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Participating life insurance: What is it, Process, Types, Benefits, Dividends

Participating life insurance

What is Participating Life Insurance?

Participatory life insurance is a life insurance contract with an investment component. Participating life insurance generates profit from the insurer’s investment. According to the article “Participating and Non-Participating Whole Life Insurance” on Autorité des Marchés Financiers, this policy pays out the profits as dividends.

Dividends serve several purposes. You can use it to buy additional paid-up insurance. This will increase your insurance protection. You can receive the dividend as cash payments or leave it with the insurance company. By leaving it with the insurer, you earn more interest. That way, your cash value and the death benefit increase quickly. You can also use the dividends to reduce your premiums or purchase a separate term life insurance. Overall, participating life insurance is a policy that pays out dividends. As exciting as this is, it is more expensive than non-participatory life insurance.

In the following sections, our experts at IBC Financial will explain what it truly means to participate in life insurance products.

What is participating in a life insurance policy?

Participating in a life insurance policy means sharing the profit of a participatory life insurance policy.  Participating in a life insurance policy is by receiving dividends. According to Julia Kagan’s article “What Is a Participating Policy? Definition and How It Works” on Investopedia, dividends are profits of the insurance company.

The dividends are paid on an annual basis over the lifetime of the policy. However, most policies include a final payment when the contract matures. From our experience at IBC Financial, dividends are not guaranteed. The dividends you receive depend on the financial performance of the insurance company. Unlike universal life insurance, you do not control the investment. Your insurer does. Hence, you cannot choose the investment options to invest in and cannot influence the performance. We will explain the principles of participating in life insurance.

How does participating life insurance work in Canada?

Participating life insurance works like any permanent life insurance with the additional feature of paying dividends participating life insurance allows holders to partake in the profit of their insurance company. In Participating life insurance, according to Tom MacFie’s article “What is Participating Whole Life Insurance” McFie Insurance, the insurer agrees to share the excess profit with the policyholders.

It starts by purchasing a participating life policy, for which you will pay premiums to maintain yearly. Portions of the premiums go towards cash values and death benefits, while some are invested. Each year, the insurance company shares part of the profit. This is most times deemed as an excess of premium payments. Our experts at IBC Financial will explain the mechanisms in detail.

The Profit-Sharing Mechanism

The insurer generates profit through several means, like returns from invested premiums. The profit is determined by the performance of the investments. Usually, Insurance companies use dividend scale interest rates to determine how much of the profit will be shared. The dividend scale interest rates are reviewed and updated periodically to reflect the investment performance.

Allocation of Dividends

Dividends are shared on an annual basis. While some participatory policies guarantee a minimum dividend, most do not. Dividends depend on the investment returns and operational costs. Also, the amount holders receive depends on the proportion of their cash value and premiums in the participating account. This implies that individuals with more policy value will receive higher dividends. There are many dividend options available. You can use it to obtain a paid-up addition to your insurance. A paid-up insurance is one for which the premiums have been paid upfront. You can deposit the dividend into the cash value to earn more. You can also withdraw it as cash.

Policy Loans and Withdrawals

Like any other permanent life insurance plan, you can obtain loans using your cash value as collateral. You can also withdraw from the account. However, policy loans and withdrawals can reduce your death benefit in the case of your death.

What are the features of Participating Life Insurance?

Participating life insurance offers many unique features. Participating life insurance features include dividend payment, cash value growth, and more. Participating life insurance, aside from dividends, guarantees death benefits like other life policies, according to Andrea and Joanna’s paper “Contracts with participating features: Background” on IFRS. Our experts at IBC Financial have identified unique features of participating life policies. Here are three notable features

Dividend Payments

Participating policies offer holders the opportunity to earn while being insured. The excess profit of the insurance company is shared as annual dividends.

Cash Value Accumulation

This policy has a cash value component that earns interest and grows tax-free over time. The dividend can be deposited into the savings account to increase the compounding effect.

Flexibility in Accessing Funds

The policy dividends can be obtained as cash for any purpose. The cash value account serves as collateral for policy loans. This enhances liquidity and increases access to cash.

What are the types of Participating life insurance?

There are many types of Participating life insurance. Participating life insurance is supported by many life insurance companies. According to an article titled “Types of Participating Policies” on Faster Capital, participating life insurance includes traditional, universal life participation policies, etc.

Our experts at IBC Financial will explain the various types of participating insurance. 

