What is the Best Term Life Insurance for Smokers?

Posted on May 16, 2013 by Jeff Root

Term Life Insurance for SmokersFor smokers, term life insurance rates are typically more than double the rates on non-smokers.  So it's very important that you find the lowest cost life insurance for smokers on the market. 

Choosing the right company can save you hundreds or even thousands of dollars every year.

The key in finding the best term life insurance rates as a smoker is using an independent life insurance agency who has access to all the top life insurance carriers on the market.  After evaluating your health, we can look at ANY company's rates to see who will offer you the lowest rates as a smoker.

A few important things to know that can mean the difference in saving $1000's of dollars:

Occasional Smokers CAN get non-smoker rates!

If you're a "social smoker" and smoke only 1-2 times per month, you can get Preferred Best (1x max per month) or Preferred (2x max per month) NON-SMOKER rates.  You must test negative for nicotine in your system to qualify for these rates and there's only 1 company that offers these non-smoker rates to occasional smokers. 

Please call us and we'll provide you with quotes for this company.  Please note, if you were given "Smoker" rates from a previous life insurance application and want to re-test for the "Non-Smoker" classification, this non-smoker offer won't apply.

Smokeless Tobacco Users can get Non-Smoker rates!

If you use any form of smokeless tobacco like dip, chew or use a nicotine patch or nicorette gum - you DO NOT have to pay smoker rates.  You can obtain non-smoker rates with a couple life insurance carriers on the market.  The key is choosing the right life insurance company.  We wrote a more detailed article about this here.  Or you can call us and we'll provide you with rates.

Cigar smokers DO NOT have to pay smoker rates!

If you only smoke cigars, you don't have to pay the expensive "Smoker" rates as long as you use the right company.  Again there are a few companies that will give non-smoker rates to cigar smokers.  We provide the details and go in depth for qualifying for these non-smoker rates here.

If you don't fall into any of the above categories and have smoked cigarettes within the past year, finding the best term life insurance rates for smokers comes down to searching the ENTIRE life insurance market. 

People always contact us asking for a specific company because they "heard Transamerica was the best life insurance company for smokers".  I'll show you below, that there isn't one best life insurance company for smokers.  It changes with every risk.

For example, a 40 year male old looking at $250,000 of coverage for 20 years at preferred rates can expect these rates:

Best Term Life Insurance for Smokers


So you see Banner Life, Ohio National, Transamerica, Cincinnati Life and ING as the best life insurance companies for this situation.  However this isn't the same for everyone.  Lets try a different scenario.

Here are life insurance rates for a 50 year old male for $250,000 of coverage for 15 years at standard rates:

STL11

Notice that Transamerica has the best rates followed by 2 companies we didn't see in the top results before: Savings Bank Life Insurance and American General.

The reason I'm showing you these results is to illustrate the fact that there isn't a "best" term life insurance company for smokers.  It all depends on your age, coverage amount, term length, health situation, state of residence and many other factors.

It's impossible for consumers to find the best life insurance rates themselves.  There are so many factors involved.

Our suggestion is to leave it up to an experienced and independent life insurance agent who has access to every top rated carrier on the market.

At Rootfin, we're transparent with our recommendations and show you ALL of your options so you know you'll be receiving the best life insurance for your smoking risk.  Give us a call or fill out our quote request form and put us to work for you.

Posted in High Risk Life Insurance, Smokers/Tobacco Use | Leave a comment

Affordable Life Insurance Rates with Atrial Fibrillation

Posted on May 14, 2013 by Jeff Root

AFib Life Insurance RatesPeople dealing with Atrial Fibrillation understand how difficult it can be to find an affordable life insurance policy. This article will explain everything you'll need to know about securing life insurance with Atrial Fibrillation, also referred to as "afib" in this article. 

First of all, yes you can still qualify for affordable life insurance rates with atrial fibrillation.  Where most life insurance agents cringe when they hear anything to do with your heart, we welcome this risk and help those with AFib find the lowest life insurance rates available for them.

All it takes is an experienced agent who has access to all the top rated life insurance carriers on the market and has experience working this risk. 

We know what companies to use and how to present your risk.

Atrial Fibrillation and Life Insurance Rates

Life insurance rates with Atrial Fibrillation will focus primarily on the level of control over your AFib. The better control you have, the better your health class rating will be.

Your health class is determined by several factors, most of which come from your physicians or cardiologists medical records.   Specifically, underwriters will be looking at the following:

Any treatments completed to help with the atrial fibrillation such as ablations or cardioversions and how you've reacted to them.  To be labeled "successful", you'll need your heart back in rhythm for at least 12 months.

