Life insurance is a contract signed by a private individual (policyholder) with an insurer, under which the insurer, in exchange for a price or premium defined by the insurer, undertakes to pay a certain capital, rent or other benefits to the policyholder or another person designated by the policyholder in the event of his or her death during the term of the insurance.

In life insurance, the following elements exist:

Insurance company: this is the company that collects the premium and undertakes to pay the agreed benefit in the event of the situation or risk covered.

Owner: is the person who contracts the insurance and who pays the premium.

Insured: is the person whose life is insured. It may coincide with the policyholder or be different to him/her.

Beneficiary: the person or persons designated by the policyholder who will receive the benefit in the event of the covered situation.

The cost depends on your circumstances. Life insurance premiums are based on your age when you buy the policy. They are usually lower for people who are younger. Insurance premiums can be high if you are older, smoke, have factors that are considered high risk, or if you have dangerous hobbies such as skydiving or mountain climbing. Your insurance premium (annual cost) will also depend on other things, including the amount of coverage and the features of the policy you choose.

Term Life Insurance is the simplest and most affordable. The insured selects an amount of coverage and defines for how many years he wants to keep the policy. However, from the period chosen, as a contracting party you have the right to cancel your policy at any time as easily as by choosing not to pay additional premiums.

Yes, you can obtain several policies with the same or different insurers as long as the need and amount of coverage can be justified. A policy can also replace another existing policy if it benefits the insured at a cost/benefit level.

Companies typically pay the death benefit in one lump sum, but there are other payment options. You or the beneficiary choose how the death benefit will be paid. Common payment options include:

• Interest Option: The insurance company keeps the death benefit and pays the interest to your beneficiary at regular intervals.
• Fixed Period: The company pays the death benefit at regular intervals, with interest, for a selected period of time.
• Life Reimbursement: The insurance company pays the beneficiary a set monthly amount for the rest of his or her life. Under this option, the beneficiary may receive more than the death benefit stated in the policy if he or she lives longer than expected.

The beneficiary may be a person or entity who is financially impacted by the death of the insured. The most common use is replacement of family income or debt payment. In countries where forced heirship law applies, life insurance is not considered part of the inheritance, giving you the freedom to name beneficiaries outside the bloodline.

Upon notification of a death certificate, the insurance company takes approximately 30 days to pay the claim. Payment can be made to the destination chosen by the beneficiary by check or bank transfer. Life insurance must be purchased through highly qualified, financially stable and regulated companies. The contract is between the insured and the insurance company. A good intermediary agent analyzes his clients' policies annually. The insured has contact through the intermediary or directly with the company if desired.

You should review your life insurance policy every few years to make sure it still meets your needs. However, replacing a policy with a new one is not always a good idea.

If switching to a new policy means early withdrawal from a permanent life policy, surrender charges may reduce its cash value.

You'll probably have to answer questions about your health or get another medical exam.

The advantage of taking out life insurance when you are young and healthy is that you will find it at a low cost. If you have dependents in the future, you will pay the lowest rate and you will have guaranteed your insurability because you will not have to worry about rates that are higher than measures that you will age and may experience health problems.

The policyholder can change the beneficiary of the insurance at any time, unless he or she has named irrevocable beneficiaries at the time of acquiring his or her policy.

Could be, but more likely they're not enough. Group life insurance policies, which are often the type of life insurance offered by employers or through businesses usually pay a limited amount similar to or less than a worker's year's salary, which is less than what survivors need to meet their short- and long-term plans.