Guide
Term vs. permanent life insurance
What each kind is for, what it costs, and why most families start with term.
Term life pays if you die during a fixed period—usually 10, 15, 20, 25, or 30 years—for a flat monthly rate. When the term ends, coverage stops unless you renew at a much higher cost. It is the cheapest way to buy large protection for the specific years your family needs it most.
Permanent life (whole life, universal life, and variations) stays in force for life and builds cash value inside the policy. The monthly cost is much higher than term for the same benefit, and cash value accumulates slowly early on. It fits people with lifelong needs: a dependent who will never be independent, estate taxes, or business succession.
How to choose
Start with the need, not the product. If the need has an expiration date—a mortgage payoff, kids finishing school—term coverage aligns with it perfectly. If the need lasts your whole life, permanent insurance or a convertible term policy may make sense. Many carriers allow you to convert term to permanent later without redoing medical exams; each quote shows the carrier's conversion options.
What people in Pleasant Hill often do
A practical approach: 20- or 30-year term matching your real obligations, reviewed when life changes. The monthly cost stays low enough to buy plenty of coverage today, and that is what counts most. If you have a lifetime need, Susman Insurance Agency can also discuss permanent products.