Medications you've taken, like Digoxin, Metoprolol, Warfarin, Amiodarone, Dronedarone, Propafenone, Sotalol, Dofetilide and Flecainide.  Taking regular medications over a two year period can be seen as a positive sign of control over your condition. On the other hand, medications prescribed recently and in large doses could be seen as an unstable condition.

Age of diagnosis and when your Atrial Fibrillation was caught.  If your condition was diagnosed early on, your chances of avoiding heart muscle damage will be substantially improved. The sooner the diagnosis the better from a life insurance company stand point.

Recent EKG testing. 
Life Insurance With Atrial Fibrillation
EKG tests preformed over the past months will determine if there have been any changes in your condition. If there are no changes in the last 12 months, you may be considered stable and could then meet the criteria for the best rating.

How often, if ever, do you experience symptoms of chest pain or palpitations?
If you have frequently experienced any of these conditions over the past six months, these may be signs of an unstable condition of the heart.

Do you visit your cardiologist regularly?   It is extremely important to see your cardiologist on a regular basis. Not only is this good for your overall heart health, it is also taken as a positive display of good compliance.

Do you smoke?  If you do, you're most likely looking at a decline.  Only in a few instances are we able to secure life insurance and it was VERY expensive.

Any other underlying health issues?  Have you ever been diagnosed with other medical conditions such as coronary artery disease or left ventricular hypertrophy? If yes, these diseases may be the cause of your Atrial Fibrillation and you'll be rated based on the control and severity of those health issues.

Paroxysmal Atrial Fibrillation and Life Insurance

If you have Paroxysmal Atrial Fibrillation (intermittent AFib) and are free of any known heart disease and show some normal EKG's in your medical records, you can qualify for a "Standard" health class with several companies. To be classified as Paroxysmal AFib you will experience less than 10 episodes of Atrial Fibrillation for less than 30 seconds, in a 12-month period.

May the BEST quote win!

Compare life insurance rates within 1 minute


Chronic Atrial Fibrillation and Life Insurance

Individuals who experience 10 or more episodes of Atrial Fibrillation in any given year will be considered chronic or persistent.  These risks likely result in getting a life insurance policy between a "Table 4" and "Table 8" health classification.  Which means your rates will be roughly double to triple standard rates.

This rate only applies if there are no underlying heart disease. If you are shown to suffer from an underlying heart disease, you will be declined coverage and can only qualify for a graded death benefit policy.

Those that have permanent Atrial Fibrillation will only qualify for graded death benefit policies.

Not sure what you can qualify for or have any questions?

That's ok, most agents in our industry have trouble accurately assessing atrial fibrillation cases.  We however have a lot of experience under our belt.  If you can provide the information above, we can provide you with the best rates available for YOUR unique risk.

The big thing to understand is every life insurance company will view your AFib differently, some more favorably than others.  We know what carriers on the market are giving the best rates based on Atrial Fibrillation history.

Choosing the wrong carrier can mean the difference in saving thousands of dollars a year...or even qualifying for coverage at all.

Bottom Line

We help people find affordable life insurance with Atrial Fibrillation all the time.  We've turned previously declined cases into approvals and have replaced coverage for people who were paying too much.

We encourage you to give us a call or fill out our quote request form and we'd be happy to provide you with quotes based on your AFib history.

Posted in Atrial Fibrillation | Leave a comment

Cavalcade of Risk #182

Posted on May 1, 2013 by Jeff Root

cavrisk182Less than 2 weeks ago, I had plans to drive from Austin to Dallas for a family function - but when I woke up that morning for the drive, I had no idea that the "drive through" town with those amazing Kolaches would have an explosion that would kill 14 people and be a national news story.  

It was a surreal feeling driving through West, TX within 15 hours of the explosion.  How could this happen?  Where were the regulators to mitigate this risk?  I'd like to dedicate this Cavalcade of Risk to the people who lost their lives in what I feel should have been an avoidable tragedy.

Here's a round-up of the best risk related posts over the last 2 weeks from bloggers who spread awareness about mitigating risk.

Russell Hutchinson from Chatswood Consulting
Article: Consumer Behaviour: Quoting For Disappointment
Summary: Why the industry aims to quote the lowest price first is a mystery seemingly aimed at creating consumer disappointment. I cannot get quoted a car insurance premium until I have answered basic underwriting questions – has the time come for a change in the way we quote life, health, and disability prices too? Russell Hutchinson from Chatswood explores the issues

Henry Stern, LUTCF, CBC from Insure Blog
Article: Have Gun, Will Insure
Summary: InsureBlog discusses (and dismisses) the controversial concept of legal gun owners' liability coverage.

