What Is Whole Life Insurance and How Does It Work?
April 4, 2022
Written by:
Amy Beardsley
Amy Beardsley is a content marketing writer who specializes in insurance, finance and technology. She has degrees in business administration and legal studies from Ferris State University and worked as a court administrator before becoming a freelance financial writer. Her work has appeared in several publications, including NerdWallet, Robinhood, Next Insurance, and Insurify. Amy lives in Michigan where she enjoys reading and playing board games with her family.
Reviewed by:
Jake Tamarkin, MBA
Jake is a nationally-licensed insurance agent with a Masters in Business Administration and CEO of Everyday Life. His expertise has been featured in: Investopedia, Life Insurers Council, Insurance Thought Leadership, Life-Annuity Agent, and Insurtech Insights.
How Much Does Whole Life Insurance Cost?
Many, many factors impact the cost of whole life insurance — age, gender, height and weight, medical history, family history, smoking and tobacco use, occupation and hobbies and other lifestyle factors.
But one thing is certain: whole life costs significantly more than term life insurance. It’s tough to pin down a price for life insurance. It’s a complex calculation that depends on how different insurers evaluate your risk profile.
Here’s a comparison chart to give you an idea of what to expect:
* Based on quotes we obtained in March 2022 for an average, healthy, nonsmoking individual.
Pros and Cons of Whole Life Insurance
Whole life isn’t right for everyone. Here’s a look at the pros and cons of a policy.
What’s the Difference Between Whole Life vs. Term Life?
When shopping for life insurance, you’ll come across term life and whole life policies — those are the two main categories of life insurance. Term life provides coverage for a specific period of time, usually 10, 20, 30 or 40 years. The cost is much less expensive because the death benefit is only paid while the policy is active.
On the other hand, whole life insurance will last your entire life. The insurer will pay the death benefit whether you die young or live well into your golden years as long as your premiums are paid. However, whole life is much more costly than a term life policy.
Who Should Buy Whole Life Insurance?
Most people are better off buying a term life policy. They’re more affordable and offer valuable coverage during the most volatile years of life. Plus, they’re straightforward and easy to understand.
An end-of-life whole life policy can be a good option in some situations — for example, if you don’t have enough savings to cover funeral or burial expenses. The cost is generally less because the benefit amount is smaller.
There’s one situation where you can confidently buy whole life coverage: You’ve maxed out all of your tax-advantaged investment options and still have more money left over that you don’t know what to do with.
Generally, whole life is difficult to navigate. And if you don’t understand what you’re buying, you probably shouldn’t buy it.
What is whole life insurance? You’ve probably heard the term before, but that doesn’t mean you fully understand it. You’re not alone — many people are confused by whole life insurance and how it works. Here’s what you need to know before committing to a policy.
Table of Contents
What Is Whole Life Insurance?
Life insurance can help you reach your financial goals, and whole life insurance is a type of permanent life insurance. It provides coverage for the “whole” of your life. However, there are other types of permanent life insurance, like universal and variable life, with different features and benefits.
Whole life isn’t right for everyone. Here’s a look at the pros and cons of a policy.
What’s the Difference Between Whole Life vs. Term Life?
When shopping for life insurance, you’ll come across term life and whole life policies — those are the two main categories of life insurance. Term life provides coverage for a specific period of time, usually 10, 20, 30 or 40 years. The cost is much less expensive because the death benefit is only paid while the policy is active.
On the other hand, whole life insurance will last your entire life. The insurer will pay the death benefit whether you die young or live well into your golden years as long as your premiums are paid. However, whole life is much more costly than a term life policy.
Who Should Buy Whole Life Insurance?
Most people are better off buying a term life policy. They’re more affordable and offer valuable coverage during the most volatile years of life. Plus, they’re straightforward and easy to understand.
An end-of-life whole life policy can be a good option in some situations — for example, if you don’t have enough savings to cover funeral or burial expenses. The cost is generally less because the benefit amount is smaller.
There’s one situation where you can confidently buy whole life coverage: You’ve maxed out all of your tax-advantaged investment options and still have more money left over that you don’t know what to do with.
Generally, whole life is difficult to navigate. And if you don’t understand what you’re buying, you probably shouldn’t buy it.
Many, many factors impact the cost of whole life insurance — age, gender, height and weight, medical history, family history, smoking and tobacco use, occupation and hobbies and other lifestyle factors.
But one thing is certain: whole life costs significantly more than term life insurance. It’s tough to pin down a price for life insurance. It’s a complex calculation that depends on how different insurers evaluate your risk profile.
Here’s a comparison chart to give you an idea of what to expect:
* Based on quotes we obtained in March 2022 for an average, healthy, nonsmoking individual.
Pros and Cons of Whole Life Insurance
Whole life isn’t right for everyone. Here’s a look at the pros and cons of a policy.
What’s the Difference Between Whole Life vs. Term Life?
