Posts Tagged ‘insurable interest’

Your Common Life Insurance Questions Answered

Monday, January 11th, 2010

Life insurance is a frequently misunderstood type of insurance. Although most of us realize that we need life insurance, many of us don’t know where to turn to get the best coverage at the best price.

Don’t let the unknown scare you; protecting your loved ones with comprehensive life insurance is one of the single best things you can do for them.

The following are some of the most commonly asked questions about life insurance:

Q:  Can someone else take a life insurance policy on me?

A:  Only those individuals with an “insurable interest” in you can take out a policy on your life. For example, a parent or spouse may take out a life insurance policy on you. There are also cases in which an employer or a business partner may also take out a life insurance policy on you.

Q: What does a standard life insurance application entail?

A: To apply for a life insurance product you will likely be asked to fill out an application, which often includes your age, your health history and other personal information. Based upon this information, the insurance company may or may not take insure you. Many insurance companies also require that applicants undergo complete health examinations before being eligible to receive life insurance benefits.

Q: What type of life insurance product is best for me?

A: There are many types of life insurance products available, including term and whole life insurance, as well as hybrid policies. The type of life insurance product you choose will largely depend on the following factors: your age; your health; your family situation; and your financial situation. Term policies, for example, are often more affordable than whole life policies, while whole life policies are intact for your lifetime, not just a certain length of time.

Q: Where can I shop for life insurance?

A: Shopping for life insurance has never been easier, thanks to a myriad of life insurance companies that offer online life insurance quotes and life insurance information. Shopping online for life insurance also allows you to compare policies between companies and even between the same insurer.

When You Need Key Person Life Insurance

Wednesday, June 17th, 2009

Most people associate life insurance with families.  A working spouse, mother, father, or any important person that the family depends on for financial survival gets a life insurance policy to help loved ones after an unexpected death.

Can a Company Benefit from Key Person Life Insurance?

Absolutely.  Insurance companies are willing to underwrite life insurance policies as long as there is an insurable interest in the insured party.  And a thriving company has a keen financial interest in a founding partner or any important key business executive who brings in most or much of the business.

Key person insurance is geared for businesses who depend heavily on an individual for the continued success of the business.  If the person should pass away, would there be a sudden loss of income?  Will other personal business connections be severed?  Will the business flounder without the expertise of the individual?  All these can constitute an insurable interest.  Proceeds from a key person life policy can help pay for a replacement after the death, provide a source of income until new business is attracted, and even help pay off an ownership share of the business to surviving relatives.

Points to Consider

New businesses that form with a few partners should be keenly aware of the need for key person life insurance.  It’s important to consider what would happen if any one of the partners or owners were not around.  Though it may seem morbid, planning for death contingency in a business is just good business.

If you are a key person in a company, or are part owner of a company who depends a great deal upon a certain individual, consider the possibility of a key person insurance policy.  Talk to an agent and get a quote on a policy that will serve your business well in the event of unexpected death.