Jason Shafrin from the Healthcare Economist
Article: Should the CDC warn Americans about a "potential" epidemic?
Summary: The risks of failing to warn citizens about a pandemic are clear, but what are the risks of public health warnings that turn out to be not serious? The Healthcare Economist investigates.

Jeff Rose from Good Financial Cents
Article: How Much More is Life Insurance For Smokers
Summary:  Most smokers realize their life insurance rates will be more expensive, but many are shocked by just how high their rates actually are. Here's a quick look on how much more expensive it is.

Michael Stack from Workers Comp Round Up
Article: Spring Cleaning For Workers Comp Laws, Techniques, And Bad Habits
Summary: Wouldn’t it be great if every spring some facets of the work comp system could get cleaned up right along with your garage? Maybe an update to something applicable to this century would be nice, instead of using the same old Laws and Statutes that were set in the early 1900’s. This article takes a look at 3 items in workers compensation that could use a little sprucing up.

Emily Holbrook from Risk Management Monitor
Article: Green Construction Risks and Rewards
Summary: Green construction has become more and more popular over the past decade. Businesses and homes are turning to green while the government encourages it through tax incentives. But going green is not just about sustainable or local products in construction. It involves specific construction standards, various rating systems and green construction codes. Last week, a session at the RIMS Annual Conference & Exhibition helped us understand the complexities of green construction.

R.J. Weiss from The Insurance Protection Blog
Article: Methods of Fire Prevention in the Home and Workplace
Summary:  Ten different and simple ways to prevent fires.

That's it for the 182nd edition of Cavalcade of Risk.  I highly encourage checking out each and every one of these articles and blogs.

Cavalcade of Risk #183 will be hosted by Russell Hutchinson from http://chatswood.typepad.com/moneyblog.  Make sure you check out the next edition!
 

Posted in Life Insurance News | 6 Comments

AARP Life Insurance Review

Posted on April 28, 2013 by Jeff Root

AARP Term Life Insurance ReviewsThis AARP life insurance review will show you why AARP's life insurance options aren't a good choice if you're looking for the best life insurance rates available.

With such a big name and a big presence in the media, you would think that AARP's life insurance products would be competitive - unfortunately they're not.

AARP is portrayed in the media as an advocacy group for seniors. They may lobby for senior rights, but unfortunately they're using their "protector of senior rights" reputation to add legitimacy to their life insurance offerings with New York Life.

What most consumers don't know about their life insurance offerings is that New York Life pays AARP to be their exclusive life insurance provider and unfortunately they are far from the best product for seniors.

People have the notion that any product offered by AARP has passed some type of integrity or value test. This is simply not the case. 

Before we discuss AARP's life insurance offerings, it's important for you to understand where AARP came from.

AARP Life Insurance History

According to AARP's wikipedia page:

AARP was formed by Leonard Davis (a retired principal who became an insurance agent) who promoted AARP's image as a non-profit advocate to retirees in order to sell insurance policies to seniors.   AARP earns more income from selling insurance to members than it does from membership dues.

Currently, AARP takes bids from insurance companies on who they will endorse.  Colonial Penn was the first company to get the endorsement, but when Andy Rooney exposed that AARP was not much more than a front for an insurance company in 1978 on "60 Minutes", that relationship was terminated and Prudential Life Insurance took over. 

Currently, New York Life has the AARP contract through 2011 and they're still the current life insurance provider.

As you can tell, there's no value test or protection for seniors on the life insurance products AARP recommends.  Whoever pays the most, gets the endorsement. 

It's unfortunate because seniors believe AARP is a group that looks out for their interests. Seniors are led to believe that buying an AARP product is the moral equivalent of buying insurance down at the local, non-profit senior citizen center.

May the BEST quote win!

Compare life insurance rates within 1 minute

AARP Term Life Insurance Product Review


First of all, we encourage you to get a quote from AARP, then compare that quote to the quotes listed on our instant life insurance quotes page.  You can compare life insurance rates without giving any personal information.  We'll typically beat AARP term life insurance rates by a huge margin.

With that out of the way, AARP has 2 term life insurance products:

AARP Term Life Product #1:  "AARP Level Benefit Term Life Insurance"

The Good:  No medical exam and acceptance based on 3 questions.

The Bad:  Expensive, maximum coverage of $50,000 and your premiums are not guaranteed level.

What's misleading about how AARP markets this life insurance product is they call it "level benefit" term life insurance.  This is deceiving because it leads seniors (and myself) to think their monthly premiums remain level - when in fact it's your death benefit that remains level and not your premium payments. 

