It sounds easy enough. Just go online and get the Best term life insurance quote from one of those quote providers. We’ve all heard about it. “Save 75% in 2 minutes!”
The problem is – with so many choices – which web site do we trust to give us the best quotes for our life insurance? And, how do we get the best term life insurance quote?
First, you have to understand that the internet has made it so easy to compare quotes that many insurers have lowered their rates in recent years. Also, many of the quote providers’ web sites have agreements with the top rated insurers offering the best rates. So, when you go to a respected web site and request a quote – you’ll get instant side-by-side comparisons from many of the best insurers with the best rates available online.
Where Do I Begin?
There are consumer review sites that mention the top rated quote providers. Some leading quote provider sites include ReliaQuote, AccuQuote, Insure and Term-Life-Online.com.
First, decide why you need the coverage and for how long. Then, determine how much life insurance protection your loved ones need. Use a life insurance calculator to determine the right amount of coverage.
Select a web site mentioned above and go to their quote page. This should be clearly stated on their web site. You answer one set of questions, one time and they give you easy to understand quotes from top-rated insurers. The quotes shown will be the lowest available from that service based on your information.
Also, the quotes should show the financial rating for the insurers. A.M. best is a financial rating service that reviews and rates the financial strength of insurers. You may want to choose an insurer with an “A” rating from A.M. Best to be safe.
Next, make sure your quotes are for the coverage you need. The most common type of term life insurance is Level Term Life Insurance. An example would be a $100,000 policy for 20 Year Level Term Life Insurance. This means you pay the same premium each year for 20 years. If you die before the term ends, your beneficiary receives the death benefit of $100,000. If you outlive the term, your policy expires. If you need coverage at that time, you will need to purchase another policy – usually at higher rates based on your age at that time. However, you may or may not qualify for coverage if you are in poor health.
Helpful Tips
Next Higher Coverage Limit – If you need $178,000 of coverage, compare quotes for $200,000 as well. You may find the higher limit of protection doesn’t cost that much more.
Your Current Age – One factor that affects your rates is your age. Buy coverage more than 6 months before your next birthday if possible. Some insurers set rates based on the age you are nearest. That means your rates may be lower at 25 years and 4 months than they are with the same insurer when you are 25 years and 7 months old.
Premium Payment Plan – If you can afford it, choose to pay your premium on an annual basis – if they charge you more when paying on a quarterly or monthly basis. This may save you some extra money on your life insurance premiums.
Buy Early – The sooner you buy coverage, the cheaper it will be. Your age is a factor in determining your rates. The older you are, the closer you are to your life expectancy – so, the higher your life insurance premiums. Younger people are not expected to die soon, so their premiums are lower. Also, your health may change and you may not be able to qualify for life insurance coverage in the future. Or, the premiums may not be affordable.
Important Note: Always make sure you get guaranteed rates. Level term insurance offers you guaranteed rates for 10, 15, 20 or 30 years. So you know your rates will not increase during the policy period. Also, you may want to get a guaranteed death benefit that will remain the same for the entire term of the policy.
Finally, when comparing quotes to get the best term life insurance quote available, make sure you get the amount of protection your family needs at a price that you can afford.
If you have any questions you can call or email the quote provider or insurance company and ask for a reply in writing to any/all questions you have. Make sure you understand your policy before you buy. I hope that helps, and best of luck!
