Introduction
You would take different types of insurance products from insurance companies. It can be a life insurance policy to take care of yourself and help your family members receive assurance money in the event of your death.
You can take a health insurance policy to cover pre-hospitalization expenses, core hospitalization expenses, and post-operative procedures at a daycare or nursing center.
Automobile insurance covers insurance-related claims when accidental damages must be recovered. Taking a home insurance policy allows you to look into home maintenance and refurbishment expenses.
But have you ever wondered how are these policies priced? And how does it impact your coverage?
Well, we are going to have a look at 5 factors based on which insurance companies determine the life insurance costs and help you make informed decisions and possibly save money along the way. Let us discover what these factors are.
Life Insurance Cost Factors Explained
1. Age and health
Younger and healthier individuals generally choose life insurance plans whose premiums are priced lower or moderately. This is because, the younger you are, the better your health is. You may have fewer possibilities of signing up for cashless hospitalization claims in case you fall sick. Or, you may have lesser chances of dying early so that your family members receive the policy assurance amount as stated on the policy document. Therefore, age or health of an individual is the primary deciding factor for gauging the cost of life insurance.
2. Coverage Amount
You must analyze the correlation between the coverage amount you want to go in for vis-a-vis the premium costs involved. For instance, if you want to take up comprehensive medical insurance and avail cashless hospitalization through a sophisticated group of hospitals, then the premiums can be pricier than a normal health insurance policy that has a tie-up with a regular set of hospitals or nursing homes. For additional riders or benefits, you want to add to your insurance policy, the premiums may again cost a little higher over the regular policy with a set group of insurance riders or benefits included on the same.
3. The Type of Policy
This is the third important factor that decides the amount of premium you would shell out in a policy. For instance, a whole life policy with more comprehensive insurance benefits may have pricey premiums as compared to a normal term life insurance policy with limited benefits added to the same. Therefore, a policy that is more tailor-made or customized may have pricier premiums over a standard insurance policy that the insurance service industry provides you on the whole.
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4. Your Lifestyle Choices
When you have a life insurance policy in mind and approach an insurance service provider, you may be asked a few questions:
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Do you have a previous medical history of diabetes, hypertension, or other types of chronic diseases?
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What are your lifestyle habits?
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Do you smoke or drink excessively?
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Do you work out regularly or do you lead a sedentary lifestyle?
These are some of the first-line questions that are usually asked to insurance subscribers before they may want to enroll in suitable life insurance policies. When you have severe medical complications or have lifestyle habits like smoking or drinking, your comprehensive coverage policy would be valued at a higher rate and the premium subscriptions would be charged for you accordingly.
5. Occupation and Hobbies
The insurance company would look into the type of occupation you are involved in. For instance, if you belong to hazardous occupations like diamond mining or work at a coal-producing factory, then your premiums and coverage costs will be charged accordingly.
Your hobbies would also be taken into account while your premiums are being charged. If you are sky diving enthusiast or a mountain climber, then the chances of you getting into accidents are higher on the cards. Therefore, you may be put on a higher-grade insurance policy and your premiums would be pricier than your counterparts who lead their lives on a more risk-free platter.
Life Insurance Cost-Saving Strategies
These are the cost-saving strategies you look for while choosing economically priced life insurance policies:
1. Online Shopping
You can do a little bit of shopping around via online websites. By taking a little extra time for your insurance research, you would get vital cues on different types of insurance policies that are sold by different insurance companies. You would have a fair idea of what policy benefits every type of policy covers and what the exceptions are wherein your benefits or riders cannot be applied for. You can compare different policy plans versus their costs in terms of premiums that need to be shelled out.
2. Applying for Bundled-Up Policies
Looking for bundle insurance policies can pave the way to receiving discounted deals on life insurance or term policies. For instance, you may have health coverage and term insurance offered under the same policy banner. Or, an insurance service provider may include health, term, and investments in your policy banner. Likewise, when you bundle up offers or insurance benefits, your cost in terms of premiums come down drastically as you would not be paying individual sums of premiums for three policies wherein you find one policy with all the three benefits or insurance riders that are added to the actual policy as such.
3. Choosing a Longer-Term Insurance Policy
When you choose a longer-term insurance policy, your premiums are lower as the total policy amount gets divided by the number of years the policy is taken for. On the other hand, short-term policies might have premiums that are higher on the cards. Therefore, when you choose a long-term life insurance or a universal insurance policy, then your premium disbursements reduce considerably.
How Can You Structure Policies According to Your Needs?
Here are ideas on how you can structure tailor-made solutions to building insurance policies according to the customized requirements you have in mind. Helping you with a run-down into the same:
1. Look for Customizable Plans
You can discuss with your insurance provider or an insurance firm that these are the customized set of norms that you are looking for. Say, for instance, you can ask for life insurance that provides you a sum assured over the term and includes health coverage for you and your family members. This way, you can combine the benefits of two to three plans over a customized solution. Although premiums might be a bit higher over a regularly traded policy, the benefits you receive from a customized insurance plan are way better than a standard one. Above all, you and your family members can benefit from one single plan you might want to take up.
2. Investigate the Extra Benefits or Add-Ons
You must investigate extra insurance riders or add-ons that can be added to a set policy. This way, you build a structured insurance plan that benefits you and your family members. For instance, you may deal with your old mum who needs a wheelchair. If you get a policy that allows you life insurance and covers disability costs, then the riders or benefits of the policy add value is better over a standard policy with set norms.
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The Bottom Line
Investing in the right insurance policy might initially be a little hard as you may have to pay premium subscriptions periodically.
However, every one of you must take a life or term insurance policy as it can bring about a host of benefits for you and your family members in the long run.
Your families can also benefit if you include critical illnesses or cashless hospitalization under life insurance plans.
What are your thoughts on this? Do let us know in the comments below!
Frequently Asked Questions
Q1. What is meant by an average term life insurance?
Answer: An average term life insurance is a type of life insurance wherein you have a 5-year term or a 10-year term for your insurance policy.
Q2. What is the average cost of a whole life insurance?
Answer: The life insurance premium for a whole life insurance depends on the benefits or insurance riders that get added to a permanent life insurance and the pricing slabs differ from one insurance company to another.
Q3. How much is an average life insurance premium going to cost you?
Answer: An average life insurance premium ranges between US$ 150- 200 per month. To get life insurance, you must choose whether you would want a term life policy or a universal life insurance scheme.
Q4. By what factors does the average cost of life insurance with a reputed life insurance company depend?
Answer: There are quite several factors the insurer has as far as the pricing of premiums is concerned. These are as follows:
a. Are you a 30-year-old? Then, you get a quote in 2024.
b. Higher premiums are involved if you are a smoker
c. A qualifying medical exam could also impact premium amounts
d. Are you at a high risk of filing for death benefit payouts due to your age factor or due to the prevalence of comorbidities that are connected with your health?
e. Do you have a mortgage bond as collateral that could pay premium subscription amounts for the policy value?
Q5. Do smoking and age affect life insurance premiums
Answer: Yes, lifestyle habits and age factors can greatly influence premium pricing.