Why February is the best time to buy life insurance

February is the month of romance. The month of championships and big games. The month of movie awards and … Presidents’ Day. Can’t forget that.

Anyway, what better way to get in the February spirit than by buying some life insurance coverage? Hear us out. A term life insurance policy provides affordable financial protection to the people you love. And here are a few reasons to get that coverage right here, right now, in the glorious second month of the year.

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It’s romantic.

What better way to say “I love you” than by giving the gift of financial protection to your loved ones?

Sure, getting a life insurance policy might not seem like a romantic gesture. But ensuring that a policy payout will be available to help financially support your beneficiaries if you pass away? That’s a selfless act your partner will appreciate.

It shows you care. It shows you can commit. It shows you can think long-term. (But yeah, maybe include a bouquet of roses with the printout of the policy.)

It shows you’re sticking to your New Year’s resolutions

You resolved to get or stay healthy. You resolved to be better with money. Well, here’s some great news: Getting coverage will help you check both those resolutions off your list.

You see, with life insurance, generally, the younger and healthier you are, the less you pay for coverage. In fact, you might already be seeing the benefits in February. And your improved health score on your medical exam — if it’s needed — could help you get a lower term life insurance rate.

Take advantage of your improved health status to lock in a low monthly life insurance premium for the amount of coverage you need. The following are sample quotes for a Haven Term policy, for people in excellent health. (These are for a 20-year policy, but you can also get term lengths of 10, 15, 25 and 30.)

30-year term life insurance ratesAgeCoverage$250,000$500,000$750,000$1,000,00025Male$20.03$31.51$44.27$57.02Female$16.59$25.69$35.54$45.3830Male$21.91$34.88$49.32$63.77Female$18.01$27.69$38.54$49.3835Male$24.84$40.25$57.38$74.51Female$21.10$33.53$47.29$61.0640Male$34.31$59.11$85.66$112.22Female$29.47$46.83$67.25$87.6720-year term life insurance ratesAgeCoverage$250,000$500,000$750,000$1,000,00025Male$13.61$19.76$26.64$33.52Female$12.07$16.95$22.42$27.9030Male$13.82$20.19$27.28$34.37Female$12.50$17.82$23.72$29.6335Male$14.93$22.34$30.51$38.67Female$13.39$19.33$25.99$32.6640Male$21.32$34.59$48.88$63.17Female$18.01$28.27$39.41$50.5410-year term life insurance ratesAgeCoverage$250,000$500,000$750,000$1,000,00025Male$10.53$13.95$17.92$21.90Female$9.86$12.66$15.99$19.3230Male$10.53$13.95$17.92$21.90Female$9.86$12.66$15.99$19.3235Male$10.83$14.38$18.57$22.77Female$10.08$13.09$16.64$20.1840Male$14.05$20.32$27.49$34.65Female$12.95$18.53$24.79$31.06Source: Haven Life

And suffice it to say that getting a term life insurance policy is a staple of those “10 Things to Do Right Now” articles on financial websites. This is a no-brainer.

You’ll be the MVP of your family.

As the clock winds down and the confetti begins to pour, one person will stand on the field hoisting the most valuable trophy: You. Because you’ve just bought life insurance, a quick, easy way to feel virtuous and relieve stress. You’re on your own for the halftime entertainment, though.

Speaking of, it’s possible to get coverage in place, or at the very least apply online, before the third quarter begins. All that’s left is planning your victory parade.

The best performance in a supporting role goes to… life insurance.

Look: Winning a major award isn’t just about one glorious night in an evening gown or a tuxedo. It takes months, even years, of discipline and practice to get there, and then that award can sit on your mantle for a lifetime.

That’s kind of like purchasing life insurance. (Except the part about hard work and practice.) You take out a policy, and it will be there for you for up to 30 years.

So no matter the month, don’t let the time you think it will take you to get coverage be an excuse for not getting life insurance. Your loved ones can use the death benefit payout from a policy for expenses like the mortgage, child care, shared debts and the many other day-to-day bills. Just don’t forget to thank your agency…

About Cameron Huddleston

Cameron Huddleston is the author of Mom and Dad, We Need to Talk: How to Have Essential Conversations With Your Parents About Their Finances. She is an award-winning journalist with more than 18 years of experience writing about personal finance. Her work has appeared in Kiplinger’s Personal Finance, Business Insider, Chicago Tribune, Forbes, MSN, Yahoo and many more print and online publications. U.S. News & World Report named Cameron one of the top personal finance experts to follow on Twitter, and AOL Daily Finance named me one of the top 20 personal finance influencers to follow on Twitter. She has appeared on CNBC, MSNBC, CNN and “Fox & Friends” and has been a guest on ABC News Radio, Wall Street Journal Radio, NPR and more than 30 podcasts. Cameron has also been interviewed and quoted as an expert in The New York Times, Chicago Tribune, BBC.com, MarketWatch and more.