Should I Pay my Life Insurance Premiums Annually or Monthly? (2024)

Should I Pay my Life Insurance Premiums Annually or Monthly? (1)

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Christopher Riddell, CLU, CHS Should I Pay my Life Insurance Premiums Annually or Monthly? (2)

Christopher Riddell, CLU, CHS

Partner at Wise Riddell Financial Group

Published Feb 7, 2017

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You have made the decision to buy a new insurance policy or add to your existing portfolio, which isn’t always the easiest of processes. One of the decisions you’ll now have to make, after finally deciding on how much coverage and what provider to place your business with, is when are you going to pay your insurance premiums.

Annual and monthly payments are the most common options that insurance policyholders choose. But which one is right for you and what are the differences associated with each method?

Choosing your payment schedule

The premium of an insurance policy is the cost of purchasing the policy. It’s what keeps your insurance policy active or “in force”, so that the insurer will pay the benefit to you selected beneficiaries, in the case of life insurance, you die.

As mentioned, annual and monthly premiums are what most people will decide between, but you can usually choose to pay premiums on a few different schedules:

  • Annually – once a year
  • Semi-annually – twice a year
  • Quarterly – four times a year
  • Monthly – twelve times a yearThe amount you pay depends on how often you pay; you’ll pay the full premium in on payment if you pay annually, or you’ll have the premium cost divided by twelve if you pay monthly.But these choices aren’t there just for the heck of it. They can have a big impact on exactly how much you’re spending on your life insurance, and making the wrong choice for your situation could end up costing you big.Paying your life insurance premiums annually is almost always the cheapest option.As with most companies, insurers aren’t just going to eat these costs. They pass them on to the policyholders. Paying an annual premium is a great way to cut down on policy costs, because insurers will almost always give a better rate for annual payments than monthly.So how much can you save? Well the rule of thumb is that your monthly premium is 9% of the total annual premium. So the total saving each year will be about 8% of the total annual premium.Paying premiums monthly
  • The argument for paying annually is appealing, right? But paying premiums on a monthly basis has its benefits, too.
  • It’s also less of a hassle on your end to pay annually. You don’t have to worry about having the money throughout the year, making sure you pay your premiums (or taking the time to set up automatic payments). You pay once and it’s out of sight, out of mind for the entire year.
  • It also means the insurer have less money to deal with because they aren’t working with the entire premium amount. They would rather have $22,222 to work with right away than getting $2,000 every month, for example. Making it more enticing for people to pay more quickly benefits the insurer.
  • It costs more for the insurance company if a policyholder pays premiums monthly. First, they have to keep track of more premium payments to make sure a policy stays in force. This adds to administrative costs.
  • Paying premiums annually
  • Simple enough, right?
  1. You can spread the cost of the premium out over time. Sure, it’s nice to save 8%, but not everyone has the cash on hand to drop $20,000+ on a premium at one time. You might need to budget the cost out across every month (or quarter, or however often you feel comfortable paying). Having life insurance doesn’t matter if you can’t afford the premiums, so if spreading the cost out is what allows you to make the payments and have the coverage that you and your family need, a monthly plan is the right way to go.
  2. You can do other stuff with that money. Maybe you can afford an annual payment…but you just don’t want to. You don’t like the idea with parting with so much money at once and you can invest the extra money, for instance. Pay your monthly premium and stick the rest of your would-be annual premium payment in a mutual fund. After all, if the cost difference is small, maybe you can beat it with interest.

Should I pay annually or monthly?

As with most financial situations, the answer to this question depends on your individual circ*mstances, but with all budgetary things being equal, your finances are in decent shape, you can spare the money, and so on, you should probably pay annually, because that will almost always be the most efficient way to spend your money.

One of the most important aspects of being fiscally responsible is to make sure your money isn’t working against you. That means avoiding things like unnecessary fees and cost increases. If there isn’t a penalty for paying monthly, then you can make your decision based on your available funds and what will make a bigger headache for you: paying a lot at once, or losing a bit throughout an entire year.

But if, as with most insurers, you’ll get a discount for paying annually, you should make that a priority. After all, you’re getting the same coverage. Why should you pay more for it?

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Should I Pay my Life Insurance Premiums Annually or Monthly? (2024)

FAQs

Should I Pay my Life Insurance Premiums Annually or Monthly? ›

Annual payments save you some money and are a good option if you're able to pay a larger sum upfront, but monthly payments can be more manageable for the average person. Beneficiaries: The people you name on your life insurance policy to receive the lump sum of money — also known as the death benefit — when you die.

