Whole life insurance is a permanent type of
life insurance which remains in effect your entire life as
the same premium as long as the premiums are paid. It is
also known as "cash value" insurance because you can borrow
against these funds.
You should choose whole life insurance if you
want to accomplish any of the following:
accumulate cash value for a child's education
accumulate cash value for retirement
pay funeral expenses
provide money for charity
This type of insurance may be good for you if
you do not expect your needs to diminish over time. A portion
of the premium you pay goes into a reserve fund that builds up
over the years your policy is in effect. This reserve fund is
tax-deferred until you withdraw it.
Premiums for whole life insurance policies
generally remain constant over the life of the policy. The
premiums are paid periodically according to the
amount indicated in the policy. There is also
an option to pay the premium in one lump sum. Whole life
insurance is expensive. If you are on a limited budget,
you may not be able to afford the amount you really want,
but whatever you can afford will be there for your family
in case of death as long as the premiums are paid.
Before you purchase a whole life insurance
policy, you should consider carefully how much insurance
coverage you need. It is better to get a smaller coverage
amount and be assured you can pay the premiums rather than
overextending yourself and having your policy cancelled. If you
default on your payments, you will lose your entire
investment.
You should consider the following when looking
at whole life insurance products:
A life insurance policy that has a guaranteed cash
value starting the first year
A policy with the highest cash value in the first
year
A policy that lets use the accumulated cash value
of the life insurance policy to pay the premiums if
you can not
Discuss your life insurance needs with your
financial advisor or with an insurance broker. Go over the
various options and review your budget. Make your determination
based on what is best for you, your family, and your
budget.