Why Consider Life Insurance
Most people will be able to benefit from life insurance. It supports its beneficiaries financially and brings peace of mind to the policy holder. Here are a few reasons for why you need to get life insurance.
The most obvious part of life insurance is that in the event of your death, it will help to provide for your family. It works as simply as this: because you have been paying your monthly premiums, the company that holds your insurance policy will agree to pay a specified lump sum of cash to the beneficiary listed on your policy (this is the person or people you designate to receive the death benefits).
It is important to remember that with this policy, no restrictions are placed up your beneficiaries as to how they utilize the money. Your beneficiaries can decide if it will be used to alleviate debt, purchase their home, or even attend college. The amount they receive will vary depending upon the type and coverage you purchase.
In some cases, the payout is used to pay off specific debt. Because debt can be a large part of our financial picture, many people choose to link their largest debt obligations to a decreasing term insurance policy. For example, if you choose to cover your home loan with decreasing term cover, your premiums for this cover will decrease as you make your loan installment payments. If you die before the loan is paid in full, the insurance company will pay the balance of the loan directly to the bank.
If you would like your insurance death benefit to pay more than just enough to settle outstanding deaths, whole life insurance may be a viable option. Here, premium payments are made in the course of your life. Plans are available where you to pay a level amount throughout, or pay higher premiums at the start of the policy. Depending on the plan, payments cease stop at age 60, 65 or 85 but coverage will still continue. In the event of your death, the insurance company will pay out a benefit to your chosen beneficiaries. The benefit does not depend on how long you have actually held the policy.
If you are HIV-positive, South Africa is one of only two countries that offer life insurance cover for people with HIV/AIDS. Your premiums may be somewhat higher, and your insurance provider will require you to maintain antiretroviral treatment.
Make sure that you deal with reputable and dependable companies that are known to honor their payout agreements. Most experts recommend checking with more than four companies to find out about the different options and plans in the market.
Bear in mind that a life insurance policy may be the only protection your family has from financial hardship in the event if an unexpected death. The peace of mind coming from the knowledge that your family will be provided for more than offsets any inconvenience you may experience now.
