is there such a thing as joint life insurance?

Question

I'm looking for a life insurance policy that insures 2 people with just 1 policy (like a husband-wife policy). So that if 1 dies, the survivor becomes the beneficiary.
I was thinking if we get 2 separate insurance policies, and 1 dies, all the previous payments of the survivor will just go to waste, since the beneficiary/spouse is gone.
Do y ou know what type of insurance this "joint" insurance is? Is there any life insurance company that offers this type of insurance?

Answer 1

Yes there are first to die and second to die policies out there.

The first to die pays out when the first person passes and ussually provides an option for the survivor to purchase the same face amount without any medical exams. This is good to cover a mortgage or protect you into retirement. This sounds like what you are looking for, the best product I have seen out there is Phoenix Life Insurance first to die. State Farm agents have access to Phoenix as do some independent brokers.

The second to die policy pays when both insureds pass and is more common in estate planning cases to pay the estate taxes.

Answer 2

Yes there is a company that offers this type of policy. We offer it because it is the best to do for the couple. Separate policies means separate policy fees, by putting couple under one policy the fees can be used to help with retirement.

Think what you want the insurance to do for you not that premiums will be a waste. Ask yourself, if you or your spouse dies do you have enough in liquid assets to pay for the funeral out of pocket? How about the next several years? Was that persons salary necessary to everyday living expenses? How about, God forbid, there are kids? Can you cover all expenses until the youngest is 18 or 20?

If most of the above you answer no to, you need insurance.

Now, you should contact a local Primerica representative for a confidential and complimentary Financial Needs Analysis. This will take a look at your current financial position, find out through questions where you want to end up by retirement, and put a plan together for you. How you answer will be different from everyone else. This is customized to your wants and needs. There is no obligation to buy anything.

Their policy covers an entire family under ONE policy- main person, second person and ALL kids, both present and future.

I will just highlight what you asked- "I'm looking for a life insurance policy that insures 2 people with just 1 policy."
Primerica covers families under a blanket policy for the household. Main person, then spouse as rider and finally children both present and future. Seems fantastic? Call your nearest agent. Unlike most insurance companies the Financial Needs Analysis is free, private and is customized to you and you alone.

Answer 3

I strongly suggest that you meet with one or more licensed insurance agents and have a thorough discussion of your goals and how life insurance fits into your plans to achieve those goals.

There are "first-to-die" joint policies although they are becoming rare. Generally, these policies insure two people. When the first one dies, the policy pays a death benefit to the named beneficiary. Generally, the second insured then has no life insurance. That may not be a wise move. If the survivor still has a need for life insurance, he/she will have to apply for a policy at an older age and perhaps worse health.

Joint policies may be more expensive than two separate policies.

There are other issues as well such as divorce - what happens to a joint policy in that case?

Go talk to an insurance agent.

Good Luck.

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Answer 4

There are policies like that. They are called "first to die policies" or "survivor benefit policies". They insure both of you (usually at the highest rate, might be a little lower than that, but never at the lower rate). Altough you same some money there, the restrictions they impose make them a bad invesment. It differs from company to company, but as a rule, they will not cover you two forever. In my company we use to have a product like that about 10 years ago, and it offered survivor coverage (they use the median age to calculate the price), but when the insured (the median age) reached 65, the survivor could get the benefit, but to keep his/her insurance would have to reapply with no insurability benefits.
The best thing to would be buying 2 policies, but also speaking with your agent/broker and reading all the paperwork.

Answer 5

Allamerican is dead wrong. The type of policy you are thinking of is called a second-to-die policy. If you take out a policy like that, then here is what happens. It will be one policy. For example, you and your spouse are both insured. If your spouse passes first, then you still have your policy. When you pass next, then your beneficiaries get the death benefit. It is an excellent policy option for a husband and wife who might have estate issues, need a life insurance trust, and one is not in the best of health. The big downside to a policy option like this is there is only one benefit paid. It is paid when the second insured person passes away. hope this helps, good luck. I am sure many of the larger life insurance companies,( New York Life, Pacific Life, Mass Mutual) offer second-to-die policies. Good luck again.

Answer 6

OK, what your asking for isn't "joint life".

What you want, I think, is that if one person dies, the policy pays the other person? Or that if BOTH people die, a third party gets paid??

The previous payments of the "survivor" dont' go to waste - insurance is a BET, and the company would have paid.

If you both get a joint policy, you both have to die before it pays out. AND, it gets rated for BOTH people, at the higher person's rate. So it's like two policies, but more expensive. That what you want??

What you REALLY want, is for each of you to be the owner of the policy insuring the OTHER GUY'S life - so that they can't change YOU from being beneficiary. And then, when one guy dies, if the other doesn't want insurance, STOP PAYING FOR IT! Pretty simple.

Answer 7

The insurance guy from Texas has it right. Contact a local insurance agent and go over all of your insurance needs and goals. He or she will find a company with a policy(ies) that match your needs.

Every company that sells anything other than the "Standard" life policy has their own twist to the policy language and intent. Only someone that knows those policies and your exact needs can fully understand what you need.

Start with the agent that provides your home/auto policies. If they can't provide the life policy ask them for a referral or ask around in your family/work for a good agent contact.

Good Luck Joe!

Answer 8

Nope because their is a difference in the risk of death rate associated wtih each sex... men are more likley to die than women. Thre may be such policies out there but they will likley costs the same as buying 2 policies- ins comp are not in the buyone get one free business... the formula for death risk would still use the tables for both of you to calculate the premium.

You are thinking of life insurance with the wrong approach.

There are 2 types of life ins..You can buy a "whole life" plan that is expensive and a combination of both term life insurance and a savings plan ( a poorly performing one but one none the less) or you can buy simple" term "ins which is less expensive and is simply purchasing a contract that the comp will give x amount to Y person if you croak while paying the premiums.

Insurance really should not be seen as an investment that accumulates over time. It is a simple fee you pay to purchase financial security for your family for x amount of time.

You are veiwing it as an investment when it is simply a payment for service that you use every month. It is like your car insurance - you pay a fee to have it cover you so you can use it if you need it.The previous payments will not be a waste in that you had that "security" for that period of time. I pay 40 dollars every month so that if I die in that month my estate gets 250,000. If I stop needing coverage I stop paying it! You are buying security in the form of if I die X gets Y.

So you are not wasting money - you are purchasing a service. A service the company is providing for each individual. Also don 't forget that if your spouse dies you can continue to pay the policy and keep the coverage you have had and simply change who the beneficiary is from your spouse to your kids, dog, church, lover or favorite Yahoo Answers answerer!

Answer 9

Get insurance quotes

Answer 10

It's mutual insurance with the limits the same for both. ~