| BUSINESSWEEK ONLINE : JULY 5, 1999 ISSUE | ||||||||
| ||||||||
 | ||||||||
| BUSINESSWEEK INVESTOR
Term Insurance Tips -- Buying via a Web-based service may mean a lower premium if you know precisely what you want. If you need hand-holding, an agent is worth an initial meeting to get you up to speed on what your needs might be. -- Before buying, be sure the insurer is financially sound. Look for ratings of AAA, AA, or A++. Each rating service has a different system. Check with A.M. Best (908 439-2200, www.ambest.com); Duff & Phelps (312 368-3157, www.dcrco.com); Moody's Investors Service (212 553-0377, www.moodys.com); Standard & Poor's (212 208-1527, www.standardandpoors.com/ratings); or Weiss Group (800 289-9222, www.weissratings.com). -- To be able to waive premium payments in case you're disabled, consider a ''waiver policy.'' They're costly: At Prudential Insurance, for a 20-year policy with $1 million in coverage, the difference in premium payments between taking a waiver and not taking one is $1,210 annually. _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ |
|  |
 | |
RELATED ITEMS Term Life Bargain Days TABLE: Where to Find Quotes Online TABLE: Term Insurance Tips CHART: Premiums Plunge INTERACT E-Mail to Business Week Online | |||
