Any risk that can be quantified can potentially be insured. Specific kinds of risk that may give rise to claims are known as “perils”. An insurance policy will set out in detail which perils are covered by the policy and which are not. Below are (non-exhaustive) lists of the many different types of insurance that exist. A single policy may cover risks in one or more of the categories set forth below. For example, auto insurance would typically cover both property risk (covering the risk of theft or damage to the car) and liability risk (covering legal claims from causing an accident). A homeowner’s insurance policy in the U.S. typically includes property insurance covering damage to the home and the owner’s belongings, liability insurance covering certain legal claims against the owner, and even a small amount of health insurance for medical expenses of guests who are injured on the owner’s property.

Business insurance can be any kind of insurance that protects businesses against risks. Some principal subtypes of business insurance are (a) the various kinds of professional liability insurance, also called professional indemnity insurance, which are discussed below under that name; and (b) the business owners policy (BOP), which bundles into one policy many of the kinds of coverage that a business owner needs, in a way analogous to how homeowners insurance bundles the coverages that a homeowner needs.

Cheap life insurance can be purchased but some research is required before it can be determined what kind of insurance suits you best.

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Do you have the cheap life insurance protection you need?

It’s a fact that some occupations are riskier than others. But no matter what you do for a living, take a look at your life insurance needs. Life insurance can help you financially protect your loved ones after you die. If you’re single, and no one is depending upon your income for support, you probably don’t need life insurance. But if any of the following is true, consider buying cheap life insurance

Do you work in a dangerous occupation? According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the top 10 most dangerous jobs are:

1. Timber cutters
2. Airplane pilots
3. Construction laborers
4. Truck drivers
5. Farm occupations
6. Groundskeepers
7. Laborers
8. Police and detectives
9. Carpenters
10. Sales occupationsLife Insurance

* You’re married and your spouse depends on your income
* You have children
* You have an aging parent or disabled relative who depends on your income
* Your retirement savings, pension, or other cash accounts won’t adequately support your loved ones after you die
* You have a large estate and expect to owe estate taxes
* You own a business

Calculators and worksheets are available online to help you determine how much life insurance you need. You may want to contact an insurance agent or broker who can help you determine what type of life insurance is best for you and the amount of coverage you need.

Do you have the disability insurance you need?
If you work in a high-risk occupation, you probably know how important it is to have disability insurance coverage. But don’t rely on government programs such as Social Security and workers’ compensation as your main source of protection. In reality, government programs pay only limited benefits under restrictive terms (e.g. you must meet a strict definition of disability to qualify).

Your employer may offer group disability insurance at low or no cost to you. But you may also want to consider purchasing an individual disability insurance policy. Although you’ll pay more for individual coverage than for a group policy, you often get more benefits. And keep in mind that if you leave your job or otherwise terminate your relationship with a group, you can’t take your disability policy with you, and you usually can’t convert it to an individual disability policy. This means that you may be left without disability coverage when you need it most.

Shop around for coverage
Since many different types of life and disability policies are available, it’s important to shop around for coverage to find a life insurance policy that meets your individual needs. Since premium costs vary widely, get quotes from several insurance companies. Just make sure you’re comparing policies that offer similar benefits.

Because of the increased mortality risk associated with smoking, smokers almost always pay more for life insurance than their nonsmoking counterparts. Some life insurance companies distinguish between moderate smokers (20 or fewer cigarettes per day) and heavy smokers (more than 20 cigarettes per day) and offer somewhat lower rates for those who smoke less. The recent cigar craze has now raised numerous questions about how to classify cigar smokers. But unfortunately, there is not yet an industry-wide consensus on this issue.

Note: Life insurance companies now ask about the use of any nicotine-containing product, including chewing tobacco.

The ways in which life insurance companies categorize treatment of cigar smokers literally vary from one extreme to the other. A few companies have taken the position that all forms of tobacco are equally harmful, and thus charge cigar smokers and cigarette smokers the same rates. (However, there may be exceptions for very occasional use; for example, less than 12 cigars per year.) Other insurance companies take a middle-of-the-road position, charging cigar smokers more than nonsmokers but less than the heaviest-smoking class. Some insurance companies even consider cigar smokers to be nonsmokers, offering the lower rates typically reserved for those who don’t smoke cigarettes at all.

