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Does taking out a mortgage payment protection make sense?
Your house will be one of your biggest investments. The moment you start to make a family of your own, you
will need to come across the decision of purchasing a house. It in these very difficult times, you may have thought
of taking a home loan to buy a house suitable enough for your family.
While taking a mortgage loan can be the easiest way to get your dream house, there’s a lot of work to be
done in the background. Entering a home loan contract is another tough challenge you will face. You see, home loans
may last for 20, 30, or 50 years. During this time, you have to attach a property over your loan. Possibly, you’re
thinking to mortgage your current house or any real property that you own. This is a form of security that entitles
the lender to take ownership of the said property in case you fail to pay back your loan. And even if you’re pretty
sure that you can pay your loan until the last cent, no one knows what may happen tomorrow and in the coming days,
months, or years.
If you want assurance that your house remains yours until you have paid for it in full, you can always
take mortgage payment protection insurance. This is a policy that allows you to pay back the loan without having to
get the money from your own pocket. It’s like passing the obligation the insurer. So in any case you find it
extremely hard to pay for your loan in the future, you can be sure your loan repayments will not be
affected.
Is there a need for it?
Mishaps may happen. And the worst thing is that they happen during the times you don’t expect them to. When you
think you are all set and there’s nothing to worry about your financial status, you might face your biggest
dilemma. Getting defaults on loan repayments will not just put your property at risk. It can create a domino effect
on your financial life. Your credit score might drift which will put you in far worse position. You may not be able
to refinance your mortgage as lenders will not usually provide services to people with poor credit. This will
subsequently affect your work and it can torment you mentally and emotionally.
Even if you hold one of the highest positions in your company, it doesn’t give you a permanent job
security. What if the company closes? What if you got ill and your condition forced you to quit work? What if your
business met its downfall? What will happen to your finances? These are things we don’t want to talk about as much
as possible. But you have to understand that these are inevitable. They may happen at any point in your life. The
least you can do is to prepare for it.
Many consumers don’t realize the great need for mortgage payment protection. They think that this will
just add to their monthly expenses.
But here’s the reality. Just last year, 1 million American people lost their homes due to foreclosure.
Foreclosure only happens when borrowers weren’t able to pay back their loan. Studies show that this happened
because homeowners had more debts to their banks which exceeded the amount of their homes. You can only blame it
for the lack of finances.
See? This people could have saved their homes had they taken a mortgage payment protection. If you don’t
want this to happen in your case, don’t hesitate to secure your loan as well. If the bank can lessen the risk of
lending money by requiring you to mortgage a property, you also want to lessen the risk of them acquiring your
house by getting a mortgage repayment protection.
Actually, there are many ways to handle issues on missed payments. However, they may not be enough to help
consumers prevent the possibility of foreclosures. In fact, in January of 2010, the US federal government created a
program that will reduce the time it will take for the borrowers to wait for the assistance coming from the
government. This was called Support for Mortgage Interest. However, not all homeowners can qualify to this program.
For instance, this program only covers up to 3.63% of the interest. They also conduct a Means Test to ensure you
are qualified for the support. The Means Test is used to measure the ratio of your income over your monthly
expenses. If your income is below the state median and it is insufficient to provide for your monthly expenses, you
will be entitled for the loan repayment assistance from the government. Otherwise, it will be more difficult for
you. How does it work?
The mortgage payment protection insurance will cover your loan repayments in the event that you become
financially incapacitated to pay it back due to illness, unemployment, or accident. This can also secure your home
from being repossessed by the bank. This kind of insurance takes responsibility over your home loan for a certain
period of time only. Most insurance companies do have their own exclusion policies especially for cases of
unemployment. This means you can’t take the insurance and apply for your claim at the same time. Generally, there’s
a 60 day allowance before you can benefit from the policy. So if you have received a bad news from your employer,
you may want to take mortgage payment protection insurance months ahead of your unemployment. On the other hand,
you may take an immediate claim for sickness and accident.
Your mortgage payment protection will not cover the entire loan. Usually, insurance providers offer 12 and
24 month cover. This is probably enough for one to recover from the financial difficulties brought about by
sickness, accident, or unemployment. The negative side of this insurance policy is that it has an expiration date.
So if ever you weren’t able to use it and the contract expires, you will not be able to get any refund whatsoever
from the insurer.
