Sole Proprietor Life And Health Insurance

Definition of "Sole proprietor life and health insurance"

Coverage for the owner of a business. When a proprietor dies, debts of the business become the debts of the estate since in this circumstance the law recognizes business and personal assets as one. The executor is required to dispose of the business as quickly as possible. Life insurance can fund the disposition in several ways:

  1. If the business is transferred through a will, the life insurance's death benefit can be applied to the deceased proprietor's personal and business debts and estate taxes.
  2. If the executor conducts a forced sale or liquidation, a death benefit can be used to reduce or eliminate any debts. The death benefit can also be used as a source of working capital for interim financing to operate the business in the short run.
  3. If the business is to be transferred to a child or employee, the death benefit can provide funds to effect the transfer.
  4. If the business is to be sold to a key employee (s) through a buy-and-sell agreement, the key employee (s) usually has previously bought a life insurance policy on the sole proprietor and made all premium payments. The buy-and-sell agreement stipulates the formula to be used in valuing the business as well as other conditions of the sale. Upon the death of the proprietor and the sale of the business to the key employee (s), the proprietor's estate receives the cash amount according to the buy-and-sell agreement, and the key employee (s) receives the deceased proprietor's business.

image of a real estate dictionary page

Have a question or comment?

We're here to help.

*** Your email address will remain confidential.
 

 

Popular Insurance Terms

Premium required by an insurance company for plans subject to premium adjustment. The initial provisional premium is paid to put a commercial property or liability insurance policy into ...

Money set aside to pay for losses. Rather than buy insurance coverage for all potential losses, some businesses and individuals choose this form of self insurance to cover all or a portion ...

Based on historical loss experience, from which future loss experience is predicted. ...

One used to determine the life expectancy of annuitants. Annuity buyers are not representative of the population as a whole, or of life insurance buyers. Because annuities pay an income for ...

Coverage for a group of individuals under one policy. Usually, members belong to a particular company, union, or trade association. In a contributory plan a lump sum premium is paid by the ...

Circumstance in which there is a probability loss to personal property or real property resulting from property damage, destruction, or disappearance. ...

Proportion of losses incurred to premiums earned. This ratio indicates the amount of a premium dollar that is being consumed by losses. ...

Arbitrator who settles disputes over the amount of loss when an insurer and an insured do not agree. ...

Estate under the legal and administrative guidance of both the surety and the fiduciary. Any actions on the part of the estate requires the signatures of both in order to reduce the chances ...

Popular Insurance Questions