If you’re looking to move to a different state soon, you may have questions about your life insurance. Particularly if moving will affect its coverage. The good news is that, in most cases, your insurance policy will mostly stay the same.
But before we delve deeper, let’s first discuss what whole life insurance is and how it works.
Table of Contents
What Is Whole Life Insurance?
Whole life insurance is permanent life insurance. It will stay in force as long as you pay the premiums regularly.
When you first apply for coverage, you’ll agree to sign a contract. This states your chosen life insurance company will promise to pay your beneficiaries once you die. This is called a death benefit.
Your premium will then be determined depending on your age, gender, and, most crucially, your health after you have chosen the quantity of coverage you want.
For example, let’s say that you bought a life insurance policy at the age of 40. When you purchase a policy, it will be locked in for the rest of your life if you keep paying for it. The premium you’ll be paying is usually much higher than the one you’ll pay for term life insurance. This is due to your entire life being included in the equation.
Also, unlike term life insurance policies, whole life insurance doesn’t expire. The policy will stay in effect until you die or if you choose to cancel it. Over time, the premiums you have paid will generate cash value, which can be used under certain conditions. This cash value can be taken out as a loan or be used to cover the premiums.
Take note, however, that you have to pay the loan you took from your policy because it would be deducted from the death benefit if you fail to do so. However, since every state has varying laws and regulations about life insurance, what happens when you move?
Why Your Insurance Policy Will Probably Won’t Be Affected
Whole life insurance policies are primarily portable. This means they can usually be transferred to another state without any issues. However, when it comes to taxes and regulation, there might be some changes involved. This is because the state mainly governs life insurance policies, and every state has policies.
Giving your new address is crucial since you wish for them to contact you and your beneficiary immediately. Your prices or the extent of your coverage may not necessarily alter if you move, though.
You might need to consider switching providers if you get whole life insurance via your employer but decide to change jobs. Your internal human resource officer can handle this. In other circumstances, you may keep your present whole life insurance plan with your previous employer.
Each state would have rules regarding policies like refunds, protection for the policyholders, late repayment grace periods, and the beneficiary if the insurance company declared bankruptcy. Even state laws can impact the beneficiaries of life insurance death benefits.
One good example of the significant changes in your life insurance when moving is the number of premiums you’ll pay depending on where you live. You can contact your insurance company if you’re concerned about your premiums.
What About the Life Insurance Payout?
The move won’t affect the life insurance payout you’ll usually receive. This is usually stated in the terms and conditions when you sign up for life insurance. Of course, this is only if you still maintain the life insurance requirements for your beneficiaries.
If you continue paying the premiums on time, the payout shouldn’t be changed because of the move. But take note that this is only for most insurance companies. There are cases where it might be changed, but they’re not that common.
Do the Places of Residence You’ll Have in the Future Affect Your Policy?
The rate of your coverage will remain unaffected by the move. However, as mentioned earlier, the law and regulations surrounding life insurance in that state might change some aspects of your policy. Again, this is because local legislative bodies usually regulate insurance companies.
Also, the free look period for delayed payments and insolvency restrictions varies from state to state. Not only that but there are also state laws that can limit you when choosing your beneficiaries.
But Why Does It Matter?
It’s a common question among policyholders whether they’re looking to buy a whole life insurance policy or choosing medicare supplement plans options like HMO, PPO, or Medigap plan.
Generally speaking, medicare supplement plans offer standardized coverage across all states, so you should be able to find the same type of coverage no matter where you live. However, there may be differences in premium rates, deductibles, and copayment requirements that could affect your medicare supplement policy.
Make sure to compare medicare supplement plans from different providers to ensure you’re getting the best coverage for your needs when moving to a new state. Moreover, prior to making any changes to your policy, you should contact your insurance provider and get their opinion on how moving will affect your policy.
In some cases, relocating can also cause issues with the beneficiaries listed in your policy. If you move to a different state, you must review the beneficiary designations for your policy to ensure they are still applicable in your new location. If they are not, you should update them so that your policy remains valid in the event of your death.
Conclusion
This question is usually common among policyholders but is it a huge concern? Mostly, it isn’t unless stipulations are present in your life insurance. If there aren’t, then there’s nothing to worry about.
You can always ask your life insurance company if you still have questions. Also, it’s best to keep in touch with them from time to time to inform them about your new address and other crucial information related to you and your beneficiaries.
Ashlyn is a homegrown Iowan (go Cyclones!). She graduated from Coe College in Cedar Rapids, Iowa in 2023 with a degree in Business Administration, Marketing, Public Relations, and Communications. Now, she serves as UniMovers' Community Outreach Manager. In her free time, she loves to try new restaurants, travel, watch baseball, and spend time with her dog!
To get in contact with her regarding blog partnerships at UniMovers please email blog@unimovers.com.
