Life insurance is a contract between an insurance policyholder and an insurance company, where the insurer promises to pay a sum of money in exchange for a premium, upon the death of an insured person or after a set period. Here are some key points to understand about life insurance:
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Purpose: Life insurance provides financial support to surviving dependents or other beneficiaries after the death of an insured policyholder. It can help cover lost income or pay off debt.
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Types: There are two basic types of life insurance plans: pure protection and protection and savings. Permanent life insurance provides coverage that lasts your entire life, while term life insurance provides coverage for a specific period of time.
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Premiums: Premiums are the payments made by the policyholder to the insurance company. For term life policies, these cover the cost of insurance and administrative costs. With a permanent policy, a portion of the premium payments is added to the cash value, which can earn interest.
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Beneficiaries: The person or people appointed by the policyholder to receive the benefits of the insurance policy in their absence are called the nominee or beneficiary.
Life insurance can be a prudent financial tool to provide protection for your loved ones in case of death while the policy is in force. However, its important to consider the following:
- Buying too much or insuring those whose income doesnt need to be replaced may not make sense.
- There are many different types of life insurance policies available in the market, so its important to understand how a life insurance policy works before choosing one.
In summary, life insurance is a contract between an insurance policyholder and an insurance company that provides financial support to surviving dependents or other beneficiaries after the death of an insured policyholder. It can be a useful financial tool to provide protection for your loved ones in case of death while the policy is in force.