New Home? Protect It With Affordable Term Life Insurance!
By Abbey Wagner, InsWeb
There’s a better way to protect both your mortgage and your family than with traditional mortgage life insurance. Term life insurance is the smarter, more affordable alternative; especially when you shop around and compare coverage amounts and rates at InsWeb’s online marketplace, or call one of our agents to get expert advice.
What is mortgage life insurance?
The sole purpose of mortgage life insurance is to pay off your mortgage if you pass away while you still owe money on your home. Proceeds from this type of insurance do not go through your heirs, but are paid directly to the lender.
Why is term life insurance the better alternative?
There are many reasons why term life insurance is the better alternative to mortgage life insurance. First, term life insurance is very affordable. For example, a 35 year old healthy male can get a $250,000 30-year policy from one of InsWeb’s top rated companies for under $25 a month*. A comparable female’s rates are even lower; under $22 a month*.
Second, term life insurance can cover more than just the balance of your loan, and you can still have it match your mortgage length (say 20 or 30 years). There are often more expenses involved for those left behind than just the mortgage if a loved one passes away. By choosing your coverage amount and length, you can personalize your coverage to your needs.
Third, term life insurance proceeds go to your designated beneficiaries, not your lender. This means that your beneficiaries can use term life insurance proceeds however they want, such as to pay off high interest credit card debt, pay for education, or pay off any medical expenses incurred by the insured before he or she passed away. As mentioned earlier, mortgage life insurance proceeds only go to your lender; they do not go to your heirs. Also, as opposed to mortgage life insurance, term life insurance pays a death benefit even if the mortgage is already paid off.
Finally, term life insurance is simply a better return on your investment. The National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) says that mortgage insurance lenders pay out only about 40 cents in benefits for every dollar consumers spend buying that type of policy, compared with 90 cents on the dollar paid out to consumers who hold regular term life policies.
Buying a new home is the perfect time to either purchase term life insurance to ensure that both your mortgage and your family are protected, or to reassess your current policy due to your new needs. Compare rates for affordable term life insurance coverage from InsWeb’s top rated companies today. You’ll be surprised just how little peace of mind can cost.
