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Life Insurance Rates and New Blood Pressure Guidelines

Having high blood pressure, or hypertension, is so common these days that you probably know at least one person who has it. It’s such a common medical condition that it affects around half of all adults in the United States. One of the reasons that hypertension seems so common now is that the American Heart Association and the American College of Cardiology, two organizations that set blood pressure guidelines for the medical community, recently changed the standard of what is considered hypertensive. The previous standard was 140/90 mmHg, but the new guidelines have set the bar for hypertension at 130/80 mmHg. Now, with so many more people being diagnosed with high blood pressure, will life insurance companies change the way they set their rates for people who are considered hypertensive?

Life Insurance Guidelines for Blood Pressure

Each life insurance company has its own set of guidelines when it comes to assessing the health conditions of its applicants, including high blood pressure. Many insurers will allow for higher blood pressure readings for individuals who are 60 and over, while others are not as forgiving.

And while insurers don’t often change their guidelines for how they assess medical conditions, many insurers are now implementing new guidelines for hypertensive applicants, since the guidelines for diagnosis have changed. In some cases, that means that people with hypertension could still qualify for Preferred Plus and Preferred plans. So if you have been diagnosed with hypertension, and are worried about how your diagnosis will affect your life insurance rates, have no fear. Most life insurance providers will allow their top-rating class members to remain in that class while taking medication for high blood pressure.

Ways To Lower Your Blood Pressure

cigarettes with a red prohibited sign over them — *One way to help lower your blood pressure is to quit smoking if you are a smoker.*

If you are still worried, there are some lifestyle changes that you can make to lower your blood pressure naturally, including:

Eating a well-balanced, low sodium (salt) diet
Limiting alcohol consumption
Enjoying regular physical activity
Managing and reducing stress
Maintaining a healthy weight
Quitting smoking

Looking For A Plan?

It is possible to find a great traditional term life insurance or permanent life insurance policy even if you have been diagnosed with high blood pressure. And if you are worried that you will not be able to find one of these policies, you can attempt to lower your blood pressure before applying, or you can opt for a guaranteed issue, simplified issue, or instant-approval term life insurance policy. With these plans, you will not have to undergo a medical exam, and will not be required to provide blood work or any other tests. You cannot be turned down for these policies for any health-related reasons.

Your family has financial obligations that will not go away when you are gone; they will need your help more than ever with their expenses, and the last thing you want them to worry about is money while they are grieving. There are many great affordable life insurance options to choose from that will provide enough money for your family, for a low monthly price. The best way to find the right life insurance policy for you and your specific needs is by working with an agent who specializes in life insurance. We have provided the top life insurance companies in the nation below; each offers hassle-free assistance and the most competitive rates. Always check multiple sites to make sure you have bargaining power and know the advantages of each company. Make sure a hard time isn’t made harder by a financial burden, check life insurance rates today.

Life Insurance For People With Epilepsy

Did you know that 1 in 26 Americans will develop epilepsy during their lifetime? This condition can have a big effect on your life – it can even affect your life insurance policy. Like any medical condition, epilepsy can make getting a life insurance policy a little more complicated, because life insurance companies will flag the condition as a possible problem. With that being said, it’s still possible to get a great policy if you’re living with epilepsy; life insurance companies rate conditions differently, meaning you just need to do some shopping around. Find out how you can qualify for an affordable policy, and how much coverage you can get.

Epilepsy Explained

brain silhouette with a red lightning bolt through it — *Epilepsy often develops during childhood, but seizures can happen at any stage of life.*

Epilepsy is a condition that affects the brain, causing seizures, which are the result of excessive electrical discharges in a group of brain cells. Seizures can last up to several minutes and can vary from the briefest lapses of attention to mild muscle jerks to severe and prolonged convulsions. Seizures can also vary in frequency, from less than one per year to several per day.

Epilepsy often develops during childhood, but seizures can happen at any stage of life. It can be caused by strokes, brain tumors, genetic disorders, or injuries, but for two-thirds of patients, the cause is not known.

People with epilepsy can live long and normal lives with a few seizures that are not harmful, especially since there is a medication that can control seizures. It is estimated that up to 70% of people living with epilepsy could live seizure-free if properly diagnosed and treated. But some people can struggle with daily activities, like driving a car, and can have a higher risk of death.

