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Sourced from: Group Life Insurance

• The Kinds Of Insurance You Probably Do Not Need. I came across this interesting article over at MSN Money that listed the 10 kinds of insurance that you probably do not need and thought I would share it you. Mind you this list is not all inclusive or exclusive; but rather a nice guideline for people new to buying......
• Money May Satisfy But Does Not Bring Happiness I am intrigued by the relationship between money and behavior. Knowing something about it helps me understand why I and the people around me do some of the crazy things that we do with our money and our time. We often hear that "money can't buy happiness."  This suggests that......
• Three Things to Consider When Investing in Life Insurance Life insurance is not something that is easy to talk about, as it’s often hard to make yourself plan for the worst case scenario. However, many people eventually choose to invest in life cover so that, should anything happen to them, then they know that their family will be......
• Things to Consider When Purchasing Life Insurance Life insurance is never a fun topic. Who wants to think about their own death or the death of their loved ones? Unfortunately, it is a necessary topic for those who want to ensure that their loved ones are cared for at all times. Having adequate life insurance will protect......
• Beware of Life Settlement Insurance Policies  A life settlement insurance policy is when someone else pays you a lump sum, takes over your premiums, and then collects your benefits after your death.Talk about a death watch...This is the eerie side to the insurance industry.  In fact, some insurance companies do not endorse the practice.  After all,......

Sourced from: Group Life Insurance

• Life Insurance is Not an Investment from ezinsurance.com.au: There is no doubt that investing for the future is important, but insurance shoppers need to know the difference between investing and buying insurance. This article explores the reasons why life insurance may not be the best investment. While the subjects of life insurance and investments often become......
• Life Insurance Strategies for Baby Boomers Many baby boomers have been paying for one or more life insurance policies for most of their adult lives.  As children grow up and move out, the need for life insurance diminishes.  Even an otherwise dependent spouse may not need as much or any life insurance protection.  Instead, accumulated retirement......
• Create Your Own Pension Using Whole Life Insurance In order to fully understand this post I am going to have to ask you to put down your $19.95 Suze Orman book or shut off your podcast of Dave Ramsey – and give me a chance to describe and illustrate how to create your own Pension Using Whole Life......
• Life Insurance: What kind should I buy? When buying insurance, there are often two important and confusing questions that need to be answered: 1. How Much Do I Need? 2. What Kind Should I Buy? I've answered the question of “How Much” in a previous post that you can read here. This post is dedicated solely......
• How To Buy A Life Insurance Policy For Low Cost Life Insurance tends to be one of those things that people really don’t want to deal with. We know we should have it, but it can frequently serve to remind us of our mortality. And let’s face it; it’s not all that exciting. Personally, I see a lot confusion regarding......

Sourced from: Yahoo! Finance: Life Insurance Industry News

• Comparing Life Insurance Policies It is important for you to understand that there are a number of different types of insurance policies out there for life insurance. Some of these life insurance policy options that you have available to you are term life insurance, universal life insurance, variable life insurance and whole life insurance.......
• Life Insurance: Why You Shouldn't Live Without It from ezinsurance.com.au: You’re young. You’re healthy. You do not have any children and you are single. Why should you have a life insurance policy? If you are among the many people that do not own a life insurance policy, it is time to wake up and protect your loved ones......
• Advanced Charitable Giving using Life Insurance As we get into the holiday season people start to feel charitably inclined, and yes you could just drop some coins with the unenthusiastic guy with a bell, give a $20 spot at church, or write a check...but what if there was a bigger bang for your proverbial buck?   Over......
• Find Low Cost Life Insurance Online Life insurance for baby boomers and for those who are retired is a complex subject. There are several different life insurance strategies available to those who already have a policy. In some cases, it might be necessary for estate planning reasons for a boomer to buy new life insurance. Or,......
• Comparing Life Insurance Policies pt 4 Speaking of Variable Universal Life Insurance… What are the disadvantages of this type of insurance? As we said before, if you experience a significant drop in the value of your insurance account, you could actually be putting your insurance policy in jeopardy. If you end up with a significant drop......

