What are the risks covered by life insurance?

After you’ve decided what you want life insurance to cover, you can start thinking about how big a policy you may need. If you’re the main income earner and want to leave enough to support your family, you can start estimating your coverage amount using one of these general rules: 

1. Consider Multiplying your income by 10.

This is one of the simplest rules of thumb. While this way of estimating can provide your family with a useful cushion, it doesn’t actually take into account your true expenses and needs. That leads us to the next formula, which is just a bit more complex.

2. Consider Multiplying your income by 10 – and add college for each child.

This approach is almost as easy to figure out as the first rule, but it gives you the added comfort of knowing you can help your children have the education you want for them.

3. Consider the DIME formula.

DIME stands for Debt, Income, Mortgage, and Education –four big factors to consider when making a more detailed estimate of your life insurance needs. Total your debts, mortgage, and college expenses, plus your salary for the number of years your family needs protection (e.g., until the children are out of the house), and that may be the amount of coverage to consider.

4. Human Life Value

Some financial representatives calculate the amount you need using the Human Life Value philosophy, which is your lifetime income potential: what you’re earning now, and what you expect to earn in the future.2 In its simplest form, the philosophy suggests that you multiply your income by a variable based on factors such as age, occupation, projected working years, and current benefits.

As with every individual, the amount of recommended insurance you purchase depends on many factors. A simple way to get that number, however, is to multiply your salary times 30 if you are between the ages of 18 and 40. The calculation changes based on your age group, so please refer to the chart:

The more factors you consider, and the more specific your calculations, the more comprehensive your coverage can be. But remember these general rules are just that – generalities that are not specific to you. If you want a policy for one of the more specialized purposes above, such as taking care of dependent parents or business continuity, you should start by sitting with your financial professional to calculate what coverage amount may meet your needs. 

Term life insurance? Whole life insurance? Universal life insurance?

The amount you need and things you want to cover also affect the kind of policy you get. There are two basic types of life insurance: Term and permanent. A term life insurance policy provides coverage for a specific period of time, typically between 10 and 30 years. It is sometimes called “pure life insurance” because unlike whole life insurance, there’s no cash value component to the policy – once the term is over, the coverage ends.

Permanent life insurance provides coverage that lasts your entire life. There are two main types of permanent insurance: whole life insurance and universal life insurance. Unlike term, these policies are not “pure life insurance” products because in addition to the death benefit, they include a cash value component. A portion of your premium dollars can grow tax-deferred over time – but the entire death benefit is immediately payable to your beneficiaries from the first day you have the policy.

Term life policies are typically less expensive than permanent policies, and that can make a large death benefit more affordable. In fact, term life coverage may be less costly than you think: A 30-year old male who doesn’t smoke can get a 20-year term life policy with $2,000,000 of coverage for just $122 a month. If you’re wondering what you might pay, go to the Guardian term life insurance calculator to get an instant quote.

However, term life doesn’t work for every coverage purpose. For example, it can’t help you build cash value, and may not help you leave a legacy, because the term may expire before you do. That’s where permanent life insurance comes in: whole life insurance and universal life insurance are more flexible tools that can help build and protect family wealth over the course of your entire life. As we noted, there are also more specialized kinds of policies for final expenses, mortgage protection, and accidental death. And keep in mind that you can also have more than one kind of life insurance policy for different coverage purposes.

This might be a good time to talk with someone who can help 

Now that you know a little more about what life insurance covers and how it can help your family, it’s time to take the next step. Talk with an experienced professional who will take the time to learn about your unique situation, listen to your coverage concerns, and patiently explain the different term life, whole life, and universal life options that may fit your needs and your budget. If you don’t know a financial professional, ask your friends for a recommendation – or contact Guardian to find a representative who can help. But no matter what you want to cover, don’t put off making it happen: the younger you are, the less you will typically pay for life insurance. 

