When you are drowning in debt…

that is when you need term life insurance the most. Here’s why…

During these trying economic times, many Americans are asking, “Where’s my bailout?”

The government now owns General Motors and has spent trillions of dollars rescuing AIG and banks like Countrywide, but it is still up to each of use to create our own family bailout plan.

Term life insurance is an essential part of your family’s bailout plan. When times are tough, that is when you truly need the essential safety net that life insurance provides.

Over many years in the insurance industry, I’ve counseled hundreds of families who were in debt. Some of them were having severe financial problems and even considering bankruptcy. One of the things I’ve learned is that when you are drowning in debt, that is when the need for term life insurance is the greatest.

When the economy is booming, many families have generous savings accounts, a number of investments including their 401k, stocks and bonds. Often, both spouses are working. They have plenty of equity in their homes and may have other assets such as expensive cars or fine jewelry that they can sell if necessary.

A family in that position needs term life insurance, but they are in a far better position than a debt-ridden family. They have good credit that can tide them over – at least for a short while — if tragedy strikes. They can raise cash or raid the savings account if they must, or take out a home equity loan.

All of those alternatives disappear when families are deep in debt.

When times are tough, one spouse may be unemployed. Jobs are hard to find in this economy, and good jobs are even harder to find. Families are less likely to have extensive savings. Their 401k accounts may already have been tapped for emergencies. If the breadwinner passes away, the loss of income combined with financial pressures can be catastrophic.

The debt-ridden family needs the safety net that term life insurance provides, more than ever. When times are tough, the relatively small amount of money spent on term life provides a world of security for your family.

We all know that we should have health insurance all the time, but especially when we are sick. By the same token, term life insurance is always important – but especially so when we are facing debt or financial problems.

Don’t delay – take this important step to protect your family by purchasing affordable, hassle-free life term insurance coverage today at www.termdog.com.

NAPERVILLE, IL–(Marketwire – September 22, 2009) – A revolutionary new process allows consumers to compare term life insurance costs online just as they would auto insurance — quickly, conveniently and in the comfort of their own home. Better yet, TERMdog.com promises that they will never sell consumers’ contact information.

Until recently, finding affordable life insurance online was very difficult. Websites promised “online term life insurance quotes” but did not deliver. Instead, they simply collected customer information and sold it to the highest bidder. Unwary consumers were besieged with annoying salespeople constantly calling, mailing and in some cases even knocking on their doors.

That has all changed with the introduction of TERMdog.com. The site checks term life insurance rates at more than 100 companies to ensure that customers receive the best prices. Rates can be up to 70% the price that consumers are currently paying. Results are customized for each buyer, taking into account the customer’s age, location, sex and other important factors.

Consumers are understandably intimidated by the process of locating affordable life insurance. While many websites have promised to streamline the process, none of them delivered until now. TERMdog.com eliminates the need for a buyer to contact dozens of insurance companies, get term life insurance quotes from all of them and compare price and coverage.

Even more important, using TERMdog.com ensures that consumers will never be hassled by high-pressure insurance sales techniques.

TERMdog.com is the brainchild of Naperville, Illinois insurance agent Michael Fry. After years in the insurance industry, Fry realized that the websites available to give consumers term life insurance quotes just weren’t good enough. They promised too much and delivered too little. That’s why he created TERMdog.com.

Michael Fry is a father of three who is active in his church and community events including Junior Achievement. For more interviews or more information see www.TERMdog.com or contact him at 630-393-6500.

New no-hassle, no-pressure system to find affordable insurance.

Too many people are underinsured because they fear life insurance is excessively expensive. Let’s be honest – whole life insurance and universal life insurance can be expensive. They may not be the best options for individuals of limited means, or for families with growing children.

That’s why I recommend term life insurance to clients in those situations. Term life insurance is the most affordable alternative. It offers the best of both worlds – security knowing that your family is provided for in case of your death, and affordable cost so your family doesn’t suffer now.

