Many people think that life insurance is only for people with families. While it is true that life insurance can help provide for the needs of dependents, life insurance also can be an important part of a well-thought-out estate, business succession or charitable giving plan. And permanent life insurance offers many living benefits as well, such as tax-deferred cash value accumulation. For all of these reasons, life insurance can be important for someone starting out - or for someone who's starting over.
Whole Life
Whole Life insurance is also known as permanent insurance. You receive coverage for your entire life, as long as premiums (which are a set amount per period) are paid. Whole life policies accumulate cash value tax-deferred.
Term Life
Term Life policies provide coverage for a specific amount of time - such as 5 years, 10 years or 20 years. Term premiums are often less expensive than whole life premiums, but once the term of the policy is complete, coverage terminates. There is no accumulation of cash value.
Universal Life
Like Whole Life, Universal Life is a permanent insurance policy, which means that it covers you for your entire life, as long as premiums are paid. Universal life, however, offers you flexibility that enables you to change your premiums and death benefit as your needs change. This policy will terminate if at any time the cash surrender value is insufficient to pay the monthly deductions. This can happen due to insufficient premium payments, if loans or withdrawals are made, or if current interest rate or charges fluctuate.
Variable Universal Life
Variable Universal Life Insurance combines the premium and death benefit flexibility of a Universal Life policy with investment opportunities. You may allocate your premium amongst a variety of professionally managed investment divisions plus a fixed account. Of course, with investment opportunities comes risk along with the potential for reward.
Survivorship Life
Survivorship life insurance - available as whole life, universal life or variable universal life - covers two people and provides payment of the proceeds when the second insured individual dies. Survivorship life insurance is often used to help meet estate planning or business continuation goals.