Mortgage Protection: the Costs v the Benefits

Mortgage protection is often viewed as a grudge purchase. A necessary evil insisted upon by banks when consumers are at the pin of their collars, trying to buy a new home. But is this the right way to look at it? Because of the financial pressure people are under when starting out with a mortgage, they often forget about the benefit that they are actually paying for.

First of all - the Costs
Mortgage protection is actually a cheap form of life assurance. This is because the level of cover reduces in line with your reducing mortgage balance, unlike more traditional life assurance cover that remains constant (or even increases) during the life of the policy. Remember, the purpose of this cover is simply to repay your mortgage in the event of your death. 

There are other reasons behind the cost of this insurance for your life usually being quite low. Mortgage borrowers are often young couples, which in itself results in lower premium rates for them. On top of this, non-smokers see significant reductions in rates in comparison to smokers.

We’ve also seen a significant reduction in premium rates in Irish life assurance policies in recent years. This has been as a result of more favourable claims statistics – less people dying young, due to significant strides in medical science in the last few decades.

Even aside from these factors though, you want to ensure that you are availing of the lowest cost cover in the market! To do this, you need to engage the services of a Financial Broker who will find the best insurance quotes in the market for you. This is a job your bank cannot do – they are stuck with the products of a single provider.

And did you know that your bank cannot insist on you taking out the life assurance policy with them? They can only insist on the cover being in place. So stand up for your rights (and your pocket!) and ensure you get the lowest cost cover in place through your Financial Broker.

The Benefit
Don’t forget the benefit! The primary benefit of mortgage protection cover is the security that it gives you. The comfort of knowing that should you or your spouse die, your family home is secure and is one less worry for the bereaved to deal with.

None of us like to give these situations too much thought… But it is important to consider that in the event of a death in the family, this often results in the loss of an income, sometimes the sole income coming into the household. Then the mortgage repayments become a problem and then the bank is chasing you. All on top of your grief of losing a loved one.

So recognise the comforting benefit of this cheap life assurance. Talk to your Financial Broker about getting the best insurance quotes for you. Get your cover in place and enjoy your new home without worries.