Term life insurance offers benefits only if you pass away during a specific period of time. While you are young and healthy, it is the most affordable type of insurance. In case the unimaginable happens – a fatal accident, a sudden heart attack, a terminal illness – your family is protected.

Life insurance provides the cash for your spouse to pay off the mortgage, and your children to go to college – even if you’re not there. Providing enough life insurance means your spouse can pay immediate expenses and still have a financial cushion to rely on, instead of barely scraping by on one salary.

Finding affordable term life insurance can be a hassle – but it doesn’t have to be.

Some factors that you will want to consider when purchasing term life insurance include:

· Rating of the insurance company

· Price of the term life policy

· Length of coverage

· Right amount of death benefit

· Rider options

Many people are understandably intimidated by the process of finding affordable term life insurance. Who can blame them? It’s annoyingand time consuming to research a number of insurance companies, get quotes from all of them, compare company rankings and compare price and coverage.

In addition, many consumers fear that if they contact a dozen companies, they will have a dozen insurance salespeople hassling them. The sad part is…they’re right. Most insurance salespeople continue to annoy you by constant calling, emails and messages.

Getting quotes online usually doesn’t help. That’s because 99 percent of the websites out there don’t provide online quotes. They take your contact information, and sell it to various insurance sales people. Suddenly, you’ve got a dozen pushy salespeople calling you constantly – and you’re not any closer to finding affordable term life insurance.

The solution is TERMdog.com. Because finding affordable life insurance doesn’t have to be ruff. At TERMdog.com, we’ll search the top insurance companies for you and send you the best prices from the best companies to fit your needs – online. It’s free, it’s confidential and we will never sell your contact information.

Best of all, you have my personal guarantee that we will never hassle you. Using TERMdog.com to find affordable life insurance is quick, easy and painless.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CONTACT:

Michael Fry

TermDog.com

1730 Park Street, Suite 218

Naperville, IL 60563

Phone: 630-393-6500

HIGHER TERM LIFE INSURANCE PREMIUMS PREDICTED

Naperville Native Helps Clients Slash Expected Rise in Term Life Insurance Costs

NAPERVILLE, IL-According to Michael Fry of TERMdog.com, term life insurance premiums are predicted to rise 5 to 10 percent over the next year. This is due in part to the higher reserve requirements for life insurance companies. Fry, a native of Naperville and lifetime resident of DuPage County, is concerned about this rate increase. He’s already working to help his clients combat higher term life insurance premiums through his new website, TERMdog.com.

Fry, an insurance professional since 1987, understands the need to save money on term life insurance without sacrificing coverage. He also knows that the average person can be easily confused by the jargon of the insurance world and be mislead into purchasing the wrong policy. That’s why he’s fulfilling a dream to help others cut their insurance costs while providing them with a better understanding of the language of the industry.

At TERMdog.com, Fry offers free easy access to educational articles and an online term life insurance quote system. He also provides answers to frequently asked questions (FAQs), and a variety of relevant information to help site visitors recognize the differences in insurance policies, choose the type of insurance to best meet their needs, and even understand how insurance rates are determined based on health, age and other factors.

Fry has been a top life insurance producer for many years. As the principal of Steward Financial Services, a planning firm that specializes in financial stewardship advice, Michael has also trained other financial advisors throughout the country and has offered free debt counseling to many people referred to him by area churches. He understands the world of finance and the struggle that people face in stretching their money to meet their needs. That’s why he created TermDog.com which focuses on providing money saving services and advice in a simple user-friendly format.

This father of three is very involved in Calvary Church of Naperville, and is a loyal supporter of Junior Achievement.

For more information on Michael Fry or on TERMdog.com, call 630-393-6500.

The definition of insurance is to shift the economic risk of an occurrence to another party. Auto insurance shifts the risk associated with a car accident. Homeowner’s insurance shifts the risk associated with a fire, hurricane, flood or other home-related catastrophe. Life insurance shifts the risk of the financial devastation left by a person’s death.

