Friday, September 28, 2007

Child Term Life Insurance – It IS Important!

By Elizabeth Newberry

Life insurance, similar to all types of insurance, covers the insured or the family members of the insured in the event of an emergency. With life insurance, that emergency is usually the death of the insured. The grieving period is no time to spend worrying about money and life insurance is the way to alleviate those worries.



Compare Insurance Quotes and Save!



There are two basic kinds of life insurance. The first, and most common, is term life insurance. Simply put, term life insurance insures a person for a certain period of time and builds no cash value. It is the most popular choice because it is usually the least expensive insurance for the particular coverage a person needs. The second, and generally most expensive, is whole life insurance. Whole life insurance insures a person for life and does build cash value. Whole life insurance is a reasonable choice for people with permanent debilitating health conditions, the elderly, or those who can afford it. Although children do not usually fall into any of those categories, they do sometimes qualify for term life insurance.

Child term life insurance will insure a child who is stricken with a health condition. Children can suffer from diseases such as HIV, AIDS, and various types of cancer just as adults can; therefore, purchasing term life insurance is a practical choice for parents or legal guardians of children with these or similar conditions.

Any type of life insurance is purchased so that the surviving family can be spared most or all of the financial burdens during their time of grief. No one wants to spend time trying to figure out how to pay for medical bills or a funeral if they have just lost a loved one. Like all deaths, the death of a child brings emotional sorrows and pain; it does not have to bring extreme financial burden, as well. Look into child term life insurance for peace of mind.

View our Recommended Life Insurance Company, This site is simple and has an easy to fill out application. It also has a lot of great info about Home Insurance and Affordable Health Insurance

Monday, September 24, 2007

The best Shopping cart software

Dear Readers,

I would like to advise you for the best shopping cart software. The Ashop Commerce is the best of the Shopping cart software for your website if your want to sell online with the security and easy to use system. One of the worlds most easy to use web based administrations with award winning features allows the merchant to build an online store capable of competing with the webs most powerful sites for a simple. Ashop Commerce is the most intuitive shopping cart software in the world providing the most up to date and relevant advice you need to start or advance your online business.




What is shopping cart software
shopping cart software is software used in e-commerce to assist people making purchases online, analogous to the American English term 'shopping cart'. In British English it is generally known as a shopping basket, almost exclusively shortened on websites to 'basket'.

For perfect Sell online.
You can use the Ashop Commerce shopping cart software for your e-commerce around the world like yours to build and manage profitable Internet stores. To successfully sell online you need the best ecommerce software you can find, and Ashop Commerce Shopping cart software is a leading provider of hosted shopping cart software. You can build “top shelf” online stores for only a small monthly investment. Ashop Commerce shopping cart is easy to set up for anyone who can surf the internet. But it’s not just an ecommerce software, It's the full service if you have any problem. And more performance that cannot say all in here. Try Ashop commerce Shopping cart software 10 days for free.

Saturday, September 22, 2007

Personalized Bedding

Dear friends,

If you want to buy Bedding for your home or gift to your friends. This is the nice Personalized Bedding. You can turn your pictures or digital designs into a Bedspread or Duvet Cover.


Personalized Bedding

The Photo Blankets make excellent decorations & Gifts with your favorite photo or digital picture is professionally dyed into the blanket fabric using the latest production technology. Visionbedding.com have special process does not alter the fabric texture, it is gentle and the picture won't fade! Blanket feels and washes just like the clothes you wear everyday. Visionbedding.com end result is a soft, superb high-quality personalized photo blanket.

You can use online photo tool makes uploading and cropping your photos a snap. You will be able to capture the perfect image just the way you want it. There are also many pictures or style for choosing Bedspreads & Duvet Covers, Throw Pillows & Pillow Shams, Blankets & Wall Murals at Visionbedding.com

Wednesday, September 19, 2007

Researching Your Genealogy: Start with Living Family Members

by Aldene Fredenburg

A number of resources exist which can help you research your family heritage. If you're lucky, one of the best resources is close at hand: your own family. Stories passed down from generation to generation contain nuggets of information that can help you begin your search. Names of your parents and grandparents, and their parents, can take you back three or four generations. Don't ignore spouses of family relatives; not only do their personal stories add to the flavor of family history, sometimes the spouse of a family member - particularly the wife of a male relative - knows more about your family's history than the relative does.

