Credit Involuntary Unemployment Benefit Insurance – This policy will pay all or part of
the monthly bill if the insured becomes involuntarily unemployed due to a cause defined
(or specified) in the policy during the term of coverage. The policies usually require that
you be unemployed for a specific amount of time (usually 30 days) before the benefit is
paid. Some policies are retroactive and will pay for the waiting period.
How Much Will The Policy Cost?
The price of the policy is dependent upon a number of factors including the amount of
the loan or debt, the type of credit and the type of policy. Companies will charge
premiums by either using a single premium method or a monthly outstanding balance
method.
Single Premium Method – The insurance premium is calculated at the time of the loan,
and added to the amount of your loan. Therefore, you become responsible for the
entire premium at the time you purchase the policy. Your monthly loan payment
includes a portion of the initial loan, a portion of the insurance premium, and the interest
charge for the month.
Monthly Outstanding Balance Method – This method is generally used for credit cards,
revolving home equity loans or other similar debts.
a. For open end accounts, such as credit cards where the amount of the debt may
increase over time, the amount of insurance may vary from month to month. As
a result, the premium is charged to the insured monthly and is based on the
monthly debt either by using the end of the month balance or the average daily
balance depending upon the terms of the policy. This amount will appear as a
separate charge on the statement from the lender. The monthly insurance
premium is part of each month’s required minimum payment.
b. The closed end account method has fixed terms at the time of the original debt.
The amount of the debt may not change and the insured has a fixed amount that
is due every month. It is important to note that failure to pay this amount on time
every month could result in cancellation of the policy or that an additional balance
will be due at the loan maturity date. Read the details of your payment
agreement carefully so that you understand the terms of repayment.
May I Cancel My Policy?
Yes, you can cancel your credit insurance policy. You should check the terms of your
policy to find out how to cancel it. If you have a single premium method policy, you will
be entitled to a refund for the unused months of insurance. Your policy should explain
how the refund is calculated. It is important to understand that the single premium
method refund will be paid to your lender to reduce your loan balance. The amount of
your monthly payment will not change; however, your loan will be paid off earlier than
the loan maturity date if your monthly loan payments are paid as scheduled. If you have
a monthly outstanding balance method policy you may not be entitled to a refund.
Since the insurance premium is charged to you just one month at a time, generally there
will not be any months of unused insurance coverage. Also, you should be aware that