What married couples should know about life insurance? There are several things married couples should be aware of while or before taking out life insurance. Indeed, vows were made when you got married, but did you decide to get a proper insurance policy? Life insurance is important for couples, especially when they intend to have children.
Purchasing the right amount of coverage helps make sure your finances stay protected against accidents, lawsuits, and other unexpected events. Life insurance for married couples is also important for spouses who want to protect their spouses financially after they pass away. With the right insurance, peace of mind is assured as well as the financial safety of not just you as couples but also your children.
Why Do Married Couples Need Life Insurance?
Purchasing life insurance can protect a spouse against financial hardship when their spouse passes away. Before you got married, you may not have needed or had anyone financially depending on you, but that has changed now that you are married.
In cases where you and your spouse both support each other financially, then you both need life insurance to keep your partner financially stable after you are gone. Life insurance pays out death benefits to your beneficiaries, which can be used for several purposes. It can be used to pay for rent, debts, burial costs, and other daily activities.
What Married Couples Should Know About Life Insurance
There are different types of life insurance options couples can select from. These life insurance options are designed to meet several couples’ financial needs and can be obtained through several means. However, the types of life insurance for married couples include:
Supplemental Life Insurance
Most of the time, employers offer this insurance as employee benefits. The coverage you receive from a group insurance plan may not be enough to cover you and your spouse. You can also not keep this coverage forever because after you change your job, you will no longer be covered. For this reason, it is important to get a personal life insurance policy to cover you even after you leave your job.
Joint Life Insurance
Joint life insurance is an insurance policy that offers coverage for two people instead of one. However, it pays only a single death benefit when one of the two persons passes away. Joint life insurance has two types: first-to-die and second-to-die joint life insurance.
First-to-Die Joint Life Insurance:
After the death of one policyholder, the death benefit is paid to the surviving policyholder. After this is done, the survivor will no longer have life insurance. However, some insurance policies may allow the survivor to convert to a personal policy using the same death benefit.
Second-to-Die Joint Life Insurance:
This insurance is also referred to as survivorship life insurance. It pays a death benefit after the second policyholder dies. This payout is made to the beneficiaries of the joint policyholders. This, in summary, means none of the joint policyholders receives a death benefit.
Separate Life Insurance
Separate life insurance policies are tailored for couples who want to insure each other on their policy. After one spouse dies, the death benefit will be paid to the other as long as premiums are continuously being paid. Married couples can select from any of the two types of life insurance policies, which are term life insurance and whole life insurance.
Benefits of Life Insurance for Married Couples
The basic benefit of life insurance is the financial security it provides for the surviving spouse and children. While it seems like life insurance would affect your income, it is important to make plans for what would happen in the future if one spouse dies and the other is left with the bills to pay. The following are some of the benefits of life insurance for married couples:
- Revenue Replacement
- Debt and expenses.
- Rest of mind.
- Retirement.
- Education and childcare.
Although every family is different, it is important to consider your financial state if your spouse should pass away. Consider your short- and long-term debt responsibilities, income, future goals, and lifestyle. A financial advisor is important to help you make the right choice of life insurance.
What Type of Life Insurance is Best for Married Couples?
Purchasing life insurance for each spouse is more beneficial than purchasing a joint insurance policy for married couples. One major advantage of a separate life insurance policy is that each spouse can select a policy that fits their health situation, gender, and age. However, separate life insurance policies are much cheaper than other insurance policies for married couples.