Level term life insurance

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• What's in this guide?

  What's in this guide?

  1. What is level term life insurance and how does it work?
  2. How much cover do I need?
  3. What are the benefits of a level term policy?
  4. What are the disadvantages of a level policy?
  5. How much does level term life insurance cost?
  6. How to save on level term life insurance
  7. Finding the best level term life insurance
  8. Frequently asked questions

If you’ve decided that you want to offer your loved ones some financial security when you’re gone, then life insurance is something that you may well be looking into. While there are different life insurance policies to choose from, one option is level term life insurance. Read our guide to find out what level term life insurance is and how much it might cost you.

What is level term life insurance and how does it work?

Level term life insurance is a policy that will result in a fixed lump sum payout at any point during the policy term after the death of the policyholder. Even if, for example, the policyholder dies at the start of the policy term, the payout will be the same as if the policyholder were to die just before the end of the policy term.

As with the lump sum payout, the premiums for a level term life insurance policy are also generally fixed, so the regular payments would not increase in the future in line with inflation.

If the policyholder survives after the policy term ends, then a new life insurance policy would need to be taken out as no lump sum payout would be made on the original policy.

How much cover do I need?

The amount of cover you need will very much depend on how much you would like the payout to be and how long you want the policy term to last for.

Choosing an extremely high lump sum payout over a long policy duration could mean your premiums will be higher. But selecting a lower lump sum payout to reduce your premiums could mean your family are left financially unstable after you’ve gone.

Do your research and look at any big outgoings that you currently have such as a mortgage or car loan. Then, work out what your family would need in order to clear the mortgage debt, any other loans and also live comfortably.

What are the benefits of a level term policy?

A key benefit to a level term life insurance policy is that in the event of your death, your family could receive a fixed lump sum in order to pay for a range of outstanding financial obligations. Throughout the policy duration, your premiums would also remain exactly the same.

What are the disadvantages of a level policy?

While you can see the benefits to a level term life insurance policy above, you should also be aware that the premiums for this type of policy are likely to be much higher in comparison to other types of life insurance policies.

How much does level term life insurance cost?

The cost of your level term life insurance policy will vary depending on the level of cover you choose as well as the insurer willing to offer you the cover. Your premiums will also be calculated based on a number of personal factors such as your age, occupation, medical history and current health, and lifestyle.

It’s important to understand that your premiums are likely to be cheaper if you are young and healthy. Meanwhile, lifestyle choices such as smoking or drinking alcohol regularly could mean that your premiums are higher.

The younger you take out a level term life insurance policy, the lower the premiums are likely to be. On the other hand, if you decide to take out a level term life insurance policy later in life, prepare to pay higher premiums.

How to save on level term life insurance

If you want to offer your family financial security when you’re gone but also want to save on your level term life insurance, you might want to consider ways to lower your premiums.

• Avoid insuring yourself for more than you need. Your premiums will be higher if you choose a lump sum that is also higher.
• Try to secure a life insurance policy when you’re young and healthy, as your premiums will be much lower than if you decide to take a policy out when you’re much older.
• Avoid smoking and any other vices that will likely affect your health.
• Before taking out a life insurance policy, check that you don’t already have one, as sometimes, employers can offer life insurance as part of its benefits package.
• Do your research, shop around and compare deals.

Finding the best level term life insurance

Finding the right level term life insurance will very much depend on your own circumstances. It’s worth doing your research and finding out which conditions are listed as a critical illness. The more comprehensive the list of critical illnesses, the more the premiums are likely to be for the cover. The final decision rests on your shoulders to determine which critical illness cover is right for you.

Frequently asked questions

• Can I add critical illness cover to a level term life insurance policy?

  Yes. There are two ways in which you can have critical illness cover and receive a payout. These include:

  • Cover that can be added to a life insurance policy. If you choose to add critical illness cover to your life insurance, you and your loved ones will generally get a lump sum payout if you have a critical illness that is defined as such by your insurer. In addition, you will also receive a payout when you die.
  • Cover that can be combined with a life insurance policy. If you choose to combine critical illness cover with your life insurance, you will generally only receive one lump sum payout either when you have a critical illness that is defined as such by your insurer or when you die.

• Do level term life insurance policies include terminal illness benefit?

  That depends as some insurers might often include this in a life insurance policy as a standard policy feature where the policy term lasts longer than two or more years.

  A life insurance policy will usually pay out a lump sum of money when the policyholder dies. Terminal illness benefit, on the other hand, can pay out the lump sum of money if the policyholder is diagnosed with a terminal illness and given less than one year to live by a consultant or medical officer.

• Should I choose a single life insurance policy or a joint life insurance policy?

  Selecting a joint life insurance policy means that two people will be insured under one policy.
  With a single life insurance policy, only one person is insured with a payout being made on the death of the policy. Even if you’re married or have a longterm business partner, you may choose to have two separate policies, which would each pay out on the death of each respective policyholder. Alternatively, you may choose to take out a joint life insurance policy, which is likely to be cheaper.