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Apr 8, 20224 min

When Do You Really Need Life Insurance?

When do you need life insurance the most? Is it when you start your first job, get married, or the birth of your child? Maybe it's all three? And those aren't the only times. There are many scenarios when life insurance coverage becomes a high priority, whether your primary reason for getting it is to build wealth with a permanent policy or protect your family with a death benefit. In this guide, we've pulled together all the times when a life insurance policy should be right at the top of your to-do list.

When you start your first job

Most people think of life insurance as something you get later in life. But when it comes to a permanent policy, the earlier you start, the better. That’s because premiums are always lower when you’re younger. It tends to be when you’re at your healthiest, which means you can enjoy lower monthly payments.

The premiums are locked in with a permanent policy, too, and you’ll pay the same amount when you're 65 as you did when you first got the policy in your 20s. Your first job also tends to be when you start earning decent money, so it’s a good time to start saving for retirement. And with the cash-value aspect, a permanent life insurance policy will allow you to do just that.

When you’re self-employed

Many organizations offer group life insurance as part of their employee benefits. And while it’s not quite as good as an individual policy, it does offer your family some protection with its death benefit. When you’re self-employed, however, there are no employee benefits.

Getting life insurance when you’re self-employed is a smart move as it allows you to build cash while protecting your loved ones and even your business partner should something happen to you. A life insurance policy can give you added security in a field that typically offers little in the way of financial reliability.

When you have debt

Nobody wants debt, but it's something we all accept is a necessity at certain stages in life. Sometimes it's necessary to take on a little debt to advance your prospects. That might involve getting a loan for your business, a mortgage, or private student borrowing.

Whatever your reasons for having debt, it's a good idea to protect them–especially if you have people who depend on you financially. Life insurance can help with debt as it provides a death benefit that would allow your beneficiary to pay off any money owed should you pass away. That means you don't need to leave loved ones scraping the barrel to try and keep up with mortgage payments, credit cards, and loans.

When you get married

Marriage is a big step in life. One might even say it’s time to start acting like an adult and think about life insurance. Most importantly, it’s probably the first time in your life when someone else really depends on you. Whether it’s financially, emotionally, or both, all of a sudden you need to think about people other than yourself.

With a permanent life insurance policy, you can save for the future while protecting your spouse if the worst was to happen. It's likely that you have a joint mortgage, as well as other combined outgoings. If one of you were no longer around, the burden would fall on the surviving partner. And without any extra financial protection, they could find themselves struggling to keep up with payments. The death benefit aspect of life insurance ensures that your spouse is looked after financially. It's one less thing for them to worry about.

When you have your first child

Children usually come after marriage (though not always). No matter when you have your first little one, it’s a good idea to give them financial protection at the very least. Setting your kids up in the event of your death is vital to ensure they are protected financially. But don’t just look at it from the point of view of you not being around anymore.

With perm coverage, you can build for their future and even pay for things like college with the money you've accrued. A perm policy helps you protect your children financially and cover all bases, both in life and death (though hopefully, it's only the first one).

When you need to support aging parents

As your parents get older, you may find that they increasingly rely on you to help them out. This could involve emotional dependence, with 68% of people over 65 stating they rely on their children. However, it could also mean financial reliance.

If for any reason, you were no longer able to protect your older parents financially, they could find themselves struggling further. With a life insurance policy, they would still be protected if you were no longer around as the death benefit would cover them financially. That’s why you should really think about getting coverage if you have older parents who rely on your financial assistance.

In conclusion: when you need life insurance the most

It’s always a good time to get permanent life insurance, as it gives you much more than just a death benefit. However, if you’re looking for specific indicators throughout your life for when you need life insurance, then the milestones on our list are certainly moments when you should explore getting coverage. It will give your loved ones extra financial protection if you’re no longer around but also set you up financially in the future while you’re still alive.

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