Credit insurance

Credit insurance

Although everyone needs health insurance, credit insurance is something that few people need. The reason that few people need credit insurance is that this insurance doesn't protect you. It protects the lender.

I'm sure you get solicitations for credit life and disability insurance with your credit card statement every month. "For pennies a day you can insure your credit card bill will be paid if you die or become disabled," the solicitations say.

Providing for yourself and your family in case you become disabled is a legitimate concern, but you should look into broad life and disability policies that will pay you all the money you need. Credit insurance only pays off a single bill, and doesn't help you with your other expenses like groceries and utilities.

Credit insurance is especially bad because the lender is asking you to pay for some of the risk that they, as a profit-seeking firm, should bear.

In some cases like a home mortgage with a low down payment, you may be required to get credit insurance. You also might want to look into credit insurance if you're in poor health and otherwise can't get insurance. But you don't have to buy expensive credit insurance for credit cards or most other loans.

Get insurance to protect you and your family, not the lender. Just say no to credit insurance.