South Carolina Life and Health Practice Exam

What distinguishes a noncancellable policy from a guaranteed renewable policy?

1. The insurer can increase premiums at any time

2. The insurer may never raise premiums

3. The policy has a limited term

4. The policy cannot be renewed

The correct answer is: The insurer may never raise premiums

A noncancellable policy is designed to provide the policyholder with a strong level of security regarding premiums and renewal. The key feature that distinguishes it from a guaranteed renewable policy is that the insurer may never raise premiums for the life of the policy as long as the premiums are paid on time. This means that once the premiums are set at the outset, the insured can rely on the cost remaining constant, providing certainty and protection against future rate increases. In contrast, a guaranteed renewable policy allows the insurer to raise premiums, but only for an entire class of policies, not for individual policyholders. This means that while the policy cannot be canceled as long as the premiums are paid, the costs can fluctuate based on overall group risk assessments, potentially leading to increased financial burdens over time. The distinctiveness of noncancellable policies lies in their absolute assurance that premiums will remain unchanged, granting policyholders stability and peace of mind regarding their insurance costs.