Life Insurance for Children
Updated: Oct 10, 2021
It seems strange to think of securing life insurance for children. Children are supposed to outlive their parents. However, there are no guarantees in life. Many parents have to face the terrible situation of losing a child. Experiencing the death of a child can cause much more than emotional trauma and grief. Often, parents are left with crippling debt from medical bills after losing a child. This burden can destroy lives when added on top of the expense of maintaining the family home and caring for other children.
Why Have Life Insurance for Children?
Thus, these days, life insurance for children is an important safeguard. As much as we do not want to imagine the scenario, we have to accept the possibility of one or more of our children falling ill. No one is immune to the risk. Childhood cancer rates have risen in recent decades. The American Childhood Cancer Organization estimates that 1 in 285 children in the U.S. will be diagnosed with cancer before they reach 20 years of age. For the families affected, having life insurance for children can be their saving grace.
No one likes to think about their children passing away at a young age, but it happens. Sometimes, no matter how morbid it may seem, taking out life insurance for children is a smart option. It can be necessary for you to be able to take care of any other children and/or your spouse. Thinking ahead is wise because it is easy to get a policy for your children when they are young and healthy. For example, premiums will be much higher after they have developed an unfortunate illness. And, sometimes, they will not be able to get insured at all after their diagnosis.
Is It Necessary?
There are some who argue that investing in a life insurance policy for children is unnecessary. Certainly, the odds of needing it are low when compared to needing it for yourself or a spouse. The money spent might be going towards a policy that is never used. This seems like money down the drain. Yet, if the worst does happen, you will be glad that you invested in life insurance for children.
In the end, there is no easy way to deal with this topic, given the sensitive nature of losing a child. Regardless, you should not let the discomfort of this issue prevent you from planning. Furthermore, you might want to seriously think about buying life insurance for children if there is a history of inheritable illnesses in your family.
The Takeaway
In conclusion, it is key to know the risks present for your child. Make sure you understand there is always a possibility of unforeseen illnesses befalling them. Family history plays a role as well. All of these factors might encourage you to invest in life insurance for children. After all, the usually low monthly premiums are a small price to pay for peace of mind. Surely, it is worth it to have financial security after experiencing a family tragedy.
Do your homework and check out quotes to see what policies of life insurance for children may cost.