We aren’t immortal, and this realization hits hard especially as we grow old. Aging is a phenomenon that cannot be contained, nor is there any prophecy that can predict the future for us. So, it seems quite sensible if we are prepared for the worst possible situation that people dread—one’s death. An unforeseen illness or an accident can eat into one’s savings, and it is the family that bears the brunt in such situations.

When you grow old, it is common knowledge that you will be living on a fixed income source that won’t match your earlier paycheck. If this is the case, a prolonged treatment for a certain illness or sudden death can put undue pressure on your loved ones. In such cases, a life insurance comes to the rescue of the family. On the death of the insured individual, the insurance company will pay the death benefit to the named beneficiaries, and the lump sum amount will help the family in their hour of need.

If you are keen on opting for one, here are certain things you need to know before choosing the best life insurance policy.

Which are the different types of life insurance policies?

• There are different types of life insurance policies, and each of these has something different to offer to its prospective customer. The key to finding the best life insurance policies lies in your ability to identify which life insurance policy is conducive to your need.
• The different types of life insurance policies are term life insurance, whole life insurance, guaranteed universal life insurance, variable life insurance, equity life insurance, equity indexed life insurance, guaranteed issue life insurance, accidental death insurance, and simplified issue life insurance.
• The coverage and premiums the insured individual has to pay will vary according to the type of life insurance policy they have chosen.

How does life insurance work?

• There are three components to a life insurance policy: death benefit, premiums, and cash value of permanent or universal life insurance.
• The death benefit is the amount of money which the insurance company pays to the beneficiaries mentioned in the policy after the insured individual’s death. Here, the individual will choose the best life insurance policy that offers the maximum benefits to the beneficiaries on the individual’s death. For this, the insured individual has to gauge the beneficiaries’ future needs to determine the death benefit amount.
• The premium payments are the amounts that an individual has to pay monthly to keep the life insurance operational. Different types of life insurance policies charge different premiums, and you need to consider the cost of insurance (COI), which includes the mortality costs, administrative fees, and other policy maintenance fees.
• The cash value of permanent or universal life insurance comes in handy as it acts as a savings account and can be used by the policyholder throughout their life, and the cash accumulated is tax-deferred. Also, the cash value can be used to offset the rising costs.

What is known as life insurance riders?

• The best life insurance policies are the ones that offer life insurance riders to its customers. These insurance riders are a way to allow policyholders to customize their policies so that they can accommodate their personal needs.
• Accidental death benefit rides, waiver of premium rider, disability income rider, and accelerated death benefit rider (ADB) are some of the most common life insurance riders offered to policyholders to make their life insurance policies more practical.

How to choose the best whole life insurance policies?

• Whole life insurance policies are quite popular with people who wish to enjoy the benefits of the life insurance policy till the very end. Though whole life insurance policies are expensive, there are various insurance companies that offer affordable life insurance policies. However, there are various fraud insurance companies as well that con people under the guise of offering affordable whole life insurance policies.
• You can choose the best whole life insurance policies by checking the firm’s financial strength. It is a fool-proof way to determine the authenticity of the insurance firm and its claims of offering affordable whole life insurance policies.
• Also, while choosing an affordable whole life insurance policy, look for coverage options. It is advisable to compare the whole life insurance plans and the privileges are offered by these policies before you decide upon on a particular whole life insurance policy.

Tags- affordable whole life insurance, best life insurance policies