With this product, your monthly premium payments will go up every 5 years. So don't get fooled by their marketing of this product.

AARP Level Benefit Term Life Insurance quotes will always be more expensive.  You can find AARP's Level Benefit Term Life insurance rates below.

AARP Life Insurance Rates

Now run a quote for a REAL level premium term life policy here (no contact information required).  Make sure you choose the term length that gets you to age 80.  AARP Term Life Insurance expires at age 80 so I want to make sure you're comparing similar policies.  If you want to bypass the medical exam, look at rates from Transamerica and Assurity.

You'll find that your premiums payments will be less expensive AND guaranteed not to go up.  Your premiums will go up every 5 years with AARP.

I hope we've convinced you that you can save money by having a life insurance comparison service like our agency shop the market for you.

AARP Term LifeProduct #2:  "AARP Extra Protection Term Life Insurance"

This life insurance policy is the exact same as the product listed above, except it goes up to $100,000 of coverage and there's a few more qualifying questions.

Just like the "AARP Level Benefit Term Life Insurance" listed above, this product is also more expensive. 

You can view the AARP Extra Protection Term Life Insurance rates here.  Or you can see rates for males below.

AARP life insurance review


Again, compare the rates above from AARP to a REAL level premium term life policy here (no contact information required). Make sure you choose the term length that gets you to age 80. AARP Term Life Insurance expires at age 80 so I want to make sure you're comparing similar policies. If you want to bypass the medical exam, look at rates from Transamerica and Assurity.

AARP Guaranteed Acceptance Life Insurance Review

The AARP Guaranteed Acceptance Life Insurance policy is a whole life insurance policy that doesn't ask any health questions.

In order for them to do this, they use a "graded death benefit" product which limits the death benefit within the first two years.

Again, there are other guaranteed acceptance life insurance products on the market that will be cheaper than AARP Guaranteed Acceptance Life Insurance. 

Specifically - Mutual of Omaha and AAA.

We have guaranteed acceptance companies to offer you as well, but Mutual of Omaha and AAA have considerably lower premiums and unfortunately we can't offer you these policies because they're not available to independent agencies like ourselves.  You have to buy them direct.

We provide their contact information on this guaranteed acceptance life insurance article.  Make sure you give them a call before moving forward with AARP.

Bottom Line

It's important for anyone purchasing life insurance to understand that life insurance companies look at each individual risk differently, some more favorably than others.  The key in finding the best life insurance rates is finding the company that looks most favorably at YOU.

It's always in your best interest to compare life insurance rates and not rely on an organization that only offers 1 option.

Although it may seem like AARP would be giving it's members a "deal" on life insurance, it couldn't further from the truth as we've proved above.

We work with over 60 "A" rated companies and most of them can blow AARP/New York Life's rates out of the water, with level payments and last indefinitely (if structured right). 

Do you really want an advocate that looks out for you when purchasing life insurance? Speak with an experienced independent life insurance agent.

Compare what we can offer you to what AARP life insurance can.

We replace AARP policies all the time.  Even if you've already purchased a policy, we can secure you a less expensive policy and you can cancel your AARP policy with no penalties.

Give us a call or fill out our life insurance request form and we'd be to present you the best rates you can qualify for out of all the top rated life insurance companies available.
 

Posted in AARP Life Insurance, Reviews | Leave a comment

Graded Death Benefit Life Insurance Quotes

Posted on April 23, 2013 by Jeff Root

We represent all the graded death benefit life insurance companies on the market and in this article we'll explain what "graded death benefit" life insurance is and how to secure the best graded death benefit life insurance policy available.

Graded death benefit life insurance policies are a god-send for some people.  Specifically for those who can't qualify for traditional life insurance coverage.  You can be declined from life insurance from all other companies and still get life insurance through graded death benefit plan. 

The icing on the cake? There is no medical exam required for graded death benefit plans.

What is a graded death benefit life insurance policy?


In short, it's a life insurance policy with a waiting period. 

As a consumer, there are 3 basic features you need to know about graded death benefit life insurance:

Graded Death Benefit 1. You don't receive the full benefit for 2-3 years (depending on the company).  This is called the waiting period. 

There are 2 types of graded policies: return of your premium during the first 2 years + interest OR a percentage of the death benefit. 

Either way, if an unexpected death happens within the first 2 years, your beneficiaries will still receive a tax free benefit, it just won't be for the full amount.  Make sure your agent goes over this with you BEFORE you submit an application.  After the first 2-3 years, you receive the full benefit.

2.  Rates are expensive compared to standard policies - you have to realize this is a higher risk policy.  Be honest with your agent about your health, and they will recommend the lowest cost graded death benefit life insurance plan. 