• Life Insurance

• 06 Sep 2021

• 5 UpVotes

Are you planning to buy life insurance? First off, congratulations for making a smart financial decision!

Life insurance can be of great help for you and for your loved ones. It makes it easier for you to achieve your major life goals, it helps you save or invest for the future, and above all, it ensures that in case something untoward happens to you, your family is financially well-protected.

That said, before you buy a life cover, you need to know exactly what is included in your policy. What does life insurance cover, and what does it not? Interested in finding out the answers to this? We'll give you all the details.

What does life insurance cover?

Broadly speaking, life insurance covers death of the policyholder from all natural causes. In addition to this, life covers also offer financial protection in case the policyholder passes away due to any illness or accident.

There are also riders that specifically give you coverage for certain need-based situations. Here are some cases in which riders can offer additional financial benefits.

• If the policyholder is diagnosed with a critical illness
• If the policyholder suffers any permanent partial or total disability due to an accident
• If the policyholder passes away due to an accident

As you can see, a life insurance policy offers you extensive coverage. You can also enhance that coverage with riders, as mentioned above. However, there are some specific types of death that life insurance policies generally do not cover.

What does life insurance not cover?

Before you buy a life cover, you need to know what kinds of death are excluded from the policy. It is also important to educate your nominees about this, so they can make an informed decision if they ever need to raise a claim on your life insurance policy.

So, let's delve right in and take a look at what is typically not covered by life insurance.

Summing up

This should give you a comprehensive idea of what's covered and what isn't. Still, before you buy your life insurance policy, make sure you read the policy document and understand the inclusions and exclusions clearly. And also educate your nominee about these details, so they know what to expect if they have to file a claim.

Read next: QUESTIONS TO ASK BEFORE BUYING LIFE INSURANCE

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Life insurance is a contract between an insurer and a policy owner. A life insurance policy guarantees the insurer pays a sum of money to named beneficiaries when the insured dies in exchange for the premiums paid by the policyholder during their lifetime.

The life insurance application must accurately disclose the insured’s past and current health conditions and high-risk activities to enforce the contract.

• Life insurance is a legally binding contract that pays a death benefit to the policy owner when the insured dies.
  
• For a life insurance policy to remain in force, the policyholder must pay a single premium upfront or pay regular premiums over time.
• When the insured dies, the policy’s named beneficiaries will receive the policy’s face value, or death benefit.
• Term life insurance policies expire after a certain number of years. Permanent life insurance policies remain active until the insured dies, stops paying premiums, or surrenders the policy.
• A life insurance policy is only as good as the financial strength of the company that issues it. State guaranty funds may pay claims if the issuer can’t.

Many different types of life insurance are available to meet all sorts of needs and preferences. Depending on the short- or long-term needs of the person to be insured, the major choice of whether to select temporary or permanent life insurance is important to consider.

Term life insurance lasts a certain number of years, then ends. You choose the term when you take out the policy. Common terms are 10, 20, or 30 years. The best term life insurance policies balance affordability with long-term financial strength.

• Decreasing term life insurance is renewable term life insurance with coverage decreasing over the life of the policy at a predetermined rate.
• Convertible term life insurance allows policyholders to convert a term policy to permanent insurance.
• Renewable term life insurance provides a quote for the year the policy is purchased. Premiums increase annually and are usually the least expensive term insurance in the beginning.

Permanent life insurance stays in force for the insured’s entire life unless the policyholder stops paying the premiums or surrenders the policy. It’s typically more expensive than term.

• Whole life insurance is a type of permanent life insurance that accumulates cash value. Cash-value life insurance allows the policyholder to use the cash value for many purposes, such as a source of loans or cash or to pay policy premiums.
  
• Universal Life (UL) is a type of permanent life insurance with a cash value component that earns interest. Universal life features flexible premiums. Unlike term and whole life, the premiums can be adjusted over time and designed with a level death benefit or an increasing death benefit.
• Indexed universal (IUL) is a type of universal life insurance that lets the policyholder earn a fixed or equity-indexed rate of return on the cash value component.
• Variable universal life insurance allows the policyholder to invest the policy’s cash value in an available separate account. It also has flexible premiums and can be designed with a level death benefit or an increasing death benefit.

