Cash Flow Banking (Explained)
Cash flow banking allows you to borrow money from your policy. As you pay back your loan from the life insurance company, your cash value will gain interest over time. Compare cash flow insurance companies and shop around to secure the best whole life insurance rates.
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Eric Stauffer
Licensed Insurance Agent
Eric Stauffer is an insurance agent and banker-turned-consumer advocate. His priority is educating individuals and families about the different types of insurance coverage. He is passionate about helping consumers find the best coverage for their budgets and personal needs. Eric is the CEO of C Street Media, a full-service marketing firm and the co-founder of ProperCents.com, a financial educat...
Licensed Insurance Agent
UPDATED: Nov 10, 2023
It’s all about you. We want to help you make the right life insurance coverage choices.
Advertiser Disclosure: We strive to help you make confident life insurance decisions. Comparison shopping should be easy. We are not affiliated with any one life insurance company and cannot guarantee quotes from any single company.
Our life insurance industry partnerships don’t influence our content. Our opinions are our own. To compare quotes from many different life insurance companies please enter your ZIP code above to use the free quote tool. The more quotes you compare, the more chances to save.
Editorial Guidelines: We are a free online resource for anyone interested in learning more about life insurance. Our goal is to be an objective, third-party resource for everything life insurance-related. We update our site regularly, and all content is reviewed by life insurance experts.
UPDATED: Nov 10, 2023
It’s all about you. We want to help you make the right life insurance coverage choices.
Advertiser Disclosure: We strive to help you make confident life insurance decisions. Comparison shopping should be easy. We are not affiliated with any one life insurance company and cannot guarantee quotes from any single company.
Our life insurance industry partnerships don’t influence our content. Our opinions are our own. To compare quotes from many different life insurance companies please enter your ZIP code above to use the free quote tool. The more quotes you compare, the more chances to save.
On This Page
- Cash flow banking means you can use a whole life insurance policy to finance expenses for investments.
- You can borrow money from your life insurance company using your whole life cash value as collateral.
- Walt Disney and Ray Kroc used their whole life insurance policies to pay to start their creative visions.
Some of the most popular companies have used cash flow banking to jumpstart their passions into massive empires. Cash flow insurance isn’t insurance, but it allows a policyholder to use their whole life policy as a means to invest in themselves or other business ventures.
Please read our cash flow banking review before you speak to a cash flow banking specialist. We’ll explain why whole life is considered permanent life insurance.
If you want the best life insurance company, enter your ZIP code to find affordable whole life insurance with cash flow banking in your local area.
What is cash flow banking?
Cash flow banking is more of a concept than an insurance program. Technically, cash flow banking allows a whole life policyholder to use the cash value of their whole life insurance policy as collateral to receive a loan from a life insurance company.
In other words, you can use your life insurance as a bank account, but you won’t be making daily transactions from your life insurance collateral.
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What are the advantages of cash flow banking?
Here’s a list of benefits when you use your whole life insurance as cash flow banking.
- You earn interest while borrowing from your whole life insurance policy.
- The money that you don’t pay back is taken out of your death benefit if you pass away.
- There’s no credit check.
- Funds are available anytime you need them.
- Interest rates are lower than the average loan at the bank.
- The money you borrow from the whole life insurance policy is tax-free.
- The cash value isn’t affected by the market.
What’s an example of earning interest while borrowing from a whole life insurance policy? If your whole life insurance policy has a cash value of $250,000 and you borrow $50,000, you’ll earn interest on the $250,000 cash value.
The tax-free option rivals the retirement withdrawal such as 401(k). According to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), retirement incomes can’t be moved around like life insurance policies. Whole life insurance policies are more flexible and have less severe penalties for personal finances.
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How does cash flow banking work?
The money from a whole life insurance policy isn’t your own money — it’s borrowed money from the life insurance company’s “general fund.” Your life insurance policy is collateral. To get access to cash flow banking loans, you’ll need to get a Wealth Maximization Account.
A Wealth Maximization Account is most effective when a portion of your premiums is taken out per month from the account. This will allow the Wealth Maximization Account to grow more rapidly and skips expense charges when you want to take money out.
What things do you get with whole life policy loans?
Here is a list of ways you can use a whole life policy loan:
- Business Expenses or Starting a Business
- Buying a New Car
- Paying for College Tuition or Other Education
- Purchasing a Home or Other Real Estate Ventures
- Investing in Dividends and Various Financial Opportunities
- Adding Tax-Free Money to Retirement Income
- Using Money for Extravagant Vacation
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Where can you get whole life cash flow insurance?
