4 Main Types Of Life Insurance, And How To Choose In 2026

Life insurance is there to ease the financial burden on your loved ones when the inevitable happens. Learn more about the types of life insurance to determine which one is right for you.

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Term life insurance : Affordable and suitable for most people.
Whole life insurance : Permanent, but pricier than term life.
Universal life insurance : A more flexible alternative to whole life.
Variable life insurance : Riskier, but higher potential growth in cash value.
Other types of life insurance .

How does life insurance work?

Life insurance is a contract between an insurer and an insured person. If that person dies while the policy is active, the life insurance company pays money in the form of a death benefit to the insured person’s beneficiaries. These can be people, entities (like charitable organizations) or trusts.

In return, the insured person agrees to pay premiums to keep the policy active or “in force” for a certain period of time or until a certain age.

Life insurance terms to know before shopping for a policy

Term life insurance vs. permanent life insurance

Most life insurance policies fall into two buckets: term or permanent life insurance.

Term life insurance is an affordable option that lasts a set number of years, known as the “term.” With this type of life insurance, if you outlive the policy, there is no payout and your coverage ends.

Permanent life insurance is designed to provide lifelong coverage and policies grow cash value. All of the following kinds of life insurance come under the umbrella of permanent life insurance.

Whole life insurance.
Simplified whole life insurance.
Guaranteed whole life insurance.
Universal life insurance.
Variable universal life insurance.
Indexed universal life insurance.
Joint or survivorship life insurance.
Final expense or burial insurance.

What’s the difference between term and permanent life insurance?

Term life

Cheaper: Term life is generally the cheapest type of life insurance.

Temporary: Policies last for a set time period, such as 10, 20 or 30 years.

No cash value: You can’t borrow against or cash out a term life insurance policy.

Permanent life

Pricier: Permanent life policies are usually more expensive than term life insurance.

Permanent: Policies can last the rest of your life.

Builds cash value: Policies grow cash value and once you've built enough, you might be able to cash out or borrow against the policy.

What's the best type of life insurance to get?

There’s no straightforward answer to the best life insurance because the best policy for you comes down to your needs and budget.

For most people, term life insurance is sufficient and the cheapest type of coverage. It lasts a set period and provides a guaranteed payout if you die during that term.

Term life insurance
How it works: Term life insurance is usually sold in lengths of one, five, 10, 15, 20, 25 or 30 years. Coverage amounts vary depending on the policy but can go into the millions.
Most people buy term life insurance for long enough to cover their prime working years. That way, if they die early, the money can help a surviving spouse or family member meet short-term financial needs like paying off a mortgage or supporting kids through college.
Pros: It’s often the cheapest life insurance, and it's enough for most people.
Cons: If you outlive the policy, your beneficiaries won’t receive a payout.
Best for: Most people. Term life insurance is a straightforward, budget-friendly policy, and its main purpose is to replace your income when you die.

Whole life insurance

How it works: Whole life insurance typically lasts your entire life, as long as you keep up with premiums. It’s the closest thing to “set it and forget it” life insurance you’ll find.

In general, your premiums stay the same, you get a guaranteed rate of return on the policy’s cash value, and the death benefit amount doesn’t change. Note that burial insurance is a type of small whole life insurance policy that can help your family pay for your funeral, burial and other expenses after your death

Pros: It usually covers your entire life, builds cash value and is simple compared with other kinds of permanent life insurance.
Cons: It’s often more expensive than term life, so if you're looking for affordable life insurance, you might want to explore other options.

Best for: Those who want a basic permanent policy and can afford higher premiums.

Universal life insurance

How it works: Universal life insurance is an umbrella term that covers a few different kinds of policies. Generally, this coverage allows you to adjust premiums (within limits) and has cash value that grows based on market interest rates.

Universal life insurance is different from indexed universal life insurance. With those policies, the cash value growth is tied to a stock or bond index like the S&P 500.

Pros: It’s often less expensive than whole life insurance and can adapt to your needs as life changes.
Cons: The death benefit and cash value growth are not guaranteed.

Best for: People who want permanent life insurance that can flex to future needs.

Variable life insurance

How it works: This type of cash value life insurance is tied to investment accounts, such as bonds and mutual funds. Variable life insurance premiums are usually fixed and the death benefit is guaranteed, regardless of how the market fares.

If you’re considering a policy like this, a fee-only financial advisor — a planner who doesn’t earn commission based on sales — can help you choose the best one.

Pros: There is potential for aggressive gains if your investment choices do well.
Cons: It requires you to be hands-on in managing your policy because the cash value can change daily based on the market.

Best for: Those with a higher risk tolerance who want greater control over their cash value investments.

How much does life insurance cost?

The average cost of term life insurance is $26 a month or $312 per year, according to Policygenius, a life insurance brokerage. To get this number, we looked at a healthy 40-year-old buying a 20-year, $500,000 term life insurance policy. Rates vary among insurers, so be sure to compare life insurance quotes to get the best possible price.

In contrast, the average cost of whole life insurance for the same healthy 40-year old buying $500,000 in coverage is $5,525 per year for men and $4,968 per year for women.

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Which type of life insurance should you get?

Still not sure which type of life insurance is right for you? Think through these questions to help you decide.

What’s the purpose of the life insurance policy?. A middle aged adult who wants to replace income may need a different type of life insurance than an older adult who wants to cover final expenses or diversify retirement savings.
Will your financial needs change over time? Consider the length of your financial commitments such as student loans, mortgages or educational expenses for your children.
How much income do you need to replace? Calculate how many prime working years you need to cover and how large the policy should be to cover future expenses for your family.

The best life insurance companies in March 2026 are Guardian, MassMutual, New York Life, Northwestern Mutual, Lemonade, and USAA.