insurance policy, and is required in most states. If you are at fault in an accident, your liability insurance will pay for the bodily injury and property damage expenses caused to others in the accident, including your legal bills. Bodily-injury coverage pays for medical bills and lost wages.

    Property-damage coverage pays for the repair or replacement of things you wrecked other than your own car. The other party may also decide to sue you to collect “pain and suffering” damages.

    Liability insurance (both bodily injury and property damage) is the foundation of most auto insurance policies and is ideal if you are seeking a low cost car insurance policy. Every state that requires auto insurance mandates the purchase of property damage liability, and Florida is the only state that requires auto insurance but does not call for bodily injury liability. If you are at fault in an auto accident, your liability coverage will pay all the expenses, bodily injury, property damage, and any legal bills. The bodily injury coverage would pay for medical bills and lost wages; the property damage coverage would pay for any auto repairs, or replacement. Property damage liability usually repairs damage to other vehicles, but can also cover damages to things such as lamp poles, fences, buildings, or anything else that your car may have struck.

    Remember, although purchasing only the minimum can get you a cheap auto insurance rate, if you cause a serious accident, minimum insurance may not cover you adequately. That’s why it’s a good idea to buy more than what your state requires. If you own a home and have nest egg and a savings account, you should consider more liability insurance because, in most states, drivers are allowed to sue other drivers who injure them in car accidents. If you’re sued and your liability insurance doesn’t pay for all of the damages, your personal finances are on the hook, and it’s likely you’ll become a target.

    Collision and Comprehensive Coverages

    If you cause an accident, collision coverage will pay to repair your vehicle. You usually can’t collect any more than the actual cash value of your car, which is not the same as the car’s replacement cost. Collision coverage is normally the most expensive component of your car insurance rate. By choosing a higher deductible, say $500 or $1,000, you can keep your premium costs down. However, keep in mind that you must pay the amount of your deductible before the insurance company kicks in any money after an accident.

    Insurance companies often will “total” your car if the repair costs exceed a certain percentage of the car’s worth. The critical damage point varies from company to company, from 55 percent to 90 percent.

    Comprehensive coverage will pay for damages to your car that weren’t caused by an auto accident: Damages from theft, fire, vandalism, natural disasters, or hitting a deer all qualify. Comprehensive coverage also comes with a deductible and your insurer will only pay as much as the car was worth when it got wrecked.

    Because insurance companies normally will not pay you more than your car’s book value, it’s helpful if you have a rough idea of this amount. Check the Kelley Blue Book or the National Automobile Dealers Association. If your car is worth less than what you’re paying for the coverage, you’re better off not having it.

    Neither collision nor comprehension insurance is required by any of the states, but some lenders, when the owner finances the car, may require the purchase of collision and comprehensive in the loan agreement. Even when it is not required, collision and comprehensive coverage is highly recommended by the insurance industry, so that in the unforeseen event of damage or theft, the owner of the car can avoid heavy bills. Theft of cars is not as unusual as some people may think. In 2004, a car was stolen in the United States every 26 seconds, and a car had a 1 in 190 chance of being stolen.

    Medical Payments, PIP, and No-fault coverages

    Medical payments (MedPay) coverage will pay for your and your passengers’ medical expenses after an accident. These expenses can arise from accidents while you’re driving your car, someone else’s car (with their permission), and injuries you or your family members incur when you’re pedestrians. The coverage will pay regardless of who is at fault, but if someone else is liable, your insurer may seek to recoup the expenses from him or her.

    Personal Injury Protection (PIP) coverage is an extended form of MedPay. PIP may cover expenses that are related to injury, but not necessarily medical, such as lost wages, childcare and funeral costs. PIP coverage is currently required by sixteen states. If you are already insured under a good health insurance policy, then fortunately, there is no need to buy more than the minimum required amount of PIP or MedPay insurance.

    If you have a good health insurance plan, there might be little need to buy more than the minimum required PIP or MedPay coverages, if at all. And, if you already have disability insurance, there’s little reason to purchase higher-than-minimum amounts of PIP.

    Uninsured/Underinsured Motorists Coverages

    Uninsured motorists (UM) coverage pays for your injuries if you’re struck by a hit-and-run driver or someone who doesn’t have auto insurance. It is required in many states.

    Underinsured motorists (UIM) coverage will pay out if the driver who hit you causes more damage than his or her liability coverage can cover. In some states, UM or UIM coverage will also pay for property damages. Similarly, underinsured motorists insurance will cover any damage caused when you are struck by a driver who is not insured for a sufficient amount.

