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Six Life Insurance Questions and Answers

July 29, 2010

1. How does a life insurance company decide how much a particular policy costs?

The price of a life insurance policy is a life insurance company’s calculation of the amount of cash necessary to gather from each member of the life insurance pool. The price is always dependent on the mortality tables and the calculation of the size of the risk the life insurance company is taking on by being the insurer of your life insurance policy.

2. How does a life insurance company assess their risk in insuring an individual?

When somebody applies for a life insurance policy, the company will inquire about their health status and often require a medical exam. The life insurance company will use information gathered to determine if and how they want to insure the individual.

This determination of “if” and “how” is referred to as “underwriting.” There are not many limits on the type of information underwriters can take into consideration.

3. Do all life insurance companies require a medical examination?

Often companies will require a physical medical examination prior to agreeing to insure an individual. Generally, they have a company doctor that will conduct this examination. This doctor or medical technician may have their own office or may even come to the potential insured party’s home for their convenience. The insurance company should not charge the potential insured party for this exam.

4. What types of questions will the life insurance company ask when applying for a policy?

It is common for life insurance applications to ask the following questions:

Do you regularly use tobacco or tobacco products? Life insurance companies strongly believe that smoking or using tobacco products in any form can make an individual’s life shorter and will charge higher premiums for smokers.

Do you have AIDS, cancer, heart disease, or are you HIV+? Depending on the severity of any health conditions such as these, a life insurance company may sell you a policy at the normal rate or possibly charge you a more expensive price. If the health problem is extremely severe, most life insurance companies will directly reject your application.

Do you have a hazardous career? With more dangerous jobs, companies tend to charge a more expensive price for a life insurance policy. If your job requires an above average amount of risky, life threatening behavior, expect a higher cost for life insurance.

Does your immediate family have a history of fatal diseases or death at a young age not due to an accident? The life insurance company is not barred from questioning you about you and your family’s health history. Diseases that commonly run in the family that are fatal, such as heart disease, Sickle Cell Anemia, or cancer may cause a company to reject your application or charge you a higher rate.

5. What other questions can I expect to be asked?

A life insurance application may ask seemingly unrelated health questions to asses high risk behavior.

Some of these questions may include the following:

In the past seven to ten years have you ever been arrested for driving under the influence? Diagnosed or medically treated for cancer, AIDS, HIV, chronic lung disorder, heart disease, diabetes, stroke, or liver problems? Recommended by a medical professional to cease or reduce drinking alcohol?

Are you currently or have you ever been disabled or forced to retire due to an illness or injury?

Answering “yes” to any one of these inquiries may result in getting a life insurance application denied, it is far better than answering dishonestly and then having a claim refused later down the line. This outcome could result in your beneficiaries getting nothing if you should die.

6. Can life insurance companies use genetic testing to determine whether or not they want to insure someone?

Life insurance companies often use genetic testing to learn as much as possible about their potential clients. By administering a blood test, companies can determine not only what diseases you may currently have, but ones you may get in the future as well. Some states do not permit this kind of testing for health insurance purposes, but generally for life insurance, genetic testing is permitted.

Utah Life Insurance for Children

July 24, 2010

Many people are superstitious and find it extremely uncomfortable to talk about buying Utah life insurance for children. They feel that by doing so they may be considered to be having one foot in the grave, or they may be having some illness, which may result in an early death. However, buying Utah life insurance is a necessity, a must item on everyone’s agenda.

It may release a flood of emotions. And if one buys Utah life insurance for a child, then it is all the more difficult. By buying Utah life insurance for a child, they may feel that they are imagining something may happen to the child and hence financial protection and insurance are necessary. However it is important that this should be included in your financial plans. We know that the premiums become bigger as we grow older. Our health deteriorates as our systems weaken and fall prey to illnesses. But the premiums are relatively less when the person to be insured is younger. The insurance company has experienced that the younger the person is, the further away is he from ill health or death, hence he can be charged a smaller premium as he has longer time to pay it.

When we buy Utah life insurance we are planning for any eventuality or unexpected happenings but we don’t really expect it to happen. Life is unpredictable for everyone, young or old. It is always better to have a planned financial security so that in the event of something drastic happening even the young ones need not worry about financial security. They will have enough insurance cover to settle such happenings.

If, by chance, a child has some accident or some unfortunate illness in life, he can draw upon the Utah life insurance money. His parents will not have to shell out the money and they can then take care of him with a financial strain-free mind. The insurance policy will guard the child against the unforeseen or unexpected events that my happen in his life. In some cases even a life may come to an end and the insurance money will cover the death expenses. This is not the only reason to buy Utah life insurance for children. There are other reasons as well. The child will complete his education, grow up, and have a family. If there is some unfortunate turn of events, this person may find it difficult to buy Utah life insurance at this stage and pay for it. If he already has insurance, which his parents bought when he was a child, then he can have a carefree life. Sometimes the situation may be such that it may be totally difficult to buy Utah life insurance or may be just plain uninsurable case.

All insurance companies are out to do business and make money. They have to finance their staff, settle claims and meet their needs. They offer policies on the assumption that the premiums will be paid on time. You have to fill a form, which gives your medical history. If you have a history of cancer, diabetes, accidents with severe trauma or any other such conditions you may not get insurance policies. The cost of insurance will be higher, if at all it is available to you if you have any such condition. In such cases childhood Utah life insurance certainly helps. That is what it is bought for, to protect you against the worst scenarios in life.

A young and healthy child has a low premium. They don’t change or go up whatever happens. So it is a wise decision to buy Utah life insurance for a child when he is young. It does not put too much strain on your pocket and it can make a whole lot of difference to the child later on in his life. And once the child grows up and becomes independent the parent can always ask him to pay his own premiums. It is possible that it is the best gift you can give your child.

I5ive. “Life Insurance For Children.” Insurance Quotes. 16 Oct. 2009

[http://www.i5ive.com/life-insurance-for-children].