Life insurance is a contract between the policy owner and th insurer where the insurer agrees to pay a designated beneficiary a sum of money upon the occurrence of the insured individual's or individual's death or other thing, such as terminal illness or critical illness. In return, the policy owner agrees to pay a stipulated amount called a premium at regular intervals or in lump sums. There may be designs in some countries where bills and death expenses plus catering for after funeral expenses should be included in Policy Premium. In U.S., the predominant form simply specifies a lump sum to be paid on the insured's demise.
As with most insurance policies, life insurance is a contract between the insurer and the policy owner whereby a benefit is paid to the designated beneficiaries if an insured event occurs which is covered by the policy. The value for the policyholder is derived not from an actual claim event, rather it is the value derived fromthe peace of mind experienced by the policyholder, due to the negating of adverse financial consequences caused by the death of the Life Assured.
To be a life policy the insured event must be based upon the lives of the people named in the policy. Insured events that may be covered include Serious Illness.
Life policies are legal contracts and the terms of the contract describe the limitations of the insured events. Specific exclusions are often written into the contract to limit the liability of the insurer.
Life-based contracts tend to fall into two major categories:
1. Protection policies:
Designed to provide a benefit in the event of specified event, typically a lump sum payment. Common form of this design is term insurance.
2. Investment policies:
Where the main objectives is to facilitate the growth of capital by regular or single premiums. Common forms (in the U.S. anyway) are whole life, universal life, and variable life policies.