In What is the Best Life Insurance Policy?, we briefly discuss the different types of life insurance: whole life insurance, universal life insurance, variable life insurance and term life insurance. Now, let’s look specifically at the advantages and disadvantages of term life insurance.

Term life insurance is the purest form of life insurance. Here’s the deal… if you die during the policy coverage period (or “term”), the insurance company will send a check for the contractually agreed upon death benefit to your beneficiaries. If you don’t die during this period, typically you receive no benefit (we’ll discuss an exception later). That’s it. It’s pretty simple.

However, there are different types of term life insurance (just to complicate things!). There is ten year term, twenty year term, thirty year term, annual renewable term, decreasing term and return of premium term life insurance. We’ll look at each type, but first let’s discuss how a premium is calculated.

Insurance companies use very bright people called actuaries to calculate the amount of premiums that must be charged so the insurance company can pay death claims and still make a profit. The actuary does this by using an enormous amount of data and statistical probabilities. If the insurance company knows the statistical probability of, for example, a 40-year-old healthy female dying in the next 10 years (and it is a very small probability), they can calculate a premium to meet their goals. Common sense would tell you that the probability of a 50-year-old dying would be higher than that of a 40-year-old, so logically, the premium would be higher for the older person wanting the same amount of insurance.

Ten, twenty and thirty year term life insurance policies are called “level term” policies because the annual premium is the same for the entire period of coverage. You can purchase a tremendous amount of insurance for very little premium if you are young and in good health. This works well for a young couple with small children where the death of either spouse would leave the surviving spouse with a stressful and difficult financial situation.

Annual renewable term life insurance is basically a “one year at a time” policy where the premium increases for each year of coverage. This is usually used for a short-term need (1 to 5 years) such as collateral for a loan. Usually, the policy allows for coverage to age 80 or 85, but the annual cost becomes prohibitive as you age.

Decreasing term life insurance is typically sold as “mortgage protection” insurance or with some other emotional marketing pitch. The death benefit decreases annually to coincide with your decreasing mortgage balance (that is, if you have an amortized loan). There is nothing wrong with this type of product, but typically a good agent will discuss the overall coverage needs of the family, rather than just a policy to pay off a certain item.

As stated earlier, there is typically no benefit paid for term life insurance unless you die within the term period. There is one exception to this rule, however. Many companies now offer “return of premium” term life insurance. This means that if you don’t die during the coverage period, the insurance company will refund all of your premiums at the end of the term. Obviously, this type of policy will cost more than a traditional term life insurance policy. But if the idea of paying premiums with little probability of a benefit bothers you, this might be an option.

Many agents will tell you that permanent life insurance policies are the only type to buy. However, there are many factors that come into play in determining what type of policy is best for you. If getting the most coverage for the least amount of dollars for a certain period of time is your goal, term life insurance is probably the way to go.

Use our free online quote to find out how much life insurance will cost you and let TERMdog’s professional insurance advisors help you choose the right insurance policy for your needs.

If you’re just starting to look into getting a life insurance policy or if you’re reviewing your life insurance portfolio, the myriad of choices can be confusing.

Man is Mortal. That makes life insurance a little unique and interesting, doesn’t it? We purchase things like health insurance, car insurance and home insurance, then hope we never have a need to use them. Life insurance is different, because it’s a unavoidable fact that sooner or later, each of us will die.

So many choices. When it comes to life insurance, there are many options. What is the best life insurance policy? You may have heard terms like “whole life insurance,” “term insurance,” “universal life insurance” or “variable insurance.” What does it all mean? And what are the differences?

Well, first let me point out what they have in common: all life insurance policies provide payment to a beneficiary in the event of your death. Except for that basic tenet, the differences between policies can be major.