    If you are hit, as a pedestrian, underinsured coverage will cover the expenses. Uninsured motorists insurance is currently required by twenty states, and Underinsured motorists coverage is required by only four: Connecticut, Minnesota, Maine, and Vermont.

    You’ll probably want to have at least the minimal amount of UM/UIM because if you can’t find the other driver, you’ll at least have some coverage for pain-and-suffering damages.

    Add-on Features

    Several supplemental auto coverages are available, either as separate premium items or included in augmented policies. -Rental reimbursement, a common add-on, covers vehicle rentals required because your car is damaged or stolen. -Coverage for towing and labor charges in case of a road breakdown is also common. -Gap coverage for your new car will pay the difference between the actual cash value you receive for the car and the amount left on your car loan if your vehicle is totaled in an accident.

    Basic auto insurance is required by virtually every state and is typically the cheapest auto insurance in the marketplace. Proof of insurance is required at different times throughout the life of a vehicle.

    You may be asked for proof of insurance at any and all of these times: at vehicle registration, at the time of an accident, and any time when driving the vehicle. It is suggested that the owner of the car keeps proof of insurance in the car at all times, instead of on his or her person, so that it can be available at all times, no matter who is driving.

    Any violations of state law regarding auto insurance could result in, at best, a hefty fine, and at worst, suspension of your driver’s license and/or time in jail. The dire consequences of driving while uninsured are not worth the neglect of paying for insurance. The chance that an uninsured driver will avoid detection is slim; he is likely to be caught and strictly punished.

    About this Author

    Amy Danise is a staff writer for Insure.com Visit Insure.com for an instant car insurance quote. Insure.com can also provide cheap car insurance quotes for drivers seeking minimum coverage. Insure.com is dedicated to providing impartial insurance information to consumers. Visitors can obtain instant insurance quotes [http://www.insure.com/quotesmith/controller?REF=99998&reqid=qstermindex&redirx=x] from more than 200 leading insurers, achieve maximum savings and have the freedom to buy from any company shown.

    Whole Life Insurance Basics

    If you’re shopping around for life insurance, you start with two big questions: How much insurance do I need? And what type of policy should I buy?

    When you’ve calculated your short- and long-term obligations, it’s time to decide what type of policy is right for you: term life or whole life insurance.

    Term life insurance provides coverage for a specified period of time, such as 10, 15 or 20 years; premiums go up over time unless you buy a “level term” policy, which guarantees that premiums stay the same. It’s possible that you could outlive the term of your policy, in which case your policy expires and you’d have to shop for another policy if you wish to still have coverage.

    With a whole life policy (also called permanent insurance), you don’t have to worry about possibly outliving your policy term because your contract gives you coverage for your entire life, as long as the premiums are paid. With a whole life policy, unlike term life, you also build up “cash value” in the policy that you can tap in the future.

    Premiums are significantly higher for permanent insurance than term life due to charges and fees (see sidebar) that you don’t pay with term life.

    Cash value is a crucial selling point for whole life: It’s an account within your policy that builds up over time, tax-deferred, fueled by a portion of your premiums and interest paid by the insurance company. In fact, the whole life contract is designed for you to take advantage of that money in the future. When you die, your beneficiaries receive the death benefit, not the cash value, with the exception of some universal life policies.

    Whole life insurance policies [http://www.insure.com/quotesmith/controller?REF=99998&reqid=qstermindex&redirx=x] build up cash value slowly at first but then pick up the pace after several years, when your earnings start to grow faster than your “mortality” cost (the cost of insuring you). If you would like whole life insurance explained in more detail, your life insurance agent should be able to show you a few types of policy illustrations.

    Whole life could be an attractive option for any of these reasons:

    Others are relying on you for long-term financial support.

    You’re worried about outliving a term life policy and being unable to buy further insurance due to age or deteriorating health.

    You want to build up cash value in addition to protecting your beneficiaries.

    You want to create an estate for your beneficiaries after your death.

    Your beneficiaries need the benefit to pay estate taxes on other assets.

    “Whole life insurance is suited for anybody who loves somebody,” says Scott Berlin, senior vice president in charge of the Individual Life Department at New York Life Insurance Co. “Whole life does two things for you: protects your family and allows you to save for the future.”

    Berlin says whole life’s advantages are that you don’t have to worry about outliving your policy (as is possible with term life) and there is the “forced savings” component of the cash value account, which grows tax-deferred. Once your cash value is built up, you can access it for anything – retirement, your child’s college tuition or the vacation you’ve always wanted. Whole life policies are also eligible to earn dividends (depending on the company and not guaranteed) which can be used in a variety of ways, such as providing paid-up additional life insurance, which increases both the life insurance benefit and policy cash value.

