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Key person insurance can be a lifesaver for businesses, especially those with a crucial employee or leader. This type of insurance provides financial protection in the event of the key person's death or disability.
The financial impact of losing a key person can be devastating, with some businesses facing up to 20% of their annual revenue loss. This is often due to the key person's unique skills, knowledge, and relationships that are difficult to replace.
Businesses that rely heavily on a key person's expertise, such as a CEO or founder, may be particularly vulnerable to financial loss. In fact, 75% of businesses that experience the loss of a key person fail within two years.
By investing in key person insurance, business owners can help ensure their company's survival and continuity in the event of a key person's departure. This can provide peace of mind and financial security for both the business and its employees.
What is Key Person Insurance?
Key person insurance covers one important person in your company, like the owner or CEO, who is crucial to the company's function. The business is the beneficiary and is responsible for paying policy premiums.
The key person might be the owner in a small business, but the term refers to any essential employee for a business of any size. This worker's knowledge or skill set is vital to the company's operation.
Key person insurance is a life insurance policy that a company purchases on the life of an individual considered critical to the business. The company pays the premiums and is the beneficiary of the policy.
The business could not properly function without the key employee, making them essential to the company's success.
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How It Works
Key person insurance is a type of insurance that helps businesses cope with the loss of a key employee. A key person policy can be one of three types: a standard life insurance policy, total and permanent disability insurance, or trauma insurance.
The policy covers the untimely death, disability, or sudden departure of a key person, providing financial support while the person is recovering from an illness or injury. The policy's term is for a specified time period or until the person being insured is no longer with the company in the capacity of a key person.
The company must determine who is irreplaceable in the short term, and key person insurance can be used to cover the costs of recruiting, hiring, and training a replacement. The policy's death benefit can also be used to pay off debts, distribute money to investors, or close the business down in an orderly manner.
A key person policy is typically owned by the business, and the business pays the policy premium and is the policy's beneficiary. The covered employee must agree to the company taking out a key person policy on them.
Here are the two main types of key person insurance policies:
- Term life insurance: covers losses caused by the death of a key employee
- Whole life policies: accumulate cash value and can provide a financial safety net
In some cases, the insurance company may require a statement from the company's board of directors about the policy's purpose.
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Who Sells Key Person Insurance?
Key person insurance is available from many different insurance companies, and finding the right one for you can be a challenge. Working with an independent insurance agent is a great way to get informed suggestions based on company reliability, rates, and more.
Guardian is a top pick for disability coverage, offering policies that can help protect your business in case of unexpected events. Mutual of Omaha is another top choice, specializing in term life coverage that can provide financial security for your business.
If you're a small business owner, AIG Direct is a great option for key person coverage. Their policies can be tailored to meet the specific needs of your business. Haven Life is also a good choice for self-employed individuals, offering customizable coverage options.
For those who want to create a policy that fits their unique needs, Prudential Financial is a top pick. Their policies can be customized to provide the right level of coverage for your business.
Here are some top insurance companies for key person coverage:
Benefits of Key Person Insurance
Key person insurance financially protects a company against the death or incapacitation of its key person. The money from the insurance helps a company replace the key person and the costs associated with doing so.
The death benefit received by the business from a key person life insurance policy can be used in various ways. This includes compensating for lost revenue generated by the key person, paying off business debts, buying out remaining shareholders' interest, and funding the search and hiring process of a new employee.
One of the primary benefits of key person insurance is that it allows a company to recover from the loss of a key person. This can be devastating for a business, but key person insurance helps ensure that the company can continue to operate smoothly.
The payout from a key person insurance policy can be used to cover a range of costs. These include closing costs, investor payoffs, and severance pay for workers if the business closes.
Here are some ways a company can use the payout from a key person insurance policy:
- To compensate for lost revenue generated by the key person
- To pay off business debts
- To buy out remaining shareholders' interest
- To fund the search and hiring process of a new employee
Types of Key Person Insurance
Key person insurance is designed to protect your business from financial loss in the event of a key employee's death or disability.
There are two main types of key person insurance: life insurance and disability insurance.
Life insurance for your business can be purchased as a term, permanent, or return of premium policy.
Term life insurance policies come with coverage limits for the amount of time during which they'll cover a person's life, such as 10, 15, or 20 years.
Permanent life insurance covers an essential worker as long as the business pays the premium, and also offers a cash savings value that could be used as collateral for a business's loan.
Here are the different types of key person life insurance:
- Term life insurance: Covers a person's life for a set period of time, such as 10, 15, or 20 years.
- Permanent life insurance: Covers an essential worker as long as the business pays the premium, and offers a cash savings value.
- Return of premium life insurance: Offers a cash value component, and can also be formatted as a rider that gets added onto a regular term life policy.
Key person life insurance can be purchased as term insurance lasting for a defined period of time or as extended universal or whole life coverage.
Key Person Insurance Coverage
Key person insurance coverage is designed to protect your business from financial losses due to the death or disability of a key employee. This type of insurance can help cover lost profits, business loans, and other financial obligations.
Covers lost profits by compensating for lost sales and business opportunities, as well as canceled projects. This can help your business stay afloat during a difficult time.
Key person insurance can also cover a shareholder or partnership, allowing any company shareholders or partners to buy the key person's shareholdings or interests, also known as buy-sell insurance.
To determine how much coverage your business needs, you'll need to evaluate the financial losses that could result from the key employee's death or disability. This includes replacing the key person's sales income and covering the costs of hiring and training a replacement.
Here are some key areas to consider when calculating your business's coverage needs:
- Lost sales and business opportunities
- Cancelled projects
- Business loans and guarantees
- Hiring and training costs for a replacement
An independent insurance agent can help you calculate how much coverage you should get for your business and recommend the type of key person insurance that would work best for your specific business.
Key person insurance can also provide disability coverage, paying out monthly benefits to the business or a single lump sum if the key person is unable to work due to an injury or illness.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is a key person in business?
A key person in business is an individual whose absence would significantly impact a company's future profits. Identifying key personnel requires a deep understanding of the company's operations and goals.
Is key person insurance taxable to the business?
Key person insurance premiums are paid with after-tax dollars, but the death benefits received by the business are generally tax-free. This provides a significant financial cushion in times of crisis, making it a valuable protection for businesses.
Which losses are covered under Keyman insurance?
Keyman insurance covers losses resulting from the sudden death of a key employee with specialized skills, causing serious financial harm to the business
Is key person insurance the same as life insurance?
Key person insurance is a specialized type of life insurance that protects a business from financial loss due to the death or disability of a key employee. While it shares some similarities with life insurance, its primary purpose is to safeguard a business's interests, not just provide a death benefit.
Can you write off Key Man life insurance?
No, Key Man life insurance premiums are not tax-deductible due to the tax-free death benefits provided to the business. This rule applies to all forms of Key Man insurance, including life and disability policies.
Sources
- https://www.trustedchoice.com/business-insurance/coverage-types/key-person-insurance/
- https://www.investopedia.com/terms/k/keypersoninsurance.asp
- https://foundershield.com/coverage/key-person-insurance/
- https://www.iii.org/article/insuring-against-the-loss-of-key-personnel
- https://kiermanlaw.com/key-person-insurance-what-is-it-and-do-i-need-it/
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