TERM LIFE INSURANCE POLICY: Definition, Types & Rates

Term Life Insurance Policy
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Term life insurance offers a cheap way to protect your family’s finances during important life events. Permanent life insurance builds up cash value over time, but term life insurance only covers you for a set amount of time. When you’re raising kids or paying off a mortgage, term life insurance can be a comforting safety net. To help you decide if a term life insurance policy with no medical exam is right for you, we will also break down its rates and quotes in this article.

Term Life Insurance Policy

Term life insurance is a kind of life insurance policy that lasts for a set number of years rather than your full policy. You choose the length of the policy when you buy a term life insurance policy. The coverage period is usually between 10 and 30 years.

Take the example of buying a 10-year term life insurance policy to better understand how it works. Normally, people paid their monthly or yearly premiums on time during that decade. But here, you would be able to leave your beneficiaries the policy’s death benefit if you died within that 10-year time.

However, there will be no death payment for the beneficiaries when the insured dies if they do not die within the policy term. The policy will end, and coverage will end. This isn’t always the case, though. It’s possible to change how term life insurance plans work with special riders from many of the best life insurance companies. Some examples are conversion and return-of-premium riders. So, when you buy term life insurance, make sure to ask your agent what extras are available for your policy.

How Does a Term Life Insurance Policy Work?

Terms Like all other types of insurance, life insurance is a legally binding contract between an insurance provider and a policyholder. The premiums and the death payout are the two basic components.

Every month, the person who has an insurance policy pays the insurance company money. The majority of consumers prefer to pay their premiums monthly. You can get a discount if you pay for a full year of coverage all at once. However, keep in mind that if you do not pay your payments on time, your policy may be canceled.

When the insured individual dies, the insurance company guarantees to pay the death benefit. On the surface, that’s what the policy says. The death benefit will be paid to the person or people you specify as policy beneficiaries. Most of the time, the beneficiary is a partner child or someone in the family. But it could be a business partner, a friend, a trust, or a charity.

In addition to that, the individual who owns the policy is frequently the insured, but not always. Your insurance policy might apply to someone else. That would make you the protector, not the insured. You could also benefit. To do this, you must know the person being covered and obtain their permission. 

Term Life Insurance Policy: How to Purchase Term Life Insurance

Purchase term life insurance by following these steps:

#1. Know how much insurance you need and how much you can afford. 

Determine the amount of coverage you require and the monthly premium you can afford for life insurance. Additionally, you should think about the type of policy that fits your needs the best: convertible or renewable, decreasing or level-term, short-term or long-term, etc.

#2. Get multiple insurance quotes

We suggest getting prices from at least three businesses. To compare the cost of various terms and coverage levels, you can even request multiple quotes from each company.

#3. Consider the open choices.

Examine your choices after getting all the prices. Consider the monthly premiums, the death payout, the length of the coverage, and any extra features, like the option to change plans or get your premiums back.

Term Life Insurance Policy: Types of Term Policies

The length of time that a term life insurance policy covers each person is limited. Some laws, though, are more open to change than others. If you come across term plans, these are the main types you might see.

#1. Term life insurance with no changes

Your death benefit from level term life insurance stays the same for as long as the policy is in effect. Numbers like five, ten, fifteen, twenty, twenty-five, and thirty years are standard. Additionally, a policy might be in effect until the insured person turns a certain age, like 65. For the whole time, the premiums will also stay the same. Not a single thing about the policy will change from the first year to the last.

#2. Decreasing Term Life Insurance

Your death benefit will go down slowly every year if you have a policy with a decreasing term. However, the death benefit will be a lot less in the last year than it was in the first. Your rates will stay the same. The balances of business loans and mortgages will also go down over time, making this a cheaper option if your main goal is to pay them off. 

#3. Renewable Term life insurance 

You can continue your policy when the term ends with renewable term life insurance. Instead of having to reapply and possibly go through a new medical check, this saves you time and trouble. But if you renew your policy, the terms will probably be shortened and the premiums will probably go up. Often, the only difference will be a year. 

#4. Convertible Term life insurance 

It’s possible to change your policy from term life insurance to whole life insurance at any time with convertible term life insurance. Though there may be some limits, you can usually pick when to make this change. Your old health and current age will be used to figure out your new premiums when you change the policy. The life insurance company will use the health information you gave them when you first enrolled, rather than needing a new medical examination.

#5. Death Benefit Return Term Life Insurance

People who receive life insurance and live past the term of their policy usually do not get any money back. You can now get a return of premium (ROP) insurance from some insurance companies, though it costs more than normal term policies. If you are still living at the end of the policy term following an ROP policy, the insurance company may refund some or all of your premium payments. Because of this, ROP insurance can be used as both a type of savings account and life insurance.