Life Insurance & Epilepsy

Unfortunately, epilepsy is a condition that can impact your life insurance eligibility and rates. This is because, for some people who have more serious cases of epilepsy, the condition can affect life expectancy. It is still possible, though, to find a great life insurance policy, as long as you provide accurate and honest information about your condition to your life insurance company.

Your insurer will have some questions during your medical exam that you should answer truthfully, with information such as:

Your epilepsy diagnosis, including type and cause, if known
When you were diagnosed with epilepsy (more recent diagnoses can sometimes earn you a better rating)
How often you have seizures, and their severity
Any medications you take, or other treatments you’ve received for epilepsy, such as surgery
Epilepsy complications or other health issues

What Kind Of Policy Will Work Best For You?

If you have seizures less than once a year, a permanent term life insurance policy will probably be the most beneficial to you and your family. On the other hand, if you experience seizures quite often, typically two or more times a year, you can opt for a life insurance policy that does not require a medical exam. You have options!

Benefits of Whole Life Insurance

Life insurance is one of those things that you might think about from time to time, but put off purchasing, which could mean higher rates when you do decide to purchase a policy. Or maybe you have a policy through work, which will be terminated once you’re no longer working, or minimal, temporary coverage with a term life insurance policy. If you do have term life insurance, and you outlive your policy, you’ll need to buy another term policy, or to convert it into a more permanent policy, which can be expensive. So if you don’t have life insurance, or have a temporary policy, you might want to consider purchasing whole life or permanent life insurance now, while you can still get affordable rates.

How Does Whole Life Insurance Work?

Whole life insurance is a type of permanent life insurance policy that provides lifelong coverage, as long as you continue to pay your monthly or annual premiums. With this type of policy, your premiums will remain the same throughout the life of the policy and cannot be raised for any reason. One of the best things about this type of policy is that it has a cash value component, meaning your policy will build tax-deferred cash overtime at a guaranteed rate of interest.

Whole life insurance is best for people who want a longer-lasting policy with a cash value that they can borrow from. It is also more suited to healthy people who are willing to spend a little more on premiums: you will have to undergo a medical exam to qualify for a whole life policy, and these policies are more expensive than term life policies.

Benefits of Whole Life Insurance

One of the great things about whole life insurance is that there are multiple types of policies that you can choose from. There are also many other benefits, including:

Peace of Mind- Your life insurance policy will last your entire life, so you will never have to worry about converting it as you would have to do with a term life insurance plan. And you will never have to worry about buying a new plan when your current one ends. You will have peace of mind, and so will your family.
Lifelong Protection– As long as you pay your premiums, you will have protection for your entire life, even if your health begins to decline or you develop new health conditions. Your life insurance company will not use your health against you.
Cash Value– Part of your monthly premium payments will go into a cash-value account, which will accumulate interest over time. Think of it as a tax-deferred savings account, which you can borrow against any time you need it.
Earn Dividends– Some companies offer whole life insurance policies that allow you to earn yearly dividends based on the company’s performance. You can receive your dividends as cash, they can be added to your account, or they can be used to pay your premiums.
Level Premiums– Your premiums will stay the same for as long as you have the policy.
Tax-Free Death Benefit– Whole life insurance policies are usually tax-free, which means your beneficiaries will not have to pay any taxes on the money they receive.

Looking for an Affordable Plan?

Your family has financial obligations that will not go away when you are gone; they will need your help more than ever with their expenses, and the last thing you want them to worry about is money while they are grieving. There are many great affordable life insurance options to choose from that will provide enough money for your family, for a low monthly price. The best way to find the right life insurance policy for you and your specific needs is by working with an agent who specializes in life insurance. We have provided the top life insurance companies in the nation below; each offers hassle-free assistance and the most competitive rates. Always check multiple sites to make sure you have bargaining power and know the advantages of each company. Make sure a hard time isn’t made harder by a financial burden, check life insurance rates today.

5 Common Life Insurance Scams

Purchasing insurance requires giving a lot of personal information to insurers, and scammers know this: they will try to get you to purchase a policy just so they can get your private and sensitive information. The last thing anyone wants to deal with is a scammer. Between the constant scam call, texts, and emails that people get every day, you have probably become more cautious and suspicious than ever. But did you know that there are life insurance scams too? Whether you currently have a life insurance policy or are looking to purchase one, you need to be aware of the scams that are out there and know how to protect yourself.

