Whole Life Insurance (2024)

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Whole Life Insurance (2)

What is whole life insurance?

Whole life insurance is a type of permanent life insurance, meaning coverage lasts your entire life. Whole life insurance policies offer a savings component built in that grows cash value at a fixed rate over time. The cash value grows at a guaranteed rate of return, and your premium is locked in for life as long as you keep up with payments.

What are the benefits of whole life insurance?

Whole life insurance is a popular and risk-averse type of permanent life insurance, offering lifelong coverage, a fixed premium and death benefit, and a cash value savings component that you can borrow against or even use to pay your premiums.

Guaranteed cash value growth

Whole life insurance builds tax-deferred cash value over the life of your policy. A portion of every premium payment you make goes towards your policy's cash value, which grows at a fixed rate over time. When the cash value grows to a certain amount, you can borrow from your whole life policy or withdraw it and use the funds however you'd like.

Fixed, consistent premiums

You pay the same amount for your policy every month, guaranteed, as long as you don't miss a payment. Ideally, if your income increases over time, the payment amount will become more affordable for you, and your premium will never increase.

Guaranteed death benefit

Unlike term life, your beneficiaries are guaranteed to receive your policy's death benefit no matter when you pass away. And as long as you pay back any outstanding loans against your policy, your death benefit amount won't change.

Pro tip:

Comparing whole life insurance quotes isn't always apples to apples. Pay attention to these factors for a more accurate comparison: the coverage amount (or death benefit) you're offered, the premium you're quoted, and the rate of growth for the policy's cash value. When you quote whole life insurance with Progressive Life by eFinancial, we'll help you choose a policy that fits your specific needs. Call 1-855-627-1883 to speak to a licensed representative who can walk you through your options.

How does whole life insurance differ from term life insurance?

Some policyholders choose whole life insurance over term life because it offers lifelong coverage and an additional financial resource, due to its cash value. Here's a quick comparison to help you determine if whole life is right for you:

Whole life insurance

  • Coverage lasts your entire life
  • Cash value component that grows at a fixed rate
  • Higher premiums
  • Requires medical exam

vs.

Term life insurance

  • Coverage is temporary (a set number of years)
  • No cash value component
  • Lower premiums
  • No-medical-exam options

Still wondering which is right for you? Learn more about term vs. whole life insurance.

Commonly asked questions about whole life insurance

How much does whole life insurance cost?

Whole life insurance is generally less expensive than other permanent policies. The cost of any life insurance policy will depend on factors like your age, your health (including your life insurance medical exam results), and how much life insurance coverage you need. The insurance company you select can also be a factor, as rates can vary.

How long does it take for whole life insurance to build cash value?

A whole life insurance policy will begin building cash value as soon as you pay your first premium, and it will continue building throughout the life of the policy as long as there are funds in the account. However, you're typically required to have the policy for a certain amount of time (usually 2–5 years) before you can borrow from the cash value. Your policy will note those details.

How long do you have to have whole life insurance before it pays?

Whole life insurance policies pay out when you pass away as long as the policy is active. However, life insurance policies typically have a contestability period of two years after the policy activates. If you pass away during that period and your insurer finds undisclosed health conditions or other discrepancies in your application, your policy may not pay out. If they don't find any discrepancies, your policy can pay out no matter when you pass away. Find out how long you have to claim a life insurance payout.

Also, whole life insurance policies are typically set to expire and pay out to you (instead of your beneficiaries) if your cash value grows to equal your death benefit amount by the time you're a certain age — usually 100.

What is the difference between whole life and universal life insurance?

Universal life insurance allows you to adjust your premium and death benefit amounts, whereas whole life has a fixed premium payment and death benefit. The cash value of a universal life policy also varies based on market conditions, whereas whole life cash value grows at a fixed interest rate. If you're looking for a straightforward, less risky permanent life policy, then whole life may be the right choice for you.

Learn more about whole life insurance

Explore more life insurance tips and resources.

  • What are the different types of life insurance?See how other life insurance options differ from whole life insurance.
  • Can you get life insurance without a medical exam?Learn which policies require medical exams and which don't.
  • Can you switch from term to whole life insurance?Understand when to consider converting and how to do it.
  • Whole life vs. universal life insuranceFind out if whole life or universal life is right for you.
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Whole Life Insurance (2024)

FAQs

How much is a $100,000 whole life insurance policy? ›

On average, a $100,000 whole life policy will cost between $100-$1000 monthly, depending on various factors such as your age. Life insurance pricing is based on your actual age, gender, lifestyle, health, tobacco usage, and coverage amount.