Let’s consider the basic differences in the types of life insurance policies:

Whole life insurance. This type of insurance covers your entire life (not just a portion or a “term” of it). It is considered permanent life insurance which is used to cover you for your “whole life.” Whole life insurance policies tend to cost more than “term” policies. This is because they grow what is known as “cash value,” and because after a time, you will be able to borrow against, or withdraw from, your whole life benefits to supplement your retirement. Most whole life insurance policies have guarantees on both the cash value and death benefits.

Term life insurance. Rather than covering your whole life, “term” insurance covers a pre-determined portion of your life. Common terms are ten, twenty and thirty years. If you die within that term, your beneficiaries receive a death benefit. If not, you typically receive nothing. To put it simply, term life insurance allows you to purchase more coverage for less money. Basically, you are betting on the probability of your death occurring within that specified “term.”

Variable life insurance. Variable life insurance is a permanent insurance. However, unlike whole life insurance, variable insurance allows you to invest the cash value of your policy in “subaccounts.” These can include money market funds, bonds or stocks. Variable insurance offers a bit of control, as the value and benefit depend upon the performance of the subaccounts you select. However, that means there could be significant risk involved. since the performance of your subaccounts cannot be guaranteed.

Universal life insurance. With universal life insurance, it all comes down to flexibility. This is permanent life insurance that provides access to cash values that build up tax-deferred. You can choose the amount of coverage you feel is appropriate, and you retain the ability to increase or decrease that amount as needs change (subject to minimums and requirements). You also have some flexibility in determining how much of your premium goes towards insurance, and how much is used within the policy’s savings element.

So, which life insurance policy is right for you?

Many factors come into play when deciding what type of life insurance will best suit your needs. The best way to learn what policy is right for you is to give us a call at 630-393-6500. It’s very quick and easy, so let us assist you in looking at all the factors and help you to find the right life insurance policy at the right price for your specific needs.

While many of my customers are concerned about the cost of life insurance, not everyone realizes the vast differences in individual life insurance companies.

Have you considered the financial strength of the life insurance company you plan to do business with?

What about their customer service?

Or their ability to answer any questions you may have about life insurance and your personal insurance needs?

If you purchased your life insurance policy through an Internet term life insurance quoting machine, or if you didn’t consider all of the factors involved when a life insurance company sets your premium, you may not have the right life insurance policy to meet your needs. But with some planning, you may be able to improve the life insurance policy you already own.

Let me tell you a dirty little secret about most online life insurance quoting websites… These sites want you to think that they can answer your questions such as “What is the average price of life insurance?” or “How much life insurance do I really need?”

In reality, what many of these life insurance websites are doing is simply selling your personal information to the first insurance agent who’ll pay their fee. And that means any agent.

The insurance agent who purchases your contact information may inexperienced or even unaware of all of the factors involved in determining the best life insurance policy and premium for you. And you could be the one to end up paying for that lack of experience and knowledge!

Insurance companies can have as many as eight different rate classes, and an additional ten substandard rate classes, that come into play when new clients approach them for life insurance quotes.

As an insurance adviser, I’ve found that most people who were quoted a life insurance premium from an agent without all of the pertinent facts were misquoted by as much as three to five rate classes. That creates a huge difference in your insurance costs!

That’s why it’s so important that many different factors be taken into consideration when your agent is preparing your life insurance quote. You deserve an insurance agent who will work diligently to meet your life insurance needs. Don’t settle for anything less.

Get started with your free life insurance quote or life insurance review right now, or call me at 630-393-6500.

Typical Health Rate Class Guidelines

Life insurance policy underwriting is custom-tailored to your particular circumstances and the underwriter places you into one of the following categories based on your expected mortality. Use this as a guideline to prepare your term life insurance quote; your final health rate class may differ based on the insurance company’s underwriter.  These guidelines may be different from  each company. If you have any medical conditions that you have questions with regarding your health rate class feel free to call use at 630-393-6500 or email us through the contact us page.

Preferred-Plus Non-tobacco:

Typically for the best risks who meet the Height & weight chart below and these guidelines:

Tobacco Use: No tobacco use in the past 5 years.

