Probably the largest investment you will ever make is when you buy a property and normally its purchase is financed using a loan called a mortgage. Most providers of this type of loan will insist that you take out mortgage life insurance for the duration of the loan. This will ensure that the mortgage amount is paid in full should anything happen to you, like long-term sickness or death. It is possible to have a mortgage without life insurance but should you die, who will take over the monthly mortgage payment.
To avoid leaving your loved ones with the responsibility of finding the money to pay the mortgage it could be considered prudent to take out mortgage life insurance. The most basic form of life insurance suitable for protecting a mortgage is called Decreasing Term Life Insurance. It pays a lump sum should you die during the period of the term (the policy's lifespan). The value of this lump sum reduces by set instalments, reaching zero value by the end of the policy, reflecting the decreasing value of the mortgage.
How much cover you need when purchasing a mortgage life insurance policy rather depends on your budget and what you wish to provide for financially in the event of your death. Generally, the most basic level of cover is calculated by using the mortgage amount less the collective value of any existing life insurance policies. This should just pay off the mortgage and leave a roof over the heads of your loved ones, which you may consider proves adequate for your needs.
Invariably, when looking for insurance, we opt for the lowest premiums available for the cover we require. Therefore, it pays to compare a number of insurance companies because the cost of the same policy could differ with each provider. A number of factors that determine the size of the premiums, For example, the sum to be insured, the period of insurance cover, your sex, age, occupation and whether you smoke, are. Smokers are deemed to be more of a risk to insure, so an alteration in you lifestyle, such as becoming a non-smoker, could help reduce the price of your premiums.
You may wonder what would happen if you do not actually die but became too ill to work and could not pay the mortgage, would a mortgage life insurance policy be of any use in that instance? As it stands, the basic level would only cover the event of death to the policyholder and as such, would not cover long-term illness. However, you can remedy this by increasing its level to include one of the additional extras, for example, critical illness cover. This would pay an agreed amount on the diagnosis of the serious illness. Alternatively, the inclusion of a benefit called Waiver of Premium which means that the premiums would continued to be paid in the event illness or an accident. Both could provide you with extra protection but it would increase the cost of the premium.
There is a lot to consider when seeking mortgage life insurance. As you are no longer obliged to use the insurance company specified by the mortgage lender, you now have the freedom to choose which mortgage life insurance provider you buy the policy from also means it is not a simple task. To assist your search, it could prove useful to use a specialist mortgage life insurance broker. They have access to a wide range of insurance companies and are able to explore the market place on your behalf, selecting the best deal on the most appropriate cover.
About the Author:
David Thomson is Chief Executive of BestDealInsurance (http://www.bestdealinsurance.co.uk) an independent specialist broker dedicated to providing their clients with the best deal on their home, motor and life insurance.
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