New Parent's Guide to Life Insurance -What You Need To Know (2024)

Parenting

February 21, 2019

New Parent's Guide to Life Insurance -What You Need To Know (1)

Yayyy Life Insurance…NOT. I mean I get it, who wants to talk about something that’s ultimately related to your death? Bummer right 😥 I was told by like 5+ people after I had my daughter that I needed to get life insurance. Ummm, I just had this amazing tiny human and now you want me to plan for my death?!? Do what!! Let’s just say I was a little thrown off at first. It wasn’t until I looked into it all that I realized how important life insurance truly is and understood then why it was being brought up. I know a lot of us have tons of questions so let’s break down my top three questions you should ask yourself when thinking about life insurance, and yes you should be thinking about it!

What is Life Insurance?

It’s an insurance policy between the provider and the insured person that will pay out a sum of money to their beneficiaries upon their death. The beneficiaries can be your husband, kids, parents, family, or friends. This is going to be the person that you would want the money to go to in the event of your death. You pay a premium/fee set out when you sign up to have the insurance. There are 2 types of life insurance: term or permanent. The basis of Term Life Insurance is that the benefit only pays out if you die during the time period you chose (10-35 years) and permanent insurance builds cash value in addition to having a death benefit. Because of the cash value, permanent insurance is more expensive. My choice for myself was Term Life Insurance, and that’s what I’ll focus on here but of course do your research and pick the best option for you & your family.

Here’s an example to help you better understand what Life Insurance is. If I buy a $2,000,000 policy and I’m making my premium payments (this is basically just like you do with car insurance), then when I die my beneficiary will receive $2,000,000. Pretty easy to understand that, right? Okay- next question to ask yourself.

Do I Need Life Insurance?

The simple answer to this is, if your death would financially affect someone else- you need life insurance. Now it makes sense why my friends & family we’re asking me right after I had my daughter if I had life insurance yet! Once that tiny little baby comes into the world your purpose is to take care of them. You are their everything and their provider. If something was to happen to you, would it affect them? For most of us, the answer is most definitely. Both Cora’s dad and I work, but both of our income plays into our household financials and if mine was no longer there or even his, it would affect us for sure. Buying a life insurance plan will help cover those costs such as the funeral expenses, bills, childcare, whatever it may be. It’s there to help them while they figure out the next step in their lives.

I do want to add here that even if you don’t work, for example a stay-at-home parent, it’s still important for you to have life insurance. Stay-at-home parents do SOO much! If you were not around then someone would have to still be doing a lot of the things you were such as: childcare, cleaning, cooking, etc etc. Those things you do as a stay-at-home parent would need to be handled by someone so it’s still really important even if you do not have an out of the home job that you still have life insurance.

Where to Get Life Insurance?

This can be the tricky part, and the main reason it took me so long to get it. We have plenty of life insurance agents in my town and I know I can set up a meeting to go in, but I have plenty of excuses not to. I’m busy, it will be awkward, I don’t know them, they are just trying to make a sale, and I don’t want to have to go to a physical/ checkup or whatever long list of questions they will make me fill out. The list could go on & on, and I understand the hesitation but it doesn’t have to be that way! I discovered a great site called Leap Life that makes the process hassle-free. Yes you heard that right, it’s actually easy & can be done within 10 minutes to have a Term Life Insurance policy! Whoo Whoo 😎

With Leap Life, they do all the heavy lifting for you.They carefully select the carriers that offer the best rates and have the highest financial and customer satisfaction ratings, and then you’re able to select the best option for you PLUS what you can afford. Within 2 minutes, you can have a no strings attached quote that will give you 3 options for coverage based on the small amount of information they ask. You don’t even have to provide an email or phone number to get your quote, it truly is hassle-free! After that, you can customize the life insurance based on exactly what you’re looking for- policy amount & the term. Leap Life helps customers get a 40% cheaper, precision life insurance online in minutes, by matching the customer to the right policy minutes you can be completely done and insured! Life Insurance can be a tricky subject for some people and I completely understand why, but with Leap Life they make it easier for you to know your options & choose the best fit for you.

Basically the main point here is Life Insurance is important. It sucks to think about your death, but don’t you want your loved ones to have financial support when it happens. The answer is definitely yes for me, and having my beautiful daughter made me see that easily. I’m thankful for Leap Life that makes this tough subject an easy process!

New Parent's Guide to Life Insurance -What You Need To Know (2)

This post is sponsored by Leap Life. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Tagged getting life insurance, leap life, life insurance, national life insurance, term insurance

New Parent's Guide to Life Insurance -What You Need To Know (2024)

FAQs

What are 10 things you absolutely need to know about life insurance? ›

  • 10 Things You Should Know.
  • Review Your Insurance Needs. ...
  • Decide How Much Coverage You Need. ...
  • Assess Your Current Life Insurance Policy. ...
  • Compare The Different Kinds of Insurance Policies. ...
  • Be Sure You Can Afford the Premium Payments. ...
  • Have an Insurance Agent Help You Evaluate the Future of Your Policy. ...
  • Keep Your Current Policy.

