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Beyond the general difference between term and permanent, understanding the nuances of these five key life insurance types can help you determine which is right for you. Jump to a section to learn more about each type of life insurance: Term life insuranceTerm life insurance is generally more affordable than permanent life insurance. It provides coverage for a set number of years, paying out as long as your policy hasn't expired and you've paid the premiums. You can lock in your rate for the entire term period, which makes budgeting and planning easier. At the end of the term period, and based on the product options available, you may be able to renew your policy at an adjusted rate. However, you can typically only renew a term life policy on a year-to-year basis — not for another term period. Your new rate will be based on your age and health at the time of renewal, and you may or may not need a medical exam to obtain coverage. You may also be able to convert your term life policy to whole life at the end of your term. Types of permanent life insuranceThe coverage from permanent life policies lasts your entire lifetime, and there are four key types: Whole life insuranceAs a type of permanent life insurance, whole life insurance provides coverage for your entire lifetime, paying your benefit no matter when you pass away — as long as you keep paying your bill. Whole life insurance also includes a savings component that a portion of your premium will pay into. The savings component has a fixed interest rate that builds cash value over time, which is part of the reason whole life policies typically cost more than term life policies with similar coverage. The cash value of your policy won't affect the death benefit paid out upon your passing. However, if it grows to equal your death benefit amount by the time you're a set age (usually 100 or 120), your insurer will terminate your policy and pay out the coverage amount. If you're not banking on living to 100, you can choose to withdraw a portion of cash value funds as a life insurance loan. There's typically no credit check required and a minimal loan approval process. You can pay back the loan with interest, or if you pass away before returning the funds, the remaining loan amount and interest will be withdrawn from the payout to your beneficiaries. Universal life insuranceUniversal life insurance is another permanent life insurance option, so it provides coverage for your entire life as long as the premiums are paid. It's sometimes called adjustable life insurance because it offers more flexibility than a whole life policy. For example, universal life policies allow you to increase or decrease your death benefit and even adjust or skip your monthly premium (within certain limits). As with whole life, a universal life policy has a savings component that grows and allows for borrowing. However, a universal life policy works differently than a whole life policy in two key ways:
Variable life insurance†Variable life insurance is a riskier type of permanent life insurance. A common variable life insurance policy design is built on two pieces:
The greater range of investment options offered by a variable life policy means it could, in the long run, provide a greater benefit to your beneficiaries when you pass away — especially if you're a savvy investor. But it also opens you up to much higher risk, fees, and costs than whole life or universal life policies. Final expense life insuranceAlso known as funeral or burial insurance, final expense insurance is a type of whole life insurance that offers a smaller and more affordable death benefit designed to help cover your end-of-life expenses like funeral costs, medical bills, or outstanding debt. While other types of life insurance may have age and health requirements, final expense policies can be easier for older or less-healthy individuals to qualify for. A final expense policy's cash value would operate the same as a whole life policy's. Comparing the different types of life insuranceCompare the five key types of life insurance policies using this chart.
There are non-traditional life insurance types called simplified issue and guaranteed issue that don't require a medical exam. These can typically be whole life or term life policies that have a simplified underwriting process. While simplified issue policies may involve a health-related questionnaire, guaranteed issue policies won't factor in your health at all. Your coverage options may be lower and more expensive than with traditional policies, but they can be obtained faster. Final expense policies are often simplified or guaranteed issue. Instant life insurance is similar to simplified issue but may have higher and more affordable coverage options (such as this new one-year, short-term life insurance policy). There are also different types of life insurance riders you can add to a policy to change how your life insurance works under certain circumstances. Related articles Please note: The above is meant as general information to help you understand the different aspects of insurance. Read our editorial standards for Answers content. This information is not an insurance policy, does not refer to any specific insurance policy, and does not modify any provisions, limitations, or exclusions expressly stated in any insurance policy. Descriptions of all coverages and other features are necessarily brief; in order to fully understand the coverages and other features of a specific insurance policy, we encourage you to read the applicable policy and/or speak to an insurance representative. Coverages and other features vary between insurers, vary by state, and are not available in all states. Whether an accident or other loss is covered is subject to the terms and conditions of the actual insurance policy or policies involved in the claim. References to average or typical premiums, amounts of losses, deductibles, costs of coverages/repair, etc., are illustrative and may not apply to your situation. We are not responsible for the content of any third-party sites linked from this page.