Usually, the cost of this policy is around 2 or 3% of the sum total of the loan. So if your monthly
repayment is $900, you will pay the insurer with more or less $180. This form of insurance is also offered by most
lenders. But it is much better to look around for third party providers.
Aside from sickness, accidents, and unemployment, there are mortgage payment protection programs that are
also offered to cover the repayments due to death or permanent disability.
The Benefits of Getting a Mortgage Payment Protection
It prepares you for the unexpected. Illnesses and accidents are events that are usually unexpected. If you are
ill and all you can do is twist and turn on your hospital bed, the last thing you want to do is think of your
debts. During these times, you need to spend your time making yourself better so you can go back to normal and
support your family. A mortgage repayment protection will prepare you for the most unexpected events.
It gives you peace of mind. Taking out a mortgage payment protection doesn’t just give you financial
support. It also gives you peace of mind. Nobody wants to lose their homes. You don’t want your kids to see growing
up homeless. If you’re unemployed, you want to free your mind from the tormenting thought of missing payments. You
should take time looking for a better job. And you can’t do this if your mind is full of worries.
It saves your credit score. A default in your monthly repayment can deeply aggravate your credit score. If you
plan to take another loan – car loan, personal, home refinancing, and emergency loans, you might find it hard to
find a good lender that will approve your loan request.
The Downsides of Mortgage Payment Protection
Sadly, mortgage insurance seems to be one of the most expensive types of insurance. Average cost is $55 a
month per $100,000 loan. Another one is the policy exclusion. Always read the fine print of the contract. Some
mortgage insurance only covers a minimal number of diseases and there are so many requirements before you get the
benefits promised to you.
Here are the most common policy exclusions:
You will not be allowed to apply for a claim
for pre-existing health conditions.
You will not be able to get the claim until after a specified period
of time after you filed your insurance application
You might find it hard to get mortgage payment protection if
you are currently unemployed prior to your application
If you got sick from work, you can only avail of the claim after a
certain period off from work
For back pain and stress issues, claims are only provided if there
has been a valid diagnosis coming from a professional psychiatrist or radiologist as the case may
be.
Insurers usually restrict their maximum repayment payout
Illnesses that have developed out of drug or alcohol abuse as well
as self-inflicted injuries will not be covered.
While a mortgage payment protection can give you peace of mind, there are times that this is not the most
suitable option. Always take time to investigate all the terms of the insurance before taking this particular kind
of mortgage cover.
Where can you take a mortgage payment protection?
In United Kingdom, this form of loan insurance is very popular. If you buy a house anywhere in UK and you
deposited less than 20%, you may be offered with mortgage repayment cover. In US, this policy is simply referred to
as mortgage insurance. Insurance companies and lenders began offering mortgage cover in the US since 1930s as a
remedy for borrowers suffering from financial problems. It was to be noted that during this period, the world went
through the Great Depression. For those who take the life mortgage insurance, they can also protect their
co-purchaser or co-guarantor (who is usually the spouse of the borrower) from getting the obligation.
Tips on Getting Mortgage Payment Protection
Make sure it is what you really need. If you’re almost near the end of
your repayment term and you already have a short-term cover for disability, getting this loan may not be
appropriate to you. You may also want to confirm with your employer if they’re already offering you the same
or similar kind of services.
You have the option to obtain mortgage payment protection from
your lender. But you can also look for some other companies especially the third party insurers. Sometimes,
lenders offer costly insurance covers. While some lenders may require you to take mortgage cover before
approving your home loan, you are never required to purchase it from them.
Look around for the best deals. Just like in chasing home
loans, you must also exert effort finding the right mortgage insurance. The internet is the best place to find
mortgage payment protection plans. You can search on online directories to find out a list of all insurance
providers in your area.
Verify the identity of the insurer. If you’re living in the US, the
best agency to call is the Better Business Bureau. If you are from the UK, you may need to call the UK Trading
Standards. Search on the regulatory boards or agencies that will help you check the reputation of the
background of the insurer.
Compare the terms. Always see to it that the insurance covers
comprehensive policies. This is where most companies take advantage of their clients. Most insurers have so
many exclusion polices and have complicated claim procedures.
Compare the rates. You also want to make sure that the
mortgage repayment protection is something you can afford.
askforinsurance.com, creditchoices.co.uk, bestinsurance.co.uk/
A mortgage payment protection can be your saving grace during tough times. Mortgage obligations are
something you can’t simply go away from as they will surely create a blast on your finances.
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