  1. Traditional Life insurance: This is the most common type of participating insurance. It assures death benefits and lifelong coverage, while dividends are not guaranteed. However, the life insurance dividends are paid annually.
  2. Universal Life Participating Insurance: This policy offers lifelong coverage. It also allows holders to tweak their benefits and premiums to suit their present needs. In the universal life participating policy, you are also not guaranteed annual dividends. However, for Infinite Banking purposes, we do not typically recommend using universal life, as it does not function like a traditional participating whole life policy issued by mutual insurers.
  3. Variable Life Participating insurance: This is a life insurance coverage that allows you to maintain sub-accounts and invest in mutual funds. Like others, it also does not guarantee policy dividends.
  4. Term Life Participating Policies: Term life insurance offers insurance coverage for only a specified period. The dividends are non-guaranteed and end when the time elapses. In practice, true “participation” in term life is very rare and not commonly used for IBC.
 

How much does participating life insurance cost?

The cost of participating life insurance differs. The cost of participating life insurance is influenced by different factors. These include age, sex, and others. According to Ben Nguyen’s article “What is a Participating Life Insurance Policy in Canada? Guide in 2024” of Life Buzz, the monthly cost for a healthy 30-year-old female is $230 for a $250,000 participating whole life policy. For a male of the same age, it will cost $262. This shows the influence of sex on the price, as males are more likely to die earlier than females. Also, lifestyle affects insurance costs. The price for insurance for smokers and non-smokers will vary. The non-smoker rates will be less.

Unlike other permanent life insurance, these insurance plans are generally more expensive.  While the premiums can be higher, policyholders often see additional value through dividends, potential cash value growth, and other benefits. This is due to the dividends policy owners earn. Hence, they pay more insurance premiums. Also, non-participating life insurance policies are less expensive, as they do not pay dividends.

What are the different types of participating life insurance policies?

There are a few types of participating life insurance policies. The types of participating insurance policies depend on the kind of insurance. According to a Department of Financial Services article titled “Types of Policies”, the types include participating whole life insurance. However, other types exist. Here are the four types of participating life insurance

  1.     Whole life participating insurance policy
  2.     Universal Life Participating Insurance (Not typically recommended for Infinite Banking, as it does not follow the same dividend-paying structure as mutual whole life policies.)
  3.     Variable Life Participating Insurance
  4.     Term Life Participating Policies
 

Who should consider getting participating life insurance in Canada?

Participating life insurance is a good fit for anyone who can afford it. Getting participating life insurance depends on several factors, including financial status and age. According to Leo Almazora’s article “The wealth-building potential of participating life insurance” on Wealth Professional, most policy sales are to Canadians aged 45 – 60 years old, as they have the need and the means for lifelong protection. However, our teams of experts have identified some individuals who should get a participating life policy. Here are the four Canadians who should consider the policy.

  1.     High-income earners
  2.     Individuals looking for large estate planning solutions
  3.     A Small business owner who requires constant cash flow
  4.     Individuals looking to build long-term wealth through dividends and cash accumulation.
 

What are the Advantages of Participating Life Insurance?

Participating Life Insurance has many advantages. Participating life insurance offers lifelong protection, tax benefits, and more. According to Jeannine Mancini’s article “What Is a Participating Life Insurance Policy?” on Benzinga, the advantages include long-term financial growth, potential for dividends, and more. Our experts at IBC Financial have identified the main benefits of Participating policies. Here are the four main advantages.

  1.  Long-Term Financial Security: The cash value accumulates with time, providing an additional source of funds. This money can be accessed through policy loans and withdrawals.
  2.  Potential dividends payment: This is the most unique feature of a Participating policy. It allows holders to earn by sharing the insurer’s profit.
  3. Tax Benefits: The cash value component grows tax-free. The policy dividends are also tax-free payments. This is because they are deemed as a return of the excess premiums in most states. Also, the policy loans are not taxable. There are no tax implications except when you surrender the policy.
  4. Estate Planning Assistance: It provides death benefits for beneficiaries of the deceased insured. There is also a potential for increased death benefits if the insured deposits the dividends into the policy.

What are the benefits of Participating life Insurance?

Participating life insurance offers many benefits. The benefits of participating life insurance outweighs its drawbacks. According to Palak Bagadia’s article “Overview of Participating vs. Non-Participating Life Insurance Policy” on Bajaj Allianz, they include policy dividends. From our experts at IBC Financial, here are five benefits of a participating life policy.