A term life policy is exactly what the name implies: Coverage for a specific term or length of time, typically between 10 and 30 years. It is sometimes called “pure life insurance” because, unlike whole life insurance, there’s no cash value to the policy. It’s designed solely to give your beneficiaries a payout if you die during the term. Most individual term policies have level premiums, so you pay the same amount every month. When the term expires, there’s no more coverage – you either have to go without or get a new policy, which will likely come at a higher cost: the older you are, the more expensive it is to get a policy. However, many providers – including Guardian – will allow you to convert a term policy to permanent life insurance for part or all of the coverage period. If you receive term life insurance through an employer, rates are typically issued “on attained age,” which means the rates will increase over time. This calculator can help you determine the cost of term life insurance at the coverage level you want. How many years will your family need financial protection? For most people, it’s until the kids are grown up, the house is paid off, and there’s some money that can serve as a safety net for the surviving spouse. Whole life insuranceA whole life policy is the simplest form of permanent life insurance, providing coverage that lasts your entire life. Like other permanent policies, it includes a cash value component: A portion of your premium dollars are placed into a cash value account, and this sum grows over time on a tax-deferred basis, so you don’t pay taxes on the gains.3 Compared to other forms of permanent coverage, a whole life policy has three defining characteristics:
Cash value provides several significant benefits you can use while you’re still alive. It takes a few years to grow into a useful amount, but once that happens, you can borrow money against it, use it to help pay your premiums, or even surrender it for cash to live on in retirement.5 When you get a whole life policy from a mutual company, such as Guardian, your cash value can also earn annual dividends6. You get a portion of the insurer’s profits, which can be used to increase the value of your policy and provide other benefits. While not guaranteed, Guardian has paid a dividend to its qualified whole life policyholders every year since 1868. Whole Life vs. Term Life InsuranceKey differences between term and whole life insurance include:
Universal life insuranceA universal life policy is another form of permanent insurance that offers the cash value and lifetime coverage benefits of whole life. But there’s a fundamental difference compared to whole life: the premiums are flexible. With a universal policy, you can raise or lower the amount you pay into the policy as you see fit, within the limits of the policy. Paying in less could eventually result in the need to pay in higher amounts in later years to keep your coverage. This type of policy can adjust to your life circumstances while providing the same kind of cash value growth as whole life. Having another child, moving on to a different job, or taking out a loan to buy a business – all might be instances where a combination of security and flexibility becomes important. Final expense insuranceFinal expense insurance is a form of life insurance intended only to cover end-of-life expenses such as funeral and burial costs. The coverage is permanent in the sense that if you keep paying premiums, the policy will remain in effect, but there is no cash value or investment component to these policies. Older people often buy final expense coverage without dependent children because it helps protect loved ones who might otherwise have to cover these costs out-of-pocket. While the premiums for these plans tend to be modest, the death benefit is also very limited – it’s not meant to provide years of financial support to your beneficiaries. Younger, healthier people who want to build cash value or a significant death benefit for their families will likely be able to find greater value in a whole life, universal life, or term life policy. Simplified issue and guaranteed issue insuranceMost life insurance policies are underwritten: they require a medical exam as part of the application process so that the provider can assess your risk to insure. Simplified issue and guaranteed issue policies don’t require a medical exam. These plans are primarily designed for older applicants or those with serious health problems who may not qualify for policies that require a medical exam. Some term policies and most final expense policies are either simplified issue or guaranteed issue. When applying for a simplified issue policy, you’ll be asked to fill out a health questionnaire in place of an exam. With a guaranteed issue policy, you won’t be asked to undergo an exam or complete a questionnaire – no medical information is needed to qualify for approval. These policies typically offer lower levels of coverage compared to other types, and premiums tend to be higher because the insurance company has to assume that there’s a high risk to providing coverage. Group life insuranceThis is life insurance that you buy as part of a group – typically through work as part of your employee benefits package, or via a member organization. Most group life insurance is term, but some companies also offer permanent coverage as a voluntary (employee-paid) benefit. Until recently, individual policies – bought through agents or directly from insurance companies – were the most common way to get life insurance. Now, more Americans are covered by employment-based group policies. These plans offer relatively affordable premiums because the company or organization is effectively “buying in bulk.” Some employers even provide workers with term coverage equal to 1x their salary at no cost to the employee. Group policies may also be simplified issue, at least for lower coverage amounts, which helps employees with health issues obtain coverage. On the other hand, coverage amounts can be limited. Group life may not provide the comprehensive coverage you want, but it can be an easy, affordable way to start or supplement your life insurance protection. If available, find out if the policy is portable: that means that if you leave your job, you can take your coverage with you. |