aib assignment of life policy form

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Assignment Of Life Policy – Certificate Of Title (2009 Edition)

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It has been brought to the attention of the Conveyancing Committee that some lending institutions have a requirement that solicitors attend to an assignment of life policy in connection with a residential mortgage loan. Solicitors will be aware from the form of undertaking in residential mortgage loan cases that paragraph 2(d) provides that the solicitor undertakes to have the lender’s standard form of life policy assignment executed by the borrower, if this is specified in the letter of offer, and provided that the standard form is furnished to the solicitor in the form in which it is to be signed prior to the drawdown of the loan.

The committee confirms that this means that solicitors are not required to insert the details of the policy in the assignment form and are merely required to attend to the execution of the life policy assignment itself. The attention of solicitors is directed to paragraph 15(a) and (b) of the Guidelines and Agreement (2009 Edition) agreed between the Law Society and the IBF in relation to residential mortgage loans, which confirms the position:

15(a) Some Lenders may furnish Borrower’s solicitors with deeds of assignment of life policy for execution at completion. Where this is done, the solicitor should ensure each relevant document is executed, witnessed and dated in order to comply with clause 2(d) of the Undertaking. (b) It is the responsibility of the Lender to furnish the Borrower’s solicitor prior to completion with the assignment of life policy in the form in which they wish to have it executed and with the relevant policy details inserted. Borrowers’ solicitors are not obliged to insert the details of the life policy in the schedule to the life policy assignment.

The committee further confirms that it has not been agreed with any lending institution that solicitors who attend to the execution of the life policy assignment will thereafter notify any life assurance company of the assignment itself. The committee believes that this is purely an administrative matter for a lending institution to attend to itself.

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How to Assign a Mortgage Life Insurance Policy

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If you’re on this here blog, I can assume a couple of things:

• you’ve either bought or are buying a house and
• you’ve either bought or are buying Mortgage Protection or Life Insurance because you have to.

I can also probably assume you’re a responsible adult – or at the very least, you’re very good at pretending, which as we all know: all the best people are.

Now, there is one thing you need to know.

This one thing is either coming to you too late, or just in the nick of time, depending on whether or not you now own a house.

The banks are great for mortgages, but they’re a rip off when it comes to Mortgage Protection Insurance in Ireland.

They’ll try to force you to buy their Mortgage Protection (a type of Life Insurance that will pay off the rest of your mortgage if you die) because:

• It makes it harder for you to switch your mortgage (if the bank even mentions the words “block policy”, you should dive out the nearest window)
• It’s more money for them, especially if they hoodwink you into adding Serious Illness Cover, which will go directly into their pockets even if you need it for medical bills!

You’re basically paying them so they can pay themselves if you die or get sick before you’re done paying off your mortgage.

Yes, it sucks.

No, there’s not a massive amount you can do about it except arm yourself with all the information you can.

Which is why I’m going to talk you through Mortgage Protection, buying it, and assigning it to your bank/lender.

How do you assign a mortgage life insurance policy?

• Arrange your policy (through a broker preferably – scroll down to find out why)
• Complete a Deed  of Assignment (it forms part of your legal pack that the bank sends to your solicitor)
• Send the completed Notice of Assignment and your policy schedule to the bank
• The bank sends the Notice of Assignment and the policy schedule to the insurer
• The nsurer assigns your policy to the bank and sends a confirmation letter to the bank

And that’s it, fairly straightforward, ignore the bank if they try to spook you by saying it causes delays if you don’t buy from them. It doesn’t.

What is mortgage protection/life insurance for a mortgage?

As I said above: it’s a type of insurance that pays off the rest of your mortgage if you die. You have to get it if you’re buying a house. You can buy it from the insurer directly, your bank/lender, or a broker who will usually work with all the insurers.

You also have the option of using existing Life Insurance cover (for example, if you already have a policy) as your cover.

To make that crystal clear, your options are:

Mortgage lender/your bank:

• Tied to the bank so they can only sell you their overpriced Mortgage Protection policy.
• Your premium forms part of your mortgage repayments so it’s hard to see how much you’re paying for your policy.
• It’s potentially a problem because: you should always shop around at all of the insurers to make sure you get a good deal.
• You know how bankers get slated all the time for being more concerned with lining their own pockets? Yes. That. Think about it.
• If you have a health issue and they can’t offer you cover, then you’re on your own.