Term life insurance differs from permanent life insurance in several ways but tends to best meet the needs of most people. Term life insurance only lasts for a set period of time and pays a death benefit should the policyholder die before the term has expired. Permanent life insurance stays in effect as long as the policyholder pays the premium. Another critical difference involves premiums—term life is generally much less expensive than permanent life because it does not involve building a cash value.

Before you apply for life insurance, you should analyze your financial situation and determine how much money would be required to maintain your beneficiaries’ standard of living or meet the need for which you’re purchasing a policy.

For example, if you are the primary caretaker and have children 2 and 4 years old, you would want enough insurance to cover your custodial responsibilities until your children are grown up and able to support themselves.

You might research the cost of hiring a nanny and a housekeeper or using commercial child care and cleaning services, then perhaps add some money for education. Include any outstanding mortgage and retirement needs for your spouse in your life insurance calculation. Especially if the spouse earns significantly less or is a stay-at-home parent. Add up what these costs would be over the next 16 or so years, add more for inflation, and that’s the death benefit you might want to buy—if you can afford it.

Burial or final expense insurance is a type of permanent life insurance that has a small death benefit. Despite the names, beneficiaries can use the death benefit as they wish.

Many factors can affect the cost of life insurance premiums. Certain things may be beyond your control, but other criteria can be managed to potentially bring down the cost before applying.

After being approved for an insurance policy, if your health has improved and you’ve made positive lifestyle changes, you can request to be considered for change in risk class. Even if it is found that you’re in poorer health than at the initial underwriting, your premiums will not go up. If you’re found to be in better health, then you can expect your premiums to decrease.

Think about what expenses would need to be covered in the event of your death. Things like mortgage, college tuition, and other debts, not to mention funeral expenses. Plus, income replacement is a major factor if your spouse or loved ones need cash flow and are not able to provide it on their own.

There are helpful tools online to calculate the lump sum that can satisfy any potential expenses that would need to be covered.

Investopedia / Lara Antal

• Age: This is the most important factor because life expectancy is the biggest determinant of risk for the insurance company.
• Gender: Because women statistically live longer, they generally pay lower rates than males of the same age.
• Smoking: A person who smokes is at risk for many health issues that could shorten life and increase risk-based premiums.
• Health: Medical exams for most policies include screening for health conditions like heart disease, diabetes, and cancer and related medical metrics that can indicate risk.
• Lifestyle: Dangerous lifestyles can make premiums much more expensive.
• Family medical history: If you have evidence of major disease in your immediate family, your risk of developing certain conditions is much higher.
• Driving record: A history of moving violations or drunk driving can dramatically increase the cost of insurance premiums.

Life insurance applications generally require personal and family medical history and beneficiary information. You will also likely need to submit to a medical exam. You will need to disclose any preexisting medical conditions, history of moving violations, DUIs, and any dangerous hobbies such as auto racing or skydiving.

Standard forms of identification will also be needed before a policy can be written, such as your Social Security card, driver's license, or U.S. passport.

When you've assembled all of your necessary information, you can gather multiple life insurance quotes from different providers based on your research. Prices can differ markedly from company to company, so it's important to take the effort to find the best combination of policy, company rating, and premium cost. Because life insurance is something you will likely pay monthly for decades, it can save an enormous amount of money to find the best policy to fit your needs.

There are many benefits to having life insurance. Below are some of the most important features and protections offered by life insurance policies.

Most people use life insurance to provide money to beneficiaries who would suffer a financial hardship upon the insured’s death. However, for wealthy individuals, the tax advantages of life insurance, including the tax-deferred growth of cash value, tax-free dividends, and tax-free death benefits, can provide additional strategic opportunities.