Interview your family members to see what they know about family history. The older members in particular may have knowledge of your family tree for generations, as well as what these ancestors did for a living, where they lived, when and how they died, and personal stories they're more than willing to hand down to another generation. If you have birth or death certificates among family records, you're in luck; birth certificates will contain a birth date, name of parents, and location of birth. The place of birth in particular will give you a clue as to where to look for further information.

Be aware that family recollections can be wrong. A couple personal experiences: My middle name is May, which was given to me in honor of my father's aunt who raised him. My parents ended up being upset when they found out later that my aunt's name wasn't May, it was really Mary. But it doesn't stop there: while I was researching my aunt's death I came across her obituary in the local newspaper, and it turns out her name wasn't May or Mary - it was Ruth!

Meanwhile, on my mother's side of the family, it was well known that her grandfather's name was Francis Isaac Barrott, that he had lived and died in Worcester, Massachusetts, and that he had actually worked as a maintenance man at City Hall. I contacted the records department of the city of Worcester looking for any records of Francis Isaac Barrott, and found nothing. Later, I obtained my mother's father's death certificate (he had died at the relatively young age of 37) and discovered that his father had signed his own son's death certificate - as "Frank R. Barrott". Once you've gleaned as much as you can from living relatives, it's time to access public records. Birth and death records, deeds, and military records are among those available for research, as are U.S. Census records, from the years 1790 up to 1930 (by law, census records cannot be released to the public for 75 years). When searching census records, start with the latest census and move backward; this way you may be able to track the changes in family circumstances back through the years.

Searching public records has become a lot easier since the introduction of the Internet. A popular software program available online, Ancestry.com, allows you to build your family tree and search U.S. Census databases and other public records.

A lot of books are available to help you on your family search. One of the best is Genealogy 101: How to Trace Your Family's History and Heritage, by Barbara Renick in association with the National Genealogical Society (Rutledge Hill Press, 2003). Renick offers an organized approach to genealogical research that will save you a lot of false starts.

If you've been thinking for a while about beginning a serious search into your family's background, don't put it off. Your best resource, your older family members, is a finite resource. Once they pass on, their knowledge is gone forever.


Link to Catholic Memorials

About AuthorAldene Fredenburg is a freelance writer living in southwestern New Hampshire and frequently contributes to Tips and Topics. She may be reached at amfredenburg@yahoo.com.

Monday, September 17, 2007

The beautiful driveways for your home

Dear friends,

I would like to inform you the beautiful driveways from Anglian Home Inprovements the 40 years old store in UK. There’re many type for your taste or compatible with your house such as Mulbarton cobbles have a smooth top surface and softly chamfered sides to make this block paving look stunning, especially if laid in a combination of contemporary colours. Weaverston is rectangular block paving driveways finishes. Rollesby is particularly suitable if you prefer a contemporary style. Rollesby's smooth finish and joints make it ideal for bikes, buggies and wheelchairs. Rivenhall has a rippled surface with colours which are perfect for traditional settings. Stonelea is a rustic, cobble style paving with a weathered finish providing a very natural appearance.


The Anglian Driveways The Anglian Driveways
The Anglian Driveways The Anglian Driveways

The Anglian driveways can change your home’s kerb appeal to new looking. They’ve classic and contemporary designs, in 40 combinations of style and colour. Customise your driveways with patterns and features such as kerbs, steps and channels. Most manufacturers use 50 mm. blocks, which can deteriorate over time, but the Anglian driveways uses 60 mm. blocks that retain strength far longer.

And the beautiful Conservatories with 10-year guarantee.

Why Does Health Insurance Cost So Much?

By Michael Ertel

Why does health insurance cost so much? Year after year, many of the articles that appear in print detail the specific factors driving the cost of healthcare.

