Denis Doulgeropoulos

Your Financial Professional & Insurance Agent

Home  > Whole Life Insurance > Whole Life Versus Term Life Insurance > How to Borrow Against Whole Life Insurance

How to Borrow Against Whole Life Insurance

Whole and universal life policies accumulate cash value over time, which the policy owner may borrow against subject to specific terms and conditions.

Policy loans don’t require credit checks and are processed quickly. Unfortunately, unpaid loan balances reduce death benefits and could even cause the policy to lapse if they remain outstanding.

Life-Insurance-Agents

Safeguarding the Family's Financial Future

We at Denis Doulgeropoulos – Omega Investments offer different life insurance plans.

Term Life Insurance

Borrowing against your life insurance policy is usually an easy and straightforward process, without loan requirements or credit checks (other than for minimum cash value required to borrow). Furthermore, policy loans usually offer lower interest rates compared to unsecured personal loans or other financing solutions such as equity-release plans. It is important to keep in mind that borrowing against it will decrease its death benefit once you pass on.

Permanent policies such as whole and universal life insurance allow you to borrow against them. By contrast, term life policies don’t build cash value and don’t offer this borrowing option.

Barry Flagg, founder of independent life insurance analytics firm Veralytic, describes two forms of life insurance loans as direct or indirect automatic premium loans. With direct loans, interest is paid back directly out of your policy’s cash value with insurers charging a spread to cover their costs; any amounts exceeding your cost basis (which equals total premium payments) are also subject to income tax liability.

Life insurance policies that have amassed enough cash value can only be borrowed against when they meet certain minimum criteria; each insurer will notify you when your policy has reached this point, so before borrowing against your life insurance it is wise to consult your provider about limits, fees and loan rules before borrowing against it.

Whole Life Insurance Versus Term Life Insurance Information & FAQs

Universal Life Insurance

Contrary to what most banks and credit unions require of you, policy-based loans don’t require you to meet certain qualifications, nor will it appear on your credit report. Instead, life insurance companies charge a nominal interest rate on what is borrowed – something which you will have to repay later.

Some permanent life insurance policies — such as whole and universal life policies — offer cash value components that can be borrowed against. Borrowers can access these funds either through direct loans or indirect automatic premium loans without incurring tax liabilities; either way, these untaxed funds can help cover expenses or be used for investment purposes without tax implications. It is essential to understand how borrowing against your life insurance policy could impact future coverage and death benefits before borrowing against it.

One of the main risks of borrowing against life insurance policies is not being able to repay both loans and interest charges in full; this can reduce what your family receives upon your death, while an accumulating loan balance that exceeds your death benefit could cause it to lapse altogether.

Before taking out a loan secured by your life insurance policy, talk with a financial professional and request an in-force illustration. This will give you a clearer understanding of how borrowing could alter future death benefits, investment performance and other aspects of your policy.

Why us

Are you ready to take control of your financial future?

Contact Denis Doulgeropoulos today and start your journey towards financial success!

Commercial Umbrella Insurance

Variable Life Insurance

Variable life insurance offers several distinct features, one being the option to borrow against your cash value. This feature enables you to utilize your investment account as a source of liquidity while still protecting the death benefit.

Though borrowing against life insurance might seem appealing, it should be remembered that doing so could reduce its total value and cause its lapse, leaving beneficiaries without coverage.

Additionally, your insurance provider will closely monitor your cash balance. If it reaches zero, your life insurance will lapse and all funds invested into it will be lost forever. Furthermore, they charge fees on policy loans or withdrawals made.

Whole Life Insurance

Whole life insurance provides essential protection against unexpected events and should be an excellent investment for your financial wellbeing. Before choosing the policy that’s right for you, however, it is crucial that you understand its workings thoroughly so you can make an informed decision – for additional help, seek advice from financial professionals or contact an independent broker who can find an option that best meets your unique circumstances.

If you own a whole or universal life insurance policy with existing cash value, borrowing against it may be possible. This process is usually simpler than taking out bank personal loans as approval depends on factors like cash value and death benefits rather than your credit score; most insurance companies also offer lower interest rates than personal loans.

Minimum loan amounts vary between insurers, though you should generally have access to funds relatively quickly since your insurance company uses your cash value as collateral. Remember that any unrepaid loans will reduce your death benefit and cause your policy to lapse if not paid back in full.

Before borrowing against your cash value, it’s advisable to ask for an in-force illustration from your insurer or agent and understand how this impacts other aspects of your policy. This document can usually be found online or with them directly.