Sourced from: Group Life Insurance

• What To Do If I...... He says: ...Die. I created for my wife a "What to do if I die" page.  This is not a will.  We have a will and everyone needs one.  This is not a, "if you are reading this, I must have died letter", which is good to write.  The purpose......
• Buying Life Insurance on a Child's Life Warning this post might be considered too morbid for some people. I had an interesting conversation the other week with one of the financial planners in my office that got me thinking.  There was a client who was in the midst of buying life insurance on a young child (about......
• Everything You Need To Know About Life Insurance (And More) If you have a family, or someone else that depends on your income to live, life insurance is an absolute must. Too many families without life insurance lose one of the parents, and then the other parent has to work full-time and barely scrape by, it’s almost a financial death......
• Wheelchairs – Transportation & Life insurance Wheelchairs – Transportation & Life insurance The determination to stay mobile has had it’s trials and tribulations since being advised that I have a disease called Inclusion Body Myositis. I have been a very wobbly walker for the past eight years or so and progressed from wobbly unaided to wobbly......
• Life Insurance Strategies for Baby Boomers Many baby boomers have been paying for one or more life insurance policies for most of their adult lives.  As children grow up and move out, the need for life insurance diminishes.  Even an otherwise dependent spouse may not need as much or any life insurance protection.  Instead, accumulated retirement......

Sourced from: Group Life Insurance

• Five Benefits of an Open Source Symbian - PCWorld Business Center Five Benefits of an Open Source Symbian - PCWorld Business Center By Tony Bradley The Symbian mobile operating system is getting a second life as the Symbian Foundation makes the smartphone platform open source. The lifeline will revitalize the platform, and has benefits for Nokia, smartphone developers, Symbian handsets, and......
• Smart Choices And Savings When Considering Life Insurance. Guest post by Charan Singh Every month almost one million Americans consider and purchase a new life insurance policy. In today’s economic environment, when consumers are often looking to reduce costs, what are the most affordable ways to protect a family? Life insurance is the foundation of a smart financial......
• Comparing Life Insurance Policies pt 4 Speaking of Variable Universal Life Insurance… What are the disadvantages of this type of insurance? As we said before, if you experience a significant drop in the value of your insurance account, you could actually be putting your insurance policy in jeopardy. If you end up with a significant drop......
• Where Can I Search For Instant Cheap Car Insurance For Women And Young Drivers? Cheap car insurance for women is marketed as a separate item. There are some particular providers who provide for woman drivers. Largely, this is due to the perception that females ought to be treated differently men concerning insurance. There are barely a few subjects where a woman is not shown......
• Comparing Life Insurance Policies pt 3 Speaking of Universal Life Insurance… What are the disadvantages of this type of insurance? Universal life insurance is generally much more expensive in comparison to term life insurance options. While some of these added costs are going to be going into your account in the form of a cash value......

You can purchase a level term policy with one premium and one death benefit for the term of the policy.  Terms usually run from a choice of 10, 15, 10, 25, or 30 years.  Another option (although not necessarily the best)is to buy a decreasing term policy in which the premium stays the same and the death benefit decreases annually along with the mortgage balance. However, if the mortgage balance increases because it was refinanced, or a second mortgage is taken out, or the interest rate increases (e.g. adjustable rate mortgage), or if you buy a new home with a new mortgage balance, the decreasing term would no longer provide adequate protection.

Term insurance should not be confused with PMI, or Private Mortgage Insurance, usually required by the mortgage lender for people who put less than 20% down.  It does not pay off the mortgage in the event of death or disability.  The lending institution is the sole beneficiary of this policy.  Try to avoid the expense of PMI by making a larger downpayment if possible.

• How and Why I Bought Long Term Care Insurance Mrs. GoTo and I recently bought long-term care policies for ourselves.  I actually did it through my employer although the policies are such that we can take them with us. This post discusses the analysis and logic we considered in making this purchase. Long-Term Care Insurance is for All Boomers......
• Comparing Life Insurance Policies It is important for you to understand that there are a number of different types of insurance policies out there for life insurance. Some of these life insurance policy options that you have available to you are term life insurance, universal life insurance, variable life insurance and whole life insurance.......
• Comparing Life Insurance Policies pt 4 Speaking of Variable Universal Life Insurance… What are the disadvantages of this type of insurance? As we said before, if you experience a significant drop in the value of your insurance account, you could actually be putting your insurance policy in jeopardy. If you end up with a significant drop......
• Beware of Life Settlement Insurance Policies  A life settlement insurance policy is when someone else pays you a lump sum, takes over your premiums, and then collects your benefits after your death.Talk about a death watch...This is the eerie side to the insurance industry.  In fact, some insurance companies do not endorse the practice.  After all,......
• Private mortgage insurance companies to the rescue The real estate mess is hurting not only homeowners, but businesses as well.  Bad things happen at both ends when the mortgage payments stop coming in.  The homeowner of course loses his house and his good credit rating, but the businesses that were involved in lending the money lose out......

