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

Coverage on an all risks basis, subject to listed exclusions, for personal property of the insured dealer that is used in normal business activities. Goods that have been sold on an ...

Disposition or transfer of property at time of death. Although the law provides that property may be transferred at death only by means of a will that meets the requirements of state ...

Coverage on an all risks basis for loss due to theft or mysterious disappearance of personal property; damage to premises and property within resulting from theft; and vandalism and ...

Layman description of the key features and benefits of a pension plan that must be filed with the Department of Labor. Periodic updates of this summary must also be provided to the ...

Type of premium plan under which the employer (if noncontributory plan) or the employer and employee (if contributory plan) make level annual premium payments to fund the future retirement ...

Principle of equity in property, casualty, and health insurance. When two or more policies apply to the loss, each policy pays its part of the loss, unless its terms provide otherwise. For ...

Common element in property insurance that excludes electrical damage or destruction of an appliance unless the damage is caused by a resultant fire. ...

Partition of noncombustible material in a wall of similar material, designed when closed to slow the spread of fire from one side of the wall to the other. The national fire protection ...

Exit, act of leaving or going out. ...

Popular Insurance Questions