4/13/2011

Life Insurance and Life Assurance are not the same!

Life Insurance and Life Assurance are different. Most people assume They Are one and the same product and Their online searches reflect this. What are the Differences and what are they used for? This article provides an explanation for the layman. 


The average man in the street That assumes Life Insurance and Life Assurance are names for the same forms of insurance. How They Are Wrong! But do not hang your head in shame, many Financial commentators get it wrong too! Life Insurance and Life Assurance Financial Perform different roles and are poles apart in cost - so it helps to surf for the correct product. 


Life Insurance provides you with insurance cover for a specific period of time (known as the policy's "term").Then, if you were to die Whilst the policy is in force, the insurance company pays out a tax-free sum. If you survive to the end of the term, the policy is finished and has no residual value whatsoever. It only has a value if there is a claim - in context That it's just like your car insurance! 


Life Assurance is different. It is a hybrid mix of investment and insurance. A Life Assurance policy pays out a sum Equal to the Higher of Either a guaranteed minimum underwritten by the insurance policy's investment Provisions or its valuation. The value of the investment component and is then reliant on the Insurance Company's investment performance and length of time you have been paying the premiums. 



Each year the insurance company adds an annual bonus to the guaranteed value of your life assurance policy and there is an extra Normally "terminal bonus" at the end. Therefore, as the years go by your life assurance policy increases in value as the investment bonuses accumulate. The value Of These bonuses are then Determined by the insurance company's investment performance. Once investment value has been assigned to the policy, you can cash it in with the insurance company. However, most people get a far better price for Their life assurance policy by selling it to a specialist investment broker rather Than cashing it in with the insurance company. 


If you were to die During a Life Assurance policy's term, the policy pays out the Higher of the minimum guaranteed Either the sum or the Accumulated value of the annual investment bonuses. However, if you are still living When the policy terminates, you Usually get a bigger payout. Because this is with most insurance companies, an additional terminal bonus is Awarded. 


There is a Specialised Also a form of life assurance called "Whole of Life." These policies Remain in force for as long as you live and as a dry, have no preset term. 


There is Also a Practical difference for the internet user. Whereas you can buy life insurance online, the Financial Services Authority view life assurance as an investment product Fundamentally. As a dry They believe it is best suited to being sold by a Financial Adviser with advice based on the full Advisors Understanding of your personal details. Therefore, you will be unable to buy life assurance online.However, you can use the internet to find a Suitable Financial adviser with whom you can meet and discuss your Requirements. 


What are Life Insurance and Life Assurance polices policies used for? 


Life Insurance Is Usually a focal point of the family's Financial protection. It is ideally suited to the ensure a dry That debts known as a mortgage, are repaid in full in the event of the policyholders death. 


When it comes to providing an a lump sum for general use in the event the policyholder That were to die Whilst the policy was in force, Either life insurance or life assurance can be used. The Differences That Are life insurance with the size of payout would be preset Whereas with life assurance it would depend on the guaranteed minimum and the insurance company's investment performance. But remember, at the end of the policy's term life insurance is worthless, life assurance Should Whereas a sizeable investment payout totals. In this context Life Assurance Seems far more worthwhile but in practice more people elect for life insurance. Why? It's a matter of cost. Life Insurance Is Cheaper Than considerably Life Assurance. Furthermore, in recent years, investment returns on Life Assurance policies have fallen significantly and many insurance companies have penalties for cashing Placed in policies early. This has adversely affected the resale value of Life Assurance policies. 


Finally, if you want a product to Provide a lump sum on your death whenever That is with a guaranteed minimum payout, you'll probably elect for Whole of Life insurance. It's really a form of lifetime investment with the benefit of a guaranteed minimum. They're particularly useful for Inheritance Tax Planning. 


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