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.
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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.
If you’re looking for life insurance coverage, use The Ultimate Life Insurance Calculator to find the best policy for your situation.
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:
