Apr 06, 2009 -- Develop a strategy if you think your life insurer may go bust
During the financial tumult of last year, Clark went on the air and named banks that were facing possible failure. He didn't want to be part of the problem at the time, but he did want to arm his listeners with info that could help them protect their assets.
Now he's feeling torn again about circumstances involving giving out info about an ailing insurance giant named Lincoln National.
It's hard to know exactly what will happen with Lincoln and Clark doesn't want to speculate excessively. But there will certainly be other failures of insurers.
So here are some general guidelines that you need to know: Unlike banks, insurance companies are regulated at the state level -- not the federal level. That means there's no equivalent of FDIC coverage; a state guarantee association is the last line of defense in the event an insurer goes bust.
While it varies by state, most states afford a minimum protection of $100,000 for policies. Some states even offer up to $300,000. Unfortunately, with state guarantee associations, there's no clear cut timeline for policyholders about when they'll get their money back.
Here's another tip: If you have whole life insurance, Clark suggests you consider borrowing out your cash value now so you're protected in the event of a failure.
The really tricky part is trying to figure out what to do if you have annuities and you're in a surrender period (usually 7-10 years since inception) where you could be hit with massive fees if you take money out.
In that case, Clark is recommending you sit tight. That way you don't face a certain loss through heavy fees just to avoid the possibility that your insurer may fail.