Is Life Insurance Worth it for Seniors?
People find life security in their lives; it doesn’t matter which age group they belong to.
Insurance is life security that stands beside when a person falls in trouble.
That’s why buying insurance is important for persons with a minimum earning source.
But it is noticeable that seniors about 60 or more are more interested in buying an insurance policy.
They do it for several reasons, like keeping themselves away from medical debt, mortgage debt, loss of pension, and more.
But the question is: Is Life Insurance Worth it for Seniors? The straightforward answer to the question is, Yes! Life insurance is worth it.
To know how it is worth it and what benefits it provides, go through the entire article.
The Benefits of Life Insurance for Seniors
Before answering the question: Is Life Insurance Worth it for Seniors? We want to show some of the benefits that senior life insurance companies provide. Once you know the benefits, you will perceive on your own whether life insurance is worth it. The benefits include
- Covering Expenses for Loved Ones
- Balancing Risk in Retirement
- Financing Tax-Efficient Income in Retirement
- Leaving a Legacy
- Medical Debt
- Mortgage Debt
- Loss of Pension
1. Covering Expenses for Loved Ones
If you want to cover some expenses for your loved ones even after death, you can pick a life insurance policy.
It will help support your partner or spouse’s mortgage payments, caregiving costs, health care costs, or other living expenses.
The policy will even finance your funeral expenses so that you don’t burden your family.
2. Balancing Risk in Retirement
Your retirement portfolio adds some market-based investment that helps enhance your wealth., but don’t forget that it is also subject to liveliness.
Because the whole life insurance cash value is certainly not to fall, it helps ensure a source of cash flow during market downturns, when you are not much attached to selling your investment because of producing retirement income.
Read More: The Complete Guide to Planning Your Retirement
3. Financing Tax-Efficient Income in Retirement
Regarding tax efficiency in retirement, ensure you have the most flexibility. In that case, it is an excellent idea to have a blend of taxable and nontaxable retirement belongings you can withdraw from to help support any retirement expenses.
You will be up to withdraw the basis you pay into your permanent life insurance policy, which is tax-free. Even it is possible to borrow against your cash value tax-free as long as your policy is in place.
4. Leaving a Legacy
What does it mean? It may be unfamiliar to the maximum number of people. Let us explain. If you would like to pay the tuition fees of your grandchild or confer financial gifts for them after graduation, then life insurance is the only solution for you.
Even if you want to give financial support to a nonprofit organization after your death or provide funds to your family members, you can choose life insurance, which will make your family members remember you after your death.
Read More: The Importance Of A Last Will And Testament (And Some Of The Most Common FAQs)
5. Medical Debt
Medical costs are increasing daily, causing financial pressure on a maximum number of families. According to research, more than 60% of all bankruptcies[Personal] in the USA result from medical debt.
A major financial collapse can be triggered because of a serious illness or the need for long-term care.
In that case, if a person has an insurance policy, it will cover up a certain amount of medical debt, reducing the financial pressure on the person at the last stage of their life.
Some insurance policies confer full financial support in case of terminal illness as well. So, for senior citizens, it’s an incredible benefit.
6. Mortgage Debt
Many seniors are out there who are bearing mortgage debt. According to research by latimes, one-third of seniors over 60 have a mortgage, and the ratio is increasing over time.
The debt is nearly $80000, which is difficult to pay for seniors in most cases. If you have mortgage debt, an insurance policy is one of the best solutions to avoid burdening you with other expenses.
If you still have a job or another source of income that may be lost after your death, a life insurance policy can be crucial so that your partner, spouse, or other family members can repay the home.
7. Loss of Pension
A person who completely relies on his or her spouse or partner’s pension income may suffer a financial crisis after the spouse’s death. It mostly happens if the pension income gets reduced or lost during the death.
In that case, if the dead person has a life insurance policy, his or her partner will receive a payout from the insurance policy that will help to replace or supplement this loss.
Is Life Insurance Worth it for Seniors?
The simple answer to the question is, Yes! Life insurance is worth it for seniors. If seniors hold life insurance, it will provide financial support to their loved ones even after death. Besides that, it will cover up the entire funeral of the policy owner, reducing the financial strain on the family members.
Apart from that, when seniors get debted because of the increasing medical costs, or serious long-term medical care, an insurance policy will cover up a certain amount of debt which is an amazing benefit for senior citizens.
In addition, there are a considerable number of seniors whose age is above 60 who want to ensure a secure life for their loved ones. They want their family members, spouse, or partner to lead a happy life without a financial crisis. In that case, they can choose an insurance policy to help cover a certain amount of money even after the owners’ death.
Besides that, to pay off the mortgage debt, tuition fees, or other expenses of family members, seniors can choose a life insurance policy that will make their life stress-free. So, we can say that life insurance is worth it for seniors.
Types of Life Insurance
In this segment, we have listed the fundamentals of the best life insurance policies. Hopefully, you will have an idea about all types of life insurance.
- Whole Life Insurance
- Universal Life Insurance
- Indexed Universal Life Insurance
- Term Life Insurance
- Final Expenses Insurance
Whole Life Insurance
- Confers Death Benefit for The Policy Owner
- Ensures Immense Safety & Security
- Stable Premiums [Though Higher]
- Cash Value
Universal Life Insurance
- Configurable Coverage
- Most Flexibility
- You Can Set Lower Premiums
- Confirmed Cash Value
- Life Time Death Benefit
Indexed Universal Life Insurance
- Cash Value Depending on Stock Market Index
- Family Get Huge Benefits
Term Life Insurance
- Affordable
- It Is Possible To Choose the Length of Policy Term
- For Simple Issue Plans, Medical Exam is Not Required
Final Expense Insurance
- Funds of Burial
- Easy to Get
- Affordable
- Accumulate Cash Value
Final Thought
Having life insurance is a crucial thing for seniors who are mostly above 60. Life insurance should indeed be taken at a young age, but that doesn’t mean a person over 60 can’t go for life insurance.
Many insurance companies have special packages of life insurance for seniors only. Those policies help the owner in many cases, like covering up medical debt, mortgage debt, paying tuition fees of their grandchild, and even the funeral and other related costs.
Moreover, a life insurance policy ensures the safety and security of the policyholders and their family members or loved ones, even after the owner’s death. So, we can say that life insurance is worth it for seniors.
Pranab Bhandari is an Editor of the Financial Blog “Financebuzz”. Apart from writing informative financial articles for his blog, he is a regular contributor to many national and international publications namely Tweak Your Biz, Growth Rocks ETC.