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

Process of analyzing complex personal and business cases according to tax and estate planning requirements to determine life insurance needs. The family life agent or underwriter normally ...

Insurance company that restricts its underwriting of risks to one state. ...

Dollar ceiling on a life insurance policy for applicants who are not given a medical examination. The insurer accepts a health questionnaire in the place of a physical examination. At one ...

Bond that provides additional security for a loan. ...

Choice of beneficiary in which the death benefit of a life insurance policy is retained by the company to be paid as a series of installments of fixed dollar amounts per installment until ...

Coverage for items of property being delivered to a customer. The means of transportation covered include such common carriers as aircraft, railroads, trucks, express carrier, and other ...

Cooperative organization among insurers that rates and prepares new policy forms according to guidelines and regulations of the state insurance department. Loss experience, collected ...

Trust in which rights to make any changes therein are retained by the grantor. At the grantor's death all rights become irrevocable. This type of trust has several advantages: it can avoid ...

Coverage on an all risks basis for physical damage loss. Coverage applies to property damage to the insured boat or damage caused by the insured boat to a third party boat. Excluded perils ...

Popular Insurance Questions