As the name implies, mortgage protection insurance (also called mortgage life insurance and mortgage protection life insurance) is a policy that pays off the balance of your mortgage should you die. It often is sold through banks and mortgage lenders.
A mortgage life insurance policy is a term life policy designed specifically to repay mortgage debts and associated costs in the event of the death of the borrower. These policies differ from traditional life insurance policies. With a traditional policy, the death benefit is paid out when the borrower dies.
Mortgage insurance pays off the remaining balance on your mortgage if you die. This protects your family from falling behind on mortgage payments, which can lead to foreclosure or having to sell your home.
The cost of mortgage protection insurance will vary depending on how much a homeowner's mortgage is. Customers can expect to pay an average of $50 per month, but some monthly premiums could be as low as $5.50. Conversely, the average monthly cost of life insurance is $27.
The death benefit decreases, but premiums remain level for the policy term. Often such policies are sold as mortgage protection with the amount of insurance decreasing as the balance of the mortgage decreases. If the insured dies, the proceeds of the policy can be used to pay off the mortgage.
If you go through the process of applying for a mortgage, you may be offered mortgage life insurance by your lender or its partner companies. While it isn't mandatory, mortgage life insurance offers enough coverage to pay off your mortgage so your family will not have to move if you pass away.
Is mortgage protection insurance required? Mortgage protection insurance isn't required. It isn't the same thing as private mortgage insurance, which many banks or lenders will require you to buy.
Unless you have a complicated medical background that would disqualify you from coverage, traditional term life insurance is a better option than mortgage protection insurance. Here's why: Term life covers everything. Your beneficiaries can use the death benefit for any expenses — not just mortgage payments.
The main difference between Mortgage Protection Insurance and Life Insurance is that Mortgage Protection insurance is designed to cover just your mortgage repayments if you die. Life insurance policies, on the other hand, are mainly to protect you and your family.
While mortgage life insurance can protect you—the borrower—and their heirs, mortgage insurance protects the lender if the mortgagor isn't able to fulfill their financial obligations.
Individually owned life insurance tends to be cheaper than mortgage insurance. In some cases, it's significantly less expensive than mortgage protection insurance from a lender. “The tax-free proceeds can remove a huge financial burden from the shoulders of the family you leave behind,” says Wouters.
Decreasing term life insurance is a type of life insurance policy that pays out less over time. It's often used to cover the balance of a repayment mortgage, because the total balance of the mortgage decreases over time and will be paid off in full at the end of the term.
Mortgage life insurance, also known as decreasing term life insurance, pays a lump sum on your death to help pay your repayment mortgage.
Purchase a term life insurance policy for at least the amount of your mortgage. Then, if you pass away during the "term" when the policy's in force, your loved ones receive the face value of the policy. They can use the proceeds to pay off the mortgage. Proceeds that are often tax free.
If you die during the coverage period, the death benefit is paid to the mortgage lender. Your loved ones will not directly receive any of the proceeds from the policy, but the policy will pay the mortgage in full so they do not have to worry about making house payments.
MIP typically lasts for the life of the loan (or 11 years, if you made a 10% or bigger down payment). However, FHA homeowners still have options to get rid of mortgage insurance. “After sufficient equity has built up on your property, refinancing... to a new conventional loan would eliminate MIP or PMI payments.”
If you have a mortgage, you might want to take out life insurance. Then, if you die before your policy ends, the lump sum can be used to help pay off the outstanding mortgage balance, so your family could stay in their home. Some lenders will ask you to take out life insurance as part of their mortgage offer.
Not everyone needs life insurance, but if your children, partner or other relatives depend on you financially, including parental responsibilities, taking out life insurance could be worth it to help provide for your family in the event of your death.
One option you might want to think about if you're taking out life insurance to pay off a mortgage is a decreasing term policy. When you take out this kind of cover, the pay-out that your family receives in the event of your death decreases steadily with the value of your remaining mortgage repayments.
Simply put, with a level term life insurance policy, if you were to die within the term, your family will be paid the pre-agreed cash sum. For decreasing term, the cash sum reduces throughout the policy length, approximately in line with the decreases in a repayment mortgage.
Others may not insure you at all if you are over the age of 60 (when it comes to mortgage or credit insurance policies). Other companies might limit the term of any insurance policy.
Paying off your mortgage may not be in your best interest if: You have to withdraw money from tax-advantaged retirement plans such as your 403(b), 401(k) or IRA. This withdrawal would be considered a distribution by the IRS and could push you into a higher tax bracket.
Can you get a 30-year home loan as a senior? First, if you have the means, no age is too old to buy or refinance a house. The Equal Credit Opportunity Act prohibits lenders from blocking or discouraging anyone from a mortgage based on age.
Even when you reach your 70s, life insurance could help ease the financial burden on your loved ones – from household bills to covering the mortgage – if you were no longer around. But remember, your life insurance will be cancelled if you stop making payments when due, and you won't be able to recover your money paid.