Insurance brokers:

• Will advise on policies from all the  providers to recommend the best deal for you.
• You get all the information, so you actually know what you’re dealing with.
• Heavily discounted premiums compared to the banks
• If you have a health issue and one insurer can’t offer you cover, your broker can try elsewhere.
• A sound bunch of lads
• Can only sell their own policies, so you’re definitely not getting the best deal for you.
• Probably shouldn’t do. Known for being occasionally nefarious, but you do you, boo.

An existing policy:

• It’s a bit confusing but you can use an existing Life Insurance policy as your Mortgage Protection, presuming it’s equal to the value of your mortgage and runs for the same term – so if your mortgage is for 30 years and €200,000, your Life Insurance policy would need to match or exceed that (e.g. a 31 year, €201,000 policy works ; a 29 year, €199,000 policy doesn’t)
• You have to assign the policy to your lender, if this is the case. Essentially, it’s you saying, “yes, I want to use my Life Insurance policy to pay off my mortgage.”
• If there’s any moolah left over afterwards, it’ll go to your dependents.
• You’re better off having both Mortgage Protection and Life Insurance because it’s two pay-outs, but if you’re strapped for the cash, or have had some health issues since you took it out, assigning an existing policy can be a solid shout.

If you’ve already bought your policy and are wondering about how to actually assign it, I get round to that in a second.

By the way, you can’t use life insurance that you have through work (death in service benefit) for a mortgage.

Is Mortgage Protection/Life Insurance different?

Yes. Mortgage Protection is a type of Life Insurance that only covers your mortgage to your lender. Life Insurance leaves a tax-free lump sum to your dependents. They could use it to pay for literally anything they want.

A $2,500 human-sized replica mask of your cat, for example .

Is it confusing? 100 percent.

Is it confusing on purpose? 100 per cent.

My two cents? Get Life Insurance and Mortgage Protection. It’s two pay-outs. It won’t break the bank monthly, but it could mean an awful lot to your family down the line.

Think of it like this: A Mortgage Protection payout gives your family a mortgage-free home. A Life Insurance payout gives your family a replacement income. They need both, so you need both.

Can you change your Mortgage Protection policy?

Yes. Any time you want. It could totally be worth it for a better price or benefits, so seriously: look into it. A few euro in the difference might not seem like much, but take that €5 a month and multiply it out by 12 and then by the length of your actual mortgage (which could be up to 35 years) and you’d be surprised how much it’ll add up to.

Just look at that fiver go. €5 x 12 x 35 = €2,100.

And that’s before we go anywhere near the difference you could save if you wanted to switch your actual mortgage down the line.

And don’t mind your bank if they say that getting Mortgage Protection or assigning an existing Life Insurance policy will delay your mortgage or that they’ll look more favourably on your application if you do what they want.

Remember: It’s all a

They’re trying to scare you into buying their overpriced policy.

Tell them where to go.

Because you already know where you can get the  best mortgage protection quotes .

Why do you need to assign a policy to a bank?

To make it legal.

Otherwise, it’s a bit like two young fellas swearing loyalty by spitting into a handshake. You telling your bank about your existing policy is grand and all, but if anything happens, they want the legal papers to say they get any payout.

Otherwise, all they’ve got is a spitty handshake and no cover.

How do you assign a Life Insurance policy to a bank/your lender?

It’s a bit like giving your bank a gift. You take out the policy and pay the premiums. When you die (no ‘ifs’ here, pal), your bank gets any pay-out.

To assign the policy (or policies if you have taken two single life policies) you need to complete a deed of assignment for each policy,

The deed is a legal document that forms part of your legal pack. It’s written in legalese, which means it’s completely impenetrable to normal people.

You can try reading it, but honestly, you’ll have as much luck taking another crack at Finnegans Wake. At least then you can sound cultured if you pretend you read Joyce’s gibberish.

You have to sign the deed of assignment.

Listen, it’s a bit like Apple’s terms and conditions; everyone ticks the box and nobody has a clue what they agreed to. Have you just sold your soul to a factory wherever iPhones are manufactured? Possibly.

But you’re still gonna have to do it.

The bit you sign is called the Notice of Assignment. You sign it and send it back to your bank along with your mortgage protection certificate.

The bank then sends it to the insurer and the insurer notes the bank as the legal owner of your policy.

Now, because the assignment is in effect a legal transaction, the banks don’t let us get involved so it’s up to them to send the necessary documents in a timely fashion to the insurer.

Once it’s with the insurer, we can chase it and give the insurer a bit of a prod if you’re in a rush but until then, our hands are tied.