What kind of questions do they ask for life insurance? ›

Financial Questions

Life insurance companies typically gather information on your finances, including your annual income and any history of bankruptcy. Current and past bankruptcies can be a risk factor to insurers, since they can indicate difficulties in keeping up with premium payments.

Should new parents get life insurance? ›

If you can, it's wise to invest in life insurance right now — regardless of when you're expecting your first child. There are many smart reasons to do so, including peace of mind for your family in the event something were to happen so that they can cover both daily expenses and future expenses.

What is the simplest way to understand life insurance? ›

What Is Life Insurance? Life insurance is a contract between you and an insurance company. In exchange for your premium payments, the life insurance company will pay a lump sum known as a death benefit to your beneficiaries after your death, as long as your policy is in force.

What 3 questions should one ask when deciding on life insurance? ›

Choosing the right life insurance policy requires careful consideration of your needs, coverage amount, and budget. By asking these three essential questions, you can make an informed decision that provides financial security and peace of mind for you and your loved ones.

What do most people not know about life insurance? ›

Beneficiaries Typically Owe No Taxes on Life Insurance Death Benefits. Death benefits do not count as income; many people are unaware of that. As a result, beneficiaries owe no income taxes on that amount. It is crucial since tax liabilities on larger insurance policies could be substantial otherwise.

What not to say when applying for life insurance? ›

For example, applicants might lie about their age, income, weight, medical conditions, family medical history or occupation. It's also relatively common for applicants to lie about their alcohol or drug use.

What life insurance doesn t ask questions? ›

Best no medical exam life insurance for May 2024
AARPNo exam or medical questions (whole life). No exam but you may have to answer medical questions (term life).
Country FinancialNo exam but you may have to answer medical questions.
NationwideNo exam but you may have to answer medical questions.
1 more row
May 1, 2024

How long does it take for a beneficiary to receive money? ›

Life insurance companies usually pay out within 60 days of receiving a death claim filing. Beneficiaries must file a death claim and verify their identity before receiving payment. The benefit could be delayed or denied due to policy lapses, fraud, or certain causes of death.

Should I put my kids as beneficiaries on life insurance? ›

Naming a minor as the beneficiary on your policy is not a good idea because it will delay the payout. Life insurance companies can't pay funds directly to anyone who has not reached the age of majority, which is age 18 in every state — except Alabama and Nebraska, where it's 19, and Mississippi, where it's 21.

At what age does life insurance not make sense? ›

The Bottom Line. Life insurance can provide security at any age, but whether you need it after 60 depends on your situation. Assess your financial obligations, your resources and your family's needs to determine if life insurance is necessary.

What is the best age to start life insurance? ›

If you can fit the monthly premium into your budget, your 20s are the best time to buy affordable term life insurance coverage. If you have a spouse and dependent children who rely on you for financial support, your coverage needs will likely be more significant than a single, childless person.

What is life insurance in one word answer? ›

Life Insurance can be defined as a contract between an insurance policy holder and an insurance company, where the insurer promises to pay a sum of money in exchange for a premium, upon the death of an insured person or after a set period.

Do you pay taxes on life insurance? ›

Generally, life insurance proceeds you receive as a beneficiary due to the death of the insured person, aren't includable in gross income and you don't have to report them. However, any interest you receive is taxable and you should report it as interest received. See Topic 403 for more information about interest.

How long do you have to pay life insurance before it pays out? ›

How Long do You Have to Pay Into a Life Insurance Policy Before It Pays Out? Life insurance will pay out upon the death of the insured as soon as it is in force. This usually counts as the first premium payment.

What is the most important thing in life insurance? ›

The main benefit of adding life insurance to your financial plan is that if you pass away, your heirs receive a lump sum, tax-free payout from the policy. They can use this money to pay your final expenses and to replace your income. Life insurance can also benefit you while you're still alive.

What is the most important thing about a life insurance policy? ›

Life insurance provides cash when you need it most.

Your life insurance policy can deliver a specified sum of money when you need it. Upon your death, your family will receive your policy payout immediately. And that death benefit is generally not subject to federal income taxes.

What is 10 life insurance? ›

10-year term life insurance is a type of term life insurance that expires 10 years after you obtain the policy. If you pass away during the policy term, the insurer pays your loved ones a death benefit useful for helping with loss of income, paying off debts, and saving for the future.

What should you consider before you buy life insurance? ›

Before you buy a policy, make sure you consider your financial situation and needs, and ask yourself: What costs and hardships will my family deal with after I'm gone? How will the loss of my salary affect my family?

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