Insuring Your Whole Life

Insuring Your Whole Life

These days, life insurance has become a must. It provides protection to us and to our loved ones. Even if something untoward does happen, we can rest assured that the benefits will go to the right persons. In the world of today, money is security, and a life insurance plan goes a long way in providing this security. For some people, life insurance also works as an investment option. Insurance plans that build cash value and offer tax benefits can be regarded as being decent options for investment. However, insurance plans are primarily meant to build security. If one is looking for solely an investment option, it is a better idea to invest elsewhere.

These days, we have a whole range of life insurance options. Looking at the very basics, we have a choice between term life insurance (which provides coverage for a specific number of years) and whole life insurance (which provides coverage for one's entire life). While both these come with their sets of pros and cons, I find myself in favor of the whole life insurance option. This possesses a number of positive aspects that is missing in the term life insurance option.

First of all, whole life insurance plans invest part of the money amount that serves as premium and help build cash value. After a period of time, it may so happen that the cash value itself manages to pay for the policy. This is a big plus that is absent in the term life option. Moreover, most whole life insurance plans require only a single medical examination. Thus, one can do away with the hassle of periodic medical check ups, unless one decides to alter one's current plan. The tax savings that are incurred also work up to quite a large amount of money.

In addition to these advantages, you could also choose from among three basic kinds of whole life insurance. The first of these is the traditional whole life insurance. This promises to pay the insurer a minimum rate of return on his/her cash value. A second kind is whole life insurance that is interest-sensitive. In this case, the policy offers a variable rate on one's cash value. The third type is one that involves a single premium. This is suitable for those who already have the cash to purchase an insurance policy. Thus, even after choosing between whole life and term life insurance, there are many other important decisions that have to be made.