*That’s how it usually works but each bank may do things differently.

What happens when the insurer receives the notice of assignment?

The insurer will assign your policy to the bank, so the bank becomes the owner of your policy and gets any pay-out.

Who notifies your bank that the policy has been assigned?

The insurer will send a confirmation of the assignment letter to the bank stating:

“Thank you for your recent Notice of Assignment in respect of the above-numbered policy. We have noted your interest and confirm that we hold no prior charge on this policy.”

Once the bank has confirmation of the assignment, they’re happy to issue your mortgage cheque.

How do I assign two life of another mortgage protection policies?

If you’re buying as a couple we recommend two single life policies to reduce any potential inheritance tax.

Assigning two policies works in the same way as assigning a single policy only you will have to complete a Deed of Assignment for each policy.

Is there a fee payable to assign a policy?

And just like that, you’ve assigned your policy.

Your TL;DR of tips, once more:

• Don’t buy Mortgage Protection from your lender. You likely won’t be getting the best deal and it makes it a little trickier if you want to switch your mortgage down the line.
• You can use an existing Life Insurance policy as your Mortgage Protection. However, you’re probably better off keeping them separate, as two policies = two pay-outs and an easier life for your family.
• Mortgage Protection = covers your mortgage. Life Insurance = covers you.
• If you’re bringing your own policy to the table, you’ll need to legally assign it to your bank by following the steps in this article. It’s basically you, your solicitor, your bank and insurer formally saying that the policy will pay-out your mortgage if you die.
• Before you buy any policy, make sure you go with a reputable broker so that you know you’re actually getting the best deal.

That’s all, folks!

Over to you…

I hope that clears up how to assign a mortgage life insurance policy to a bank. It’s simple, no matter how difficult your bank may try to make it seem.

But if you have any questions, please complete the short form below and I’ll be right back or even better: call me

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Deed of assignment

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About this deed of assignment for a life assurance policy

This deed of assignment transfers an endowment or other life insurance policy from trustees to beneficiary. It includes a template notice to the insurer that the policy has been transferred. The document is straight forward to complete.

This document is not suitable for a transfer for value. Instead, use Deed of assignment: life insurance policy or endowment policy .

Assigning a life policy using this document

For technical legal reasons, all assignments of life policies must be by deed and not by contract. The main practical difference is that a deed requires a witness to the signatures. Unless it is more convenient to do otherwise, the same witness can verify the signatures of both parties.

Document features and contents

The deed of assignment contains the following paragraphs:.

• The assignment;
• Undertakings by trustees;
• Form: Notice of Assignment to deliver to the insurer and bank.

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Assignment of Life Insurance

WARNING! This form permanently transfers ownership of your FEGLI insurance to another individual, trustee, or corporation (however, premiums continue to be withheld from your salary/annuity). An assignment is irrevocable, and cannot be changed later. DO NOT USE THIS FORM if you only wish to designate a beneficiary to receive your life insurance. Instead, use the available designation of beneficiary form .

For more information about assignments and designations of beneficiary, see the FEGLI Booklet on Assignments , and Designation of Beneficiary and Order of Precedence .

FEGLI enrollees use this form to assign ownership of their life insurance coverage to another person, firm, or trust; and assignees use the form to reassign the coverage.

Electronic Copies:

RI 76-10 

Paper Copies:

Request a paper copy of this form from your servicing Human Resources Office.

Annuitants:

• Call toll free 1-888-767-6738 (202-606-0500 in the DC Area), or
• Send an email to [email protected] , giving the number of the form that you need and your mailing address, or
• Request a copy from a local Federal agency Human Resources Office.

What Is A Collateral Assignment Of Life Insurance?

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A collateral assignment is sometimes a necessity if you’re applying for larger financing amounts such as a mortgage or business loan.

But what is a collateral assignment and how do you go about getting it on your life insurance policy? 

In this article, we’ll cover what collateral assignment is, how you can add it to your life insurance, and what alternatives there are out there. 

What Is Collateral Assignment? 

A collateral assignment is a process by which a person uses their life insurance policy as collateral for a secured loan.

In simple terms, collateral assignment is reassigning priorities for who gets paid the death benefit of your life insurance policy.

What Is a death benefit?

A death benefit or face value of a life insurance contract is the amount of money that your beneficiaries will receive from your policy when you die.

Once you apply for collateral assignment and it’s approved, your specified debtor (the loan provider) will be paid first and then your beneficiaries will receive what is left over in your life insurance policy.

