February 10, 2009
The best of both worlds - invest and insure at the same time
A policy holder implementing the “buy term and invest the difference” concept separate their investments from their insurance. Rather than paying a larger monthly premium, individuals pay a smaller premium for term life insurance and set aside the difference of the smaller premium from the larger. Ideally, this difference will be placed in a tax-deferred investment vehicle. There are several advantages to this approach.
If done correctly, investors will eliminate the need for insurance as their investments grow, in a sense making them “self insured.” The intended purposes of life insurance could be considered “temporary” in nature - paying off debts/mortgages, providing a higher education for dependents, and creating cash reserves to replace the income lost. When an individual has cash reserves large enough to cover these expenses, they can consider themselves “self insured.”
Other advantages exist as well, like an immediate accumulation of the money invested and a wider variety of investment options. To say the least, the choices available with investments and life insurance are many and can be confusing. Consult with your insurance agent to determine what policy is best for you. But remember, the worst insurance is NO insurance!