Think of term life insurance like a subscription. You buy a certain amount of coverage for a set period of time (your term) and pay an insurance company a flat-rate premium every month. This guarantees that your beneficiaries would receive a lump-sum payout (known as the “death benefit”) if you passed away during your term. Term is a simple and straightforward form of life insurance, with more affordable monthly premiums than whole life.

Whole life insurance covers you for your whole life as long as you continue to pay your premiums. A payout is guaranteed at the time of death for your policy’s beneficiaries (again, as long as the premiums are paid). Some of the money paid into the policy builds “cash value” which may increase the death benefit or be accessed on a tax-free basis with a policy loan. Due to the duration of the coverage, premiums for whole life insurance are typically more expensive.

Universal Life is a type of permanent insurance. A unique feature of universal life insurance is that the policy owner can choose to adjust the premiums paid, as long as the minimums to maintain the insurance are made. If the owner chooses to pay more than the minimum premiums, the cash value and death benefit can increase.