This is different from using your cash value to loan money as you are taking out a loan from another financial institution and using your policy as a guarantee that you’ll cover any debt when you die. 

For example, let’s say you want to take out a secured loan from your local bank and want to use your life insurance policy as a collateral assignment.

In this situation, you’d still have to pay back any debt you have with interest during the loan period. 

However, the life insurance policy would be used if the borrower dies and there was an outstanding loan balance remaining. 

Secured Loans vs. Unsecured Loans

Secured loans are debts that are backed by assets that a lender can claim if the debt isn’t repaid. These types of loans often offer better interest rates and more generous payment terms.

Unsecured loans are debts that don’t have collateral. These types of loans are more expensive to repay and considered riskier than secured loans.

Source: Pexels

How Does Applying for Collateral Assignment Work?

The process for getting collateral assignments for life insurance is the same as when you apply for new life insurance coverage. 

All you’ll be doing is indicating to your life insurance provider that your lender will be given priority for the amount of money you have borrowed through them.

There is an:

Application process.

Underwriting process.

Offer that you’ll receive.

You’ll be required to name beneficiaries as well as indicate ownership of the life insurance policy in the collateral assignment form which will be provided by your life insurance company.

This is because you’re changing the terms of your payout and your life insurance provider will need to follow these instructions once you die.

NB Some insurance companies don’t offer collateral assignment on new loans and generally only provide this feature to an existing life insurance policy.

You should check beforehand to see what will be required to apply for a collateral assignment. If you need help finding plans that offer this, send an email to a licensed insurance agent today.

Once you’ve assigned a new collateral assignee to your life insurance policy, they will be entitled to lay a claim on your death benefit for any debt you have with them.

For example, let’s say you take out a collateral assignment life insurance policy worth $200,000 for a loan of $75,000 over 7 years at an interest rate of 18%.

If you die after five years, based on these figures, you’ll still have $41,231.02 owed on your loan.

Your $200,000 life insurance plan will be used to cover this and your beneficiaries will receive the remaining $158 768.98 from your life insurance policy.

Your lender is only allowed to take the amount outstanding on the debt owed and cannot take more. 

What about Missed Payments and Cash Value Life Insurance?

If you have a permanent life policy with a cash value account, sometimes called cash value life insurance, your lender will have access to it to cover missed payments on your loan.

For example, let’s say you miss a payment on your loan and have a collateral assignment. Your lender will be able to access your cash value account and withdraw that month’s payment to cover your debt.

Who Can You Add as a Collateral Assignee?

You can add any person or institution as a collateral assignee to your life insurance policy if you owe them money.

This can include banks, lenders, private individuals, businesses, or credit card companies. 

The most common collateral assignments are for business loans and mortgages. This is because they are loans for high amounts that are paid off over several years. 

In fact, some banks and financial lenders may require that you add them as collateral assignees when you apply for any of the financing options mentioned below.

Common Collateral Assignees Include:

💵 Bank loans

💳 Credit cards

🏡 Mortgages

💼 Business loans

What Do I Do If I’ve Paid Off My Debt?

If you’ve managed to pay off your debt - firstly, congratulations! Secondly, you’ll want to notify your life insurance company that you’ll be changing your collateral assignments on your life policy.

While there is no legal claim that a company can make to debts that aren’t owed anymore, there may be a hold up in paying out the death benefit to your beneficiaries and other collateral assignees.

Life insurance companies will have to figure out who must be paid first, according to the order stated in your collateral assignment terms.

In general, life insurance policies will settle claims within 24 hours of being notified of a policyholder’s death.

The process can be delayed if you do not release your collateral assignees from your life insurance contract. 

Tips to Make Sure Your Life Policy Is Paid Out Quickly

Here are some tips if you want your beneficiary claims to be handled as fast as possible:

1) Keep a copy of your life insurance policy and policy number in a safe place or with your lawyer, financial advisor, or estate planner.

2) Speak to your beneficiaries about your policies and give them the contact details of the relevant life insurance company.

3) Make sure your life insurance contract is updated to reflect your latest list of beneficiaries.

4) Make sure you have your beneficiaries' details listed in the contract or with your lawyer.

The Benefits of Using Collateral Assignment of Life Insurance

While adding a collateral assignment to your current life insurance policy may require an application, paperwork, and time, there are benefits:

Many lenders like it: Banks and financial institutions sometimes prefer it when applicants use their life insurance policy as collateral for a loan. This is because they know that their debt will be serviced long-term by your insurance company which makes their loan to you a lower risk.