How does a whole life insurance work? ›

Whole life insurance guarantees payment of a death benefit to beneficiaries in exchange for level, regularly-due premium payments. The policy includes a savings portion, called the “cash value,” alongside the death benefit. In the savings component, interest may accumulate on a tax-deferred basis.

What are 2 disadvantages of whole life insurance? ›

A more complex product than term life insurance. Higher premiums than term life insurance. Could be costly if coverage lapses early.

How much a month is a $500,000 whole life insurance policy? ›

How much does whole life insurance cost? A $500,000 whole life insurance policy costs an average of $451 per month for a 30-year-old non-smoker in good health. If you get whole life insurance, the premiums you'll pay may vary based on factors like your age, health, gender, and the type of policy you get.

How much does a $1 million dollar whole life insurance policy cost? ›

The average monthly cost for a million-dollar life insurance policy is anywhere from approximately $50 to more than $1,000, depending on your age, health, annual income, policy type and other factors.

What is the cash value of a $10,000 whole life insurance policy? ›

Most whole life insurance policies mature at 121 years, although some mature at 100 years. Say, for example, that you purchase an insurance policy with a face value of $10,000. Once the policy matures, the cash value of the policy should equal $10,000.

Can you cash out a whole life insurance policy? ›

Can You Cash Out a Life Insurance Policy? With a cash value life insurance policy, like whole life or universal life insurance, you can access the cash value. One of the ways to do that is to cash out or surrender the policy. If you choose to cash out your policy, you'll receive the cash value minus any surrender fees.

What happens after 20 year whole life insurance? ›

This is life insurance with a policy term of 20 years. If the policyholder dies during that time, the life insurance company pays a death benefit to his or her beneficiaries, often dependents or family. After 20 years, there is no more coverage, and no benefit paid.

How many years do you pay on a whole life policy? ›

Your whole life premium stays the same for life.

The fixed premium of a term insurance policy typically ends after 10, 20, or 30 years. And with some other types of permanent coverage, the premium cost can go up later. But with whole life, the premium you pay when you take out your policy never increases.

Why is whole life not a good investment? ›

The cash value is slow to grow

Eventually, a higher percentage of your premium will go toward your cash value. But this takes a while, so it can take 10 to 15 years (or even longer) for you to build up enough cash value to borrow against.

Why are people against whole life insurance? ›

The fees and commissions in whole life policies are very high. The returns on your cash value are far lower than you'd get investing elsewhere….

What is the biggest risk for whole life insurance? ›

The primary risks include higher premiums compared to term life insurance, potential policy lapses due to missed payments, and the possibility of lower returns on cash value compared to other investment options.

How much is a 100k whole life insurance policy? ›

The average cost of a $100,000 whole life insurance policy is about $88 a month, or $1,056 a year, based on our analysis of whole life insurance quotes for a 30-year-old nonsmoker in good health. Whole life insurance offers permanent coverage, meaning it typically lasts your lifetime as long as you pay your premiums.

How much can you borrow from whole life insurance? ›

You typically can't borrow more than 90% of your policy's current cash value. You typically must pay interest when paying back the loan. Repayment isn't required, but outstanding loan balances are subtracted from the death benefit payout, and may cause the policy to lapse with certain types of policies.

Is whole life insurance tax deductible? ›

A: Whole life insurance premiums paid by individuals for themselves or their family members are not tax deductible. However, business owners may be able to deduct premiums paid for life insurance coverage for employees. Generally, most individuals do not receive a tax deduction for paying life insurance premiums.

How much do you get when you cash out a whole life insurance policy? ›

You can cash out a life insurance policy. How much money you get for it will depend on the amount of cash value held in it. If you have, say $10,000 of accumulated cash value, you would be entitled to withdraw up to all of that amount (less any surrender fees).

How do I know how much my whole life insurance policy is worth? ›

To find the cash value of your life insurance, calculate your total payments and subtract surrender fees. Remember, the value for a sale will be lower than the death benefit to allow the buyer to profit.

How much is a $50,000 whole life insurance policy? ›

The Cost Of A $50,000 Whole Life Insurance Policy. Expect to pay $100-$500 monthly for a $50,000 whole life insurance policy depending upon your age, health, lifestyle, tobacco usage, state of residence, and the amount of coverage purchased.

What is the largest whole life insurance policy? ›

The plan, a whole-of-life protection policy, will pay out US$250 million to the insured person's named beneficiary after their death.

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