Burial Insurance, which is also called death insurance by some insurers, is a policy which allows you to take care of the funeral costs involved when you leave this earthly plain. Having a policy that caters for these needs is a great way to ensure that everything is ready for your departure and your relatives are not left with footing the bill. There are several choices you can make when it comes to insuring your life and it is a sensible idea to investigate it further.
Basic death insurance means that you can make sure that at the very least your funeral is all paid for before you leave this earth. A policy known as Pre-Need Insurance is available which is specifically designed for this purpose. They are available through funeral homes and it is these homes that are the beneficiary of the policy. This ensures that the funds are paying the funeral costs and nothing else.
The most basic form of death insurance is called a Pre-Need Insurance Plan. This policy provides money that can only be used to pay for the funeral costs; it is not permitted to use the money towards any other payments. Typically, Pre-Need Insurance is available from funeral parlors and funeral directors, who incidentally, are the only organizations that can be made the beneficiary of this kind of plan. Essentially, this ensures that the money is not allocated to anything else but the funeral expenses.
The unique thing about these two types of policy is that you are entitled to name any beneficiary that you want. A friend, spouse, colleague or your children could all be picked by you as the named beneficiary. Insurers usually suggest that it is wise to discuss the policy with the beneficiary to ensure that they are clear on your wishes. Make it clear if there are any particular people or organizations that you wish money to be paid to in the event of your death. Unless you discuss these issues with the beneficiary, it is worth mentioning that they can spend the funds in any way they wish if not told otherwise. It is commonly the case that if any of the funds are left unallocated they belong to the named beneficiary.
If you decide to name any of your children as the beneficiary or take out a single life policy, insurers recommend that you hold the policy in some form of trust. This is mainly to take care of any matters that rise in relation to tax, which can be important where children are beneficiaries. You can take out a joint policy for you and your partner; however, check with the insurer as they may only pay out after the first death and not the second.
When searching for death insurance policies you will find that there are two main types to choose from. Whole Life Insurance is designed to last from the moment it starts until the time of your death. There is no waiting period to contend with if you choose this option. Term Life Insurance lasts from the time a policy is started until a pre-determined end date; thus it is limited by a set period of time. If you die whilst the policy is still active, then the beneficiary will receive the benefit. If not, then the policy is simply cancelled. You will find that the premiums payable for the latter policy type is normally cheaper than the premiums for the former type.
Obtaining a policy for death insurance is a simple and easy process which can be carried out face-to-face, online or by telephone. Most insurers now have a website on the internet where application forms are available to fill in directly. It is possible to avoid having to have a medical examination or answer questions about your health with some of the policies that the insurers offer.
Putting off buying death insurance is something that we should all rectify as soon as possible. If you leave it too late then it may be too late! Having the mechanisms in place to pay your funeral costs and to pay off any debts will give you peace of mind so that you can enjoy your remaining years.
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