When shopping for life insurance, you’ll come across term life and whole life policies — those are the two main categories of life insurance. Term life provides coverage for a specific period of time, usually 10, 20, 30 or 40 years. The cost is much less expensive because the death benefit is only paid while the policy is active.
On the other hand, whole life insurance will last your entire life. The insurer will pay the death benefit whether you die young or live well into your golden years as long as your premiums are paid. However, whole life is much more costly than a term life policy.
Who Should Buy Whole Life Insurance?
Most people are better off buying a term life policy. They’re more affordable and offer valuable coverage during the most volatile years of life. Plus, they’re straightforward and easy to understand.
An end-of-life whole life policy can be a good option in some situations — for example, if you don’t have enough savings to cover funeral or burial expenses. The cost is generally less because the benefit amount is smaller.
There’s one situation where you can confidently buy whole life coverage: You’ve maxed out all of your tax-advantaged investment options and still have more money left over that you don’t know what to do with.
Generally, whole life is difficult to navigate. And if you don’t understand what you’re buying, you probably shouldn’t buy it.
Whole life is the most common type of permanent life insurance. You pay a set premium each month, and the policy remains in effect for as long as you live. With whole life insurance, you can:
Borrow against your cash value
Withdraw funds from your account
Have a death benefit paid to your beneficiaries
However, the nuances make it more difficult to understand — many policyholders don’t take full advantage of the benefits and can overpay for coverage they don’t need.
Death Benefit
A whole life policy can pay a lump-sum death benefit to your beneficiaries. There aren’t restrictions on how the money is used. They may want to use it for funeral and burial costs, debt settlements or living expenses as they adjust to life without your income.
Cash Value
A portion of your premiums is set aside to build cash value. The insurance company invests the money, and the amount can grow over time.
Riders
Insurance riders are optional coverage that can modify the policy terms. For example, you may want to add an accelerated death benefit rider to access the death benefit amount while you’re still living if you’re diagnosed with a terminal illness.
How Much Does Whole Life Insurance Cost?
Many, many factors impact the cost of whole life insurance — age, gender, height and weight, medical history, family history, smoking and tobacco use, occupation and hobbies and other lifestyle factors.
But one thing is certain: whole life costs significantly more than term life insurance. It’s tough to pin down a price for life insurance. It’s a complex calculation that depends on how different insurers evaluate your risk profile.
Here’s a comparison chart to give you an idea of what to expect:
* Based on quotes we obtained in March 2022 for an average, healthy, nonsmoking individual.
Pros and Cons of Whole Life Insurance
Whole life isn’t right for everyone. Here’s a look at the pros and cons of a policy.
What’s the Difference Between Whole Life vs. Term Life?
When shopping for life insurance, you’ll come across term life and whole life policies — those are the two main categories of life insurance. Term life provides coverage for a specific period of time, usually 10, 20, 30 or 40 years. The cost is much less expensive because the death benefit is only paid while the policy is active.
On the other hand, whole life insurance will last your entire life. The insurer will pay the death benefit whether you die young or live well into your golden years as long as your premiums are paid. However, whole life is much more costly than a term life policy.
Who Should Buy Whole Life Insurance?
Most people are better off buying a term life policy. They’re more affordable and offer valuable coverage during the most volatile years of life. Plus, they’re straightforward and easy to understand.
An end-of-life whole life policy can be a good option in some situations — for example, if you don’t have enough savings to cover funeral or burial expenses. The cost is generally less because the benefit amount is smaller.
There’s one situation where you can confidently buy whole life coverage: You’ve maxed out all of your tax-advantaged investment options and still have more money left over that you don’t know what to do with.
Generally, whole life is difficult to navigate. And if you don’t understand what you’re buying, you probably shouldn’t buy it.
What is whole life insurance? You’ve probably heard the term before, but that doesn’t mean you fully understand it. You’re not alone — many people are confused by whole life insurance and how it works. Here’s what you need to know before committing to a policy.
Table of Contents
What Is Whole Life Insurance?
Life insurance can help you reach your financial goals, and whole life insurance is a type of permanent life insurance. It provides coverage for the “whole” of your life. However, there are other types of permanent life insurance, like universal and variable life, with different features and benefits.
Whole life isn’t right for everyone. Here’s a look at the pros and cons of a policy.
What’s the Difference Between Whole Life vs. Term Life?
When shopping for life insurance, you’ll come across term life and whole life policies — those are the two main categories of life insurance. Term life provides coverage for a specific period of time, usually 10, 20, 30 or 40 years. The cost is much less expensive because the death benefit is only paid while the policy is active.
On the other hand, whole life insurance will last your entire life. The insurer will pay the death benefit whether you die young or live well into your golden years as long as your premiums are paid. However, whole life is much more costly than a term life policy.
Who Should Buy Whole Life Insurance?
Most people are better off buying a term life policy. They’re more affordable and offer valuable coverage during the most volatile years of life. Plus, they’re straightforward and easy to understand.