Is it better to pay life insurance monthly or annually? ›

Overall, the cheapest option would be paying annually because of the potential discount life insurance companies offer policyholders. You can look at monthly payments as a loan. If you don't repay the loan in one lump sum, you'll make monthly payments over time, which is more expensive because interest is paid.

Why might you choose to pay your premiums annually instead of monthly? ›

Paying your insurance premiums annually is almost always the least expensive option. Many companies give you a discount for paying in full because it costs more for the insurance company if a policyholder pays their premiums monthly since that requires manual processing each month to keep the policy active.

Is it better to pay monthly or yearly? ›

While annual subscriptions offer cost savings and less administrative hassle, monthly subscriptions provide flexibility and lower upfront costs. Your choice might hinge on your cash flow, budgeting preferences, and the level of commitment you're willing to make to a particular service.

Should I pay my insurance monthly or yearly? ›

Is it worth getting an annual car insurance policy? Paying your car insurance premium in one go every year is the cheapest – and easiest – way to do it. That's because you won't have to worry about paying any interest. It also means you won't have to think about it again for another 12 months.

Is it cheaper to pay monthly or annually? ›

Weighing Your Options

If you can afford the upfront cost, annual payments are generally less expensive in the long run. However, if you need to manage cash flow more carefully, monthly payments offer the flexibility needed to balance your finances without compromising on coverage.

What is a reasonable amount to pay monthly for life insurance? ›

The average cost of a life insurance policy ranges from $40 to $55 monthly. The true cost varies by the type of insurance, coverage amount, and personal factors.

Is it better to charge monthly or annually? ›

In general, businesses with more customer-focused, flexible, or regularly updated services prefer monthly billing. Businesses that provide more comprehensive, high-value, or B2B services—and therefore have customers who are willing to commit long term for higher perceived value—opt for annual billing.

Is it better to pay your insurance in full or monthly? ›

Generally, you'll pay less for your policy if you can pay in full. But if paying a large lump sum upfront would put you in a tight financial spot — say, leave you unable to pay your car insurance deductible — making car insurance monthly payments may be a better option for you.

Why is annual premium cheaper than monthly? ›

Insurers often provide discounts for annual payments, reducing the overall expense. Additionally, annual payments eliminate the risk of missing monthly or quarterly payments, ensuring continuous coverage. It simplifies financial planning, as policyholders only need to address the premium once a year.

What are the disadvantages of paying monthly? ›

Budgeting difficulties

Another disadvantage of being paid monthly is that it can be more difficult to budget. Employees may have to wait a full month before receiving another wage payment, making it difficult to manage expenses that occur throughout the month.

How often do you have to pay life insurance premiums? ›

Life insurance premiums pay for your life insurance policy on a periodic basis (usually monthly or annually). Premiums keep your policy active; if you skip payments, your insurance company may cancel your policy. Term policies have lower premiums, as they do not accumulate value beyond the policy's face amount.

Can I pay life insurance monthly? ›

Discounts Based on the Frequency of Premium Payment

Depending on the type of life insurance policy you buy, insurance premium payment can be done on a yearly, half-yearly, quarterly or monthly basis. However, you must know that the insurance companies increase the premium amount based on the periodicity of the payment.

Is it cheaper to pay life insurance annually? ›

Annual payments save you some money and are a good option if you're able to pay a larger sum upfront, but monthly payments can be more manageable for the average person. Beneficiaries: The people you name on your life insurance policy to receive the lump sum of money — also known as the death benefit — when you die.

Is life insurance paid monthly or yearly? ›

While these payments are often made monthly, many insurers also offer quarterly, semi-annual or annual payment options to suit different preferences.

Are insurance premiums quoted monthly or yearly? ›

Premiums are usually paid either monthly, every six months, or annually and are determined by various factors, including your driving record, age, and the coverages you select as part of your policy.

Is it better to pay monthly or all at once for insurance? ›

Generally, you'll pay less for your policy if you can pay in full. But if paying a large lump sum upfront would put you in a tight financial spot — say, leave you unable to pay your car insurance deductible — making car insurance monthly payments may be a better option for you.

How many years is best for life insurance? ›

The majority of life insurance policies run on an average of 10 or 25 years; however, you can specify how long you wish it to be. This is down to your personal circ*mstances. Overall, the longer you are insured, the higher your premiums will be and the earlier you insure yourself, the cheaper it will be.

When should I stop paying life insurance premiums? ›

At What Age Is Life Insurance No Longer Needed? Life insurance is no longer needed for many people once they reach their 60s or 70s. At this point they have retired, their kids have grown up, and they've paid off their mortgage and other debts.

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