Learn Why Term Insurance is Essential for Senior Citizens

Term Insurance

Life today is full of responsibilities and obligations, and it can quickly become stressful if you don’t manage it well. So, it is always a safe idea to have a contingency plan for all such needs and responsibilities. Term insurance for senior citizens is one such tool that will help you ensure that your loved ones are adequately cared for even when you are not with them.

Term insurance has long been thought of as a security tool that works better when you buy them at a younger age. Since the majority of people retire between the ages of 60 and 65, term insurance policies are typically designed to offer security up until that age. However, the conventional term insurance purchasing practice seems to be evolving in recent years.

A growing number of senior citizens are expressing an interest to remain financially protected well into their seventies. Undoubtedly, senior citizens stand to benefit from longer-term insurance coverage in a variety of ways. Let’s understand how!

Why Do You Need Term Insurance for Senior Citizens?

Term insurance is the most uncomplicated and basic type of insurance policies available. The beneficiaries of the policy collect the sum assured in case of the untimely demise of the insured individual during the policy period. People who have dependents or other financial obligations can use term insurance for long-term security.

If you are over the age of 50 and have never had insurance, it is not too late. Here are some of the ways a term insurance plan can be beneficial to you:

Dependent Children

Various factors, such as a growing preference for nuclear families and a willingness to achieve financial independence before marrying, have driven the average age at which people marry upward. People are increasingly marrying in their mid-thirties or older. With such a change in the timeline, your children may remain financially dependent on you even as you get closer to retirement.

In this situation, having a term insurance plan with extensive coverage would guarantee that your children will have a financial safety net in the event of your untimely death. The death benefit from the policy will help your children meet any substantial expenses such as funding higher education or achieving other life goals. It can also be re-invested to ensure a constant flow of income.

Financial Independence for Your Spouse

If the term insurance plan only covers you up to 65 and you outlive the policy period, your partner will remain financially uncovered after the policy matures. This is especially difficult if your partner was financially reliant on you since it leaves them without a steady source of income.

Fortunately, by choosing a term insurance plan that provides coverage after the age of 65, you can allow your spouse to remain financially independent even if anything unfortunate happens to you. So, be sure to understand what is term insurance in your financial context and align the benefits to your particular needs.

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Financial Liabilities

During your working years, you may need to take out a personal loan, a car loan, or a home loan to cover big expenditures. Sometimes, the loan repayments may extend to life after retirement as well. If you have any such outstanding debt repayments, your family may find it difficult to pay them off in case of an unfortunate incident. It is best to get a term insurance plan that can cover them in your absence.

Healthcare Expenses May Increase

On the one side, life expectancy has risen steadily in recent years. Studies suggest people in their 60s will have a life expectancy of 19.9 years by 2045-50. On the other hand, although more people will live to see old age, they will also have to cope with the risk of developing diseases or serious illnesses as a result of their age. Furthermore, the cost of healthcare is on the rise.

As a result of inflation, the cost of medical care is only going to rise higher. This means that if you’re in your forties now, your healthcare costs will increase fourfold by the time you’re in your sixties. Given this, paying for potential medical expenses out of pocket can be incredibly challenging.

If you combine the right riders with the right term insurance plan that provides these features, it will help you manage these critical illnesses or disability-related costs more easily.

Supplement Your Income

You may have been looking forward to the day when you can finally retire, but when that time comes, you may plan to keep working or need financial support to replace your lost income source.

Alternatively, life could throw you a curveball and put you in a financial bind, forcing you to work longer. Whatever the case might be, opting for a longer-term insurance policy is a prudent move if there is even a remote chance you will work past the average retirement age.

Sources:

https://www.soa.org/globalassets/assets/files/resources/research-report/2018/2018-retirement-spotlight-india.pdf

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