Kamis, 12 April 2012


Comparing Funeral Insurance

Comparing funeral insurance contracts is very important when it comes to determining which coverage will be appropriate to the needs of the policyholder. Although this coverage is intended to reimburse the burial and interment expenses back to the beneficiaries of the deceased policyholder, different insurance companies offer different variations for this coverage. There are also other factors, aside from the premium payments and cash proceeds, which needs to be considered before signing agreements with an insurance company.
The first factor needed to be looked into is the reputation of the insurance company. Policyholders should research industry news and reports documenting the background of prospective insurance companies. They should look for any news that might raise red flags regarding the company such as slow processing for insurance proceeds or management corruption. They should also check its financial condition to ensure that it can pay out the cash benefits stated in the contract when it is already needed by the beneficiaries.
Another factor that should be thoroughly evaluated is the insurance contract itself. Policyholders should obtain information on how much the monthly insurance premium will be and the corresponding benefits that it will give to the beneficiaries. This is one of the most essential aspects since the cash proceeds is the main reason why policyholders get funeral insurance coverage. Policyholders should also read and inquire about any stipulations in the contract which might be confusing for them.
Estimating funeral and burial expenses is helpful when comparing different funeral insurance covers. Policyholders should keep in mind that they are dealing with future costs. They should also incorporate inflation in their cost estimation. In this way, policyholders can have a better idea on how much proceeds are needed to cover for these expenses and they can adjust the insurance to match these expected costs.
Policy rates should be factored into the decision because this is treated as the cost of getting the funeral insurance. Nobody wants to pay more than what they can actually get in return. Policyholders should compare the insurance rates between companies and check whether they are within their budget or not. Policyholders should also take advantage of promotional offers such as loyalty programs or lower lump sum cash payments. It will also be helpful to check if the current life insurance is sufficient to cover for burial expenses. If this is deemed sufficient, there will be no need to obtain additional funeral insurance.
In order to fully compare different insurance options, policyholders can seek the help of insurance brokers or use the Internet to instantly get free quotations from different companies. They will often summarize which key points to consider and help policyholders in deciding which funeral insurance is appropriate for their budget and needs.
Policyholders should also inquire if the funeral cover will include cash value which escalates as years pass by, how long it will take before cash is paid out to the beneficiaries, and if the proceeds to be paid will be tax-free. Policyholders should always take all of these factors into consideration in order to ensure that their funeral insurance will provide some comfort to their relatives when this mournful moment comes.