Planning on a Baby? Why It Pays to Apply for Life Insurance Beforehand

Timing your application just right could save you money.

The decision to start a family is a big one. Having kids means not only taking on additional costs, from extra food to supplies to childcare, but also, having to dedicate a piece of yourself to another living being for the rest of your days (no pressure though).

Meanwhile, many parents make the decision to put life insurance in place once they have kids. That way, they can rest assured that their children will be protected financially if they're not around to care for them.

If you've decided you're ready to have a baby but don't have life insurance yet, you may want to apply before getting pregnant. Doing so could end up being a nice source of savings.

Don't wait to submit that application

You might think that paying for life insurance before bringing a child into the world is a waste of money. But actually, applying for coverage before getting pregnant could work to your benefit.

While some pregnancies go smoothly from start to finish, some women end up with ongoing medical issues during and following their pregnancies. And it can be hard to predict who that will happen to. If you're ready to get pregnant and your health seems great now, then the time to apply for life insurance is now.

Remember, in most cases, you'll have to undergo a process called medical underwriting in the course of getting life insurance. That means having a medical exam and having your health assessed. (There is such a thing as a no medical exam life insurance policy, but these policies tend to be more expensive and limited than those that require a medical exam.)

If you get that health assessment done with at a time when you know you're in solid shape, you might manage to lock in very affordable premiums on your life insurance policy. But if you wait until you're pregnant, or after, to apply for coverage, you might get stuck paying more.

Granted, the medical profession is aware that certain health issues can arise during pregnancy and resolve afterward. Having gestational diabetes, for example, doesn't mean you'll be diabetic for the rest of your life.

But what if, for example, you put on excess weight during a pregnancy and struggle to shed it afterward? If you apply for life insurance and are determined to be overweight or obese, it could result in higher premiums, because your insurer might consider you a riskier applicant.

You'll also get peace of mind

It's an unfortunate fact that some women don't end up surviving childbirth. And that's yet another reason to put life insurance in place before having a baby.

If you buy coverage before getting pregnant, you can name your partner as your policy's beneficiary. Then, if you become pregnant, you can designate your unborn child as a beneficiary as well.

Putting life insurance in place before starting a family could give you peace of mind as you embark on that exciting but overwhelming process. And that's reason enough not to wait.