According to the 2019 Insurance Barometer Study by Life Happens and LIMRA, 43% of American households do not have any life insurance. Furthermore, 40% of those households reported that they would immediately struggle to pay living expenses if their primary wage owner were to die without the security of life insurance. If so many Americans understand how important life insurance is, why do they remain uninsured?
MYTH: LIFE INSURANCE IS TOO EXPENSIVE.
This is a big one. Many American families do not feel comfortable enough with their financial situation to purchase a life insurance policy. They believe they cannot afford it, and that they probably won’t need it anyway. The truth is, none of us know what the future holds. Even healthy adults can pass from sudden illness or accident. It’s a hard truth, but there it is. And if this happens and a family is left without their primary wage owner, then they really won’t be able to afford anything. So how much does life insurance cost? This depends on the type of policy purchased and the limits. However, it is possible to purchase life insurance for about the same dollar amount as paying for your daily coffee. If you can afford that, you can afford life insurance.
MYTH: I’M TOO YOUNG TO HAVE LIFE INSURANCE.
Okay, we hear your train of thought here. You’re young, partnered or single, and you don’t have any plans for kids in the near future. Why on earth would you need life insurance? It comes back to the previous myth. When you are young and healthy and you purchase life insurance, there’s a very good chance your rate will be more favorable. Hint: that means lower. If it’s a dollar sign you’re concerned about, buying life insurance exactly when you think you don’t need it is your best bet.
MYTH: I CAN GET LIFE INSURANCE LATER.
As mentioned above, the younger you are when you purchase life insurance, the lower your premiums are likely to be. As you age, it can become more difficult to get the life insurance coverage you need at the rate you want. And if you develop certain high-risk medical conditions, you could, unfortunately, be deemed “uninsurable” by carriers.
MYTH: I DON’T NEED LIFE INSURANCE AT ALL.
Yikes. This kind of thinking can get you (or more specifically, your loved ones) into real trouble. Life insurance has more uses than you may think. In addition to providing income replacement to beneficiaries, life insurance can also cover funeral costs, pay off debts left behind, provide an inheritance or an education fund for a loved one, or even serve as a donation to a charity of your choice. With all of these potential uses, it’s easy to see that no matter what you will benefit from being covered by life insurance.
Now that you understand the need for life insurance, don’t be one of the 43% of Americans who are living without it. Talk to your insurance agent today.