Frequently Asked Questions
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Your life insurance questions answered
What is life insurance?
Why do I need life insurance?
We all want to take care of the people we love, and the thought of leaving them without financial protection is troubling. Life insurance offers a way to provide money to support your dependents (such as young children, non-working spouses or elderly parents) should you die. Aside from dealing with grief in their loss, they also would have to manage the financial impact from your passing.
Life insurance can help:
- Replace your income. If family members or dependents depend on your income, life insurance can replace that income or a portion of it to bridge a financial gap in the household. In both the immediate period after your death and in the longer term, replacing lost income relieves a significant burden from your beneficiary.
- Pay funeral expenses. During an already stressful time, life insurance can help pay your funeral and burial costs, as well as any associated costs like end-of-life care.
- Fulfill debt obligations. Funds from life insurance can assist in paying outstanding debts including credit cards, loans, student loans, mortgage and other similar obligations. These obligations don’t need to become the responsibility of the people you love.
- Pay federal death taxes and state death taxes. Funds from your life insurance policy can help cover potential estate taxes so that your heirs will not have to liquidate other assets or take a smaller inheritance.
- Create a source of savings or inheritance. Certain types of life insurance accumulate a cash value that can be borrowed or withdrawn by the policy owner while the policy is in force (be sure to check with your tax professional to understand any tax implications). If expenses are covered, the remainder of your death benefit can be an inheritance for your beneficiary.
What are the main types of life insurance?
There are two primary types of life insurance coverage – term life and permanent life.
Term life insurance is often viewed as the simplest form of life insurance. It has a consistent rate (called a level premium) and offers coverage for a defined period of time (called the term). A term usually ranges from 10 to 30 years, after which the policy expires or is renewable at a higher premium. The face amount (generally from $10,000 to $500,000 or more) is paid to your beneficiaries upon your death.
Permanent life insurance can provide lifelong protection and the ability to accumulate cash value on a tax-deferred basis. The two main types of permanent life insurance are whole life and universal life insurance.
Based on your health and other lifestyle variables, term life insurance coverage usually has lower rates on higher face value amounts than permanent life coverage. However, term life policies are only in place for a specified time period and do not offer a cash value portion like permanent life insurance does.
How should I choose what type of life insurance to buy?
You should consider term life insurance if:
- You need life insurance protection for a specific period of time. Term life coverage offers you the flexibility to align the amount of time you’ll need coverage to the length of the term policy. For example, if you have young children and want to ensure that there are funds to pay for their education or care until they are grown, you might buy a 20-year term life policy. Or if you need funds to repay a debt (such as a mortgage or school loans) within a specific period of time (20-year loan), a term policy may be a good option for you.
- You have a limited budget but need a higher coverage amount. Because term life insurance is often more affordable than permanent life insurance, you may want to explore term life insurance options first if you are looking for a higher face amount policy on a limited budget.
You should consider permanent life insurance if:
- You want life insurance protection for your lifetime with a death benefit payout if you live to be 100. A permanent life insurance policy also accumulates a cash value that offers the flexibility for potential withdrawals if needed.
- If you’ve built sufficient funds within your policy, you can initiate a policy loan with no need for a credit check. However, if the amount of the policy loan is not replenished at the time of your death, then the death benefit funds would be reduced by the amount outstanding on the loan before the remaining funds are paid to your beneficiaries.
Keep in mind: Premium payments for permanent life policies are generally higher than those for term life coverage. However, if you renew your term life policy after it ends (e.g. after 20 years), your premium rates can increase substantially for that same coverage since you are no longer locked into the prior level premium term rates.
How much life insurance do I need?
You may have heard you need 7-10 times your income in life insurance. That’s a useful benchmark, but everyone’s needs are unique. The best approach is to consider your own personal needs so that your loved ones have adequate life insurance proceeds to meet their financial needs in the event of your death.
To estimate how much money may be needed, you should make a list and estimate the expenses that need to be covered. This could include the cost of paying funeral expenses and the amounts that your spouse and young children need for mortgage payments, household expenses, education, etc. This should offer you a rough estimate of the amount of life insurance you should have to provide adequately for your dependents and survivors.
However, to ensure you get the peace-of-mind you deserve, it’s very important for you to receive thorough and complete information from a knowledgeable insurance professional before you select a coverage amount.
Will term life insurance rates increase as I age?
When you set up your term life insurance policy for a period of time (e.g. 10, 20 or 30 years), your premium rates should not increase for the duration of that term if you’ve made the scheduled payments and your face amount remains the same. However, if you choose to renew your policy at the end of that term coverage period (e.g. 10, 20 or 30 years), it’s quite likely your rates would increase even with the same amount of coverage.
Why do rates increase? Quite simply, it’s because you’ve aged since the start of your original policy. Talk with your agent, but if your policy is in good standing, you should be able to keep your policy, but your new term premium rates would be set up based on your current health status and age.
Is there a money-back guarantee or period of time in which I can return a policy?
At Fidelity Life Association, we want you to be satisfied with your policy. We offer a free look period, a designated time during which the policy owner can conduct a more in-depth review of your insurance policy. During this time frame, you can ask your agent important questions that you may not have originally considered, get more clarity about the details of the terms and conditions – and better ensure it meets your needs.
The policy owner may, within a number of days after it is delivered as described in the policy, return the policy to our home office or to the agent who sold the policy and will receive a full refund of any premiums and fees that have been paid to us. Once returned, the policy will be void from its beginning. If a policy was destroyed or lost, the policy owner should send a letter of instruction requesting the free-look option.
Both methods require the signature of the policy owner along with a current date. If you’re the policyholder and reside in a community property state (AZ, CA, ID, LA, NV, NM, TX, WA or WI) your spouse’s signature is required.
Will I find the same product for less somewhere else?
All policies offered by Fidelity Life are designed by us to offer coverage options we believe can best help American families. Comparing the coverage terms, options, and pricing can help you determine what policy will work best for you.
Curious about our products? Start with a quote or talk to an agent to learn more.
Is there any way to check Fidelity Life's reputation or ability to pay claims?
We understand how important life insurance is to your family. Fidelity Life is independently A- (Excellent) rating on our financial strength and anticipated stability by A.M. Best, the oldest and most widely recognized benchmark for assessing an insurer’s financial strength.
What factors influence the cost of insurance?
Your premium is determined by a number of factors. This includes your coverage needs and risk factors. Along with the amount of insurance coverage and the particular policy you choose, your age and gender are considered. Personal health history and family health history, such as chronic illness or hereditary diseases, can impact premiums. Personal habits and choices, like smoking or engaging in high-risk hobbies can lead to higher premiums. Your employment may also be considered, as some jobs are higher risk than others.
When or why should I review my policy?
If your personal details, like your address or billing information change, you’ll want to update your policy. When your life situation changes, you’ll want to review your policy to ensure it still meets your beneficiary’s needs. Good times to review your policy are if you get married, grow your family, or change jobs.
Why do I need a life insurance medical exam?
A clear picture of your health helps provide the most accurate pricing for a life insurance policy. A medical exam will cover medical history, height, weight and usually includes a simple blood test and urine sample. Knowing your health status, including information about cholesterol levels and potential problems like diabetes, liver or kidney disorders, helps determine your health rating and quote. Not every life insurance policy requires a medical exam. Learn more about life insurance medical exams.
