Decreasing term life insurance – Is it the right option for parents?

This is a guest post from award-winning UK life insurance broker; Reassured.

Decreasing life insurance is typically the cheapest form of life insurance. (Great for parents who have better things to spend our money on).

This is because the insurer’s risk reduces over time as the value of the sum assured reduces over the term of the policy.

As a result, it is ideal for covering the outstanding balance of a repayment mortgage as it can be set to decline at the same rate as your outstanding balance.

But why would you choose decreasing life insurance over various other types available?

The cost of decreasing life insurance

The biggest advantage of decreasing life insurance is the cost.

The insurer will take these various factors into account and calculate your cover’s cost based on the likelihood you will make a claim.

Due to the declining value of the sum assured when it comes to decreasing term insurance, the risk is already mitigating throughout the period of the policy, meaning insurers can charge less for this type of cover.

Decreasing vs level

Decreasing term life insurance is a form of term life cover. Meaning the policy is valid for a specified amount of time.

There is another form of term life cover know as level.

This type of cover also only remains in place for a specific amount of time. However, the sum assured doesn’t diminish over time.

As a result, it is ideal for an interest-only mortgage, inheritance, or help cover your funeral cost.

Due to the risk associated with level term life cover remaining the same throughout the period of the policy, this form of life protection tends to be more expensive than decreasing term life insurance.

Mortgage life insurance

Decreasing term life insurance is often used interchangeably with the term ‘mortgage life insurance’.

This is because this form of life insurance is typically used to cover a repayment mortgage, where the payout sum can be set to decline at the same rate as the outstanding balance.

However, dependant on the type of mortgage you have in place, this may not be the best form of cover available to you.

However, an interest-only mortgage may be best covered by level term life insurance where the sum assured doesn’t diminish over time.

Therefore, the best type of life insurance to suit your mortgage needs will depend on the type of mortgage you have in place.

Decreasing term life insurance with terminal illness cover

Nowadays, it is more common than not for all decreasing term life insurance policies to come with terminal illness cover as standard.

This means that if you are diagnosed with a terminal illness, and predicted to die within 12 months, you can make an early claim on your policy.

This early payout can then be used to pay for private medical treatment, to get your financial affairs in order or to enjoy your final days with your loved ones.

It is important to remember than once a terminal illness pays out has been made the cover terminates.

The decreasing term with critical illness cover

As already stated, decreasing life insurance is typically used to cover the cost of a repayment mortgage.

However, being diagnosed with a critical illness can cause such implications as no longer working or paying for additional private medical treatment.

Arranging critical illness cover alongside your life insurance means that you could receive an early payout on your policy if you were to be diagnosed with a serious, yet not terminal, illness.

This early payout can then be used to cover mortgage repayments, make necessary adaptations to your home or to enjoy with those closest to you.

It is important to remember, though, that a life insurance policy with a critical illness will expire if you are to claim on the critical illness element.

So, is it the right choice?

The decision to arrange decreasing life insurance will be based on your own personal circumstances.

It will be based on what you are looking to cover, the type of payout best suited to offering that form of protection and the budget you have available to pay for life insurance.