An end-of-life whole life policy can be a good option in some situations — for example, if you don’t have enough savings to cover funeral or burial expenses. The cost is generally less because the benefit amount is smaller.
There’s one situation where you can confidently buy whole life coverage: You’ve maxed out all of your tax-advantaged investment options and still have more money left over that you don’t know what to do with.
Generally, whole life is difficult to navigate. And if you don’t understand what you’re buying, you probably shouldn’t buy it.
Many, many factors impact the cost of whole life insurance — age, gender, height and weight, medical history, family history, smoking and tobacco use, occupation and hobbies and other lifestyle factors.
But one thing is certain: whole life costs significantly more than term life insurance. It’s tough to pin down a price for life insurance. It’s a complex calculation that depends on how different insurers evaluate your risk profile.
Here’s a comparison chart to give you an idea of what to expect:
* Based on quotes we obtained in March 2022 for an average, healthy, nonsmoking individual.
Pros and Cons of Whole Life Insurance
Whole life isn’t right for everyone. Here’s a look at the pros and cons of a policy.
What’s the Difference Between Whole Life vs. Term Life?
When shopping for life insurance, you’ll come across term life and whole life policies — those are the two main categories of life insurance. Term life provides coverage for a specific period of time, usually 10, 20, 30 or 40 years. The cost is much less expensive because the death benefit is only paid while the policy is active.
On the other hand, whole life insurance will last your entire life. The insurer will pay the death benefit whether you die young or live well into your golden years as long as your premiums are paid. However, whole life is much more costly than a term life policy.
Who Should Buy Whole Life Insurance?
Most people are better off buying a term life policy. They’re more affordable and offer valuable coverage during the most volatile years of life. Plus, they’re straightforward and easy to understand.
An end-of-life whole life policy can be a good option in some situations — for example, if you don’t have enough savings to cover funeral or burial expenses. The cost is generally less because the benefit amount is smaller.
There’s one situation where you can confidently buy whole life coverage: You’ve maxed out all of your tax-advantaged investment options and still have more money left over that you don’t know what to do with.
Generally, whole life is difficult to navigate. And if you don’t understand what you’re buying, you probably shouldn’t buy it.
Whole life is the most common type of permanent life insurance. You pay a set premium each month, and the policy remains in effect for as long as you live. With whole life insurance, you can:
Borrow against your cash value
Withdraw funds from your account
Have a death benefit paid to your beneficiaries
However, the nuances make it more difficult to understand — many policyholders don’t take full advantage of the benefits and can overpay for coverage they don’t need.
Death Benefit
A whole life policy can pay a lump-sum death benefit to your beneficiaries. There aren’t restrictions on how the money is used. They may want to use it for funeral and burial costs, debt settlements or living expenses as they adjust to life without your income.
Cash Value
A portion of your premiums is set aside to build cash value. The insurance company invests the money, and the amount can grow over time.
Riders
Insurance riders are optional coverage that can modify the policy terms. For example, you may want to add an accelerated death benefit rider to access the death benefit amount while you’re still living if you’re diagnosed with a terminal illness.
How Much Does Whole Life Insurance Cost?
Many, many factors impact the cost of whole life insurance — age, gender, height and weight, medical history, family history, smoking and tobacco use, occupation and hobbies and other lifestyle factors.
But one thing is certain: whole life costs significantly more than term life insurance. It’s tough to pin down a price for life insurance. It’s a complex calculation that depends on how different insurers evaluate your risk profile.
Here’s a comparison chart to give you an idea of what to expect:
* Based on quotes we obtained in March 2022 for an average, healthy, nonsmoking individual.
Pros and Cons of Whole Life Insurance
Whole life isn’t right for everyone. Here’s a look at the pros and cons of a policy.
What’s the Difference Between Whole Life vs. Term Life?
When shopping for life insurance, you’ll come across term life and whole life policies — those are the two main categories of life insurance. Term life provides coverage for a specific period of time, usually 10, 20, 30 or 40 years. The cost is much less expensive because the death benefit is only paid while the policy is active.
On the other hand, whole life insurance will last your entire life. The insurer will pay the death benefit whether you die young or live well into your golden years as long as your premiums are paid. However, whole life is much more costly than a term life policy.
Who Should Buy Whole Life Insurance?
Most people are better off buying a term life policy. They’re more affordable and offer valuable coverage during the most volatile years of life. Plus, they’re straightforward and easy to understand.
An end-of-life whole life policy can be a good option in some situations — for example, if you don’t have enough savings to cover funeral or burial expenses. The cost is generally less because the benefit amount is smaller.
There’s one situation where you can confidently buy whole life coverage: You’ve maxed out all of your tax-advantaged investment options and still have more money left over that you don’t know what to do with.
Generally, whole life is difficult to navigate. And if you don’t understand what you’re buying, you probably shouldn’t buy it.
Disclaimer: The comments, opinions, and analyses expressed at Everyday Life are for informational purposes only and should not be considered individual investment, legal or tax advice.