  1. Pays bonuses and dividend
  2. Offers tax-free growth of dividends and cash value
  3. Offers financial flexibility
  4. Helps in estate planning
  5. Allows for increased returns 

What are the Disadvantages of Participating Life Insurance?

Participating Life Insurance has many disadvantages. These drawbacks can pose a major challenge to the policy. The disadvantages, according to Bob Phillips’s article “What is a Participating Life Insurance Policy?” on Insuranceopedia, include high premium costs and unstable dividends. Our professionals at IBC Financial have identified five drawbacks of this policy. Here are the five disadvantages of Participating life insurance.

  1.  Higher premiums compared to non-participating policies: These policies require higher premiums to maintain. This is due to the insurance payout. In contrast, non-participating policies cost less. .
  2.  Complexity of policies: These policies can be challenging to understand. The relationship between the different components of the policy can be confusing. This may discourage eligible individuals from purchasing the policy. However, they can employ the services of a financial advisor.
  3.  Varying dividends: The life insurance policy dividends are not guaranteed. They depend on the financial performance of the insurance company.
  4. Requires long-term commitment: Realizing the benefits of the policy requires time and patience. This policy will not fit individuals with short-term goals.
  5. Dividend Variability: Instead of framing it purely as “sharing risk,” note that dividends fluctuate with the company’s performance. While this reflects real-world results, policyholders should understand that their returns may vary year to year.

How to Choose a Participating Life Insurance Policy?

Choosing a participating life insurance policy can be difficult. Participating life insurance policies are of many types and come with many features. As a general rule, you must first assess your personal financial goals, according to Lindsay Frankel’s article “How to Choose Life Insurance” on Investopedia. This will help you outline and understand your needs. Aside from that, there are other vital steps to take when choosing a participating policy. Our experts have identified four crucial steps.

  1. Assessing Personal Financial Goals: This is a vital step in selecting a policy. Here, you determine if your financial goals are long-term and how they fit into your strategy. You also allocate funds for annual premium payments. Also, you will decide the purpose of your dividends and the growth rate of your cash value.
  2. Consulting with Financial Advisors: Financial professionals will help you understand your financial status and objectives well. They also guide you on the best policy that fits your strategy.
  3. Evaluating Different Insurers: You can compare offers from various insurers. Consider the features and components of the policy and choose one that aligns with your goals.
  4. Understanding Policy Terms and Conditions: Clear knowledge of the policy terms is key. You must understand the terms of any policy before signing off. Check for the interest rates on dividends, cash value, and policy loans. Also, the policy premiums and death benefits should be clear to you. It is also vital to check the flexibility of the policy on premium payment and the use of future dividends. For a better understanding, it is advisable to employ the service of an insurance advisor.

Do participating insurance policies pay dividends?

Yes, participatory insurance policies pay dividends. These are part of the profit realized by the insurance company. The dividends, according to Greg Meckbach’s article “Participating Whole Life: What it can and can’t accomplish” on Advisor.ca, can fluctuate. They depend on the investment returns. The returns are influenced by several factors, like the performance of the investment.

There is a lot you can do with the dividends. You can withdraw or use them for additional coverages. You can also leave them to accumulate in the cash value.

Is participating life insurance the same as whole life insurance?

No, participating life insurance differs from whole life insurance. Participating life insurance is a type of whole life insurance that pays dividends. You can use these dividends to boost cash value or lower policy fees.

Are participating life insurance policies available in Canada?

Yes, participating life insurance is accessible in Canada. Participating life insurance is offered by many life insurance companies in Canada, according to the guideline titled “Participating account management and disclosure to participating policyholders and adjustable policyholders – Guideline (2023),” by the Office of the Superintendent of Financial Services in Canada.

What is the difference between a participating and non-participating life insurance policy?

Participating and non-participating life insurance policies differ in several ways. A participating policy offers annual dividends while a non-participating plan does not, according to Francis Rodrigues’ article “Difference between Participating and Non-Participating Insurance” from HDFC Life. Here are three differences.

  1. Profit sharing: While participating life insurance policy allows you to partake in profits, non-participating does not.
  2. Flexibility: A non-participating plan has a rigid structure, as benefits are fixed at the time of issuance. A participating plan enables you to reroute your money and switch funds according to your needs.
  3. Benefits: Non-participating offers guaranteed benefits to its members upon plan maturity. However, a participating plan offers both guaranteed and non-guaranteed benefits.

For more information on participating life insurance, contact us at IBC Financial.

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