How Does A Convertible Life Insurance Policy Work?

Convertible insurance is a type of life insurance that provides the policy owner with the option to convert a term policy into a whole or universal policy without undergoing the health qualification process again. The following table shows a brief comparison between term, whole, and convertible life insurance policies:

Type of Policy	Coverage Duration	Premiums	Convertibility
Term	Fixed number of years	Lowest	No
Whole	Lifetime	Highest	N/A
Convertible	Fixed number of years (convertible)	Higher than term	Yes

With convertible insurance, the policy owner can convert a term policy into a permanent policy that covers the individual indefinitely, as long as the policyholder continues to pay the insurance premium. The permanent policy will have the same value as the term policy, but with higher premiums. Convertible insurance is more expensive than term life insurance as it includes a built-in cost for the option to convert without a medical exam.

The main benefit of convertible insurance is that the policy owner does not have to undergo the medical underwriting process again to switch from term to permanent insurance. This is particularly useful if the policy owner’s health has declined since they started the convertible term policy, making it difficult to obtain a permanent policy that they would otherwise not qualify for.

Another reason for purchasing convertible insurance is that it provides a flexible option for those who can only afford a less expensive term policy now but plan to convert to a more expensive permanent policy later. Whole life insurance policies come with a cash value component that appreciates through dividends, making it a useful avenue to generate tax-deferred savings.

When purchasing a convertible insurance policy, it is important to understand when you can convert the policy, the point at which conversion is no longer allowed, and the features of the permanent policy. Most term life insurance policies have a conversion deadline, after which policyholders cannot convert their insurance policies.

In summary, convertible life insurance policies provide policyholders with the option to convert their term policies into permanent policies without undergoing medical underwriting again. While convertible insurance is more expensive than term life insurance, it provides policyholders with a flexible option and the potential for tax-deferred savings.