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What is Insurance Premium?

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Whichever kind of insurance you buy, auto, mortgage, life insurance, etc., it’s compulsory that you pay insurance premium to the insurer throughout the policy’s term. It’s an amount of money you pay to keep the insurance policy in effect, a particular term in the insurance industry.

What is an insurance premium?

This “premium” term is probably unknown to first-time insurance buyers. Simply speaking, it is a cost you have to pay for your policy. The insurance company shall charge you the amount of money in accordance with the coverage you get. The insurance premium could be fixed, increase/decrease over time depending on the type of the policy.

The paying time also sees a difference. You can pay the insurance premium every month, annual or semi-annual. However, there are still some companies that require full payment in advance.

What factors affect insurance premium?

Four factors determine the insurance premium:

Length of coverage

There are two options for an insurance policy’s length: temporary or permanent. Permanent life insurance (Whole and Universal life insurance) costs more than Term life insurance (the temporary type).

Amount of coverage

If you get a high amount of coverage, you will have to pay more money (premium). However, this can work in two ways. The more valuable the thing you want to insure, the more expensive the premium is. On the other hand, you can pay less for the same amount of coverage if the deductible is raised.

Personal information

Insurance companies shall investigate your profile of age, health status, credit history, family record, etc., to determine your charged premium. Each company has their own law. Some concentrate on the young while some want to attract retirees. They will provide different discounts and lower the premium for their desired target.

Company profit

Insurance companies may keep the premium rate if they have a successful business year. In their challenging time, they may raise and renew the insurance premium structure, in some ways, which may make it higher.

How much does insurance premium cost?

There is no final cost for all insurance premiums, and it may shift following many affecting factors. For example, you may have to pay a different amount of money for a policy than your friend has to, even though you guys buy the same insurance policy with the same coverage. It is best to research thoroughly and compare policies and costs.

But do keep in mind, the money will go hand in hand with the quality. Do not choose the cheapest, choose what suits your needs the best.

How to lower your insurance premium?

The best way is to buy insurance from a good company and buy all the insurance products you need altogether.
Depending on companies’ insurance criteria, you may start to change your unhealthy habits and improve your health, your credit score; thus, you may qualify for a lower insurance premium.

Asking is always an effective way of getting things done. If you happen to find your insurance company rate is not easily affordable, you can ask your representative for a better price. If the answer is a no, continue to look around for a better one. One bright side of being turned down is that you have the chance to get to know the average money for your insurance, grab a betting understanding of the reason for the higher premium, and after that, use it to lower the premium of your final option.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who decides the insurance premium?

The insurance companies have a team of risk assessments to calculate your insurance premium. They will determine the likelihood of risks and calculate the cost of covering claims. On top of that, figure how much money the insurance companies must collect to run the business and stay profitable. This series of actions will result in your offered premium. The companies will then decide the value of your insurance policy by giving out a reasonable premium. 

What do insurers do with the premiums?

Every month, the insurance company charges you with an amount of money paid for your policy. It is the insurance premium. So what does the insurance company do with it after receiving it? They use your premium to cover the liabilities related to the policies they issued. The insurers need to make sure there always are solid assets enough to cover the claims.
In addition, the companies may invest the premium and let it grow into a more significant account. In this case, the premium becomes the insurance companies’ income. The dream of insurers is to accumulate more cash than the costs (including claim, operation, and other expenses). This means there is profit, and their businesses have succeeded.

Is life insurance premium negotiable?

Premium is the final number decided after evaluating your insurance application, medical exams, and other individual information. So, when it is decided, it cannot change. Each life insurance policy has a custom premium. Your monthly cost will be different from your family members, friends, colleagues, and so forth. While premium cannot be shifted, you can still find the best premium rate through detailed research. 

How to find the lowest premium?

The best way to find the lowest rate for premium is through throughout research and careful comparison. Shop around before getting to the decision zone. Comparing quotes, digging details about each policy’s coverage, you can do both online to skip the traveling hassle. However, if you still want to contact real people, go to an insurance broker or an insurance agent. One broker or agent can work with multiple insurance companies at a time. They can offer you the best quote out there in the market, which varies from house, car, life, to health insurance.

Why do insurance premiums change?

As premium is the income and profit of insurance companies, they need it (and need it at the highest rate possible) to stay profitable. Therefore, in prosperous years, they will not raise the premium. In contrast, in less successful years, insurance companies tend to increase the premium rate. They need money to cover claims. To do that, they review the risk factors and reissue the premiums. Most of the action is to raise the rate. The same review can also be the result of social situations or natural disasters.

Is insurance premium tax deductible?

Your premium will not be on the list of tax deductions. Your mortgage interest, loan interest, and a few kinds of donations can object to the tax-deductible income list. However, it plays otherwise with your life insurance premium. But no need to worry, leave out the premium, life insurance still comes with a tax advantage. Laws and regulations state that your family and beneficiaries can still receive your death benefits tax-free when you pass away.

What if you can’t pay your premiums?

If you can not pay your premiums timely in due, most insurance companies will offer you a 30-day grace period. This period is for waiting for your payments before they cancel your policy, and you will lose the insurance protection.
In some cases, the insurers can extend the deadline to more prolonged, but the typical period is 30 days. Especially in this pandemic situation, the time can extend to two to three months. You need to contact your insurance company and inform them about your current financial stage and demand for a more extended period. Before making the decision, the companies may need some documents to prove your financial stages. An additional payment plan needs to be made after the deal is made.

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27 COMMENTS

  1. […] Whichever kind of insurance you buy, auto, mortgage, life insurance, etc., it’s compulsory that you pay insurance premium to the insurer throughout the policy’s term. It’s an amount of money you pay to keep the insurance policy in effect, a particular term in the insurance industry. This premium term is probably unknown to first-time insurance buyers. Simply speaking, it is a cost you have to pay for your policy. The insurance company shall charge you the amount of money in accordance with the coverage you get.  […]

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