Answer: Whether a life insurance agent works for a specific insurance company (captive) or is an independent, he earns his money from the sale of an insurance policy.  Those earnings are in the form of a commission paid directly by the insurance carrier. Commissions are built into the policy and will not change the premium rate you are quoted.  In other words, there is no surcharge and commissions are not paid directly by the client.  Because commissions are built into the policy and cannot be altered, neither they nor the premium rates are negotiable.  The best way to get the lowest premiums is to shop around and get quotes from multiple insurance carriers.

Amounts of commission vary by insurance carrier, but agents generally receive up to 55% of your first-year premium for permanent cash value life insurance policies. After that, agents usually receive 3% to 5% in renewal commissions for the next five to ten years.  Commissions for term insurance are typically around 35% of the first-year premium and are not renewable in the following years.

Agents also get paid sales bonuses for reaching high production goals set by insurance carriers.  Production incentives like exotic trips and luxurious gifts are also awarded.  It is safe to assume that your premiums indirectly reflect the cost of these bonuses  in addition to the cost of the agents’ commissions.

• Link roundup: Father's Day edition Happy Father's Day! I credit many of my good financial habits to my father, so thanks Dad! Here are some links of interest from the MBN and other blogs in my reader: Free Money Finance discusses the financial issues in the upcoming election. Get Rich Slowly has a best post......
• Your Homeowner's or Renter's Insurance Could Still Be Lower One thing is for sure, we are all looking for ways to cut back expenses any way we can. One way may be as simple as switching auto insurance providers to get the best rate while other ways may include forgoing your night out. Either way, you'll able to save......
• Beginning Dynamic What does it mean to be a guardian of an innocent? A guide to a newly born mind? In this day and age it seems many people just follow the "expected" life.  Get a job, get married, have kids, and their role as parent seems to be more the acting......
• Florida Homeowner Insurance - Are The Rates Going Down? Based on the legislation that Governor Crist signed, the answer is "it depends".  The homeowner insurance situation here in Florida is very complex, and the legislation that is going into effect is as complex.  Savings will depend on the following factors: 1.  Who the homeowner insurance is currently with and where the......
• The Kinds Of Insurance You Probably Do Not Need. I came across this interesting article over at MSN Money that listed the 10 kinds of insurance that you probably do not need and thought I would share it you. Mind you this list is not all inclusive or exclusive; but rather a nice guideline for people new to buying......

Sourced from: Insurance Journal

• Devaluation of the College Degree If you graduated from college in the 70's or 80's, get ready to be extra proud of that degree. The next generation of college graduates will also be receiving degrees. But many of them won't be worth much compared to yours. I will explain.I have focused this week on the......
• Buying a New Car to Save on Gas Mileage The other day I was working up an article at a local cafe when I overheard a couple discussing whether or not they should buy a new car to "save on gas." The wife made the comment, "I know we spend a lot on gas, but we don't have a......
• Budgeting for Insurance Many people believe that they are forced to pay whatever it is that their insurance company is telling them to pay. This method of thinking may be true across the board when it comes to insurance policies like health insurance, auto insurance, home insurance and life insurance, but there is......
• Fixed Annuities and Financial Risk This baby boomer and no doubt many others are giving more consideration to fixed annuities as alternative investment vehicles.  Fear of more market losses and a need for a reliable source of retirement income is driving this. A fixed annuity is a contract in which you surrender a lump sum......
• Stop the insurance industry bailout People speaking out can make a difference If you were upset by the $22 billion earmarked to bail out the insurance industry this spring, this video may give you pause. Do taxpayers really need to keep shelling out for higher health insurance premiums while their taxes are footing the bill......

Here’s one column reprinted by Prudential entitled The Importance of Life Insurance.

And here’s a response to that letter.

Widower wishes he had prepared for the worst

Dear Ann Landers: I am a male reader who is very much interested in the letter signed “Finding My Way in Tampa.” The writer was saying how important it is to have life insurance. Please let your readers know that it is a good idea for a man to carry life insurance on his wife, whether or not she works outside the home.
Several years ago, my wife died of breast cancer, leaving me a widower at the age of 35. We had two children, 6 and 8 years of age. I did not have life insurance on my wife. Fortunately, I had enough savings to take care of the funeral and burial expenses without borrowing, but there wasn’t much left over.
I soon discovered I could not provide the stable home-life environment that my wife had supplied, and went through one child-care provider after another. I had to cut way back on my working hours, which did not endear me to my employer and co-workers when they had to pick up the slack. I became dependent on a lot of people for a long time.
My advice is this: Both spouses should get life insurance policies that will enable either one to maintain the independence and lifestyle he or she has today, in case tragedy strikes. It seems my experience with the untimely death of my wife is becoming all too common.
— J.A. in Pensacola, Fla.
Dear Pensacola: No one can sound a warning as effectively as someone who has “been there,” and you certainly have. The idea that a wife who is a homemaker should be covered by insurance may seem like a needless luxury, but you have pointed out that it could be a godsend. Thank you on behalf of all my readers who heard your wake-up call.