The death benefit of a life insurance policy is usually tax-free. Wealthy individuals sometimes buy permanent life insurance within a trust to help pay the estate taxes that will be due upon their death. This strategy helps to preserve the value of the estate for their heirs.

Tax avoidance is a law-abiding strategy for minimizing one’s tax liability and should not be confused with tax evasion, which is illegal.

Life insurance provides financial support to surviving dependents or other beneficiaries after the death of an insured policyholder. Here are some examples of people who may need life insurance:

• Parents with minor children. If a parent dies, the loss of their income or caregiving skills could create a financial hardship. Life insurance can make sure the kids will have the financial resources they need until they can support themselves.
• Parents with special-needs adult children. For children who require lifelong care and will never be self-sufficient, life insurance can make sure their needs will be met after their parents pass away. The death benefit can be used to fund a special needs trust that a fiduciary will manage for the adult child’s benefit.
• Adults who own property together. Married or not, if the death of one adult would mean that the other could no longer afford loan payments, upkeep, and taxes on the property, life insurance may be a good idea. One example would be an engaged couple who take out a joint mortgage to buy their first house.
• Seniors who want to leave money to adult children who provide their care. Many adult children sacrifice time at work to care for an elderly parent who needs help. This help may also include direct financial support. Life insurance can help reimburse the adult child’s costs when the parent passes away.
• Young adults whose parents incurred private student loan debt or cosigned a loan for them. Young adults without dependents rarely need life insurance, but if a parent will be on the hook for a child’s debt after their death, the child may want to carry enough life insurance to pay off that debt.
• Children or young adults who want to lock in low rates. The younger and healthier you are, the lower your insurance premiums. A 20-something adult might buy a policy even without having dependents if there is an expectation to have them in the future.
• Stay-at-home spouses. Stay-at-home spouses should have life insurance as they have significant economic value based on the work they do in the home. According to Salary.com, the economic value of a stay-at-home parent would have been equivalent to an annual salary of $162,581 in 2018.
• Wealthy families who expect to owe estate taxes. Life insurance can provide funds to cover the taxes and keep the full value of the estate intact.
• Families who can’t afford burial and funeral expenses. A small life insurance policy can provide funds to honor a loved one’s passing.
• Businesses with key employees. If the death of a key employee, such as a CEO, would create a severe financial hardship for a firm, that firm may have an insurable interest that will allow it to purchase a life insurance policy on that employee.
• Married pensioners. Instead of choosing between a pension payout that offers a spousal benefit and one that doesn’t, pensioners can choose to accept their full pension and use some of the money to buy life insurance to benefit their spouse. This strategy is called pension maximization.
• Those with preexisting conditions. Such as cancer, diabetes, or smoking. Note, however, that some insurers may deny coverage for such individuals, or else charge very high rates.

Each policy is unique to the insured and insurer. It’s important to review your policy document to understand what risks your policy covers, how much it will pay your beneficiaries, and under what circumstances.

Research policy options and company reviews. Because life insurance policies are a major expense and commitment, it's critical to do proper due diligence to make sure the company you choose has a solid track record and financial strength, given that your heirs may not receive any death benefit for many decades into the future. Investopedia has evaluated scores of companies that offer all different types of insurance and rated the best in numerous categories.

Life insurance can be a prudent financial tool to hedge your bets and provide protection for your loved ones in case of death should you die while the policy is in force. However, there are situations in which it makes less sense—such as buying too much or insuring those whose income doesn't need to be replaced. So it's important to consider the following.

What expenses couldn't be met if you died? If your spouse has a high income and you don't have any children, maybe it's not warranted. It is still essential to consider the impact of your potential death on a spouse and consider how much financial support they would need to grieve without worrying about returning to work before they’re ready. However, if both spouses' income is necessary to maintain a desired lifestyle or meet financial commitments, then both spouses may need separate life insurance coverage.

