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Introduction
If you are going to make a good choice when purchasing Virginia life insurance, you need to understand what type of policies are available. If one type of policy does not fit your needs, then ask and find out about other available policies, many of which are described in this brochure. You can research more information on life insurance policies by checking with a licensed life insurance agent or a licensed life insurance company. You can also consult life insurance books that are available in your public library, as well as life insurance information available on the Internet.

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Defining Your Needs
When you buy life insurance, you want a policy that fits your needs at a reasonable cost. Your first step is to determine how much life insurance you need. Next, you need to decide how much money you can afford to pay. Finally, you must choose the type of policy that meets your coverage goals and fits into your overall financial plan. Once you have completed these steps, you will be able to move ahead and contact several life insurance companies (through an agent or broker) to shop for the right type of policy for you.

There are many reasons for purchasing life insurance, among which are the following:

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Choosing the Amount
Simply stated, you should elect an amount of life insurance that is determined necessary to meet the needs you are trying to satisfy. To be over insured can negatively affect your budget and long range financial goals almost to the degree that being underinsured can. While each person must individually assess their responsibilities, life situation and comfort for risk, it is important to be careful to choose an amount of life insurance that reflects your specific circumstances without underinsuring or over insuring.

Back to Top Choosing the Type of Virginia Life Insurance
There are two basic types of life insurance: term life insurance and cash value life insurance. There are many policy variations on these two types of life insurance.

Some of these products may enjoy tax advantages. A policy lapse or surrender may create a taxable event and may generate a Form 1099. Be sure to check with your tax advisor. Some of the most popular types of cash value insurance are described below:

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Availability of Virginia Life Insurance

Agents
Most people apply for life insurance through a licensed agent, who may represent one or more companies. If you use an agent, choose carefully. Agents earn a commission on your business. A professional agent will do more for you than just sell you a policy. They should assess your needs, answer your insurance questions, and help you establish your goals. They should advise you and help you update your insurance. If you are considering the purchase of a variable policy, the agent must have an insurance license and a registration with the National Association of Securities Dealers, as variable products usually involve securities.

Group Insurance
Many employers offer life insurance under a group plan and sometimes pay part or all of the premium. A medical exam is usually not required for insurance purchased this way, and the insurance can be less expensive than coverage purchased as an individual. Under California law, group life insurance must be convertible to permanent insurance at the insured's option when the insured's coverage under the group policy terminates. The converted policy will probably be much more expensive than the group insurance. Some employers will allow insurance companies to send agents or enrollers to their premises in order to offer insurance to their employees. Policies offered in this manner are different from group insurance, and you should evaluate the materials shown to you in the same way as if you were considering a purchase of an individual policy through an agent.

Insurance by Mail Order or Through the Internet
Some insurance companies solicit by mail or through the Internet. In most cases, the prospective buyer mails a completed application directly to the company. These methods of purchasing insurance may cost less because you receive little or no personal assistance, but they may also cost more because of the expense involved in mass mailing. Also, both Internet and mail order marketing may not provide a complete range of choices as target marketing often involves offering only one type of policy. Before you buy by mail or through the Internet, consult an expert who can help you determine the best policy for you.

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Finding a Good Policy
Guarantees
When shopping for a life insurance policy in Virginia, you determine the guarantees on premiums, death benefits, expenses, cash value, mortality changes, and cost of insurance. It is critical to get all promised guarantees in writing.

Sales Illustrations
It is likely that an agent will show you one or more life insurance sales illustrations. An illustration consists of a series of numbers indicating how the policy works. The illustration usually shows the guaranteed results under the policy for each year in the future, and the results if all the non-guaranteed items continue at their present level. This will probably not happen as actual results may be better or worse than the non-guaranteed amounts shown in the illustration (but not worse than those that are guaranteed).

Using Indexes
Your chances of finding a good buy on a life insurance policy is better if you use the index numbers that have been developed to aid you in shopping for life insurance. The Buyer's Guide that each insurer is required to provide to a purchaser explains these index numbers in detail. They are good tools to help you compare the merits of similar policies.

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Reliability and Stability of Companies
Recently, high-risk investment strategies have threatened the solvency of some companies and thus the safety of policy benefits. Be sure to check out the insurer's industry rating (as provided by independent rating services) before committing your funds. Also, make sure that your life insurance company is licensed to sell insurance in California. Owners and group insurance certificate holders of life insurance policies issued by companies licensed in California may be partially protected in the event of the failure of the insurer by the California Life and Health Insurance Guarantee Association (CLHGA). If you need further information on CLHGA or California Insurance Code Section 1067.02 (c) that explains the monetary protection under CLHGA, then contact the CDI by any of the methods provided on the last page of this brochure.

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Information Sources
Additional information about the insurance companies can be found by reading insurance company rating service reports. Five major insurance rating companies grade insurers based on their financial health and ability to pay claims. These companies are as follows: A.M. Best, Standard & Poors, Moody's Investor Service, Duff & Phelps, and Weiss Research. You should check two or three of these services to get a good look at the company's condition. Often times the reference section of local library will carry materials from insurance rating companies. You may contact the CDI for more information on insurance rating organizations.

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Are You Considering Changes to Your Life Insurance Policy?
Many consumers are approached by life insurance agents or life sales representatives and are asked to consider canceling their current life insurance policy in order to purchase a replacement policy. In most cases, the cash value of the current life policy is used to buy more insurance or a new policy. While a decision to replace an existing life insurance policy may be a good one, sometimes this may not be in your best interest. More than likely you purchased your policy with a long term financial plan in mind. Replacing or changing your insurance policy at this point may affect the intended results of your overall financial plan. If you are considering replacing or changing your life insurance policy, you should first assess your needs and determine what is in your own long term best interest. It is also important to consider the interests of those you are protecting. Deciding how much insurance you need, how long it is needed, and which policy provides the best coverage is crucial to your financial security.

Your financial needs should be thoroughly evaluated before changes are made in existing policies. Any change in your personal circumstances since you first purchased life insurance may require a different strategy. A comprehensive evaluation may indicate that replacing or changing your policy is in fact advisable. However, certain cautions are appropriate when considering replacing or changing your life insurance. For example:

Illustrations are utilized by agents to highlight certain features of their policies. Illustrations should never be the only factor used in deciding to replace or change your policy. Illustrations that are presented for comparison purposes may not give a complete picture of the new policy's future. To insure that your insurance policy meets your financial objectives, it is recommended that you obtain a second opinion, as well as consult with your current agent. Given the complexities involved in counseling a consumer regarding insurance purchases, you may want to inquire about your current agent's and new agent's professional qualifications.