These factors include: general inflation, advances in drugs and other medical devices, rising hospital and doctor expenses, government mandates, increased consumer demand, litigation, fraud, and cost shifting.


Compare Insurance Quotes and Save!


The basic answer is that a magic bullet to solve the cost of insurance does not exist because the real difficulty is controlling the cost of healthcare. A simple way to dramatically decrease the dollars spent on healthcare is to reduce the demand for healthcare.

I have seen estimates that up to 40% of all healthcare related expenses result from preventable conditions. These preventable conditions are caused by lifestyle choices such as tobacco, obesity, stress, lack of exercise and poor diet.

Most of us, myself included, make lifestyle choices everyday that eventually increase our demand for healthcare. We are never going to be able to totally eliminate all lifestyle related healthcare costs. However, improved lifestyle choices would cause a dramatic reduction in demand. This would then result in a similar reduction in the dollars spent on healthcare.

Lower demand for healthcare would result in lower health insurance costs, increased productivity, and reduced absenteeism. If your organization has not done so already, your organizational leaders need to seriously consider the benefits of health promotion and disease prevention programs. Your return on investment will most likely be as high as 2:1 in the first year.


Michael Ertel is the President of Ertel & Company, Inc. and has over 15 years of experience in the health insurance business. He is the founder of MedicalInsuranceNow.com which is an internet based service that assists individuals, families, and small business owners by providing side by side comparisons of health insurance alternatives and the convenience of applying for health coverage online.

Sunday, September 16, 2007

Term Life Insurance

By Michael Bens

Policyholders or new comers are expected to estimate to the closest detail how long they will need coverage. It makes no sense to take out life insurance and the policy expires before you die. If this happens then your family is left with no monetary relief to cover your burial.

Many people purchase polices that last up to 25 years. However, many policyholders never consider that their health, financial status and other details change over time. Policyholders may purchase life policy and join the extra Critical Ill coverage to protect their mortgage, but fail to remember to factor in health and finance. Thus, the best solution for taking out policy on mortgage is to add up the balance due on the last date for payoff. In other words, calculate how much you will need to payoff your home on the final payment.


Get Instant Life Insurance Quotes!

It is wisest to combine Terminal ill, Critical Ill and Life insurance or two of the three together when taking out a policy. The best deal is to take out the combined policies for the term of life. If you take out a policy for 20 years and live over and above the policy with no renewal then you may find it difficult to find additional coverage, if you find any at all. If you do find the coverage, you will pay high rates and premiums. Therefore, the term life is essential to understand since if you do not take out enough coverage over time, you may find your self-suffering hardship, or else your family may suffer hardship.

Critical Ill coverage or life insurance rather only covered particular illnesses, usually three or four types. Nowadays, the policies have weighed out illnesses and found that more coverage was needed. Few policies have restrictions and exclusions, but for the most part the policy combined with Critical Ill will cover a wealth of illnesses. Click Life is one of the few policy providers that offer comprehensive coverage, combined with a low rates and premiums.

If you take out a policy with Click Life the Critical Ill coverage plan will cover blindness, deafness, heart attacks, strokes, dementia, HIV (outside of sexual transmitting), dismembered limbs, and a whole lot more illnesses. Life is difficult and the expenses of healthcare, medicines, and so forth are outrageous making it virtually impossible to seek help. Since none of us can determine what the future holds, it makes sense to find the coverage needed now. Life insurance is helpful since it makes available to families cash when hardships come aboard. The policy may cover “Interest Only Mortgage,” Repayment Mortgage and other types of mortgages if the policyholder should die.

When a death crops up the family is out in left field when there is no coverage available. Since funerals are already stressful, none of us needs the extra burden of searching for cash to bury a loved one. Disability, Social Services, and Veterans will only provide around $250 to help cover costs of funeral arrangements, thus leaving the family hanging wondering where they will find the extra cash. The cheapest funeral nowadays costs a couple thousands, thus life insurance is needed to save your family stress.

