If you make a claim on either a TPD or trauma insurance policy that's attached to life cover, your life insurance will be reduced by the amount you've claimed. With a buy back option, you can pay to reinstate your life insurance to its original level of cover. That way, you don't risk leaving your loved ones behind with less than they need to get by.
Say you have a bundled insurance policy with life insurance valued at $500,000 and trauma insurance valued at $100,000. If you suffer a health problem that costs the amount of the trauma insurance, your remaining life insurance would total $400,000.
If there was to be a claim for life insurance after this event, the amount paid out at this point would be $400,000. However, if you have a buy back option and 12 months pass, the life insurance would return to $500,000.
There are three types of buy back options available.
A life insurance buy back option is usually available to policies that are bundled with either TPD or trauma insurance. This is a common structure for life insurance policies as it lowers the cost of having separate insurances. It does mean however, that if you make a trauma or TPD claim, your life insurance benefit is reduced by the amount of that claim – which is why many insurers offer a buy back option.
Decide whether you want a buy back option by weighing up the pros and cons
Some insurers will include a buy back option free of charge in their policy. Other insurers use a buy back as an option to be bundled and in this case it will usually cost an additional amount. The amount varies and will require comparison between insurance companies.
As a standalone option not bundled with insurance, the buy back option will generally cost more, however it offers flexibility when changing plans. As a bundled option, the buy back policy will be included in the insurance premium.
You pay the same price as buying directly from the life insurer.
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