Business Development Concept

In planning for your retirement, buying disability, health or long-term care insurance is important. The insurance company would usually want to know a lot about you. You will be classified based on your habits, medical records and family history.

You have to have an understanding of your own health. The biggest factor in determining the insurance cost is your health.

Here is some advice from insiders to get the best health ranking possible at lowest possible rates:

1. Tell the truth

Hiding some facts on your health will not help you. First, the insuring company will eventually find out because they do have your records. They will presume that the problem is serious, since you did not mention it. Worse, withholding info the company regards as important could lead to the cancellation of your policy.

Give the insurance company your complete health history. But do it under your own terms. For example, don’t just say that you have high blood pressure. Inform them that you have been diagnosed with high blood pressure several years ago and have kept control of it.

Give them complete information and reduce the uncertainty, then eventually you would get a good deal.

Be careful on how you say things, a hesitant answer would seem that you are hiding something. Be as clear as possible with your replies.

Ask what the ranking is based on. There would generally be criteria in determining the health ranking and it varies from one company to another. Determine your ranking in a specific company and why. This helps you get a better picture and hopefully and decrease your premium. Canvass for the best rates possible but know that the rate is just one consideration.

2. Your doctor can help.

Inform your physician. Insurance companies would want to talk with your physician and look at your records. If not that, they would at least look at your records at the Medical Insurance Bureau.

Your best move is to inform your physician that you’re applying for insurance. A forewarning helps in ensuring that the insurance company gets noticed and gives you in return a favorable rating.

Ensure that the company gets a complete record, especially if you have moved from one doctor to another. The insurance company wants all of your health records to get a complete idea of your state of health.

The importance of having adequate life cover should never be underestimated – and the solution may be in taking out fixed term life insurance cover.

But first of all, why is life insurance so important? Sadly, many people see it as an unnecessary expense, thinking that once they die, why will they need the money? However, life insurance provides financial protection for the loved ones you leave behind.

For example, if you died tomorrow, would your partner be able to meet the monthly mortgage repayment and day to day bills on one salary alone? Would they be able to live the same lifestyle without your salary? Or would they need to sell up and downsize, possibly uprooting your children in the process?

It is unlikely that they would be able to cope financially on just one salary alone – and nor would you want them to be put under financial stress while coping with their grief.

The positive news is that the life insurance doesn’t have to be expensive – and fixed term life insurance can be fairly cheap.

Fixed term life cover is insurance that pays out a lump sum should the life insured (ie. the policyholder) die during the term of the policy. It is a simple and probably the most inexpensive form of life insurance cover available.

This is because if the policyholder (or policyholders in the case of a joint life policy) survives the term of the policy, it expires and no payment is made. As the lump sum payment is only made on the death of the policyholder, this makes the life assurance premiums less expensive than some other life insurance plans.

Fixed term life insurance can also have additional benefits such as payment of the lump sum upon diagnosis of a terminal illness (such as cancer) during the term of the policy.

The term will normally fixed to match your personal financial circumstances – for example, if you have twenty years to go on your mortgage, then you need life insurance to cover at the least the period until your mortgage is paid off. Or you may want it to run up until you plan to retire.

As with all insurances, do shop around to find the right deal for you – you’ll be surprised how much prices can vary from insurer to insurer even though they are offering the same level of cover and benefits.

Finally, if you are unsure about any aspect of your chosen cover, then speak to your life insurance provider or seek independent financial advice.