Blood Pressure: 140/85 without medication.

Cholesterol: 230 without medication & HDL ratio under 5.0.

Driving Record: No more than 2 moving violations in the past 3 years &
no DUI/reckless driving in past 5 years.

Family history: No parents or siblings diagnosed with heart disease/cancer before age 60 and no history of tobacco use in the past five years.

Citizenship: US Resident for past 3 years (or permanent visa/green card).

Preferred Non-tobacco

Typically for generally health individuals who meet the Height & weight chart below and these guidelines:

Tobacco Use: No tobacco use in the past 3 years (only for preferred non-smoker).

Blood Pressure: 140/85 with medication or 150/90 without medication.

Cholesterol: 250 with or without medication & HDL ratio under 6.0.

Driving Record: No more than 2 moving violations in the past 3 years &
no DUI/reckless driving in past 5 years.

Family history: No parents or siblings died of heart disease/cancer before age 60.

Citizenship: US Resident for past 3 years (or permanent visa/green card).

Standard-Plus Non-tobacco or Regular-Plus

Considered the standard rate for mortality assumptions, this rate is where most individuals are classified. For those who meet the Height & weight chart below and these guidelines:

Tobacco Use: No tobacco use in the past year (only for non-smoker).

Blood Pressure: 150/90 with medication or 155/95 if age 41-60 or 160/95 if age 61 or higher.

Cholesterol: 265 with or without medication and HDL ratio under 6.5.

Driving Record: No more than 3 moving violations in the past 3 years &
no DUI/reckless driving in past 2 years.

Family history: No parents or siblings died of heart disease/cancer before age 60.

Citizenship: US Resident for past 3 years (or permanent visa/green card).

Standard Non-tobacco or Regular

Considered the standard rate for mortality assumptions, this rate is where most individuals are classified. For those who meet the Height & weight chart below and these guidelines:

Tobacco Use: No tobacco use in the past year (only for non-smoker).

Blood Pressure: 150/90 with medication or 155/95 if age 41-60 or 160/95 if age 61 or higher.

Cholesterol: 300 with or without medication and HDL ratio under 8.0.

Driving Record: No more than 3 moving violations in the past 3 years &
no DUI/reckless driving in past 2 years.

Family history: Not applicable.

Citizenship: US Resident for past 3 years (or permanent visa/green card).

Height and Weight

Your build is an important factor in life insurance underwriting. The chart below is an example of the maximum weight for each possible height. First, locate your height and then determine which rate class you fall in based on your weight. Enter the corresponding rate class in the quote form to see how your rate compares from different carriers.

Call: (630)  393-6500
Fax: (866)  334-1369

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The whole experience was virtually ideal. I’m very busy and didn’t have time to visit an agent’s office and spend a lot of time on the phone. With TERMdog’s online quoting, I was able to make my own decisions about the level of coverage without being pressured by an agent. Once I had decided to move forward, they handled the whole process very professionally and expediently. I not only highly recommend TERMdog, but I plan to use them for future insurance needs.

For the record, I’m not being compensated or otherwise rewarded for telling you about this. I realize some bloggers get paid to express opinions. That’s not the case here. I’m absolutely a TERMdog.com fan. You will be too!

- David J.,  Sarasota, FL

TERMdog.com and Mike Fry have been great to work with during the process of finding the right life insurance policy to protect my family. His professionalism matched with expertise makes TERMdog.com and Mike the best at what he does.

- Jeff  D., Oswego

We have been using the services of Mike Fry for several years. We are very pleased with his personal treatment of us. We especially appreciate his honest, ethical and moral character in all his dealings. We highly recommend him.

- Dan & Jan G., Addison

I have had a 20 year relationship with Michael Fry. He has assisted my wife and me in our own financial planning and could not be happier with our level of trust, comfort and performance. As a consummate professional, he is a master teacher of the craft of finances, a listener to our own goals and dreams and has a gift for finding the perfect fit for each situation. I especially appreciate the attention to detail that Mr. Fry takes with our total financial picture, making sure we are properly protected.