All of us need financial security to cope through stressful times. If you have life insurance, the company will provide that financial security to your family members when it comes a time to bury their loved one. Most policies will payoff mortgages, pay burial expenses, and so forth if the policyholder has taking out enough coverage.

Again, taking out term life insurance coupled with Critical Ill coverage is smart, since the Critical Ill policy will cover illnesses, procedures, treatment, medicines, homecare, and various other medical needs when illnesses occur. The policy will also provide you the cash you need to tide you over until you can return to work, as well as pay for the families expenses to visit you at the hospital. Finally, life insurance is great, but you must calculate the timeframe you will need coverage, and consider terminal illnesses to learn what you will need in line of finding coverage for you and your family.

Authored by Michael Bens. For more great information about all forms of insurance visit our free online insurance publication the Gabae Insurance Source to find the information you're looking for!

Also you can check out Gabae Insurance Articles to find the articles you're looking for!

Friday, September 14, 2007

Funerals For Veterans - What Are They Entitled To?

By Michael Russell

Veterans are a part of our lives. Because of this, I took the time to dig up information regarding a proper veteran funeral. There are details below about what the veteran is entitled to and what the family is entitled to.


Link to Eternal Portal


Each and every veteran is entitled to a burial in a national cemetery, a grave marker and a flag. There is no charge for opening or closing the grave, a vault or liner, or setting the market in a national cemetery. Normally, the family is responsible for all other funeral charges. There are varying degrees of the costs associated with a veteran's funeral depending on when the death occurred.

If the death occurred during active duty, all funeral expenses will be paid by the military. In addition, the next of kin is entitled to a death gratuity of $12,000.

If the death occurred during a service related injury, the family is given a $2,000 burial allowance. If the veteran was in a VA facility, the military will pay for the body transport.

If the death occurred in a non-service related capacity in a VA facility or while collecting VA pension or disability compensation, the military will pay $300 for burial allowances.

If the death occurs outside a VA facility or while not receiving military pension or compensation, then the veteran only gets the lot in the national cemetery, the vault, interment, a marker and a flag. The family bears all other funeral costs.

For a spouse and dependents of an eligible veteran, they are entitled to burial in a national cemetery. This applies even if the veteran is not buried there. Adult children of veterans are entitled to burial benefits only if they are disabled and dependent.

Other people may be eligible for the veterans' burial benefits if the person has provided military-related service. Members of the Reserves and National Guard with 20+ years of service are eligible. Some Public Health Service personnel are also eligible. Make sure to inquire if you think you are entitled to these benefits.

Markers are available to all veterans, spouses and dependent children buried in a national cemetery. The markers will be set without charge to the family. The family must pay for the installation cost if buried in a non-government cemetery. Niche markers for cremated remains are also available.

The markers must have the inscription with the name, branch of service, year of birth and year of death. It may include the emblems of belief, rank and decorations earned. If the family would like to pay extra, additional items such as nicknames, etc. may be added but the VA must approve it.

A little known fact about being buried in a national cemetery is that you cannot reserve space ahead of time. Arrangements can only be made at the time of death. This may be an issue since there is no guarantee that spouses will have plots next to each other.

Burial at sea or the scattering of the cremated remains is available to all veterans and dependents. This service is provided by the Navy or the U.S. Coast Guard. A flag is required. If the flag is supplied by the family, it will be returned. Sea burials are done at the convenience of the military. Because of this, the family may not witness the sea burial. Bodies awaiting sea burial must be treated with embalming fluid that lasts at least 60 days. Lastly, a non-sealing metal casket must be used. The casket must carry 150lbs of extra weight.

With the options that the military offers, it should be a fairly inexpensive and straightforward process to be buried in a military cemetery. That is, as long as the veteran meets the requirements put forth by the military. Hopefully this article serves to educate you about the options that veterans and their families have when it comes to a military burial.

Michael Russell Your Independent guide to Funerals

Monday, September 10, 2007

Sown in Weakness

By Anthony Smith

1Co 15:19 If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable. The hope that Jesus Raised from the dead, is the Hope that dwells within us all, who believe.
What does 1st.Co 15:42-54 really mean?

