Key takeaways
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- Whole life insurance policies never expire and offer lifelong coverage as long as premiums are paid.
- As a type of permanent insurance, whole life policies can accrue a cash value.
- Whole life policies can be further customized with riders, which add additional coverage or benefits.
What is whole life insurance?
Whole life insurance is a type of permanent life insurance, meaning it can last a lifetime as long as premiums are paid. Whole life insurance policies can accrue cash value which will grow at a guaranteed interest rate that varies per insurer.
In addition to the policy’s cash value, you’ll decide which loved ones or charitable organizations should be the beneficiary who will receive the death benefit when you pass away.
How does whole life insurance work?
Because whole life insurance has a death benefit plus cash value, premiums are higher than a term policy with a comparable death benefit. The good news is premiums generally stay level, and the interest earned on the policy’s cash value is level too. So it’s easy to understand what you’ll pay and how much interest you can earn over time.
With a whole life policy, there are three places that your premium dollars are directed.
Death Benefit
The first part of your premium is for the insurance death benefit. The death benefit is a fixed amount that’s intended to pay out to your beneficiary in the event of your death.
Cash Value
The second part of your premium is for the cash value portion of your policy. This portion typically starts to accrue several years into your policy. Once enough cash value has accumulated, you can borrow against it (loan fees and interest apply) or withdraw it (subject to potential tax implications).
Operating costs
A third portion of your monthly or annual premium is paid to the insurer to cover the cost of issuing the policy, operating the company, and other necessities. Comparatively, this is a much smaller portion of the premium payment.
Comparing whole life to other types of life insurance
Whole life vs. term life
When comparing term vs. whole life , it’s important to note that they serve different purposes. Term life insurance is an affordable option to cover everyday families looking to support specific financial goals, like paying off a mortgage or replacing income until the kids leave the house. With terms between 10 and 30 years, term life can cover milestone life events but doesn’t last a lifetime like whole life.
Whole life vs. universal life
Whole life and universal life are both types of permanent life insurance. However, the cash value accrues differently in each type of account. While whole life policies offer a guaranteed interest rate, universal life cash value grows at current interest rates. Universal life insurance also has a flexible premium and death benefit, whereas these values are fixed for whole life.
Whole life vs. variable life
Variable life insurance is a more complex type of permanent life insurance policy. With variable life, you, as the policyholder, control investment selection for your policy’s cash value. A variable life policy also requires a significant upfront investment to fund the cash value.
When to buy a whole life insurance policy
The younger and healthier you are, the lower your whole life premiums will be. Yet there are whole life policies that serve the needs of older adults, too. For example, Fidelity Life’s RAPIDecision® Whole Life insurance for seniors covers older adults from age 50 to 85. With coverage amounts up to $150,000, a senior whole life policy can help you to cover end-of-life expenses, provide for a spouse, or leave an inheritance for kids or grandkids.
A whole life policy provides a safety net for your family and can be used as a tax-deferred savings vehicle you can draw on in time of need or as your grow older. But you’ll need to weigh that against the higher cost of premiums. As you decide whether buying whole life is a smart move right now, be sure to explore all of the pros and cons of whole life insurance .
How payouts for whole life insurance policies work
When you pass away, your beneficiary submits any required forms and documentation to the insurer to receive the death benefit. Since the beneficiary needs to initiate the process with the insurer, it’s important that you tell your beneficiaries about any life insurance policies while you’re alive. If you took out a loan and did not repay it, any remaining balance owed plus interest and fees will be deducted from the death benefit.
With a whole life policy, you may be able to cash out surrender your policy and receive a lump sum cash payment. If you choose this option, the policy is terminated and there will be no payable death benefit. Remember, withdrawals or surrender payments are subject to taxation while death benefits generally are not.
Some whole life policies also pay dividends. These can often be applied to the purchase of additional death benefits, This, in turn, raises the payout amount that your beneficiary will receive.
Explore whole life insurance from Fidelity Life
A whole life policy can give you significant peace of mind. If you want lifelong financial protections, Fidelity Life offers several whole life insurance products.