The good news is the rates are guaranteed level for the rest of your life and it will build some cash value.


3.  There are some health questions.  So it's not guaranteed issued (although there are guaranteed issue life insurance options available).  Although most will qualify even with cancer, heart problems, strokes etc.  Each company has different health questions so speak with your agent and they'll place you in the lowest cost plan available for your situation.

How To Find The Best Graded Death Benefit Life Insurance Quotes


First of all, make sure you work with an agent that has access to the best graded death benefit options available and has the ability to compare the rates side by side.  (as seen below)

Cheap Graded Death Benefit Life Insurance Policy

Once your agent views the best rates based on your age, date of birth, gender and smoking status, the next step would be to see if you qualify for the best quotes presented.

In the sample above, we'd see if you can qualify for Baltimore Life.  In you can't qualify for Baltimore Life, we'd see if you can qualify for United Home Life.  We'd go down the list until we find the least expensive policy you can qualify for.

Every graded death benefit policy has different qualifying questions, so the key to finding the best graded death benefit life insurance rates is sorting through all the options available and finding the cheapest company that YOUR unique risk fits into.

It's as simple as that and we provide this service for all our clients.  We'll always find the lowest cost graded death benefit life insurance policy for our clients.

Bottom Line

There are only a couple dozen companies that offer graded death benefit life insurance and we have access to the most competitive ones.  If you're looking to buy graded death benefit coverage, give us a call or fill out our quote request form.  We'll do the shopping for you. 

Posted in High Risk Life Insurance | Leave a comment

Life Insurance Blood Test FAQs

Posted on April 20, 2013 by Jeff Root

Blood Test For Life InsuranceThe dreaded life insurance blood test. It's a big inconvenience, but to qualify for the most affordable life insurance rates, it has to be done.

During the life insurance medical exam, the nurse will take a vile of blood. You'll feel a small pinch and before you know it, it's over. This blood is used to evaluate a variety of health risks.

Many of our clients have had different concerns and questions about the life insurance blood test.  Here are the most poplular ones we get:

Blood Test For Life Insurance FAQs

What are the life insurance companies looking for in my blood?

A variety of risks, including: cholesterol, triglycerides, any illegal substances, your glucose or a1c levels for diabetes, creatine (kidney), bilirubin (liver), liver enzymes, protein, nicotine etc.

Can I take my medical exam and blood test at my doctor?

No. The life insurance blood test has to be done by a nurse that's independent of your own doctor. Keep in mind, they will review the lab results done by your doctor which will be in the medical records they collect during underwriting. However, the life insurance companies require an independent examiner to perform the test.

Life Insurance Blood TestHow much blood do they take?

They take one vile of blood.

Do I have to pay for the medical exam and blood test?

No. The life insurance company pays for the medical exam.

Can the life insurance blood test be done at my home or work?

Yes. The exam can be completed either at your home, your office or the examiner's office. You choose.

What if I know I have high cholesterol or any abnormal lab results?

Make sure you reveal these to your life insurance agent.  Every life insurance company looks at your health differently and we're able to reference your risk across all the top rated life insurance companies and see which life insurance company will look at your risk most favorably.

Do I get my life insurance blood test results?

Yes.  Some companies will automatically send you these results in the mail and others you'll have to request them.  The best thing to do is ask your agent to make sure they're mailed to you. (We do this automatically for all of our clients)
 

Preparing For Your Life Insurance Blood Test

You want to make sure you don't do anything that temporarily elevates your medical exam results. So here are a few tips:

  • Fast for 8 hours prior to the exam.  We always recommend taking the exam first thing in the morning because with sleep you get that natural fast.
  • Don't eat fatty foods or drink alcohol 24 hours prior to the exam.
  • Don't exercise the day of the exam. It elevates your creatine levels.
  • Drink a lot of water an hour or 2 prior to the exam. Water makes your veins bigger and easier to find.  It will also whelp with the urine sample.

May the BEST quote win!

Compare life insurance rates within 1 minute

Do I Have To Take The Life Insurance Blood Test?

No.  You don't have to take a blood test for life insurance. There are no medical exam life insurance policies available.

You have to be in pretty good health to qualify these "no exam" policies and you'll be paying for the convenience in slightly increased premiums. If you're willing to pay a few dollars more per month, it's a great way to bypass the life insurance blood test.

If the blood test is something you just cannot do, then it's the only option.

Bottom Line

Taking the medical exam and blood test for life insurance will save you money IF you prepare for the exam.  We run across folks who don't take the life insurance blood test seriously and it usually ends up in increased rates. 

