Alabama Life Insurance
Reader’s Question:
A friend of mine in Alabama suggests I purchase a variable life insurance policy and opt to invest the cash value in Alabama-based fund. Am I guaranteed I’d get my investments with this type of policy?
Tara
Montgomery, AL
Good Question, Tara.
No. Variable life is designed as a true investment with a death benefit. It has features to shift the uncertainties of investment gains and losses to the policyholder. In this type of policy, the insurance company invests your premiums to a fund of your choice which the company offers to you as possible investments.
The cash value, death benefits, and award to your beneficiaries of your policy will then depend on how well the insurance company invests your money. It provides no guarantee of either interest rate or minimum cash value. Therefore, theoretically, the cash value can do down to zero, and if so, the policy will have to terminate.
However, since there is also a possibility of increasing your cash value if your insurance company in Alabama invests it well, variable life insurance policy may also be a good option. Just make sure that when you purchase such policy, verify the investment and never put it on a speculative fund.
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