Life & Health Insurance Exam (National Portion)Policy Provisions, Options, and RidersMedium

An insured has a life insurance policy with the 'Automatic Premium Loan' (APL) provision. If the insured forgets to pay the premium by the end of the grace period, what will happen?

  1. AThe insurer will send a final notice, allowing an additional 30 days to pay.
  2. BThe policy will immediately lapse.
  3. CThe policy will convert to extended term insurance.
  4. DThe insurer will automatically borrow from the policy's cash value to pay the overdue premium.
Show answer & explanation

Correct answer: D. The insurer will automatically borrow from the policy's cash value to pay the overdue premium.

The Automatic Premium Loan (APL) provision is a rider that automatically uses the policy's cash value to pay an overdue premium at the end of the grace period, preventing the policy from lapsing. This maintains the policy's in-force status.

Why the other options are wrong

  • A. A final notice may be sent, but the APL acts automatically to prevent lapse before such a period.
  • B. This would happen if APL was not present or cash value was insufficient.
  • C. This is the automatic nonforfeiture option if no other option is chosen and APL is not present.

Automatic Premium Loan (APL) Provision

A life insurance policy provision that, if selected, automatically pays an overdue premium from the policy's available cash value at the end of the grace period, preventing the policy from lapsing.

  • Prevents unintentional policy lapse.
  • Requires sufficient cash value to cover the premium.
  • Creates a policy loan against the cash value.

Memory trick: APL is your policy's 'SELF-PAY' safety net.

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