Six Ways to Save Money on Your Life Insurance Policy

Shopping for life insurance is a big deal, and can often be a tedious process. However, despite the significant importance of life insurance policies, many people go without. In 2010, just 44% of households had individual life insurance—a 50 year low. Furthermore, 70% of households with children under the age of 18 would have difficulty making basic expenses within just a few months if the primary wage earner passed away today.

Schwartzapfel Bronx Lawyers, a personal injury law firm that specializes in areas like wrongful death, vehicle, and work-related accidents, explains how important a life insurance policy is. “Getting life insurance may feel like a scary situation, but it’s absolutely necessary protection for you and your family. If high costs are the barrier between getting a policy and going unprotected, it’s best to identify some cost savings.”

Furthemore, insurances can actually secure your finances, creating another cost-value situation. With that in mind, here are six ways you can save on life insurance.

1) Get Life Insurance Earlier

The longer you wait, the more likely you are to rack up a health history. Life insurance policies analyze several factors, including your age, health history, lifestyle, and more. The younger you are, the easier and cheaper it is to get a decent life insurance policy. If you wait until you’re 40, for example, your costs will be higher, and the chances you’ll have more expensive medical needs will be greater.

2) Get Term Insurance

Unless you have special needs, most likely you should skip out on permanent life insurance and opt for term insurance. These types of policies are much less expensive, and are more clear cut and dry. This means that they have a strict expiration date, have no cash value components, and are simpler to understand.

3) Take the Medical Exam

When you begin the process of choosing an insurance company, you’ll have to undergo an exam. A paramedical exam is a personal interview between you and the company, used to assess your medical history. This allows the life insurance company to properly assess your current overall health. They’ll collect a urine sample, blood sample, measurements, and discuss your medical history with you.

Some people choose to skip this portion of the life insurance checkup, and doing so could cost you even more money. A non-medical exam adds risk for the insurance company, which increases your premium. If you’re worried about the exam and the health issues it might disclose, you can always take it, get the policy, and re-test later down the line after you’ve taken strides to improve your health. Many insurance companies are happy to reduce your premium after a re-test.

4) Consider Several Policies & Companies

You wouldn’t purchase a car or a house without looking into other cars and houses, too. Even when you’re confident you’re getting a great deal, it’s best to see what others have to offer as well. Gather multiple life insurance quotes from different providers. Don’t just look into the bigger household names in insurance; also consider the smaller, regional companies out there.

As you search for the right policy (remember: cost is just one factor), one of the most important questions you’ll ask yourself is, What’s the company’s track record? A quick online search will provide insight into how a company treats their policyholders, what their customer service is like, and how they handle claims. You should also check their financial stability. Sites like Standard & Poor’s Ratings Services grade insurance companies based on their own ratings system.

5) Be Honest About Your Health Issues

You might be tempted to lie a little as you fill out the paperwork for life insurance. If you don’t disclose all issues upfront, you can pay costly consequences later down the line. The underwriting process is complicated, and if you don’t disclose everything, it can affect your premium. Additionally, the more honest you are, the more likely you are to be matched with a competitive insurer. For example, some companies are more lenient with certain types of ailments, like diabetes.

6) Stop Smoking

If you’re a smoker, your life insurance policy will be significantly higher. According to a study conducted by Policygenius, smoking had the biggest impact on life insurance premiums. People who smoked had insurance premiums that were 342% higher on average. Quitting smoking is not only good for your financial stability and health, but your life insurance policy, too. Generally, most companies consider you a smoker if used tobacco within the last 12 months. This includes those who just smoked occasionally. Rather than take the chance, quit smoking and save all around.