People erroneously believe that life insurance is meant for a particular class of people. Some think you only need it if you have children or if you are very old. The truth is, life insurance serves different purposes for individuals. Its many benefits make it a fundamental personal finance plan for everyone irrespective of age or status.
The needs for life insurance for foreign nationals is best explained in two ways: why you need life insurance and why you should buy your life insurance in the U.S. rather than in your home country.
As a foreign national, you need life insurance for the following reasons:
Financial Protection for Your Family
If you have family members who depend on you for their welfare and education, life insurance is a good way of securing their future. The lump sum paid as the death benefit of your policy by your insurer can provide a financial safety net for them if you pass away.
Protection for Your Business or Assets
If you have property or a business in the United States, owning life insurance will help you protect your assets. As a business owner, life insurance can save your business from liquidation if you pass, provide you “key man/woman”: coverage as a business partner, and give you cash value which you can borrow from to keep your business afloat whenever the need arises. Apart from this, life insurance can be used to pay off estate taxes on your properties in the U.S.
Tax Benefits
Life insurance gives you tax advantages that you can find in other personal finance plans. The death benefits paid to your beneficiaries are both generally tax-free and considered exempt assets. Also, the withdrawals made from your cash value are usually tax-deferred.
If you have family members who depend on you for their welfare and education, life insurance is a good way of securing their future. The lump sum paid as the death benefit of your policy by your insurer can provide a financial safety net for them if you pass away.
Life insurance gives you tax advantages that you can find in other personal finance plans. The death benefits paid to your beneficiaries are both generally tax-free and considered exempt assets. Also, the withdrawals made from your cash value are usually tax-deferred.
If you have property or a business in the United States, owning life insurance will help you protect your assets. As a business owner, life insurance can save your business from liquidation if you pass, provide you “key man/woman”: coverage as a business partner, and give you cash value which you can borrow from to keep your business afloat whenever the need arises. Apart from this, life insurance can be used to pay off estate taxes on your properties in the U.S.
One of the many questions asked by foreign nationals when it comes to life insurance is why should they buy from a company in the U.S. instead of their home country. While there is no law forcing you to buy your policy in the U.S., many foreign nationals settle for the U.S. for flexibility and affordability:
The U.S. life insurance market is one of the best regulated in the world. The insurance laws are structured to be customer-centered. Compared to many other countries, it is easier to get coverage and claim insurance benefits in the U.S. is more straightforward. The flexibility makes many foreign nationals choose the U.S. over their own countries when it comes to policy issuance.
Juxtaposing premium cost of life insurance coverage in the U.S. and in many other countries will show that it is cheaper buying in the U.S. The premium amount versus the quality of coverage sets the U.S. insurance market above many other countries.
If you are a foreign national residing in the U.S. under a green card, it is advisable to buy your policy in the U.S. since you have your permanent residence here. Having a policy underwritten in the U.S. will help you greatly in your business or career pursuits. The proceeds from the policy can be used to meet both your short-term and long-term needs in the country.
Term life insurance is a type of policy which covers you for a specific period called a “term.” If you pass away while the policy is still active, your beneficiary, (usually your loved ones) will be paid the death benefit of the policy by your insurance company. The coverage period can be for anywhere between 5 to 30 years. However, if your chosen coverage term expires, you can decide to either keep the policy in force by continuing to pay the premium rate or buy another policy from your insurer.
ROP life insurance also covers you for a specific term. However, unlike the traditional term life insurance, this policy guaranteed you a complete payback of your premium. It usually has a coverage term of 20–30 years. If you pass away during the term of the policy, your beneficiary will get the agreed death benefit. However, if the policy term ends while you are still alive, your insurer will calculate the total premium amount you have paid, and refund you in full. ROP is more expensive than the traditional term, but it is a perfect option for foreign nationals who can afford it.
Universal life insurance is also a type of permanent life insurance just like whole life. You can withdraw from the proceeds of your policy to meet different financial needs while still having a portion of it as death benefits for your loved ones. Universal life insurance coverage is more flexible than other types of permanent life insurance as it allows you to adjust the benefit and premium amount upward or downward.
Both universal and whole life policies are good for foreign nationals who desire long-term financial coverage. Though they are more expensive than term life insurance, the quality of coverage they offer is worth it.