If you want to use cash flow banking, you’ll need to find a life insurance company that carries whole life insurance. We did some research for you and found the top 20 life insurance companies in the United States. Check out this list below.
| Companies | Direct Written Premiums | Market Share |
|---|---|---|
| Northwestern Mutual | $10,517,115,452 | 6.42% |
| Metropolitan Group | $9,821,445,953 | 6.00% |
| New York Life | $9,925,848,300 | 5.68% |
| Prudential | $9,128,805,060 | 5.57% |
| Lincoln National | $8,769,303,774 | 5.36% |
| MassMutual | $6,854,713,057 | 4.19% |
| Aegon | $4,809,856,650 | 2.94% |
| John Hancock | $4,640,905,017 | 2.83% |
| State Farm | $4,633,004,963 | 2.83% |
| Minnesota Mutual Group | $4,422,100,028 | 2.70% |
| Guardian Life | $4,033,541,401 | 2.46% |
| Pacific Life | $3,755,606,213 | 2.29% |
| Nationwide | $3,364,808,181 | 2.05% |
| AIG | $3,336,397,453 | 2.04% |
| AXA Equitable | $3,051,945,849 | 1.86% |
| Voya Financial | $2,526,828,268 | 1.54% |
| Brighthouse Financial | $2,519,733,116 | 1.54% |
| Protective Life | $2,403,640,825 | 1.47% |
| Primerica | $2,375,786,190 | 1.45% |
| Sammons Enterprises | $2,321,529,722 | 1.42% |
These are the top 20 companies because they have the highest market share in the life insurance industry and some of the highest direct premiums.
What is the history of cash flow banking?
By 1980, the cash flow banking system gained popularity after Robert Castiglione wrote and published his book LEAP – The Lifetime Economic Acceleration Process: The Key to Financial Success.
However, cash flow banking started with a seasonal farmer group that took out life insurance policies just in case they passed away. Many farmers were using income from their harvest to cover living and farming expenses for the next season.
Life insurance companies considered the seasonal farmers as low risk to insure and decided to loan them money against the cash value of their policies until the farmers earned money back from their harvest.
Years later, cash flow banking spread to cities. Life insurance policyholders began using this strategy to fund businesses and other financial ventures.
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Case Studies: Cash Flow Banking
Case Study 1: Growing a Small Business
John owns a small business and is looking for ways to expand. He has a whole life insurance policy with a cash value of $200,000. Through cash flow banking, John borrows $50,000 from his policy to invest in new equipment and marketing.
Over time, the cash value of his policy continues to grow, providing him with additional funds for future business opportunities.
Case Study 2: Funding Higher Education
Sarah wants to pursue a higher education degree but is concerned about the high costs. She has a whole life insurance policy with a cash value of $150,000. By utilizing cash flow banking, Sarah takes a loan of $30,000 from her policy to cover her tuition fees and living expenses.
As she pays back the loan, the cash value of her policy accumulates interest, helping her secure her financial future.
Case Study 3: Real Estate Investment
Michael is interested in real estate investment but lacks the necessary funds. He owns a whole life insurance policy with a cash value of $300,000. Through cash flow banking, Michael borrows $100,000 from his policy to purchase a rental property.
The rental income generated from the property allows him to repay the loan while his life insurance policy continues to grow in value.
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Cash Flow Banking: What’s the bottom line?
The idea behind cash flow banking is to give you several options for financial management. You’ll be able to borrow money and make payments without the stress of hurting you as much.
How so? What you don’t pay will be deducted from the death benefit, but you still want to make timely payments to maintain your relationship with your life insurance company.
Ready to buy life insurance? Compare life insurance companies in your local area using our FREE online tool to see which has the most affordable life insurance rates with cash flow banking options.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is cash flow banking?
Cash flow banking is a concept that allows whole life insurance policyholders to use the cash value of their policy as collateral to receive a loan from a life insurance company. It essentially turns the policy into a bank account, providing access to funds for personal or business purposes.
What are the advantages of cash flow banking?
Cash flow banking offers several advantages:
- The cash value of the policy continues to grow and earn interest even while you borrow against it.
- The loan withdrawals are tax-free, unlike retirement withdrawals, which may be subject to taxes and penalties.
- Whole life policies offer flexibility and fewer penalties compared to other financial instruments like 401(k)s.
- Cash flow banking allows policyholders to fund personal expenses, investments, or business ventures.
How does cash flow banking work?
To access cash flow banking loans, you need to have a whole life insurance policy. The money you borrow is not your own but comes from the life insurance company’s general fund, with your policy serving as collateral. A Wealth Maximization Account is often used to manage the borrowing process effectively, allowing the account to grow and minimize charges when accessing funds.
What can I do with a whole life policy loan?
A whole life policy loan can be used for various purposes, including:
- Financing personal expenses like education, weddings, or home renovations.
- Funding business ventures or investments.
- Supplementing retirement income.
- Paying off debts or managing cash flow during financial emergencies.
Where can I get whole life cash flow insurance?
If you’re interested in cash flow banking, you’ll need to find a life insurance company that offers whole life insurance policies. There are numerous options available, and it’s essential to compare quotes and features from different providers to find the most suitable coverage for your needs. Use our online tool to compare life insurance companies in your local area.
Your life insurance quotes are always free.
Secured with SHA-256 Encryption
Eric Stauffer
Licensed Insurance Agent
Eric Stauffer is an insurance agent and banker-turned-consumer advocate. His priority is educating individuals and families about the different types of insurance coverage. He is passionate about helping consumers find the best coverage for their budgets and personal needs. Eric is the CEO of C Street Media, a full-service marketing firm and the co-founder of ProperCents.com, a financial educat...
Licensed Insurance Agent
Editorial Guidelines: We are a free online resource for anyone interested in learning more about life insurance. Our goal is to be an objective, third-party resource for everything life insurance-related. We update our site regularly, and all content is reviewed by life insurance experts.
