You undoubtedly have been warned be either friends or family members to review your policy once a year to make sure that your coverage is still consistent with your income, family size and lifestyle.



But the article, “Improve Your Life (Insurance)! Stop Paying Too Much For Too Little," written January 4, 2007 by Mark J. Boehm and posted on ezinearticles.com, suggests it is also important to review your policy regardless if you or your family’s personal situation has undergone recent changes.

Boehm claims that most people who own life insurance are overpaying for it and don’t even realize it. If your insurance policy is two or more years old your premium is more than $10,000 per year, your life insurance product is most likely underperforming.

This is largely due to the modern advancements of life insurance products, underwriting technology, mortality predictions and overall changes in the industry.

“Unfortunately, a lack of information, along with hurdles to ‘comparison shopping,’ often results in higher premium payments coupled with lower death benefits."

You can solve this problem by having a thorough audit of your existing insurance policy. A thorough audit will be able to assess if there are any lapses in your current policy or product. There are five primary components to a life insurance policy audit:

The first one is the underwriting analysis.

“Mortality costs are, obviously or not, the single most expensive portion of a life insurance policy. Medical technology has driven rapid advancements in underwriting. Tests for liver function, kidney function, illegal drugs, nicotine, PSA, HDL/LDL, and glucose levels are readily available."

Updated mortality assessments can greatly reduce your policy’s premium.

Next, the auditor will conduct a product and lender review, which will basically compare your lender and policy product with hundreds of others to make sure yours is up to date. Then, your lender will go through a personal assessment. The S&P Index doesn’t tell the whole story. Wall Street figures and other statistical data will be analyzed to discover any malfunctions associated with your lender.

The forth component of a life insurance policy audit is a case design review.

“Current financial planning objectives considering updated policyholder circumstances and current tax law changes should be reassessed. Often underemphasized and consequently overlooked, this is a vital aspect of a true audit. The most expensive life insurance policy is the one for which you are paying, but no longer need."

And the last thing the audit will determine is your policy’s fair market value. There are several factors that can change the value of your policy. The smoker’s and other health clauses maybe out-dated, which could cost you thousands of dollars in premiums and benefits.

“A thorough appraisal of in-force life insurance requires a simultaneous process to evaluate performance and negotiate risk. Not a static or academic comparison, but an actual underwriting process, resulting in a negotiated offer."

There is a very good chance but if you are like most Americans and like to just the best value for your money, you may want to play it safe and have your life insurance policy audited.