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Whole life insurance

If your looking for permanent life insurance that provides lifetime coverage then consider whole life insurance...

Happy Family with whole life insurance

In this life insurance buyers guide we'll cover

what is whole life insurance?

how does whole life insurance work?

what are the benefits of whole life insurance?

how to buy whole life insurance?

how much does whole life insurance cost?

What is whole life insurance? And how does it work?

Whole life insurance in Canada is a type of permanent life insurance that provides coverage for your lifetime, as long as you pay the premiums. Each type of whole life insurance has its own set of features, benefits, and considerations. All whole life insurance policies offer both a tax free cash payment (death benefit) to your beneficiaries and a cash value component that accumulates over time

There are several types of whole life insurance available. While whole life insurance offers many benefits it is more expensive than term life insurance due to its lifelong coverage and cash value component. You can purchase a basic whole life policy that either accumulates cash value or purchases additional life insurance (also called paid up additions). You can also include an option that allows you to add additional money to the policy usually on anniversary dates. When you are shopping for life insurance consider all of the alternative ways you can build up your policy coverage including critical illness, disability and any return of premium riders options life critical illness offers

 

Consider disability or critical illness riders. Some insurance companies allow you to reclaim critical illness premium payments on 10-15 year anniversary dates others don't have this feature. Most life insurance companies offer a disability income rider (replaces up to 66% of your income) or a disability premium holiday in event you become disabled and cant work

Traditional whole life insurance:

Also known as ordinary life insurance. This is the most popular type of whole life policy. This policy offers a fixed premium payment and a guaranteed death benefit. The cash value accumulates at a predetermined rate, and the policy remains in force as long as premiums are paid. Participating whole life insurance policies offer dividends that can be used to automatically buy more life insurance or be added to the accumulating cash value

 

Single premium whole life insurance:

You are buying a fully paid up whole life insurance policy. This policy requires a one-time lump-sum premium payment. Then your policy remains in force for the your life time. The cash value starts growing immediately and can be substantial since it benefits from a large initial premium payment

 

Limited pay whole life insurance:

Also called 10 pay, 20 pay or 30 pay means with this type of policy that you pay enough premiums in the 10, 20, or 30 years to make your whole life policy fully paid up. After which your coverage is fully paid up, and no further premiums are required. The death benefit and cash value continue to grow even though no additional premiums are paid

 

Adjustable life insurance:

Also known as flexible premium adjustable life insurance. this type of policy allows the you to adjust the death benefit and premium amounts as their needs change. The cash value growth is influenced by premium payments and investment performance

 

Variable whole life insurance:

Variable life insurance allows you to invest the cash value in various investment options, such as stocks, bonds, and mutual funds. The policy's cash value and death benefit fluctuate based on the investment performance

 

Guaranteed Issue whole life insurance:

This type of policy is designed for individuals who have difficulty qualifying for other life insurance due to health issues. There are no medical exams as premiums are generally higher, and the death benefit payout may be limited during the early years of the policy (sometimes up to 2 years)

Whole life insurance features and benefits

Guaranteed Death Benefit: Whole life insurance provides a guaranteed death benefit that will be paid to your beneficiaries after your death

 

Guaranteed Insurability Rider (GIR): Allows you to purchase additional coverage at specific life events without undergoing medical underwriting. This rider is beneficial if you anticipate the need for more coverage in the future

Accidental Death Benefit Rider (ADB): Provides your family with additional death benefit if your death is a result of an accident. Increasing the policy's payout if accidental death occurs.

Waiver of Premium Rider (WP): Waives your premium payments if you become disabled and cant work work. This ensures your policy coverage continues during periods of disability

Critical Illness Rider (CIR): Pays you a lump sum if your diagnosed with a specified critical illness during the policy term. Provides you with the necessary financial support to cover medical expenses and other costs during a critical illness

Accelerated Death Benefit Rider (ADB): Allows you to access a portion of the death benefit in advance if diagnosed with a terminal illness or a specified critical illness. This rider provides you with financial flexibility during health challenges

Paid-up Additions Rider (PUAR): Allows you to purchase additional paid-up life insurance coverage, increasing your policy's cash value and death benefit

Long-Term Care Rider (LTCR): Provides benefits to cover long-term care expenses if you need assisted living or nursing home care. This rider helps preserve your policy's death benefit while accessing funds for care

Return of Premium Rider (ROP): Returns a portion of the premiums paid during the policy term if you survives the policy's duration. Usually a rider added to critical illness policies in Canada

Disability Income Rider (DIR): Provides a regular income if you become disabled and cant work

Whole life insurance features and benefits

Whole life insurance features and benefits

 

Cash value calculations of whole life insurance

Premium Payments: When you pay premiums for your whole life insurance policy, a portion of it goes towards the cost of insurance coverage, administrative fees, and other expenses, while the remaining amount contributes to the cash value.

Guaranteed Cash Value; Whole life policies typically have a guaranteed minimum cash value that grows over time. This amount acts as a savings component growing tax free. Is guaranteed by the insurance company regardless of the investment performance.

Investment Component: Whole life insurance policies include a savings and investment component that accumulates over time. The insurance company invests a portion of the premiums in various assets, such as bonds and stocks, aiming to generate returns. Many insurance companies are currently paying a 5.5% to 5.75% dividend amount for participating policies. The additional participating dividend income generated by the insurance company can either be used to buy more life insurance (also called paid up additions) or accumulate in the cash value. These additional cash values are not guarantied and do vary over time

 

Dividends (participating policies): Some whole life insurance policies are participating, meaning policy owners may receive dividends from the insurance company's profits. Dividends can be used to increase the death benefit, accumulate additional cash value, add more life insurance or be taken as cash

 

Non-Guaranteed Cash Value: In addition to the guaranteed cash value, most whole life policies offer non-guaranteed dividends for higher than expected investment returns. The actual cash value will exceed the guaranteed amount when the insurer's investment performance is higher than current dividend amounts

How to buy whole life insurance?

Coming Soon

How much does whole life insurance cost?

Coming Soon

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