1. Fraudulent Websites

If you are searching for a new life insurance policy, you know that googling life insurance will bring up hundreds of companies. Unfortunately, some of the companies that claim to sell life insurance actually don’t – they are just fake companies that are trying to steal information from people looking to purchase insurance. The best way to protect yourself is to check the Better Business Bureau to confirm a business’s legitimacy.

2. Fake Calls

Some scammers who know you are on the hunt for a new life insurance policy might call you pretending to be an agent, and claim they can help you find a life insurance policy. If someone calls you from a life insurance company, ask them to verify their affiliation and then make sure to research the company online. They also should be able to provide you with a license number, known as a national producer number; once they have given you that, you can look up the number to verify if it is legitimate or not.

3. Beneficiary Scams

Not all scams happen when you’re looking to purchase a policy: unfortunately, there are scammers out there who will try to use your grief against you. They will find people who have recently passed away and email or call their loved ones, telling them that they are the beneficiary of a very large life insurance policy, but that they will first need to pay any outstanding premium balance to receive the money.

This is a very elaborate scam, but it does happen more than you might think. So if you do receive a phone call or email like this, contact the insurance company that the person claims they are affiliated with before taking any further action.

4.Spam Emails/Texts

Some scams can also be related to your existing policy. These scams are often similar to those scam emails or text messages claiming to be from your bank, saying that there are issues with your account, and asking you to click on a link to address the issue (which you already know never to do!) In these cases, life insurance scammers will say that there is an issue with your current policy, ask you to click on a link, and then either make a payment immediately or enter your personal information.

If you ever receive a text or an email that claims to be from your life insurance company, the best thing to do is to call your insurer and see if there is an actual issue with your policy.

5. Policy Changes

So you found a life insurance company online and purchased a policy from them, only to find out that your premium payments are double what you should be paying. This should be a red flag. Even “legitimate” online life insurance companies can scam you by switching you to a higher value policy without your consent or permission.

The best way to protect yourself is to keep your policy documents in a safe spot so that you know exactly what you have agreed to, and so you can contact your life insurance company immediately if there are any changes or inconsistencies. In addition, as we pointed out earlier, you should only work with reputable, top-rated life insurance companies.

Working With A Legitimate Company

Your family has financial obligations that will not go away when you are gone; they will need your help more than ever with their expenses, and the last thing you want them to worry about is money while they are grieving. There are a lot of great, reputable life insurance companies out there, who can offer you multiple life insurance options that will provide enough money for your family, for a low monthly price. The best way to find the right life insurance policy for you and your specific needs is by working with an agent who specializes in life insurance. We have provided the top life insurance companies in the nation below; each offers hassle-free assistance and the most competitive rates. Always check multiple sites to make sure you have bargaining power and know the advantages of each company. Make sure a hard time isn’t made harder by a financial burden, check life insurance rates today.

Can I Leave My Life Insurance Benefits to My Pet?

What do you think about when you hear “life insurance”? You probably think about purchasing a policy so you can make sure that your spouse, children, or other loved ones can be financially secure after you are gone. But maybe you have another idea of who you’d like your life insurance money to take care of: perhaps you have a beloved pet you’d want taken care of in the event of your death. While pets can’t inherit money or possessions, some life insurance companies will offer you the option of setting up a trust to ensure that your pet is cared for after you’re gone.

Do You Need A Pet Trust?

If you have a pet that is expected to outlive you, you will need to make arrangements to make sure that it is taken care of after you’re gone. After all, pets are expensive: food, vet visits, etc can cost thousands of dollars a year, which could be a burden for your family or any person who will take on the responsibility of caring for your pet. If you think it will be difficult for your family members, or other designated caregiver, to take on these expenses, you should consider talking to a life insurance company about setting up a trust that will pay out benefits to them for the care of your pet.

Types of Pet Trusts

There are three different kinds of pet trusts that you can choose from, each with its own limits and considerations:

Traditional Pet Trust– With this type of trust, you will name a caregiver for your pet, and give specific instructions on how to take care of your pet. The trust will also designate a separate trustee who will be responsible for managing the money in the trust.
Statutory Pet Trust- With this kind of trust, you will not have the option to give specific instructions for how you want your pet to be cared for. Instead, there will be a designated lump sum of money set aside for your pet that the caregiver will use to care for it, as well as a second person to oversee the funds.
Pet Protection Agreement- This is a legally binding contract that is signed by you and your pet’s future caregiver, but it is not ideal for transferring large sums of money.