Your private property won’t be jeopardized: The last thing you want when you go into debt is to put your personal items, such as your car, investments, or home on the line as collateral. Using collateral assignment is an alternative to this and can protect you in the event that you can’t service your debt.

It can be affordable for some people: If you’re in good health and young, you may be paying affordable rates for permanent life cover. In situations like this, it can make sense to use your life cover as collateral for debts you’ve incurred.

What Are Some Alternatives to Collateral Assignment?

Term Life Insurance: Getting a term life insurance contract to cover specific debts is one way of ensuring your estate and family are protected when you die.

There are multiple types of term life insurance plans and they are more affordable than permanent life insurance. This makes options like level term life insurance and decreasing term life insurance ideal for different types of debts you may have over your lifetime.

What Is Term Life?

Term life is a temporary life coverage option that lasts for a specific period of time. It is different from permanent life insurance which lasts until you die or you stop paying premiums.

Term life contracts are typically between 5 to 20 years, however, you can get renewable term life plans and even a forty-year term life plan .

Borrow from your life insurance: If you have a permanent life insurance policy, such as universal, whole, or indexed life cover, you can borrow money from your cash value account. 

However, keep in mind that you’ll be required to pay interest on any amount that you borrow and any amount of debt incurred will be deducted from your policy’s death benefit when you die.

What Is Cash Value?

Cash value is a feature of permanent life insurance plans that policyholders can contribute additional money toward while they have a policy in force.

This money is set aside in a cash value account which is tax-deferred and can be used in a number of ways.

In some cases, if your policy allows it, you can end your contract and get the cash surrender value of it. This amount is usually much less than the value of your total life insurance contract. 

Our Verdict on Collateral Assignment

Many banks, lenders, and financial institutions want long-term guarantees that you’ll be able to service your debt if anything happens to you.

In some situations, getting collateral assignments on your life insurance to cover these debts is a good option for people who are trying to access finance from these institutions. 

However, there is a risk that your death benefit payout may be delayed for your beneficiaries if you don’t keep your different collateral assignees up to date.

If you already have a life insurance policy, you should contact your provider to find out what the process is and what you’ll need to do to change the collateral assignees on your policy.

If you don’t have a policy yet, our advice is to look at all of your options before you decide to take a permanent life insurance contract with a collateral assignment.

There are alternatives out there that are more affordable if you’re looking to protect your family and estate from debt.

Term life is one such option that is adaptable to your life and easy to get. 

For example, a decreasing term life insurance policy might be the right choice for someone who has recently bought a home and wants to cover their mortgage while they pay it back.

Another option is final expense insurance, which is a permanent life policy for smaller amounts, usually under $50,000.

With final expense insurance, your beneficiaries can pay for anything they want, including any debts you may have had in your life.

The process for applying is simple and you won't have to go through a medical exam or intensive underwriting as you would with traditional permanent life insurance. 

If you need any assistance with finding, comparing, or learning about the different life insurance options to cover your debts, speak to one of our expert advisors today at 1-888-912-2132 or [email protected] .

Where Can I Learn More about Life Insurance?

If you’re looking to learn more about life insurance, different kinds of coverage, or costs, visit our life insurance hub to find our latest articles.

We do the research so that you don’t have to and our articles cover complicated topics like what is a cash value account, what is key person insurance, or how long life insurance takes to pay out a death benefit.  

If you need help with quotes, try out a life insurance quote finder or reach out to us via email at [email protected] to get in touch with a licensed life insurance agent for your state.

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• Life Insurance
• Definitions

What Is a Collateral Assignment of Life Insurance?

Charlene Rhinehart is a CPA , CFE, chair of an Illinois CPA Society committee, and has a degree in accounting and finance from DePaul University.

A collateral assignment of life insurance is a conditional assignment appointing a lender as an assignee of a policy. Essentially, the lender has a claim to some or all of the death benefit until the loan is repaid. The death benefit is used as collateral for a loan.

The advantage to using a collateral assignee over naming the lender as a beneficiary is that you can specify that the lender is only entitled to a certain amount, namely the amount of the outstanding loan. That would allow your beneficiaries still be entitled to any remaining death benefit.

Lenders commonly require that life insurance serve as collateral for a business loan to guarantee repayment if the borrower dies or defaults. They may even require you to get a life insurance policy to be approved for a business loan.

