is mortgage protection insurance a scam

Scammers could use public data to contact potential victims, as in the example postcard below. Scammers may want your money, but many are also looking for your personal information to commit identity theft, so more than your money is at stake.

Mortgage life insurance is more expensive than the guaranteed level of term insurance. It's usually offered as a "Non-Medical" insurance product. Non-medical means you're not required to take an exam (including urine and blood samples) to be covered. The process for applying is simple. It's quick and straightforward to complete, requiring only a handful of health-related questions. Mortgage Life Insurance is usually offered in just two categories: Standard Tobacco and Non-tobacco.

The majority of Life insurance for mortgages includes riders for disability insurance as well as Return of Premium. The disability insurance rider is designed to help pay the mortgage if you are disabled due to an injury or illness. The disability riders in these plans are typically not particularly robust. The concept of disability states that one needs to be severely disabled to be eligible for benefits.

Is this a good idea or a hoax?

If you just took out a mortgage, we'd advise you to look at term life insurance that would factor in your mortgage and income replacement to help care for those you'd leave behind. The typical recommendation is to have 8-10 times your income in a 20 or 30-year life insurance policy.

It could be surprising; however, knowing who has recently purchased a house can be a public record. The information on who bought or refinanced mortgages for homes and the lender, the loan amount, and the address to which the loan is tied can be found in the local courthouse. The companies will offer life insurance and mortgage protection to prospective homeowners.