Endowment Life Insurance, the Basic Facts

One of the available options when it comes to life insurance is that of endowment life insurance. This product is unique in the world of insurance due to the fact that you can receive money back whether you live or die during the lifetime of cover. Many other forms of insurance do not offer this option.

In one way, an endowment life insurance policy can be compared to a term life insurance policy. Both products have a set period of cover that can range from 10 to 30 years. The exception of the endowment insurance policy is that it will pay out a lump sum of cash whether you perish during this period or not. You can basically put money aside which will be available whether or not you outlive the length of the policy. Term life insurance differs in the fact that there is no payout when the policy expires; payments are only made should you die during the years of the policy being active.

Another advantage of an endowment life insurance plan is that you can decide to cash it in before the policy expires. This commonly means that you will receive less money than you would have done if you let it mature, but you can receive the money back at a time that you most need to use it. For instance, if you cash in a policy after 15 years and it is due to run for another five, then you are likely to receive approximately half of the total that would have been paid out at the end of the policy. The exact amount of money you receive if you cash in will depend on the arrangements you have made with the insurer.

The major flaw of this kind of plan is that in most cases, the monthly payments are higher than that of other kinds of insurance products. One available option is to take out a low cost endowment plan; however, it should be noted that although the premiums are less, the amount payable out to you will reduce as the policy goes on.

As another viable option, you could opt for a return of premium insurance plan. This is a relatively new concept on the market but delivers a win-win situation for you. The plan is also for a specified amount of time and the premiums will be monthly like the other products. Should you pass away during the policy period, your named beneficiary will receive the death benefit like all the other plans.

The main difference with this policy type is that you will also receive your premiums back in full if you are still living one the policy ends. The premiums are free of income tax and so the amount you get paid will be the same amount as you paid in over the course of the plan. Return of premium policies can also be cancelled early. This will result in you getting back a partial amount of what you paid in but not all of it. The main benefit of this policy is that you are covered if you do die and covered if you don’t.

When you apply for life insurance there are several elements that determine the amount of premium that you will pay to the insurer. One of these elements is your age; it is likely the older you are, the higher the premium amount you pay. This is why it pays to take out life insurance when you are younger. Secondly, factors such as being a smoker can mean that you will pay more each month. Non-smokers tend to receive lower premiums because they are keeping themselves in good health.

Information regarding endowment life insurance and return of premium insurance can be obtained from insurance companies of a financial expert. They will be able to give you all the facts you need to find the right type of life insurance for you. Once you are ready to take out life insurance, many providers have simple and fast forms that you can fill out over the internet.