Protecting your loved ones in the event of your death or catastrophic illness is essential. People want to ensure financial security for their families but wonder about term life vs. whole life insurance. What are the benefits of each policy, and which one is the best fit for your family?
At Lake Region Insurance Agency, we help Minnesotans in Cokato, New London, and Willmar, MN. We decode the particulars of whole life and term life insurance, so you avoid confusion. And we shop from an extensive list of insurance providers so that you can select the policy that meets your needs. Give us a call today to receive a free insurance review and quote.
Why Do I Need Life Insurance?
A life insurance policy can help those you love to pay for expenses like rent, mortgage, food, and childcare. And life insurance payouts can help cover funeral and burial costs, as well.
Even if you’re not the primary breadwinner in your household, you should consider carrying life insurance. You likely provide necessary care for your family that they will still need if you’re gone.
The services that a stay-at-home parent provides carry a value of more than $178,000, making them costly to replace. A life insurance policy can help cover the cost of those tasks so that the household can keep running.
When purchasing a life insurance policy, you need to look at who in the household provides both the finances and general upkeep. You can then choose adequate coverage to continue your life with as little interruption as possible if the worst happens.
What Is Term Life vs. Whole Life Insurance?
People often shy away from choosing a life insurance policy because they feel overwhelmed by the options. They may not know the difference between policies, so they just ignore this critical piece of their financial security.
Owning a life insurance policy is too vital to ignore. So here is a breakdown of the primary two choices.
Term Life Insurance
Term life insurance means you purchase a policy that’s active for a specified period. You can choose how much coverage you have and the length of time you have it. You’ll pay a set monthly premium for your coverage that remains consistent throughout the length of the term.
Most term life policies come in chunks of 10, 20, or 30 years. These policies carry different premiums depending on your health and overall risk factors, such as:
- Age
- Gender
- History of Smoking
- Occupation
- Chronic Illness: such as diabetes, heart disease, or high cholesterol
A term life insurance policy pays out only if the insured person dies. Generally, people choose this type of coverage until certain milestones occur. For example, you may want to select a policy term length that would cover you until:
- You pay off your mortgage.
- Your children graduate from high school or college.
- You pay off all consumer debt.
- You save enough money to retire comfortably and pay your living expenses.
This type of insurance policy carries no cash value for the person who owns it.
Whole Life Insurance
As the name suggests, this type of permanent life insurance covers you for your whole life. These policies provide a cash payout to your loved ones in the event of your death, just like term life policies.
However, whole life insurance builds cash value over time, like an investment. The premiums for this kind of policy are considerably higher than term life policies, but they stay consistent as long as you hold the policy. You also lock in a guaranteed cash value rate.
Some whole life policies may also pay out regular dividends. You can take this in cash or use it to offset premium costs or obtain more coverage.
Choosing the Right Life Insurance Policy
So, how do you choose the best policy for your family? Here are a couple of questions to ask yourself.
- Are you caring for a loved one with a chronic illness or disability? If so, a whole life policy may be a good choice for you. You’ll pay more in a monthly premium, but you’ll also build cash value. This amount can help your beneficiaries cover any estate taxes as well as your final costs like funeral and burial.
- How much can you afford in premiums? Permanent life insurance policies have higher premiums than term life plans. Depending on your current income, you may opt for a term life policy.
- What are your health status and family situation? Your age, overall health, and the ages of your children can help you choose the right policy for your needs. You may opt for term life for lower premiums and invest the money you save in other retirement accounts.
- Are you looking for an investment option? Term life does not carry any value unless the policyholder dies. Then it pays out to the beneficiary. Whole life, however, does have a value that can be part of an investment strategy. It can also offer a cash payout if you surrender the policy.
How Much Coverage Do I Need?
A good way to calculate how much coverage to purchase is to multiply your annual salary by 10. The cash benefit of either a term or permanent life insurance policy should be enough to replace your income for several years.
If you are purchasing life insurance for someone who does not have income, choosing an amount can be trickier. Consider what it would cost to replace what they do for the household. Would you suddenly need to pay for childcare or housekeeping? Would you need to hire someone to do grocery shopping? All of these needs deserve attention.
Lake Region Insurance Agency Takes Care of Its Neighbors
We’ve seen our community in Greater Minnesota through some of the toughest challenges life dishes out. We can help your family feel secure in times of uncertainty.
And if you’re still not sure about term life vs. whole life insurance, we have you covered. Get answers to all your questions about life insurance and more with a free consultation. Call one of our independent agents today, and let’s get started.