Can I trade or replace my policy?

You can trade or replace your policy, but it's not something to be considered lightly, regardless of whether you are thinking of switching policies within the same company or switching from one company to another. New policies typically have high costs the first few years and there is normally a new "contestability period" during which the insurer can cancel the policy and refuse to pay death benefits if an application was misleading. If you want to increase your total life insurance, it is probably better to keep your old policy and simply add a new one, or increase your specified face amount under the same life insurance policy. For example, suppose your objective is to have $100,000 of life insurance and you currently have $50,000. It maybe better to keep the existing $50,000 policy and buy a second $50,000 policy to reach your goal of $100,000. Your existing policy premiums will generally be less than those for the new policy, because you bought it when you were younger and you won't lose any existing cash value. Be sure to ask your agent, financial advisor or insurance company about the best alternative for your specific situation.

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