    “Buying term is like renting your insurance,” says Berlin. “You don’t build up any residual value. Whole life is like owning a home – you build up equity.”

    Berlin cautions against buying term life insurance just because of the premium difference.

    “When you’re 35 you think that 20 years is a long time, but life doesn’t always work out like you think,” he says. “People who buy permanent insurance understand the value of what they’re providing to their family.”

    If you decide that a whole life policy is right for you but feel you’re currently unable to afford the premiums for the face value you desire, Berlin recommends buying as much whole life as you can afford and filling in the rest of your face amount with term life. Later, you can convert your term life policy to whole life.

    For the wealthy with large estates, putting a whole life policy into a trust is a way to pay estate taxes when they die.

    A smorgasbord of choices

    If the features of whole life insurance [http://www.insure.com/quotesmith/controller?REF=99998&reqid=qstermindex&redirx=x] fit the bill for you, there are multiple varieties depending on your needs and your tolerance for financial risk.

    Ordinary whole life insurance: Premiums are level as long as you live and your policy builds cash value. The initial annual cost will be much higher than the same amount of term life insurance, but as you get older that gap closes.

    Limited payment whole life insurance: This policy lets you pay premiums for only a specific period, such as 20 years or until age 65, but insures you for your whole life. Thus, premium payments will be higher than if payments were spread out through your lifetime.

    Single premium whole life insurance: This policy is paid up after one substantial initial payment.

    Universal life (UL) insurance: This policy lets you vary your premium payments and adjust your death benefit as beneficiaries’ needs change. You have to be aware of how much is in your account and whether you need to make payments in order to keep the policy in force. There are also UL policies that can provide level premiums, as well as UL policies with a planned premium option and guaranteed death benefit for life. These policies may offer lower premiums in exchange for a slow accumulation of cash value, if any.

    Variable universal life (VUL) insurance: Here your cash value and death benefit are tied to a particular investment account. Your cash value and death benefit increase if the underlying investments do well, or they may shrink considerably under poor investment performance. Read the prospectus for VUL carefully and never buy a policy that you don’t understand. There may be an extra premium required to guarantee a death benefit amount.

    Survivorship life insurance, also called second-to-die life insurance: This type of whole life policy insures two lives as once (typically a husband and wife) and pays out upon the death of the second individual. This is good for people who need to provide for beneficiaries only after both have passed away. It is also less expensive than insuring two lives under separate policies.

    Participating or non-participating whole life insurance: Any type of whole life policy listed above could be “participating” or “non-participating.” You have a participating policy if your life insurance company pays dividends to policyholders when it has a good financial year. Dividends are not guaranteed and they will vary year to year when they are paid, but if you have a participating policy you can take your dividends as cash, use them to pay your premiums or use them to purchase additional insurance to increase your policy’s face value. Dividends are not taxable as long as they don’t exceed the premiums you’ve paid in.

    The life insurance illustration

    If you’re considering a policy in which premiums and death benefits fluctuate depending on investments or interest rates, you should receive a life insurance illustration from your agent. This is a picture of what could happen with your policy. Or again, maybe not.

    The illustration should show you what the insurance company will guarantee (such as any guaranteed interest rates or death benefits) and what will be left open to market conditions. You’ll be asked to sign a form stating you understand that some parts of the illustration are not guaranteed.

    Being paid up

    One happy stage of whole life insurance is when the policy’s dividend values and anticipated future dividends are sufficient to cover your future premiums and you no longer need to make premium payments out of pocket. This is called a Premium Offset Proposal, or “POP” arrangement. “POP” means that your cash value is now large enough that it can be used by the insurer to pay your premiums for the rest of your life. You can still withdraw your cash value, but you’ll have to resume premium payments to keep the policy in force or settle for a reduced benefit that the remaining cash value can support.

    You could also choose a “limited pay” policy, for which your premiums are calculated for a set number of years or a certain age, like 65.

    New York Life has introduced “New York Life Custom Whole Life”, a life insurance policy that lets you choose your own guaranteed paid-up date. (You must pay premiums for at least five years and cannot pay premiums past age 75 for this policy.) So, say you want to retire in 12 years and you want your policy to be guaranteed paid-up at that time. New York Life will calculate the premium necessary to have your policy fully paid-up in 12 years so that you won’t have to worry about paying life insurance premiums during your retirement. If your need for the full life insurance benefit is reduced during your retirement, you can also begin withdrawing or borrowing from your cash value to supplement your retirement income.

    Planning for all situations

    Life insurance companies offer a number of riders that can be tacked on to whole life policies. (All riders may not be offered by all companies, and many insurers offer other specialized riders not listed here, so check with your agent.)

