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With open enrollment season underway, many seniors now find themselves combing through their Medicare supplemental and health insurance options. Finding the right policy now can both improve coverage options and potentially save significant sums of money. So it’s worth shopping around to find the right, cost-effective policy for your needs.
But savvy seniors may also want to use this current open enrollment period as a starting point to review all of their insurance protections overall, not just ones directly related to their health. And that could mean taking a second look at life insurance, specifically. While not something that many seniors automatically consider, especially if their home is paid off and their outstanding debt is minimal, it can still be a smart and financially sound insurance type worth securing.
With multiple types of life insurance to choose from, however, and associated costs dependent on various factors, this isn’t an insurance type to hastily purchase, either. Instead, those over age 65 should consider what it can cover, how much it costs and how it can fit into their overall budget. Below, we’ll detail three critical items to consider now that can better inform next steps.
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What seniors should consider about life insurance after 65
Considering a life insurance policy in your golden years, but aren’t sure if it’s truly the right move? Here are three things to consider that can better help inform your decision:
It doesn’t need to be expensive
While a $1 million life insurance policy or even a $500,000 one may be out of reach for many seniors, six-figure coverage is still potentially accessible. And it doesn’t need to be expensive, either. While multiple factors go into determining the price of a policy, many seniors can qualify for one worth around $150,000 at a cost of under $100 per month.
Still, that’s an estimate, and it can change significantly from senior to senior. The one factor that will remain constant, however, is a rising price and additional coverage limitations the longer you wait to apply. So, if you find a current policy with adequate coverage and reasonable costs, it makes sense to secure it now, before both can potentially change adversely.
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It can cover a variety of expenses and needs
With many seniors reliant upon strict budgets made up of Social Security, retirement savings and, possibly, pensions, it may seem counterintuitive to add another premium to the mix to pay each month. But life insurance can cover a variety of expenses and needs, some of which have become more problematic in the inflationary period of recent years.
From end-of-life expenses, like funerals and covering outstanding debt from credit cards and mortgages or simply leaving an inheritance for loved ones that you’d otherwise be unable to build independently, life insurance for seniors has multiple advantages. Consider speaking with a financial advisor, then, or a representative from a life insurance company who can answer your questions and help you build a tailored policy.
It may be used as a cash reserve
While it may require larger upfront costs and take a bit more time to build than a term life insurance policy, whole life insurance for seniors can also be worth considering. This type of insurance lasts for the entirety of the insured person’s life, and it comes with a cash component that may be leveraged while the person is still alive. That’s an attractive feature during any economic period but especially so now, when many seniors find themselves in need of extra financing.
Still, it takes time to build up whole life insurance reserves, and that may not be achievable for those considering life insurance in their 60s or 70s. But it’s still worth evaluating to determine where it may (or may not) fit into your overall financial picture.
The bottom line
Life insurance, like any other insurance type, needs to be carefully assessed before purchasing. That’s especially true for seniors with limited budgets. But age, nor budget, should be an automatic disqualifier here, especially not when coverage options are still significant and monthly costs are still reasonable. By closely considering these three factors, seniors can better determine if life insurance makes sense after 65, and potentially, long into their golden years, too.