When Does Whole Life Insurance Mature?

Whole life insurance is a permanent life insurance policy that guarantees coverage for the life of the insured as long as premiums are paid. The policy provides a death benefit to the beneficiary and also builds cash value over time. Unlike term insurance, whole life policies don’t expire, and the premiums remain the same regardless of age or health changes. The cash value generated by the policy can be withdrawn in the form of a loan, and the death benefit will be paid out to the beneficiary as long as the loan and any interest is repaid.

Whole Life Insurance vs. Term Life Insurance

Whole life insurance covers the entire life of the insured, making it more expensive than term life insurance, which covers a specific term, such as 10 or 20 years. Term policies do not accumulate cash value, and premiums tend to be lower because there is a likelihood that the policyholder will outlive the policy. When the policy expires, the policyholder must buy another term and pay higher premiums if they still wish to have life insurance.

Types of Whole Life Insurance

When buying whole life insurance, there are several types to choose from:

Final Expense Insurance

Final expense insurance is a type of whole life insurance that is specifically designed to help cover end-of-life expenses like medical bills and burial costs. These policies typically have smaller face amounts – usually under $20,000 – and are more affordable and easier to qualify for than traditional life insurance because of the small face amount.

Whole Life Insurance Riders

Whole life insurance riders are features that can be added to certain whole life policies to boost their features and benefits. There are four riders to consider when buying whole life insurance:

• Accelerated Death Benefit Rider
• Guaranteed Insurability Rider
• Paid-Up Additions Rider
• Waiver of Premium Rider

Myths and Misconceptions

There are several misconceptions about whole life insurance, including the idea that it’s not worth buying. While it’s typically more expensive than term life insurance, it offers permanent coverage with premiums that never change regardless of age or health. It also builds cash value over time, giving the policyholder the opportunity to take out a loan from their policy to pay for medical bills or other expenses. Most whole life policies endow at age 100, which means that the cash value equals the coverage amount, and the policy is closed.