So make sure you prepare for the exam and also make sure you're getting the best life insurance rates available.  For instant life insurance quotes, click here.  Or for custom quotes, please fill out the form on the right OR call us at 888-430-7668.
 

Posted in Life Insurance Information | Leave a comment

Best Life Insurance Rates for Helicopter Pilots

Posted on April 11, 2013 by Jeff Root

helicopters and life insuranceIf you're a helicopter pilot and are in the market for life insurance, please take 4 minutes to read this article so you don't make the mistakes many do when applying for life insurance.

We've been working with commercial, military and private helicopter pilots for years and are often referred around.  (If you were referred to us, please let us know who referred you so we can thank them)

Working with an independent life insurance agency that has the expertise, experience and resources to secure the lowest life insurance rates for helicopter pilots is critical.

This article will help you secure the best possible life insurance rates.

Life Insurance Tips for Helicopter Pilots

First of all, DO NOT use an online life insurance quote engine.  The majority of life insurance companies are going to add a "flat extra" to those rates.  You'll want to speak with a helicopter life insurance expert.

An expert in underwriting helicopter pilots can help you avoid that "flat extra" charge.  We represent over 60 life insurance companies and have done our market research for helicopter pilots and 90% of life insurance companies will charge that pesky flat extra no matter what your risk is.

A "flat extra" charges an extra dollar amount per $1,000 of coverage (on top of the regular premium).  For example, a $5 flat extra on a $250,000 policy would add $1,250 per year to your policy ($5 x 250). 

The key in finding the cheapest life insurance rates for helicopter pilots is finding a company that won't give you this flat extra charge...or give you the lowest flat extra available for your risk.

What We Need To Know About Your Flying

Listed below is the information we'll need to ask about your helicopter piloting to secure the best life insurance rates: 

  • Total PIC (Pilot in Command) hours
  • Average PIC hours annually
  • PIC hours last year
  • Type of Helicopter (Make and Model)
  • FAA Certification Date
  • Type of Pilot License (Private, Commercial, Flight Instructor, Instrument Cert, Airline Transport etc)
  • Any Violations or Accidents?

If these questions aren't asked, your agent is just taking a shot in the dark.

In general, the more PIC hours under your belt, the better.

Based on the information above, we're able to shop your risk to all of the top rated life insurance companies on the market.  We already know which companies provide the lowest life insurance rates for helicopter pilots - so we zero in on those companies.

Recent Case Study

Life Insurance for Helicopter PilotsWe had a gentleman contact us to shop the rates he received from his local life insurance agent. 

He's a 38 year old male with no health issues. 
Total PIC hours: 500 (1,000 total hours)
Flies an average of 96 hours annually
Flies a Black Hawk UH-60 for the National Guard
FAA Commercial Certification in 2008 and also Instrument rated.
No violations or accidents

He was quoted a $5 flat extra and told this was the best he could qualify for. 

He found us online and we sent his risk out to the carriers we know to have the most aggressive underwriting for helicopter pilots. 

We had quotes from 3 carriers with NO flat extra and one A+ rated carrier offered Preferred rates.  (We would reveal these carriers, but don't want to give away our trade secrets online)

Obviously our client was ecstatic about these rates.

Our Process

So how do we differentiate ourselves from the rest of the industry in securing the cheapest life insurance rates for helicopter pilots?

Simple.  We spent the time to do market research from over 60 life insurance companies.  On top of that, we have a unique qualifying process that's labor intensive for us (something most agents aren't willing to do).

Here' what we do:

  1. Qualify your helicopter flying background and health history
  2. Pre-qualify your risk by sending it to underwriters at the companies that consistently give the best rates for helicopter pilots. (24-48 hour turnaround time)
  3. Present you the best offers.

These "pre-qualification" offers we receive back are called "tentative offers".  Meaning if everything we explained to the underwriter is validated in underwriting, then they have to give us this rating. 

These tentative offers are given to us in writing, so we can attach them to your application.

Bottom Line

Hopefully we've demonstrated that we have the experience in finding the cheapest life insurance rates for helicopter pilots.  Whether you're flying a Chinook, Huey, Apache, Comanche, Cobra, Black Hawk or ANY military, commercial or private helicopter, we can help.

We would appreciate the opportunity to earn your business.  Please call us or complete our quote request form on the right and we'll get in touch with you.

Posted in Helicopter Pilot | Leave a comment

Wells Fargo Simplified Issue Life Insurance Review

Posted on April 8, 2013 by Jeff Root

Wells Fargo Simplified Issue Term Life Insurance ReviewThis article will review Wells Fargo's Simplified Issue Term Life Insurance program through Great-West Financial.

