Life insurance is a promise between an insurance company and the policy owner. If you pay a certain amount of money (premium) to the insurance company, the insurance company will pay a certain amount of money (death benefit) to the beneficiary you select (when you set up the policy) after you die.

There are many types of life insurance.

Term insurance only provides a death benefit for a limited period of time. By contrast, permanent insurance can provide a death benefit and the potential to build policy cash value that you can access during your lifetime using policy loans and withdrawals.

Permanent insurance can also offer the flexibility to increase or decrease your death benefit.