Key Takeaways

• The borrower of a business loan using life insurance as collateral must be the policy owner, who may or may not be the insured.
• The collateral assignment helps you avoid naming a lender as a beneficiary.
• The collateral assignment may be against all or part of the policy's value.
• If any amount of the death benefit remains after the lender is paid, it is distributed to beneficiaries.
• Once the loan is fully repaid, the life insurance policy is no longer used as collateral.

How a Collateral Assignment of Life Insurance Works

Collateral assignments make sure the lender gets paid only what they are due. The borrower must be the owner of the policy, but they do not have to be the insured person. And the policy must remain current for the life of the loan, with the policy owner continuing to pay all premiums . You can use either term or whole life insurance policy as collateral, but the death benefit must meet the lender's terms.

A permanent life insurance policy with a cash value allows the lender access to the cash value to use as loan payment if the borrower defaults. Many lenders don't accept term life insurance policies as collateral because they do not accumulate cash value.

Alternately, the policy owner's access to the cash value is restricted to protect the collateral. If the loan is repaid before the borrower's death, the assignment is removed, and the lender is no longer the beneficiary of the death benefit.

Insurance companies must be notified of the collateral assignment of a policy. However, other than their obligation to meet the terms of the contract, they are not involved in the agreement.

Example of Collateral Assignment of Life Insurance

For example, say you have a business plan for a floral shop and need a $50,000 loan to get started. When you apply for the loan, the bank says you must have collateral in the form of a life insurance policy to back it up. You have a whole life insurance policy with a cash value of $65,000 and a death benefit of $300,000, which the bank accepts as collateral.

So, you then designate the bank as the policy's assignee until you repay the $50,000 loan. That way, the bank can ensure it will be repaid the funds it lent you, even if you died. In this case, because the cash value and death benefit is more than what you owe the lender, your beneficiaries would still inherit money.

Alternatives to Collateral Assignment of Life Insurance

Using a collateral assignment to secure a business loan can help you access the funds you need to start or grow your business. However, you would be at risk of losing your life insurance policy if you defaulted on the loan, meaning your beneficiaries may not receive the money you'd planned for them to inherit.

Consult with a financial advisor to discuss whether a collateral assignment or one of these alternatives may be most appropriate for your financial situation.

Life insurance loan (policy loan) : If you already have a life insurance policy with a cash value, you can likely borrow against it. Policy loans are not taxed and have less stringent requirements such as no credit or income checks. However, this option would not work if you do not already have a permanent life insurance policy because the cash value component takes time to build.

Surrendering your policy : You can also surrender your policy to access any cash value you've built up. However, your beneficiaries would no longer receive a death benefit.

Other loan types : Finally, you can apply for other loans, such as a personal loan, that do not require life insurance as collateral. You could use loans that rely on other types of collateral, such as a home equity loan that uses your home equity.

What Are the Benefits of Collateral Assignment of Life Insurance?

A collateral assignment of a life insurance policy may be required if you need a business loan. Lenders typically require life insurance as collateral for business loans because they guarantee repayment if the borrower dies. A policy with cash value can guarantee repayment if the borrower defaults.

What Kind of Life Insurance Can Be Used for Collateral?

You can typically use any type of life insurance policy as collateral for a business loan, depending on the lender's requirements. A permanent life insurance policy with a cash value allows the lender a source of funds to use if the borrower defaults. Some lenders may not accept term life insurance policies, which have no cash value. The lender will typically require the death benefit be a certain amount, depending on your loan size.

Is Collateral Assignment of Life Insurance Irrevocable?

A collateral assignment of life insurance is irrevocable. So, the policyholder may not use the cash value of a life insurance policy dedicated toward collateral for a loan until that loan has been repaid.

What is the Difference Between an Assignment and a Collateral Assignment?

With an absolute assignment , the entire ownership of the policy would be transferred to the assignee, or the lender. Then, the lender would be entitled to the full death benefit. With a collateral assignment, the lender is only entitled to the balance of the outstanding loan.

The Bottom Line

If you are applying for life insurance to secure your own business loan, remember you do not need to make the lender the beneficiary. Instead you can use a collateral assignment. Consult a financial advisor or insurance broker who can walk you through the process and explain its pros and cons as they apply to your situation.

Progressive. " Collateral Assignment of Life Insurance ."

Fidelity Life. " What Is a Collateral Assignment of a Life Insurance Policy? "

Kansas Legislative Research Department. " Collateral Assignment of Life Insurance Proceeds ."

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