- Ned Gulbransen, Warrenville

There are so many avenues to take when making a decision to invest or set up your future. You have to trust someone when putting that into their hands to handle. Mike Fry has been honest since the beginning, even turning the business away if it benefited me the most. I expect a lot when dealing with a consultant because I am one! A testimonial like this usually ends with a clichéd statement like "Now I rest easy at night knowing it is all taken care of." I hate to follow suit but it is true. Dealing with Mike you KNOW that everything is taken care of and issues are handled before they’re an issue. That’s what good business should look like.

- Chris L., Oswego

I really appreciate your time and wise council with my parents today. You are very good!

-Ken W., St. Charles

In the years we’ve been with Mike Fry, we’ve learned to trust him and appreciate all he has done for us. Even though our money is limited, he treats us with respect.

He patiently explains the choices (sometimes more than once!) to help us be comfortable with our decisions, while taking the time to answer our questions.

We have recommended Mike to our friends and will continue to do so.

- Wilbur & Mary P., Warrenville

I have known Mike Fry for about 10 years. I met him at a seminar he was hosting at the Plainfield Library. My husband who had a stroke a few years prior was not able to help with decisions about our financial future. I felt a trust and sincerity from Mike. When my husband died it was Mike that helped through all of my financial turmoil. I can call him at any time and he is always ready to help me.

Mike Fry is a kind and compassionate human being. I would recommend his services to anyone.

- Mickey D., Plainfield

Mike’s thoroughness sold us. He took much time to explain all of our options in easy to understand terms. The changes that we have made have all gone smoothly.

He always has time for phone calls or to meet as needed and has a terrific personal touch that makes us feel special.

- Sue & Scott S., Oswego

Mike Fry listened to our troubled financial history with compassion and without judgment. HIs wise counsel helped our family to get out of debt and begin to rebuild a stronger financial future. His teachings have helped us to pass on a stronger financial legacy to our children.

- Donald & Terri C., Sugar Grove

As a CPA for over 31 years, I have learned to be very careful in who you recommend to your clients. With Mike Fry, I know that my clients are in good hands. He elegantly listens to the client to understand their concerns and what they want to accomplish. I know that I am able to depend on his honest, reliable advice and counsel.

- Howard T. Kaufman, CPA/PFS, CFP, CSA, Buffalo Grove

Thank you very much for the excellent power point presentation to the Financial Foxes Investment Club. We all truly enjoyed the presentation. We are grateful that Katy F. invited you.

- Lucy A., President, Aurora

Thank you for the "How to Keep Fit" book and also for answering all of our questions so well.

- Bill & Helen S., Orland Park

I have had a very rewarding personal and professional relationship with Michael Fry over the last several years. His approach to business is like a breath of fresh air, he always returns his call or email in a timely manner with full detailed answers and sound business advice!

- Ed & Mary P., Romeoville

All the other brokers offered very similar products. Mike’s products were all different from the others and more in tune to my personal needs and likes. I am very pleased with the package he has developed for me. I highly recommend him to all my family and friends. He is a hardworking, caring and honest man.

- Mary Jean S., Winfield

Michael Fry has been my advisor since May, 2001. I am pleased with his dedication to helping me and I am confident in his advice and recommendations.

- Alex & Goldie B., Naperville

My wife and I have worked with Mike Fry for over ten years. We have been extremely pleased with his knowledge, advise and service. We have always appreciated his warm personal service. When we have had a problem or question, he has been readily available to us.

- John & Janis P., West Chicago

Michael Fry has been an excellent source of financial advice and problem-solving, presenting a variety of sound, personalized options for our retirement. He provides a comfortable atmosphere for discussions and is adept at leading us to an improved understanding of the positive and negative implications of various plans.

- Doug and Margo J., Winfield