How Much It Costs to Boost Life Insurance Coverage

With term life insurance rates relatively low, it’s a good time to add coverage.

By Kimberly Lankford, September 16, 2014

I just moved for a new job and bought a new house, and I’d like to increase the amount of my life insurance. I have a $500,000 20-year term policy. How much would it cost to boost it to $1 million?
If you’re pretty young and healthy, it costs a lot less than you’d expect. A 30-year-old woman could pay as little as $214 per year for a $500,000 20-year term insurance policy and $354 for $1 million, says Byron Udell, CEO of AccuQuote.com. A healthy 30-year-old man would pay $244 for $500,000 and $421 for $1 million.

How Credit Scores Can Boost Home Insurance Premiums

Got so-so credit? You are likely paying more in premiums than people with excellent credit.

By Kimberly Lankford, September 5, 2014

I know that your credit score can affect your car insurance premiums. Can it also affect your homeowners insurance rates?
Yes, in most states your credit score can make a big difference in your home insurance rates. A recent study by InsuranceQuotes.com, a Bankrate company, found that homeowners with poor credit pay 91% more for home insurance than people with excellent credit. Even people with median credit pay 29% more than those with excellent credit. “Insurers have found a direct correlation between a consumer’s credit and the likelihood that he or she will make a home (or auto) claim,” says Laura Adams, senior insurance analyst for InsuranceQuotes.com. The study defined “excellent” credit as the top 10% of credit-based insurance scores.