So, if you’re a cigar smoker, try calling your insurance agent or doing some research to find the best life insurance rates available. You should probably act quickly, too, as insurance companies could change their rules if clinical research determines that cigar smoking is more dangerous than previously believed.

Insurance companies will typically reevaluate your rates if you quit smoking for at least a year – something to keep in mind if you’re more just a part of the cigar trend than a truly dedicated stogie smoker.

Although it is typical for an individual to name his or her spouse, child, parent, or other relative as the life insurance beneficiary, non-relatives can also be named. For instance, you can designate your estate, trust, business partner, lender, or domestic partner as beneficiary of your life insurance policy.[ad#ad-1]
Check the laws in your state, though. A few states require that under certain circumstances an unrelated beneficiary have an insurable interest. An insurable interest exists when one party has a financial interest in another party’s life. The beneficiary of a life insurance policy must expect to suffer a financial loss if the insured dies.

Cheap life insurance can be purchased for this purpose, but research will be required.

Before designating a beneficiary, you should also make sure that you understand all of the tax implications. Life insurance proceeds are generally not income taxable, but there may be other considerations. For example, naming your estate as the beneficiary of your life insurance policy will increase the size of your estate and may necessitate probate and create an estate tax liability. Consult with an attorney or accountant for more information.

At least one in 10 college students revealed that they had caused an auto accident in the last two years. One in four had a speeding ticket or other moving violation. These and other offenses contribute to higher Auto insurance premiums for students.

Although many disabled children and adults receive benefits from two government programs, Supplemental Security Income (SSI) for disabled individuals and Medicaid, no government or private insurance product has been created specifically to save for and fund the future care of disabled children. However, one very common insurance product, life insurance, can play a critical role in securing your child’s financial future.

Term or permanent (cash value) life insurance can be used to fund a special needs trust, a legal arrangement that allows you to provide for your disabled child throughout his life (even after you die) without risking his eligibility for SSI or Medicaid. To receive SSI and Medicaid, your child must have minimal income and assets, which means that you potentially jeopardize his eligibility for benefits every time you save a dime towards his future care.

Because the funds in a special needs trust are managed by a trustee and legally do not belong to your child, they are not considered “countable” for SSI and Medicaid eligibility purposes. However, funds in the trust must supplement, rather than replace, government benefits. They must be used for expenses, like clothing and transportation, which are not covered by government programs.

Once the trust is created, you can fund it using any asset you choose (e.g., cash, stocks, personal property, etc.), but many people choose to fund a special needs trust with life insurance. The trust can own a life insurance policy or can be named beneficiary of your policy in the event that you die. Many special needs trusts are funded (at least in part) by “survivorship” or “second to die” insurance because it’s less expensive than other types of life insurance, an important consideration if you’re trying to find room in your budget to save for your child’s future care. However, talk to a professional advisor. Other options are available that may better suit your needs.

Yes, you can donate your life insurance policy to charity. In fact, insurance can be a good way to leverage affordable premium payments into a substantial future donation. There are several different ways you can give your life insurance policy (or the death benefits from it), to charity. Each method has different advantages and disadvantages to both you and the charity.

One way to help your favorite charity is to simply name the charity as a beneficiary on your policy. When you die, the charity will receive the death benefits. A disadvantage of this approach is that you will not get to take the charitable income tax deduction for the premium payments that you make. With this method, there are no gift tax implications. The proceeds of the policy will be includable in your taxable estate, but you will receive an offsetting estate tax charitable deduction.

Another way to help your favorite charity is to donate an existing life insurance policy to the charity. You will be able to claim an income tax deduction for either the tax basis or the fair market value of the policy (whichever is less) for the year of the donation. You can then make deductible cash gifts to the charity, which the charity can use to make the premium payments. The proceeds of the policy may be includable in your taxable estate, but you will receive an offsetting estate tax charitable deduction.

A third way to donate a life insurance policy to charity is to donate money to the charity and have the charity buy the life insurance policy. You make income and gift-tax-deductible donations to the charity, and the charity makes the premium payments. The proceeds of the policy will not be included in your estate for estate tax purposes.

Note: Some states’ laws do not consider a charity to have an insurable interest in a donor and will not allow a charity to purchase a life insurance policy on a donor.

There are a number of different strategies from which to choose, as well as a number of tax rules and differing state laws that may influence your decision. If you are considering a substantial gift of life insurance to a charity, ask your attorney or tax advisor to help you decide on the best approach.