Wednesday, June 27, 2007

Term Life Insurance For Armed Service Members

There are many different bills that ensure surviving members of
those who serve our country in the military will be taken care
of with financial benefits. However, it is still a good idea to
take out a separate policy to ensure that payments will be
sufficient as some of the benefits only cover household goods,
personal needs (the basics) and some funds are only allocated
to hardship cases. All the bills are dependent on different
criteria such as if the individual was killed in combat or was
killed from an illness or accident incurred from a past
service. Indeed, to fully protect your family financially,
taking out a separate simple term life insurance would help
supplement any military benefits you would receive.

Each military policy is different, and low cost service
members' group life insurance (SGLI) policies are quite common.
However, some of the military group member policies have a
limited face value of about $400,000.00. You do not want your
family to come up short in the event of your untimely death.
The average military family income is sometimes barely enough
to cover the basic bills. Term life insurance would be the most
cost effective way to build a financially secure future for your
family.

Deceptive Sales Practices and "Red Flags"

Unfortunately, just as the elderly are a commonly targeted
group for fraud, military personnel are also often victims of
deception. Because of the various benefits and discounts often
given to military personnel, many who serve do not question
services that they are offered. After all, one of the key words
in the military is "honor" and of course it is common practice
not to question orders (unfortunately, that has a tendency to
sometimes transfer to other areas of life). The following is a
list of deceptive sales practices of which to be cognizant:

• Solicitation of insurance policies as "investment" or
"savings" products sold as or with savings or investment
products.

• Non-military personnel posing as financial counselors or
advisors on veterans' benefits.

• Non-military or former military personnel acting as
investment advisors in a group or classroom.

• Pressure to rush through the application process, to complete
an allotment form or to authorize withdrawal of funds from your
bank account for the purchase of a life insurance policy.

• Agents selling on military bases without proper authorization
from base solicitations officer or the Department of Defense.
When in doubt it is always best to check credentials.

• Agents selling without a valid license from a state insurance
department.

• Delays in receiving a copy of the contract.

When you feel any of those "red flags" go up, it is probably
best to leave the situation. If purchasing a separate term life
insurance policy is something you and your family are seriously
considering, it is important to make sure you go with a carrier
that is "A" rated. Your best bet is to find a reputable broker
who can advise you properly. If you wish to add "war risks"
onto your policy, make sure you are familiar with the
regulations set forth by the carrier. Some stipulate that your
benefits will only be paid if you purchase the policy before
you are given orders of deployment.

Making Your Service Count

Members of the armed services can be deployed on short notice,
leaving little time to address their personal or business
affairs. Be sure that your spouse and children are covered and
financially secure, because life as a member of the armed
forces is met with great unpredictability. By ensuring your
family is properly covered you will be sure to serve them as
well as you have been serving your country.

About The Author: Sharon Taylor is a professional writer for
http://www.equote.com eQUOTE Life Insurance. eQUOTE is an
excellent online resource providing online quotes for
http://www.equote.com/life-insurance/term-life-insurance.html
term life insurance to families in 42 states.

Please use the HTML version of this article at:
http://www.isnare.com/html.php?aid=163328

0 comments:

General Insurance News