As an independent life insurance agency, we're always vetting new products on the market. We recently had a Wells Fargo customer call us to compare rates to Wells Fargo's Simplified Issue Term Life product that they market online and to their massive customer base. We did our research and this article will detail our results.

First of all, it's important to understand what "Simplified Issue" life insurance means. In short, it's life insurance with no medical exam. Many people misunderstand it for being "guaranteed issue" life insurance, however that's not the case. You have to qualify based on the health questions and background checks.

Ok, lets get on with our Wells Fargo Simplified Issue Life Insurance review.

Wells Fargo Simplified Issue Term Life Insurance Is Expensive

Compared to other simplified issue term life insurance products on the market, this product is much more expensive. We ran $50,000, $100,000 and $150,000 rates at ages 25, 30, 35, 40, 45, 50 and 55 and every time there were better options. Don't believe us? See for yourself:

Click here to get a quote for Wells Fargo Simplified Issue Term Life Insurance.

Click here to get a quote from 1clickcoverage (similar instant issue coverage)

Both of these products have online applications and both of these products will give you instant decisions on your application. You'll see that 1clickcoverage beats Great-West Financial's (aka Wells Fargo Simplified Issue Term Life Insurance) pricing every time.

If you really want the best "simplified issue" rates, there are even better choices that we outline here.  For full transparency, these other options require an agent to assist you with the application unlike the option above.

Wells Fargo Simplified Issue Term Life Insurance Is Hard To Qualify For

You need to be in outstanding health. They have around 20 yes/no health questions. If you mark any of them "yes", you're disqualified from coverage.

One of their application questions asks: "In the past 10 years, have you had, been medically advised that you have, or received any type of treatment for the following: ... High Blood Pressure"

So if you've ever had high blood pressure in the last 10 years, you can't qualify for coverage. Every other simplified issued life insurance company on the market will allow controlled high blood pressure to qualify for coverage.

This is how sensitive their underwriting is.

Limited in Coverage and Term Length

You can ONLY apply for a 10 or 20 year term policy. Just be aware that you can get 10, 15, 20 and 30 year simplified issue term coverage from plenty of other carriers.

Also, the maximum amount of coverage is $150,000. Most simplified issue life insurance companies go up to $250,000 - $350,000 of coverage. However Wells Fargo's Simplified Issue Term Life Insurance does have a $25k option that most simplified issue term companies don't have - so I'll give them that.

Bottom Line

Don't buy this coverage. If you've already purchased it, secure a cheaper policy and then cancel your Wells Fargo Simplified Issue Term Life Insurance policy.

We have nothing against Wells Fargo - they're a great bank. And that's just it - they should stick to banking because they're promoting an inferior life insurance product to their customers.

If you'd like to see what the rest of the "simplified issue" life insurance market looks like for YOUR unique situation, give us a call or fill out the form on the right. We'd be happy to provide you with the lowest rates you can qualify for.
 

Posted in Reviews, Wells Fargo Simplified Issue | Leave a comment

Compare Term Life Insurance Quotes Online

Posted on March 28, 2013 by Jeff Root

Compare Term Life Insurance Quotes OnlineWhen it comes time to compare term life insurance quotes online, we do things a little differently than everyone else. 

We're not your typical call center life insurance agency - we're a small (but mighty) boutique life insurance comparison service.

What that means for you is we can do whatever we want without someone looking over our shoulder - so we've taken advantage of that and compare term life insurance quotes differently than the other big name call center life insurance agencies.

Here's why we're different and how this benefits you in finding the lowest cost term life insurance rates:

1.  Instant Life Insurance Quotes, no contact information

That's right, we let you compare term life insurance quotes online in the comfort of your own home or office without having to feel sneaky by entering fake contact information just to get to the quote results screen.

We understand that most consumers want to see instant term life insurance rates, company ratings and policy details AND THEN decide if they would like to more forward or need the help of a life insurance expert (we're just a phone call away). 

Compare term life insurance quotes online here.

May the BEST quote win!

Compare life insurance rates within 1 minute


2. Grill You on Your Health

Lets say you gave us the opportunity to earn your business.  Now we're going to dig deep into any health issues you may have before we submit this application.  And when we say deep - we want you to tell us everything.

The reason we do this is because we want to provide you with accurate rates.  Anyone can click a few buttons of the mouse and pull up life insurance rates, but the question now becomes:  Can you qualify for these rates?

That's why we'll ask you the details regarding any health issues.  We don't want to waste your time or ours by getting a surprise increase in premiums when an underwriter makes their offer.  Which brings us to our next point.