Take a look at another Dear Ann Landers about the importance of life insurance.
And here’s another-

Life insurance is money well spent

Dear Ann Landers:
I am a 48-year-old widow with four children.  My husband died suddenly of a heart attack last year.  Needless to say, this has been a very difficult time, but thanks to my husband’s loving foresight our family is doing well.
Throughout all the years of our marriage, in spite of tight budgets and financial difficulties, he maintained substantial life insurance policies on both his life and mine.  Even with my fulltime job, I would not have been able to manage had it not been for his insurance money.  At least our children’s grief over the death of their father was not compounded by the loss of their home and friends.
I am shocked by the number of women who have told me in confidence that they are concerned because their husbands have little or no life insurance.  They have two cars, a boat, and costly vacations.  They give their children music lessons, dancing lessons and orthodontic braces, but they ignore the possibility of what their children would do if the principal breadwinner were to die or become disabled.
Many people have small insurance coverage through their work and believe it is enough.  They need to wake up, Ann.  It cost me $15,000 just to bury my husband.  I’d hate to think of where I would be now if that dear man hadn’t loved us enough to make sure we were provided for after his death. – Carol in Martinez, Calif.
Dear Carol:

If ever there was a wake-up call, your letter is it.  Thank you for a letter that could make a big difference in the lives of my readers.  Reprint with permission

We hope you’ll write your about  your own experiences and enter lifeinsurancenoexam.biz “Why Life Insurance” Writing Contest.

• Comparing Life Insurance Policies pt 2 Continued from part one. What are the advantages of this type of insurance? Term life insurance policies tend to be a lot less expensive in comparison to other types of insurances, including whole life insurance, universal life insurance and variable life insurance for example. Term life insurance also typically has......
• Dr. Wayne Andersen on Habit Changing Support Editor’s note: This is a guest post from Dr. Wayne Andersen, Medical Director of Medifast, Inc. Learn more about his new book, Habits of Health at DrWayneAndersen.com. What are the benefits of having some type of support when trying to change a habit? Building a support system is the single......
• Spanking Alphas in Older Romances Why is spanking prevalent in older romances? I kid you not the hero gets upset then he takes heroine and bends her over his knee to end an argument. Is it supposed to be sexy? It just comes across as daddy issues gone wrong. My recent read had such a......
• Enabling the Perpetually Poor Photo by: Kevin Saff This is a guest post from Momma who blogs at Tales from the road less traveled. Momma and her family are on the road from debt to financial independence and she writes about the journey on her blog. If you what you read, make sure......
• stonehenge Once you have an understanding of your own mortality, you either try to ignore it or you think about ways to avoid it. Ignoring it is easy for most people; the drone of American Idol or the smell of another Big Mac are probably all defense mechanisms against awareness......

Sourced from: InsureBlog

• Insurance You Can Do Without - Cancer Insurance Cancer insurance is a supplemental insurance that will pay an initial amount after you are diagnosed with cancer. Then it will likely cover any amounts for expenses that are not paid by your regular benefits plan. The problem with cancer insurance, or any other kind of disease-specific insurance is that......
• A little indignation can be eye-opening Adam commented on this Get Rich Slowly post, saying: "Can't make it to the end of the month" is just a euphemism for people who decided to have children, buy a car, mortgage a house, take out student loans and more without putting much thought into income levels and expenditures.......
• American Cancer Society To Devote Entire Ad Budget For Spreading Word About Inadequate Health Care. This is B.I.G. news today and hopefully one that will really make a difference. When a big player decides to devote this kind of cash to fixing our entirely broken health care system, it cannot be ignored. From the NY Times: In a stark departure from past practice, the American......
• A survival guide for the uninsured - MSN Over at Money Central, they have a pretty good article up for those who are uninsured: A survival guide for the uninsured - MSN Money. Here are their tips for looking for alternative insurance: Some of the options include: COBRA: If you were covered by health insurance at work but......
• Who Are You Helping With Credit Card Disability Insurance? If you've ever applied for a credit card or have one in your wallet, you've probably been asked (more than once!) if you want to purchase credit card disability insurance.  The insurance is typically a few cents per $100 of your card balance, and is supposed to cover your minimum......