Finding An Affordable Policy

Your pet is your companion and best friend, and losing you will be hard enough on them. If you want to make sure your pet is taken care of when you pass, you can consider a life insurance policy that designates someone to take care of your pet, and leaves them the money necessary to do so.

There are many great affordable life insurance options to choose from that will provide enough money for your family, for a low monthly price. The best way to find the right life insurance policy for you and your specific needs is by working with an agent who specializes in life insurance. We have provided the top life insurance companies in the nation below; each offers hassle-free assistance and the most competitive rates. Always check multiple sites to make sure you have bargaining power and know the advantages of each company. Make sure a hard time isn’t made harder by a financial burden, check life insurance rates today.

How To Choose a Life Insurance Beneficiary

If you’re searching for a life insurance policy, you probably have a checklist of what you want in a policy, such as affordability and adequate coverage. But have you thought about who you will name as your beneficiary or beneficiaries? You want to make sure that you designate the right person/people as your beneficiaries so that your final wishes are honored. So how should you go about choosing a beneficiary?

Choosing A Beneficiary

When choosing your beneficiary, you should be aware of some special considerations in the case of certain kinds of beneficiaries:

Underage beneficiaries– If you have children, you might want to name them as beneficiaries of your life insurance policy. But you need to be aware that if they are not of age to receive the death benefits, you will have to set up a trust or appoint a guardian to control the money until they are of age.
Unreliable beneficiaries- If the person that you would like to name as beneficiary is not responsible with money, you might want to consider putting the money into a trust or appointing someone else to manage it. In this case, you can provide instructions for how the money should be given out.
Secondary beneficiaries– Sometimes it’s good to have a second beneficiary listed in case something happens to your first beneficiary: for example, if they pass away before you and you don’t get a chance to update your policy. The secondary beneficiary will be listed as a contingent beneficiary, and will receive the money if the primary beneficiary is unable to.
No beneficiaries– If you feel like you don’t want to leave any money behind to anyone, but you have a policy and don’t want it to go to waste, you do have the option of choosing no beneficiary. You can put all the money into a trust, pay off debts, or leave it to a charity of your choice.

When you choose a beneficiary, make sure that you have all the necessary information listed on your policy, such as their name, their relationship to you, and how your insurance company can reach them. In addition, make sure that you notify your beneficiary so that they are aware of your policy; you should also be sure to leave them a copy of any documents they need for when the time comes to claim the death benefits. This will make the process go more smoothly for them at a difficult time.

Your family has financial obligations that will not go away when you are gone; they will need your help more than ever with expenses. Not only will they have to pay for your funeral expenses, but they will have bills to stay on top of without your help, debts, and more. The last thing you want them to worry about is money while they are grieving. There are many great affordable life insurance options to choose from that will provide enough financial security for your family, for a low monthly price. The best way to find the right life insurance policy for you and your specific needs is by working with an agent who specializes in life insurance. We have provided the top life insurance companies in the nation below; each offers hassle-free assistance and the most competitive rates. Always check multiple sites to make sure you have bargaining power and know the advantages of each company. Make sure a hard time isn’t made harder by a financial burden, check life insurance rates today.

Tag: life insurance help

Life Insurance Rates and New Blood Pressure Guidelines

Life Insurance Guidelines for Blood Pressure

Ways To Lower Your Blood Pressure

Looking For A Plan?

Life Insurance For People With Epilepsy

Epilepsy Explained

Life Insurance & Epilepsy

What Kind Of Policy Will Work Best For You?

Benefits of Whole Life Insurance

How Does Whole Life Insurance Work?

Benefits of Whole Life Insurance

Looking for an Affordable Plan?

5 Common Life Insurance Scams

1. Fraudulent Websites

2. Fake Calls

3. Beneficiary Scams

4.Spam Emails/Texts

5. Policy Changes

Working With A Legitimate Company

Can I Leave My Life Insurance Benefits to My Pet?

Do You Need A Pet Trust?

Types of Pet Trusts

Finding An Affordable Policy

How To Choose a Life Insurance Beneficiary

Choosing A Beneficiary

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