mortgage protection/lifeinsurance

allaboutheat

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Why does mortgage protection go up every year with the standard letter saying, due to index linked to inflation it is going up 5%. What inflation there is none it is going down should therefore, the rise in rates, either stay the same or go down.?????
 
You could probably opt out if you wanted. Inflation is currently at 4% but indexation is only linked to it rather than being exactly it.
 
Indexation (the increase of premiums and benefits every year in line with inflation) is not usually an option on insurance policies that are taken out *purely* to provide life cover for a mortgage (these are known in the trade as "Decreasing Term" policies as the sum assured on the policy decreases over the term of the policy (usually the same term as the mortgage) as the capital amount of the mortgage is paid off.

A "Level Term" policy (where the sum assured remains the same over the term of the policy) has such an option. It is designed to preserve the real value (value taking inflation into account) of the sum assured benefit that would be paid out in the event of a claim, but it is more expensive (and increases each year) as the cash amount that the life company would have to pay out in the event of a claim is much higher than either a level term without that option, or a decreasing term plan.

With some policies, you can "decline indexation" which means your premium (and benefits) would not change over the next year. If you do so more than once or twice, however, I think basically they freeze the premium and benefits at whatever level they're at and don't offer you indexation any more.
 
It sounds like you have a level term policy that increases every year. This and all the other options should have been explained to you along with the premiums compared when you took out the policy first.

If you want to change it, usually you have to take out a new policy, advise your current Mortgage lender, assign the new policy to them and then cancel your existing.

If you want quotes for basic mortgage protection or want to compare the different options let me know.

Brendan
 
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