If you're buying a policy on another family member's life, it's important to ask—what are you trying to insure? Children and seniors really don't have any meaningful income to replace, but burial expenses may need to be covered in the event of their death. Beyond burial expenses, a parent may also want to protect their child’s future insurability by purchasing a moderate-sized policy when they are young. Doing so allows that parent to ensure that their child can financially protect their future family. Parents are only allowed to purchase life insurance for their children up to 25% of the in-force policy on their own lives.

Could investing the money that would be paid in premiums for permanent insurance throughout a policy earn a better return over time? As a hedge against uncertainty, consistent saving and investing—for example, self-insuring—might make more sense in some cases if a significant income doesn't need to be replaced or if policy investment returns on cash value are overly conservative.

A life insurance policy has two main components—a death benefit and a premium. Term life insurance has these two components, but permanent or whole life insurance policies also have a cash value component.

1. Death benefit. The death benefit or face value is the amount of money the insurance company guarantees to the beneficiaries identified in the policy when the insured dies. The insured might be a parent, and the beneficiaries might be their children, for example. The insured will choose the desired death benefit amount based on the beneficiaries’ estimated future needs. The insurance company will determine whether there is an insurable interest and if the proposed insured qualifies for the coverage based on the company’s underwriting requirements related to age, health, and any hazardous activities in which the proposed insured participates.
2. Premium. Premiums are the money the policyholder pays for insurance. The insurer must pay the death benefit when the insured dies if the policyholder pays the premiums as required, and premiums are determined in part by how likely it is that the insurer will have to pay the policy’s death benefit based on the insured’s life expectancy. Factors that influence life expectancy include the insured’s age, gender, medical history, occupational hazards, and high-risk hobbies. Part of the premium also goes toward the insurance company’s operating expenses. Premiums are higher on policies with larger death benefits, individuals who are at higher risk, and permanent policies that accumulate cash value.
3. Cash Value. The cash value of permanent life insurance serves two purposes. It is a savings account that the policyholder can use during the life of the insured; the cash accumulates on a tax-deferred basis. Some policies may have restrictions on withdrawals depending on how the money is to be used. For example, the policyholder might take out a loan against the policy’s cash value and have to pay interest on the loan principal. The policyholder can also use the cash value to pay premiums or purchase additional insurance. The cash value is a living benefit that remains with the insurance company when the insured dies. Any outstanding loans against the cash value will reduce the policy’s death benefit.

The policy owner and the insured are usually the same person, but sometimes they may be different. For example, a business might buy key person insurance on a crucial employee such as a CEO, or an insured might sell their own policy to a third party for cash in a life settlement.

Many insurance companies offer policyholders the option to customize their policies to accommodate their needs. Riders are the most common way policyholders may modify or change their plans. There are many riders, but availability depends on the provider. The policyholder will typically pay an additional premium for each rider or a fee to exercise the rider, though some policies include certain riders in their base premium.

• The accidental death benefit rider provides additional life insurance coverage in the event the insured’s death is accidental.
• The waiver of premium rider relieves the policyholder of making premium payments if the insured becomes disabled and unable to work.
• The disability income rider pays a monthly income in the event the policyholder becomes unable to work for several months or longer due to a serious illness or injury.
• Upon diagnosis of terminal illness, the accelerated death benefit rider allows the insured to collect a portion or all of the death benefit.
• The long-term care rider is a type of accelerated death benefit that can be used to pay for nursing-home, assisted-living, or in-home care when the insured requires help with activities of daily living, such as bathing, eating, and using the toilet.
• A guaranteed insurability rider lets the policyholder buy additional insurance at a later date without a medical review.

Borrowing Money. Most permanent life insurance accumulates cash value that the policyholder can borrow against. Technically, you are borrowing money from the insurance company and using your cash value as collateral. Unlike with other types of loans, the policyholder’s credit score is not a factor. Repayment terms can be flexible, and the loan interest goes back into the policyholder’s cash value account. Policy loans can reduce the policy’s death benefit, however.