    Accidental death benefit rider: Pays an additional benefit if you die in an accident.

    Disability income rider: Provides regular income from the insurance company if you become totally and permanently disabled.

    Level terms rider: Adds a fixed amount of term insurance to the whole life policy for a specified period.

    Living benefits rider, also known as accelerated death benefit: Pays an portion of your death benefit during your lifetime if you are diagnosed with a terminal illness and have a specificed life expectancy (such as 12 months). You can add this rider after buying the policy.

    Long term care (LTC) rider: Pays for LTC expenses if you meet certain criteria.

    Policy purchase option: Gives you the contractual right to purchase additional insurance without evidence of insurability. For example, you may need additional life insurance after the birth of a child.

    Waiver of premium rider: Waives premiums if you become disabled or unemployed. (Terms vary by insurer.)

    Watch out for:

    The hard sell: An unscrupulous insurance agent may push whole life insurance when term insurance is sufficient for your needs; the whole life insurance sale could provide him a larger commission.

    Churning: If your agent suggests your current policy needs to be replaced, be wary. “Churning” is when an agent convinces you to surrender an old policy and buy a new one because he makes a new commission off you.

    You thought you were paid up: You may have signed papers allowing your cash value to be used to buy another policy.

    Term vs. perm: A comparison service

    You’ve probably heard the advice “buy term and invest the difference.” And to make that work you must have the financial discipline to actually invest that difference every year. And if you did, how much would you come out ahead, or would you?

    The Consumer Federation of America (CFA) offers a Rate of Return (ROR) service that provides you with a report comparing the estimated “real” investment returns on a cash value policy versus a term policy with the premium difference invested in a savings vehicle. The service is manned by James Hunt of the CFA, a life insurance actuary and a former insurance commissioner of Vermont.

    An analysis can be run for policies you’re considering or already own. The cost is $70 for the first illustration and $50 for each additional illustration submitted at the same time. The cost for variable life policies you’ve already bought (unless within the free look period) and for survivorship life (also called second-to-die) is $80/$50.

    Maximizing your cash value policy

    Hunt, who has analyzed life insurance policies for almost 25 years, says that because of the high fees associated with whole life, you want to look for ways to maximize your premium dollar within the policy. He suggests these strategies:

    Decline all riders (except term riders on your own life and waiver of premium disability riders) because they’ll eat into your cash value potential.

    When you look at the illustration, make sure your first year’s cash surrender value is a significant portion of your first year’s premium outlay. (A good number would be 50 percent or higher.)

    Consider buying direct rather than through a fully commissioned agent. Examples of direct sellers are Ameritus and TIAA. Returns on these “low-load” policies are generally higher than returns on comparable policies purchased through agents.

    If you are looking at cash value life insurance to possibly supplement retirement income, Hunt advises that you may be better off by buying term life and maximizing other tax-advantaged retirement plans first, such as your 401(k), 403(b), IRA or Roth IRA.

    Wanting out

    Perhaps you committed to a whole life policy many years ago and no longer want or need it. If you simply stop paying the premiums, this will “lapse” your policy and you’ll have to chalk it up to an expensive mistake. If you have held the policy long enough to build up cash value, your insurance company will start using the cash value to cover premiums until the cash value runs out.

    Instead of lapsing your policy, inform your insurance company that you want to surrender the policy. You’ll then receive the current cash surrender value, minus any loans against cash value you took out and unpaid premiums. You may also be hit with a surrender charge for getting out of a UL or VUL policy. Surrender charges can amount to 100 percent (or more) of the first year’s premium and usually start to grade off over 10 to 15 years, according to Hunt. With some policies it may take 20 years before surrender charges disappear.

    Or, if you have enough cash value, you can ask the insurer to consider the policy “paid up” at a lower death benefit.

    Lapse and surrender rates for life insurance show that indeed there are many folks who end up with buyers’ regret. Statistics from LIMRA International, a financial services industry research group, show that by policy year five, 69 percent of whole life policies are still in force; that drops to 50 percent in year 13 and 39.6 percent in year 20.

    No matter your reasons for considering whole life insurance, rule No. 1 is to never buy a policy you don’t understand.

    About this Author

    Amy Danise is a staff writer for Insure.com. Visit Insure.com for a comprehensive array of comparative auto, life and health quotes, including a vast library of originally authored insurance articles and decision-making tools that are not available from any other single source. Insure.com is dedicated to providing impartial insurance information to consumers. Visitors can obtain instant quotes from more than 200 leading insurers, achieve maximum savings and have the freedom to buy from any company shown.