New Opportunities for Life Insurance

February 1, 2024

The new year can give us perspective and focus on what is important like our loved ones. Protecting our loved ones is front of mind. Life Insurance is an important piece of protecting your loved ones. According to a 2020 LIMRA study only 54% of Americans have life insurance and 27% have group life insurance through their work that is not portable. Focusing on the under insured is important, but it is only part of the protection conversation.

Many people buy life insurance and put the policy away and forget about it. The policy was purchased online or the agent does not proactively review the coverage. Life changes fast and protection needs from five or ten years ago might have changed. Is that policy that was purchased still the right one? Is there an opportunity to improve existing coverage? Is the policy performing as purchased? These are the questions that are important to be included in the Life Insurance protection conversation.

For many people the past year brought life changes like marriages, divorces, birth of children or grandchildren, income changes, wealth accumulation, and or a death are all factors that determine the amount of life insurance that a person should have. There is a good chance that policy purchased five or ten years ago is not providing the correct amount of coverage or for the correct period. Are the current beneficiary designations still relevant due to life changes since the policy was taken out?

The age, smoker status, and rate class are the three factors that determine the premium amount. The three factors can and do change over time. Unfortunately, age only increases and that does drive up premiums. However, people who were smokers and are not anymore can apply for a smoker change on permanent policies or can be underwritten for a new term policy. People who lose weight, lower blood pressure, and cholesterol can re-apply for an improved rate class. Even people who were issued at substandard rates due to a more serious medical impairment can possibly obtain a better rating. Smoker status and rate class improvements can result in lower premiums. Also, people who are now uninsurable who have term coverage that will and need permanent coverage can convert to a permanent policy if the policy allows.

It is critical for policy owners of permanent life insurance to review the policy performance annually. Whole Life policies have a guaranteed cash value and fixed premiums.

However, the dividends earned are often projected to pay future premiums or to increase coverage. Whole Life policy dividends are a return of excess premiums. The amount of these dividends or return of excess premium are calculated based on three factors. 1. The insurance companies mortality experience or how much in death claims have they paid out. 2. The insurance companies investment experience in their general account. 3. How well did the insurance company manage their operating expenses. A policy review with an in-force ledger with an updated projection of potential future dividends will show how the policy is performing.

Fixed and Variable Universal Life policies all have an account value and the cost of insurance and other policy charges are deducted from the account value. The account value grows by premiums paid, interest earned for fixed UL policies and investment returns on variable UL polices. The period that premiums are to be paid is determined by the performance of the policy account value. A policy review with an in-force ledger with an updated projection will show how the policy is performing.

January of each year we think about the year ahead personally and our finances. We go into tax season receiving our forms and preparing our taxes. We look at our contributions to retirement plans. Some of us it is open enrollment for our benefits. Reviewing our life insurance should be part of that process

The opinions voiced in this material are for general information only and are not intended to provide specific advice or recommendations for any individual. We suggest that you discuss your specific situation with your financial advisor prior to investing. All performance referenced is historical and is no guarantee of future results.

Investing in stock includes numerous specific risks including: the fluctuation of dividend, loss of principal and potential illiquidity of the investment in a falling market.

Dollar cost averaging involves continuous investment in securities regardless of fluctuation in price levels of such securities. An investor should consider their ability to continue purchasing through fluctuating price levels. Such a plan does not assure a profit and does not protect against loss in declining markets.

All investing involves risk including loss of principal. No strategy assures success or protects against loss.