Funding Retirement. Policies with a cash value or investment component can provide a source of retirement income. This opportunity can come with high fees and a lower death benefit, so it may only be a good option for individuals who have maxed out other tax-advantaged savings and investment accounts. The pension maximization strategy described earlier is another way life insurance can fund retirement.

It’s prudent to reevaluate your life insurance needs annually or after significant life events, such as divorce, marriage, the birth or adoption of a child, or major purchases, such as a house. You may need to update the policy’s beneficiaries, increase your coverage, or even reduce your coverage.

Insurers evaluate each life insurance applicant on a case-by-case basis, and with hundreds of insurers to choose from, almost anyone can find an affordable policy that at least partially meets their needs. In 2018 there were 841 life insurance and annuity companies in the United States, according to the Insurance Information Institute.

On top of that, many life insurance companies sell multiple types and sizes of policies, and some specialize in meeting specific needs, such as policies for people with chronic health conditions. There are also brokers who specialize in life insurance and know what different companies offer. Applicants can work with a broker free of charge to find the insurance they need. This means that almost anyone can get some type of life insurance policy if they look hard enough and are willing to pay a high enough price or accept a perhaps less-than-ideal death benefit.

Insurance is not just for the healthy and wealthy, and because the insurance industry is much broader than many consumers realize, getting life insurance may be possible and affordable even if previous applications have been denied or quotes have been unaffordable.

In general, the younger and healthier you are, the easier it will be to qualify for life insurance, and the older and less healthy you are, the harder it will be. Certain lifestyle choices, such as using tobacco or engaging in risky hobbies such as skydiving, also make it harder to qualify or lead to higher rates.

Life insurance is most useful for people who need to provide security for a spouse, children, or other family members in the event of their death. Life insurance death benefits, depending on the policy amount, can help beneficiaries pay off a mortgage, cover college tuition, or help fund retirement. Permanent life insurance also features a cash value component that builds over time.

• Age (younger is less expensive)
• Gender (female tends to be less expensive)
• Smoking (smoking increases premiums)
• Health (poor health can raise premiums)
• Lifestyle (risky activities can increase premiums)
• Family medical history (chronic illness in relatives can raise premiums)
• Driving record (good drivers save on premiums)

• Payouts are tax-free. Death benefits are paid as a lump sum and are not subject to federal income tax because they are not considered income for beneficiaries.
• Dependents don't have to worry about living expenses. Most policy calculators recommend a multiple of your gross income equal to seven to 10 years that can cover major expenses like mortgages and college tuition without the surviving spouse or children having to take out loans.
• Final expenses can be covered. Funeral expenses can be significant and can be avoided with a burial policy or with standard term or permanent life policies.
• Policies can supplement retirement savings. Permanent life policies such as whole, universal, and variable life insurance can offer cash value in addition to death benefits, which can augment other savings in retirement.

Life insurance is available to anyone, but the cost or premium level can vary greatly based on the risk level an individual presents based on factors like age, health, and lifestyle. Life insurance applications generally require the customer to provide medical records and medical history and submit to a medical exam. Some types of life insurance such as guaranteed approval life don't require medical exams but generally have much higher premiums and involve an initial waiting period before taking effect and offering a death benefit.

Life insurance policies all offer a death benefit in exchange for paying premiums to the insurance provider during the term of the policy. One popular type of life insurance—term life insurance—only lasts for a set amount of time, such as 10 or 20 years during which the policyholder needs to offset the financial impact of losing income. Permanent life insurance also features a death benefit but lasts for the life of the policyholder as long as premiums are maintained and can include cash value that builds over time.

We publish unbiased product reviews; our opinions are our own and are not influenced by payments we receive from our advertising partners. Learn more about how we review products and read our advertiser disclosure for how we make money. And see our complete list of the best companies for different types of policies.