Helping You Protect What Matters Most

The right amount of life insurance depends on what you want the policy to accomplish.

For many families, that means replacing income, paying off a mortgage or other debts, covering future expenses and providing financial security for the people who depend on them.

A good starting point is to add up those needs, subtract assets and existing coverage that could help meet them, and then consider what fits comfortably within your budget. There isn't one amount that's right for everyone.

The cost of life insurance depends primarily on your age, health, coverage amount, policy type and how long you need the coverage.

Life insurance can be surprisingly affordable, but two people looking for the same amount of coverage may receive very different rates.

Insurance companies also evaluate health and other risks differently, which means comparing the right carriers can be just as important as comparing prices.

Neither term nor whole life insurance is automatically better—the right choice depends on what you need the policy to do.

Term life insurance generally provides more death benefit for a lower initial premium and works well for temporary needs such as income replacement, a mortgage or business loan.

Whole life insurance provides permanent coverage and may be better suited for needs that won't disappear with time. In some situations, a combination of term and permanent coverage makes the most sense.

Yes, in many cases you can still qualify for life insurance even with health problems or a previous decline.

A decline from one insurance company does not necessarily mean another company will make the same decision. Carriers can evaluate conditions such as heart disease, cancer, diabetes and other medical histories very differently.

The details matter—including your diagnosis, treatment, medications, severity and how well the condition is controlled. More complicated cases often benefit from identifying the right carrier before submitting another application.

No, a medical exam isn't always required to get life insurance.

Many policies are available without a traditional medical exam, although the insurance company may still review your health history, prescriptions and other records.

Whether an exam makes sense depends on your age, health, the amount of coverage you're applying for and the insurance company. Going without an exam isn't automatically faster, cheaper or easier, so it's worth comparing your options.

Yes. In many situations, the life insurance you already own may be worth keeping, changing, or using to meet your current needs instead of buying a new policy.

An existing policy may have valuable guarantees, cash value, conversion rights or pricing that can't be duplicated today.

Before replacing or surrendering a policy, it's important to understand what you have, what it costs and what options are available. Sometimes the best recommendation really is to keep the policy you already have.

Yes. A life insurance death benefit can provide your beneficiary with money that can be used to pay off or reduce your mortgage if you die.

The policy generally doesn't have to be tied directly to your mortgage, and your beneficiary can usually decide how the proceeds are best used.

Coverage can be designed around your mortgage balance and loan term while also considering income replacement and other financial needs your family may have.

You may. A lender can require life insurance when the death of an owner or key person could affect the business's ability to repay the loan.

Life insurance can help protect both the lender and the business from that risk. The amount and structure of coverage should be based on the actual loan requirements.

When an assignment of life insurance is required, an existing policy may sometimes be used, or new coverage may need to be obtained and properly assigned to the lender.