We have went from the Cross to the Grave, but the grave is not the end of all things but just the beginning. I attended many a funeral this year, all family members that went to be with the Lord, all having the hope of the resurrection within themselves.


Link to Christian Memorials


The Cross for Jesus was two different things,

  1. Giving His Life so that we might live.
  2. Showing the Power of God, laying the sins of the entire world on to the shoulders of His Son.

The Cross is our symbol, not of Death, but of Life, thru the one who hung between Heaven and Hell, between Heaven and Earth, between Us and God. Jesus was, and still is, our connection with God that before was impossible.

A link of flesh and blood shed and a link of Spirits.
The Resurrection of the Dead.

1Co 15:42-54. So also is the resurrection of the dead. It is sown in corruption; it is raised in incorruption: It is sown in dishonour; it is raised in glory: it is sown in weakness; it is raised in power: It is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body. There is a natural body, and there is a spiritual body.

Sown in;
  1. Corruption; Depravity; wickedness; perversion or deterioration of moral principles; loss of purity or integrity.
  2. Dishonour; 1Co 15:43 - in dishonour — answering to “our vile body” (Phi_3:21); literally, “our body of humiliation”: liable to various humiliations of disease, injury, and decay at last. JFB.
  3. Weakness; Want of physical strength; want of force or vigor; feebleness; as the weakness of a child; the weakness of an invalid feebleness of mind; foolishness.
  4. Natural Body; This flesh that contains our spirit & Soul.
    All of these things, we are, or were.

The Seed. The seed is the word of God, it is sown in many physical bodies, some believe and are saved and many more reject and are lost. The Word of God came to all by this sowing of seeds, thru a minister of God. This Depraved; wicked; perverse, the lacking of moral principles; and the loss of purity, came to us from sin and our acceptance of it. As we came to the knowledge of truth, we were weak in our bodys, accepting anything that this flesh wanted.

We were not in control of our lives and we were not in control of our spirit, for our spirit, before Christ, lusted to envy. Therefore as by the offense of Adam judgment came upon all men for by Adam we were all condemned. For if you say, you never sinned, you become a lier and the truth is far from you.

For all men have sinned and have fallen short of the Glory of God. Rom 5:12 Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned: The seeds of the truth; 1Co 15:45 And so it is written, The first man Adam was made a living soul(In the weakness of the Flesh.); the last Adam was made a quickening spirit(In the Power of God.). As we die, so shall we be raised, dieing in corruption ,we raise in corruption, as we die in sin, we also raise in sin, for the corrupt after death cannot be saved, those that die in sin cannot be forgiven of sin.

For it is appointed unto man, once to be born, once to die and then the Judgment. There is no place after death, where men can receive forgiveness after he has rejected Christ in this life. To say or teach otherwise, is a deception and false doctrine. 1Co 15:50 Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption.


1Co 15:53 For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. 1Co 15:54 So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory. For only by the Cross, can this corrupt put on the incorruption, this vile put on Cleanliness, this mortal body be made in the likeness of our Lord, and this weakness put on Power.


For the resurrection of the Saints is by the Power of the Cross and the Power of The Holy Ghost. That same Spirit that Raised our Saviour from The Dead. The seeds of truth are sometimes harsh, gentile, easy to understood and sometimes hidden to only those that refeused to believe.
To some; Phi 1:15 Some indeed preach Christ even of envy and strife; and some also of good will: Phi 1:16 The one preach Christ of contention, not sincerely, supposing to add affliction to my bonds: Phi 1:17 But the other of love, knowing that I am set for the defence of the gospel.

Brns. The earnest desire and hope which Paul had was not, primarily, that he might be released; but it was that, in all circumstances, he might be able to honor the gospel, living or dying. To that he looked as a much more important matter than to save his life. Life with him was the secondary consideration; the main thing was, to stand up everywhere as the advocate of the gospel, to maintain its truth, and to exhibit its spirit.


