If something were to happen to you, how would that impact others around you financially? That’s one of the key questions to consider when deciding if it’s the right time to buy life insurance.

While life insurance is primarily designed to provide financial support to those who would be impacted financially if you were to pass, it’s not the only reason to buy a life insurance policy. Whole life policies, in particular, have added benefits, as they build cash value that can be applied later in life to help pay for important milestones, such as buying a home, helping with your children’s college tuition or even supplementing your retirement.

When it comes to choosing the right policy for your needs, several factors come into play, including your age, financial responsibilities and budget.

At What Age Should I Get Life Insurance?

If you don’t already have coverage, the short answer is as soon as possible. Mortality becomes an increasingly important topic to address as you age. Unfortunately, the older you get, the more at risk you are for having underlying health issues and, therefore, the more expensive insurance premiums can be. That’s one big reason why it’s smart to take out a life insurance policy as early as possible, especially if you’re buying permanent life insurance such as a whole life policy. Here are more reasons:

• Whole life premiums do not increase with age. The earlier you purchase a whole life policy, the lower your monthly premium will be. Best of all, it will never increase for the life of your policy.
• Whole life policies build cash value as they mature. This means the longer you have your policy, the more your cash value will grow as you get older. But cash value takes time to build, so the sooner you take out the policy, the more it will be worth when you need it.
• Premiums get more expensive the older you get. Taking out a policy as early as possible  will help keep that monthly premium affordable.
• As you age, you may develop health issues that can make getting life insurance difficult. If you take out a whole life insurance policy early, your premium will not change even if your health deteriorates.

While it’s smart to invest in a life insurance policy while you’re young, it’s not always the ideal time to calculate how much life insurance you’ll need in the future, especially if you are still single without children. Provided you remain in good health, you can always take out a smaller whole life policy now, then supplement it with additional policies later on.

When Is Life Insurance Most Needed?

The answer is simple: when your death would have a negative financial impact on someone else. The primary purpose of term life insurance is to replace your lost income should you die while still in your earning years, helping your loved ones continue to afford your home, pay the bills and prepare for your children's future. As the name suggests, whole life insurance stays with you beyond your earning years all the way to the end of your life and protects your survivors from the financial burden of your final expenses. An AAFMAA life insurance specialist can help you determine which type of insurance is right for you (most people get some of both), how much insurance you need, as well as the best settlement option for your family’s specific situation.

Spouses and children may not be the only ones who rely on your income. For instance, if your parents have co-signed on a loan, they will still be responsible for making payments even after you’re gone. A life insurance policy with enough coverage to pay off outstanding debts would protect them from that becoming their liability.

You may want to have additional insurance, such as a term life policy, for a length of time when your family will need your financial support the most. Term life policies only provide coverage for a specific length of time, or “term.” So, for instance, you may want to carry an extra term policy while your children are younger, then reduce the amount of insurance you carry once they are grown, or you may want extra coverage until your mortgage is paid off.

As a servicemember, it’s also important to consider having extra coverage while you are deployed, as your risks increase during that time period.

Talk to AAFMAA About Your Life Insurance Options

When it comes to buying life insurance, there’s no better time than today. Call 877-398-2263 to speak with our expert Membership Coordinators to learn more about AAFMAA’s many military life insurance options, or get a free, no-obligation quote online.