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21 February 2010

Life Insurance and Life Assurance are not the same!

The average man in the street assumes that Life Insurance and life insurance are names for the same kind of insurance. How wrong it is! But do not hang our heads in shame, many financial commentators get it wrong too! Life Insurance and Life Assurance perform different financial roles and are far apart in cost - so it helps to surf for the correct product.

Life insurance gives you insurance coverage for a specified period (known as the policy's "term"). So if you were to die while the policy is in force, the insurance company pays a tax-free amount. If you survive to the end of the word policy is complete and has no residual value whatsoever. It only has value if there is a requirement - in this context, it's like your car insurance!

Life Assurance are different. It is a hybrid combination of investments and insurance. For life insurance pays an amount equal to the higher of either a guaranteed minimum signed by the policy, insurance provisions or its investment valuation. The value of the investment element is so dependent on an insurer's investment performance and how long you have paid premiums.

Each year the insurance company adds an annual bonus to the guaranteed value of your life policy and there is normally an extra "terminal bonus" at the end. Therefore, as the years go by your life assurance policy increases in value as the investment bonuses accumulate. The value of these bonuses are then determined by the insurer's investments. Once investment value has been assigned to the policy that you can cash it in with the insurer. But most people have a much better price for their life insurance policy by selling it to a specialist investment broker rather than cashing it in with the insurer.

If you were to die in the course of a life insurance policy's term, the policy will pay the higher of either the guaranteed minimum sum or the accumulated value of the annual investment bonuses. But if you're still living when the policy ends, you normally get a bigger payout. This is because with most insurance companies, an additional terminal bonus is awarded.

There is a also a specialized form of life called security "Whole of Life". These policies remain in force for as long as you live, and as such do not have preset term.

There is also a practical difference to the internet user. Whereas you can buy life insurance online, the Financial Services Authority for life assurance as fundamentally an investment product. As such, they think it is best suited to being sold by a financial adviser with advice from consultants full understanding of your personal information. So you'll be able to buy life insurance online. But, you can use the Internet to find a suitable financial advisor with whom you can meet and discuss your needs.

What is Life Insurance policies and life insurance for?

Life insurance is usually a hub of the family's financial protection. It is ideally suited to ensure that debt known as a mortgage loan, repayable in full in the event that the insured's death.

When it comes to providing a lump sum for general use in the event that the policyholder should die while the policy was in force, either life insurance or life insurance may be used. The difference is that the life insurance payout amount would be preset regard to life insurance it would depend on the guaranteed minimum and insurers' investment returns. But remember, at the end of this term life insurance policy is worthless, while the life insurance payout should a significant amount of investment. In this respect Life Assurance seem far more worthy, but in practice, more people opt for life insurance. Why? It is a question of cost. Life insurance is considerably cheaper than Life Assurance. Moreover, in recent years, the investment returns on life insurance decreased considerably, and many insurance companies have placed sanctions for redemption in politics early. This has affected the resale value of life insurance.

Finally, if you want a product to give a lump sum on your death, when with a minimum guaranteed payment, you will probably opt for life insurance. It really is a life form of investment with the benefit of a guaranteed minimum. They are particularly useful for Inheritance Tax Planning.

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