Let's say you own a mortgage of $250,000. The mortgage protection policy typically offers you $250,000 in term life insurance over the loan. If you pass away, the family members can take care of the debt and remain in the house. Sometimes, they're designed so that the policy will decrease in value as time passes (as you pay off the mortgage).
A bunch of insurance companies will be included in the pile telling you that you need to protect your mortgage with a "mortgage protection insurance" policy. There's usually some appeal to a mortgage holder to help their family stay in the home if they were to die suddenly.
Most of the offers you receive in the mail have a postage-paid response card enclosed. Life agents know they will receive a response rate of approximately 2% to 3%. The next step is to call you and schedule an appointment. Be very careful here. Most mortgage life agents are trained to sell you in one visit. It's called the "one-call close." Be prepared for a compelling presentation. However, insist that the agent leaves the quote with you. Take time to compare it to your other options. Tell them this is a big decision and you need time to shop and consider other companies.
Making sure that your family members are financially supported if you pass away prematurely or are disabled is essential. This is the bigger picture.
Scammers may use data from public sources to reach potential victims, such as in the example below. Scammers might want to take your cash, but a lot are also searching for your data to steal your identity, which means more than your money is at risk.
It may be surprising to find out who's recently bought a home that will be public. Information about who purchased or refinanced an existing home loan and the lender, the loan amount, and the address to which the loan is tied is available from the local courthouse. Businesses will contact new homeowners in the coming months with special offers such as life insurance and mortgage protection.
The mortgage life insurance policy is specifically designed to make your mortgage payment upon loss of income or disabled. The procedure typically has the benefit of decreasing (face) value that is reduced proportionally to the declining value on your mortgage. The policy owner can name your spouse or a third party as the beneficiary so that they can pay off your loan in one single amount. Or, the beneficiary may retain the death benefit and continue to make monthly mortgage payments.
Scammers might use public information to reach potential victims, such as the sample postcard below. Scammers might be looking to steal the money you have. However, they are also seeking your data to be able to commit identity theft, so more than your money is at risk.
Life insurance for mortgages is specifically designed to make your mortgage payment upon loss of income or disabled. The policy typically has an increasing benefit (face) value that is reduced in proportion to the decrease in the value of your mortgage. The insured should name your spouse or a third party as the beneficiary so they can pay off your home in one lump amount. Your beneficiary could also keep the death benefit and continue to make monthly mortgage payments.
Let's say you have a $250,000 mortgage. These mortgage protection policies will usually give you $250,000 in term life insurance for the life of the mortgage. If you die, your family can pay off the loan and stay in the home. Sometimes they're structured so that the policy decreases in value over time (as you pay the mortgage).
It's essential to recognize the warning signs of insurance fraud involving mortgages. It's equally important to be aware that most offers are genuine. If you're interested in this kind of insurance, follow the tips listed below when filling out an interest form or make a call to ensure the company is authentic and trustworthy.
Watch out for offers asking for sensitive information like your social security number, bank account number, or credit card information. Most reputable companies will never ask for that information when they first reach out to you to see if you are interested in mortgage protection insurance.
Private mortgage insurance will lower the risk to the lender of making a loan to you; it lets you qualify for a loan that you otherwise not be able to get. Typically, borrowers making down payments of less than 20 percent of the home's purchase price will need to pay for private mortgage insurance.
Is mortgage protection insurance required? Mortgage protection insurance isn't needed. It isn't the same as private mortgage insurance, which many banks or lenders will require you to buy.
A mortgage protection life insurance policy is a term life policy explicitly designed to repay mortgage debts and associated costs in the event of the borrower's death. These policies differ from traditional life insurance policies. With a conventional policy, the death benefit is paid out when the borrower dies.