3. Consult Our Underwriters Before Submitting An Application

I would say 95% of life insurance agents DON'T do this.  If you have any health issues, we'll consult an underwriter at the company you're applying with to confirm the rates. 

Why is this important?  So there's no surprises after you've gone through the underwriting process.  No one wants to be quoted one rate and offered a higher rate.  Consulting with our underwriters prevents this from happening.

4. Compare over 60 Life Insurance Companies

Since we're independent, we can offer ALL the top rated term life insurance companies who are competitive on price.  Not many life insurance agencies can say that. 

Currently, we actively quote over 60 life insurance companies using several different technologies. 

5.  Work Within Your Budget
 
We're very conscious of your life insurance budget.  If you give a specific amount you're comfortable setting aside for your life insurance purchase, we'll work on adjusting the death benefit and/or the term length of your ideal amount.

When it's time to compare term life insurance quotes, make sure you're comfortable with the agent that's helping you.  We're the ones ultimately responsible for securing you the lowest life insurance rates available.

It's true that life insurance rates are the same no matter where you go, we all use the same published rates.  However, your life insurance agent's expertise can secure you a better health classification which can return a better rate.  Keep that in mind when you speak with your agent.

So if you compare term life insurance quotes on our website, rest assured you're working with experts who will do their very best to secure the best life insurance rates available for your situation.
 

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ING Reliastar Term Life Insurance Review

Posted on March 27, 2013 by Jeff Root

ING Reliastar Term Life Insurance ReviewING is one of the most recognized names in the financial world.  However, their life insurance company, Reliastar, isn't as big of name and most consumers ask us for more information about them.  So this is our ING Reliastar Term Life Insurance Review.

First off, Reliastar is a subsidiary of ING.  They are their own life insurance company.  ING is the parent company.

With that said, ING Reliastar is one of the biggest life insurance companies in the US.  They have over 14,000,000 customers in the US and carry an AM Best rating of A+.  AM Best is the industry benchmark for financial strength in the life insurance industry - so feel confident in ING Reliastar's financial strength.

With those "feel good" statistics out of the way, here's the top 5 reasons why we recommend ING Reliastar Term Life Insurance:

1. Preferred rates for diabetics.

Seriously.  If you're over the age of 60 and diagnosed with type 2 diabetes less than 5 years ago and have it under control with medications - you can qualify for preferred rates assuming no other health issues and you can meet all other Preferred critera. 

That's right - ING Reliastar can offer preferred rates for diabetics.  No other company is offering preferred rates to ANY diabetic. 

If you have diabetes and don't fall within this category, check out our Life Insurance for Diabetics page.

2.  Total Cholesterol up through 300 is eligible for Preferred Plus rates.

As long as your ratio's are below 5.0 (male) and 4.5 (female), you can qualify for the best rate class available.  This is the most aggressive on the market.  Anyone with a high total cholesterol should consider ING Reliastar as an option.

3.  The occasional cigar smoker may qualify for non-smoker rates.

If you smoke less than 52 cigars per year.  You can qualify for preferred rates.  You must admit your use on the application and your medical exam must be negative for nicotine and cotinine.  If you smoke more than 1 cigar a week, check out our article Affordable Life Insurance for Cigar Smokers.

4.  Family history of cancer is NOT considered in evaluating your risk for Preferred rates.

The majority of life insurance companies will start you off at "Standard" or a "Standard Plus" health classification. ING will offer preferred rates, IF you can qualify for preferred rates overall.  They are 1 of 2 companies that will offer this.

5.  Unisex build (height and weight) charts are very aggressive for women and "Preferred" rates.

Typically there are 2 different build charts.  One for males and one for females.  At the same height for a male and female - male's usually have a higher weight threshold.  So a unisex build chart from ING really favors females,  mostly at the "Preferred" health classification.

May the BEST quote win!

Compare life insurance rates within 1 minute

Every life insurance company looks at your health differently and each company has their underwriting niches.  Above are the top 5 reasons where we recommend ING Reliastar term life insurance.

ING Reliastar term life insurance is competitive in pricing in other areas as well.  They are often the lowest life insurance rates compared to the rest of the market without being in any of those categories above.  Run an instant life insurance quote on our website to see how ING stacks up to other carriers on the market.

Our ING Reliastar term life insurance review is a positive one.  If it makes sense to recommend them, we have no hesitation in doing so. 

If you're curious if ING Reliastar is the right company for you, please don't hesitate to contact us or run instant life insurance quotes on our website. 

We're an independent life insurance agency with access to over 60 life insurance carriers - we'll always recommend the lowest priced term life insurance available for your unique situation.
 

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