When is the right time to buy life insurance?
Many people could benefit by having life insurance. “When someone else is depending on your income, there’s generally a need for life insurance,” explains Ewanich.
You may already have life insurance coverage through your employer. Even so, it’s usually a good idea to consider purchasing additional coverage independently, because policies you buy outside an employer’s plan are portable, meaning your coverage continues even if you lose or leave your job. Also, your employer’s coverage may not meet your financial obligations for adequately protecting your family. To learn about insurance options to protect your family’s income needs in the event of disability, readViewpoints: “Insure your paycheck.”
It’s a good idea to review your need for life insurance whenever a major life event occurs. Consider the following events and the ways in which life insurance might help protect your family in each scenario:
New home purchase or major home improvements. Life insurance can cover your mortgage or home equity obligations in the event of your death.
Marriage. A wedding should prompt you to review your entire financial situation, including your income needs, debt, and other liabilities, and to add a layer of protection for both spouses.
Birth or adoption of a child. A life insurance policy can provide protection for your family’s increased income needs and any debt you may have taken on, including college expenses.
New job. A term insurance policy can replace any group coverage you may have had from a former employer, and enable you to increase your coverage amount in accordance with your new salary.
For families with children, if one spouse is staying home, it may be important to have life insurance for that spouse in addition to insuring the primary wage earner. Consider the value of the stay-at-home parent and the services he or she provides. If a premature death were to occur, in addition to being a devastating loss, it would put a tremendous financial strain on your loved ones and might impact the working spouse’s ability to continue to earn the same living.
Term life insurance can cover future college expenses, funeral and estate expenses, and even business ownership needs. (Small businesses may wish to consider purchasing life insurance policies for key individuals, such as an owner or top employee, to help prevent financial distress if that person were to die.)
Meanwhile, you can use permanent life insurance to help manage federal and state estate taxes, or as an efficient way to transfer wealth to heirs.
As you consider purchasing life insurance, bear in mind that you’ll generally have to provide “evidence of insurability.” This means that before an insurer issues a policy, the company will typically require you to undergo a basic medical screening, often scheduled at your home or workplace. Generally speaking, the better your overall health, the lower your premium will be. “Many factors contribute to the price you will pay for insurance, such as your age and your health. Low blood pressure and low cholesterol, along with a healthy body weight, will typically lead to a lower price,” notes Ewanich. “It’s usually easier—and less expensive—to buy life insurance in your twenties and thirties than in your forties, fifties, sixties, and so on. Sometimes health issues arise later in life that can make insurance difficult or costly to obtain.”