Term Life Insurance Policy Rates

The period and amount of coverage will affect how much term life insurance costs. A policy with a death benefit of $250,000 for one year will cost less than one with a death benefit of $500,000 for ten years. But if you don’t have a lot of money, you can change the time and amount of coverage to get the most for your money.

How much your term life insurance policy rates are will also depend on how old you are. A person gets more expensive to cover as they age. Because of this, your rates will be cheaper if you are younger. It’s possible to get a better rate on life insurance now, even if you don’t think you need it yet. This is because of your age and health.

Term Life Insurance Policy Rates: Factors Affecting Term Life Insurance Rates

Your term life insurance policy companies may also consider the following factors for rates:

  • Age
  • Gender
  • Height and weight
  • Current and past health
  • Family health history 
  • Drug use (Nicotine, marijuana) 
  • History of substance abuse
  • Driving record (especially violations)
  • Hobbies (any risky hobbies such as skydiving, scuba diving, etc)
  • Criminal history 
  • Credit 

Term Life Insurance Policy No Medical Exam

Traditional life insurance policies require applicants to take a medical exam and fill out a questionnaire about their health and way of life. Like a yearly physical. In addition to taking a blood, urine, and saliva sample, a medical worker will also take your height, weight, blood pressure, and cholesterol. 

The exam is not required for the application process under the No Medical Exam rules. Some policies skip the part where you have to answer questions about your health and habits, but it depends on the type of policy you apply for. Usually, people with major health problems or healthy people who want to speed up the life insurance application process like these policies.

Types Of Term Life Insurance Policy With No Medical Exam

Two common types of life insurance plans do not call for a medical exam. If you know what each one offers and how it differs from the others, you can choose the no medical exam life insurance policy that will best meet your needs.

#1. Simplified Issue

Answering a long questionnaire about your health, your medical history, and the medical background of your family is part of a simplified issue policy. Access to your old medical information will also be needed. An exam is not necessary; the answers to your questionnaire and medical papers are all that are needed. 

#2. Guaranteed Issue

You still have choices if you can’t get traditional or simplified-issue life insurance because of a medical condition you already have or because the premiums are too high for you to pay. One option could be to issue life insurance. No medical exam is needed to get guaranteed-issue life insurance. Instead, just a few questions about your medical and health background are needed for Guaranteed Issue policies.

Term Life Insurance Policy No Medical Exam: Best Companies

Want to get life insurance but don’t want to go through the medical exam?  Here are the best no-exam life insurance plans from U.S. companies with good ratings. Some of these plans will cover you no matter what your health is like, while others will only cover you if you answer a few health questions.

  • Haven Life: Best online experience
  • USAA: Best for temporary coverage
  • AARP: Best for senior members
  • Country Financial: Best for customization
  • Nationwide: Best for accessibility

Term Life Insurance Policy Quote

A term life insurance policy quote is the cost of getting a contract. You can see from these quotes the “premium,” or the amount of money you’ll have to pay to keep your insurance coverage. The premium you pay depends on a few important factors:

  • Sum Assured
  • Term Length
  • Your Age and Health
  • Riders

When you compare quotes, you are essentially comparing the prices for various levels of coverage (sum guaranteed) and lengths of time. Hence, you should find a good mix between the premium you can afford and the amount of coverage that will provide enough protection for your family.

Term Life Insurance Policy Quote: Factors Used in Life Insurance Quotes

What affects life insurance quotes the most are your age, gender, and health. When compared to men, women pay less because they typically live longer. Persons who are young and healthy will be able to get the cheapest life insurance quotes and keep a good rate for the life of their plans. Questions about life insurance quotes usually include things like

  • Details about your medical history
  • Family medical history (parents and relatives)
  • Details about your driving background,
  • Addiction, smoking, and drinking
  • Risky hobbies, like flying 

Term Life Insurance Policy Quote: Tips on How To Get

Here are some tips on how to get the best term insurance quotes.

  • Do Your Research
  • Assess Your Needs
  • Compare Quotes
  • Choose Reputable Insurers
  • Consider Riders
  • Healthy Lifestyle, Lower Premiums
  • Reach Out to Agents
  • Stay Informed
  • Read the Fine Print

What happens at the end of a 20-year term life insurance policy?

After 20 years, there is no more coverage, and no benefit is paid.

Can you cash out term life insurance?

 you can’t cash out a term life insurance policy.

What happens if I outlive my term life insurance?

Your coverage ends if you outlive your term life policy.

What is better, whole life or term life?

Term life is “pure” insurance, whereas whole life adds a cash value component that you can tap during your lifetime.

References

  1. PET LIFE INSURANCE: What Is It & How Does It Work?
  2. What Cash Value Life Insurance Policy Is: Definition, Types & Best Policy
  3. HOW DOES TERM LIFE INSURANCE WORK: Explained!
  4. LIFE INSURANCE FOR CHILDREN: All You Need
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