For it is the preaching of the Gospel(Seeds.) and the living of the Commandments of Christ, that Saves, regenerates, revives and rejoins us, to Him that Died and raised, and to His Father that now accepts us into the Beloved. It is sown in Weakness; it is raised in Power: Ars.

Temple of Spirit & Truth Ministries A.R.Smith Ministries http://www.ourchurch.com/member/a/arsmithsermons/

Sunday, September 09, 2007

Funerals - What is Cremation?

By Michael Russell

Most adults today know that a person can be buried or they can be cremated once they have died. A burial is a fairly straightforward process and this is something that most children have knowledge of. But a cremation can be something that puzzles family members, incurring more questions than answers. This article serves to give answers to those questions.

Cremation is the process of using intense heat to reduce the body to bone fragments and ashes. It normally takes two to four hours for this process to be completed. The cremated remains weigh three to nine pounds, depending on the size of the body.


Link to Catholic Memorials


There appears to be a trend toward cremation, particularly on the West and East Coasts. People choose cremation because of the expense of traditional funerals, the diminishing space for cemeteries and the environmental concerns. In England and Japan the cremation rate is 90%, partly because cemetery space is at a premium price.

Caskets are not required for a cremation. But there is a requirement that the body be enclosed in a rigid container. Mortuaries must have an unfinished wooden box or similar cremation container available to their customers. Alternately, customers may furnish their own container.
The costs of a cremation range in price. If the family uses an undertaker to take care of all services, from transporting the body, obtaining permits and filing the death certificate, the fee can be in the thousands of dollars. On the other hand, many licensed funeral homes that care for their own dead can use crematories at charges from under $300.

There are a couple ways to have the funeral service. You may opt to have the visitation and funeral service with the body present, prior to cremation. Some mortuaries will rent a casket to the family. After the service, the body is transferred to an inexpensive cremation container. Many find it helpful to have a memorial service without the body present. This option is less costly and friends and family members appreciate this opportunity to pay tribute to the memory of the loved one.

People have many choices regarding what to do with the cremated remains. They can be placed in a niche in a columbarium, buried, scattered, or kept by the family. A columbarium is a set of niches that are designed to hold containers of cremated remains. These are usually located in the mausoleum with a cemetery. You can sometimes find niches within churches to hold the remains. The remains are sterile and do not pose a health hazard.

You do not have to purchase an urn for the cremated remains. The remains are returned to a metal, plastic, or cardboard container that is adequate for burial, shipping, or placing in a columbarium. But the family may prefer a more aesthetic urn.

Religions vary regarding cremation. The Roman Catholics give their members a choice between burial and cremation. The Greek and Jewish Orthodox faiths oppose cremation. If you are particularly religious, it would behove you to investigate how your religion views cremation.

Michael Russell
Your Independent guide to Funerals

Friday, September 07, 2007

Life Insurance Troubleshooting: Your Policy Problems Answered

By Megan Mahan

While many of us understand the basic functions of our life insurance policies, it’s not uncommon for questions to arise long after you purchased the policy.

To help address your policy problems, we’ll answer four of the most common life insurance questions to help you gain understanding and control of your life insurance policy.


Compare Insurance Quotes and Save!


Questions Answered

How do I file a life insurance claim?

To begin the claim process, you’ll need to obtain a couple copies of the policyholder’s death certificate. If you have trouble obtaining copies of the death certificate from the hospital or coroner’s office, your funeral director should be able to get you a copy.

Next, you’ll need to contact your life insurance agent. Your agent will help you complete the necessary paperwork to file the claim. If you’re not sure who the insured’s agent was, you can contact the insurance company directly and someone will help you file the claim. Remember to bring a copy of the death certificate for your agent as it will be needed to ensure quick claim submittal.

How will I receive the death benefit?

Once the life insurance claim is submitted, you’ll need to choose how the life insurance proceeds will be allocated.

According to the Insurance Information Institute (I.I.I.), there are generally four ways to distribute the death benefit:


Lump Sum. You receive the entire death benefit in one payment.

