Why Life Insurance? 7 Things Your Policy Covers

Life insurance is something people in many different situations and stages of life should consider.

Even knowing this, you may still wonder why life insurance would be a good fit for you. Check out the following list to understand what kinds of expenses life insurance can cover. You and your loved ones will have greater peace of mind knowing exactly why life insurance could play an important role in the future.

7 things life insurance can cover

1. An income stream. Your family depends on your income to meet daily needs like food, medical care, utilities, car payments and much more. If you pass away without a means for replacing that income, their current standard of living could be in jeopardy.

2. A mortgage. Could your family afford your home’s mortgage without your paycheck in the picture? If not, an already sad situation would be compounded by possibly losing the house they love. This could also mean your children could no longer attend a school in their current district or maintain the friendships they currently have.

3. A college loan. College tuitions have grown faster than inflation—and so has student loan debt. Many private lending institutions do not forgive education loans in the event of death. That means the debt may reduce the amount of assets available to pass to the beneficiaries of a decreased student’s estate. It could also trigger repayment obligations for anyone who agreed to be a cosigner on the loan.

4. A child’s needs. The U.S. Department of Agriculture says it costs $245,340 to raise a child who was born in 2013. Making sure that there’s enough there for each child is something both employed and stay-at-home parents should consider.

5. A business. The right life insurance is critical if you own a business. This is especially true if a business has partners. If one passes away, it is advantageous to have funding in place for the surviving partner to buy the deceased partner’s interest in the business. Funding also needs to be in place to help a business survive after a key partner passes. Finding the right person may take time and resources the business may not have without life insurance.

6. A retirement. Many experts recommend you need to bank 11 times your annual pay in order to retire at age 65. (You’ll need even more if you don’t work until age 65.) Without enough savings or life insurance, your surviving spouse might not have such golden years.

7. Funeral expenses. The median price of a funeral is more than $7,000. Funeral directors say families without enough funds are forced to cut back on the service or ask friends and family for donations.

Life insurance needs vary from person to person. If you’re interested in learning which one is right for you, contact a professional like an Erie Insurance Agent in your community. They can tell you why life insurance might be a good option for you and help you find the right protection at the right price.

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