Ask Dave: Is it okay to have more than one life insurance policy?

Dear Dave,

A relative of mine recently mentioned she had two life insurance policies. Is it okay for a person to have more than one life insurance policy? If so, why would someone do that?

Victoria

Dear Victoria,

There aren’t any rules against having more than one life insurance policy. The only real problem is it might complicate your life a little in terms of having multiple premium withdrawals, checks or possibly additional policy fees to worry about every month. It’s cheaper just to have just one policy, generally speaking, but regardless of whether you have one or more, I always recommend having 10 to 12 times your annual income wrapped up in a good, level term life insurance policy.

Different people have different personal and business financial situations, so there could be many reasons to have more than one life insurance policy. I have lots of insurance connected to our estate plan, our business and different kinds of things. Most life insurance companies will only write so much in coverage for one person, so when this has been the case, I just went to another carrier for additional coverage.

Also, some people buy more than one life insurance policy just to feel secure from a provider standpoint. If one insurance company goes out of business, they’ll still have another policy—or more—in place. That’s not usually a big problem, though, since the majority of insurance companies have insurance to back them up with the state, or are very financially stable.

I hope this helps, Victoria!

— Dave

 Dave Ramsey is a seven-time #1 national best-selling author, personal finance expert, and host of The Ramsey Show, heard by more than 18 million listeners each week. Hehas appeared on Good Morning America, CBS This Morning, Today Show, Fox News, CNN, Fox Business, and many more. Since 1992, Dave has helped people regain control of their money, build wealth and enhance their lives. He also serves as CEO for Ramsey Solutions.