Specific interest provision. The insurance company pays you both principle and interest on a prearranged schedule.

Life income. You receive a guaranteed income for life. However, the amount you receive depends on the benefit amount, your gender and age at the insured’s time of death.

Interest income. The life insurance company holds the proceeds but pays you interest on the policy. Thus, the death benefit remains in tact and goes to a second beneficiary after you die.


No matter which option you choose, you should receive the proceeds from the policy within days of filing the claim. Life insurance companies are required by law to pay claims in this fashion. To learn about the guidelines under which your insurer must pay a claim, contact your state’s division of insurance.

What should I do if I can’t find the policy?

Unfortunately, there’s no database for purchased life insurance policies. That’s why it’s very important to know where the insured’s life insurance policy is at all times. Nonetheless, there are some things you can try to locate a lost policy.

You can start by trying to determine:
  • Which company might have issued the policy
  • Which agent may have issued the policy
  • Whether the policyholder had life insurance through an employer, union or other group

The I.I.I. recommends trying to locate that information by:

Searching records, storage areas and safe deposit boxes. There you may find insurance-related documents, old checks, premium payment receipts or policy notices.

Contacting the policyholder’s legal and financial consultants. Previous and current consultants may have some information regarding the deceased’s life insurance.

Contacting the insured’s employer(s). Previous and/or current employers will be able to tell you if the policyholder had a group life insurance policy.

Checking tax returns. By checking past tax returns, you may find interest income from or paid to a life insurance company.

Checking the mail. Even if the policy was paid up, the insurance company will send an annual premium or dividend notice in regard to the policy.

Checking north of the border. If there’s a possibility that the policy was purchased in Canada, you can contact the Canadian Life and Health Insurance Association at (800) 268-8009, or visit them on the Web.

Probing the MIB database. While there’s no database for life insurance policyholders, there is a database for life insurance applicants. For $75, you can search the MIB database, and while it rarely pays off (MIB finds about one in five policies), it might be worth a shot.


If these tips still don’t result in the location of a lost policy, contact your own agent, lawyer or financial consultant as they may have additional recommendations.

What if I can’t pay my life insurance premiums?

Financial hardship can fall on anyone. If this happens to you and you can’t pay your life insurance premium, you should know what to expect.

Generally speaking, if you have a term life insurance policy, not paying your premiums will result in a lapsed policy, which means that the policy will automatically be cancelled and you probably won’t see any proceeds from the policy.

If you have a permanent life insurance policy, the I.I.I. says you’ll have some of the following options:


Cash out the policy. When you cash out, you’ll stop paying the premium and collect any available cash value. However, if the sum of the cash value is more than what you’ve paid in premiums, that cash may be taxed.

Non-forfeiture. A “reduced paid-up” option might be available to you, allowing you to stop paying premiums completely for a reduced death benefit and no cash savings. You may also be able to convert a permanent policy into an extended term policy.

Lapsed policy. If you choose to let your policy lapse, you may be able to get it reinstated. Some insurance companies allow you to do this if you do so within five years of lapsing. Reinstatement, however, may be contingent on your ability to pass a medical exam and pay back the premiums owed plus interest.


If you fall on hard times, be sure to contact your life insurance agent right away to work out an arrangement. Depending on your circumstances, it’s generally better not to let a permanent policy completely lapse as you may forfeit the cheap life insurance you had when you bought the policy.

Don’t Let Your Questions Go Unanswered!

If you fall on hard times, be sure to contact your life insurance agent right away to work out an arrangement. Depending on your circumstances, it’s generally better not to let a permanent policy completely lapse as you may forfeit the cheap life insurance you had when you bought the policy.

About InsureMe

Megan L. Mahan is a copywriter and insurance information expert with InsureMe in Englewood, Colorado. InsureMe links agents nationwide with consumers shopping for insurance. Specializing in auto, home, health, long-term care and life insurance quotes, the InsureMe network provides thousands of agents with insurance leads every year. For more information, visit InsureMe.com.