Due to being a foreign national, dealing directly with your insurance company is rarely ideal. To ensure you don’t get less than what you deserve, you will need an insurance agent who will guide you and help you with the best life insurance policy for your status and needs.
As a foreign national, your insurer will want you to present documents showing your date of birth, home country, visa validity period, and other information as deemed needed by the insurance company. Additionally, a medical report may be required before you can qualify for a policy. Most insurance companies require that the medical examination be done in the U.S.
You can get Living Benefits Life insurance and at the same time save a lot of money on your policy if you buy from the right insurance company. We will help you get affordable and quality coverage that best suits your needs and guarantees adequate protection.
You can work with an agent to find a life insurance policy and can get a personalized, free, and no-obligation life insurance quote in just a few minutes. It’s that easy to start protecting your family’s financial future! Requesting a life insurance quote through AIG Direct is now faster and easier than ever!
With My Term Life Guy, you can get quality term life insurance coverage for less. Call now and save up to 60% on your term life policy compared to the same coverage through other carriers. That means you can get similar coverage for your money – and that’s always a good thing!
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Typically, an individual can get up to 20 times her or his annual income in coverage.
The total coverage amount a person will qualify for often decreases with age, as retirement draws nearer.
For those who are not currently employed, it is still possible to get $50,000 – $100,000 of coverage for items such as final expenses. Unemployed individuals will have to provide information on the application to prove they can afford the premiums, such as disability or retirement income information.
It is possible to get more than 20 times your income for coverage if you have additional assets to protect over and above your income. It is also possible for a homemaker to qualify for the same amount of coverage their spouse has, even without a separate income.
This depends on what kind of policy you apply for.
Typically a No Medical Exam policy can be applied for, approved, and put in force within approximately two business days. No Medical Exam policies are available to clients up to age 60 or so, depending on the insurance company. The coverage amount you can apply for is limited, due to the greater risk the insurance company is taking. (When there’s no physical exam involved, the insurance company has less health information about the applicant.) For healthy applicants, these policies can cost up to twice the rate of a medically underwritten policy. However, there are people who don’t like needles, and the No Medical Exam option is a great one for that reason!
A medically underwritten, or traditional, term policy will typically take about 3 weeks from start to finish. This process can take longer when applicants have health issues and the underwriter orders medical records from their doctor. If this occurs, we let our clients know that they can call and ask their doctor to expedite the submission of the medical records to the underwriter in an effort to speed up the application process.
Most carriers have the same rules when it comes to paying premiums on life insurance policies. The only way to make monthly payments these days is to authorize a monthly automatic draft from your checking or savings account. If you prefer not to make automatic payments, there are some other options. You can receive a bill by mail if you elect to pay quarterly, semi-annually, or annually. Most people choose to make automatic payments for their life insurance for the same reason they do for other bills, such as car insurance: they don’t want their policy to be canceled because of non-payment.
You do not have to send a payment with your application, unless you want to be covered during the underwriting process (which typically takes about 3 weeks). Most people choose to wait until their application has been approved to make a payment and begin coverage. Once an approval is made, you can make changes to the policy to fit your budget if the rate that comes back is different from the one you applied for. Also, most people want to know the exact cost before making a payment to begin coverage. You do not have to provide billing information on the application, either. That information can be collected after an approval has been made and you’ve decided that you want to begin the coverage afforded by the policy.
If you want to secure temporary insurance and be covered during the underwriting period, simply include a payment for two months’ premium. It’s refundable if you decide not to take out a policy based on the final approved rate.
It depends on the pre-existing condition. For example, it’s difficult to obtain life insurance when you’ve had cancer (skin cancer is the one exception) or within 5 years after having a heart attack. On the other hand, it’s fairly easy for people who have high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and/or high blood sugar, such as those with type 2 diabetes, to obtain coverage as long as they are under a doctor’s care and the condition is under control.
There are graded benefit and/or final expense policies available for people with greater health risks. The corresponding premiums will be higher, depending on the severity of the pre-existing condition. It’s often beneficial for an applicant with pre-existing conditions to discuss them with an agent before applying for coverage, to increase the chances of a more favorable approval.
hat depends on your needs. A person’s needs change over time. Most term life insurance policies have a premium that increases each year after the initial guaranteed level term period. If you are nearing the end of your initial term period and want to lock in a rate that won’t change for another predetermined number of years, it might benefit you to apply for a new policy and replace, or surrender, the old one.