How to Get the Lowest Rates:
Connect with an Agent That Specializes in Life Insurance
Always choose an experienced independent insurance agent that specializes in life insurance. There is a lot involved when selecting the most applicable life insurance company to apply with. A good agent makes it look easy, but it revolves around years of experience to make the right decision. This is an essential step to finding the lowest premium. Don’t walk into your neighborhood State Farm office if you expect to get the best rates.
Make Sure to Apply With the Correct Company
This will be the single most crucial step you will need to take initially. One carrier will be more liberal in the underwriting department when it comes to the age of their applicants, current health conditions, dangerous occupations, hazardous hobbies, and sports. Therefore, choosing the correct carrier is a critical first step.
A medical pre-screen can help your agent determine which life insurance company would be your best choice to apply with.
If You Use Tobacco Products, Stop as Soon as Possible!
Most people have no idea how much smoking, and especially cigarettes, can inflate your premium. Cigarette smokers can expect to pay approximately 250% more than non-smokers. Life insurance companies have run extensive statistics and have found that tobacco use is deadly to the human body. So even chewing tobacco or vaping can blow your premiums out of the water.
Also, smoking marijuana can impact your premiums depending on how much marijuana you smoke.
Fully Underwritten vs. No Medical Exam Life Insurance
A no-medical-exam life insurance policy is a great idea, but it also has a higher cost factor than fully underwritten policies. Non-Med policies have much fewer questions, no medical exam, and no medical records required. The bottom line is the insurance company you’re applying with does not know that much about you.
This means they have to charge more because they take a greater chance. However, they also realize most applicants lie like a rug on their applications, so they also have to consider that.
Don’t Consume Caffeine Drinks Before Your Exam!
This is a prevalent mistake. Drinking coffee or tea is a sure-fire way to raise the high blood pressure flag! Large amounts of caffeine-containing drinks can inflate your blood pressure and give a false reading of your blood pressure readings. This could trigger a Hypertension condition noted by the underwriter that reads the test results.
This also goes for eating rich foods like pizza and barbecued ribs, which could indicate you have high cholesterol when in reality you may not.
Always Tell the Truth When Completing an Application!
Not being 100% truthful will always be the worst mistake you can make. This can lead to your application being declined and possibly not applying with another carrier. The worst-case scenario is that your policy will be rescinded when it comes time to make a death claim, and the carrier will investigate your passing before they make the death benefit payout.
Statistics indicate that over 62% of Americans lie on their life insurance applications. Some applicants have gone as far as trying to conceal Type 1 Diabetes, advanced heart disease, and life-threatening cancer.
Your Health History Is Critical
Try to stay in the best health possible. The better health a person is in the lower their premiums. Unfortunately, we do not always have complete control of our health history now or down the road. All we can do is go to the doctor regularly, eat right, and stay away from foods or drinks that could impact our overall health. Feel free to use our quote engine to review the best term life insurance quotes & comparisons.
Pay Your Premium on an Annual Billing Mode if Possible
You can end up saving close to 10% on your premiums if you pay annually instead of the other billing modes. If you can work this out in your budget, you will save a considerable amount of money, especially throughout the many years of your life insurance policy. The next best billing mode would be pre-authorized checking. Either of these will help keep more of your money in your pocket.