Life insurance, in plain words
Know what you need before anyone sells you a policy.
How much coverage makes sense, term or permanent, what to ask, and how to check the person selling it. No quotes, no sales calls, and nobody here gets paid to push a policy.
Settle these five things first
- 1How much you needA worksheet that adds it up, on your screen only.
- 2Term or permanentWhat each one does, and what changes the price.
- 3Who gets the moneyNaming beneficiaries so it goes where you mean it to.
- 4What to askQuestions for any agent, before you sign anything.
- 5Check the agentLook up a license in a couple of minutes.
If your only coverage is through work
Coverage through work is a start, not a plan
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Usually less than you need
Life insurance through work may be low cost or no cost, but the death benefit is usually less than you need. If you leave the job, you may not be able to take it with you.
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How much work coverage pays
1 to 2 times salary
A basic group life policy through your job usually pays one or two times your yearly salary.
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Full time vs part time
73% vs 15% 2025
Access is much lower in part-time jobs. In March 2025, 73% of full-time private industry workers had access to employer life insurance, compared with 15% of part-time workers.
Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employee Benefits, March 2025
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Leaving the job
Some states give you the right to convert. In Washington, if you leave a group life plan or your employer drops it, the plan has to let you convert to permanent whole life coverage.
Source: Washington Insurance Commissioner, Life Insurance guide
You're not the only one putting this off
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Who has it
52% 2026
About half of US adults (52%) say they own life insurance, according to the 2026 Insurance Barometer Study by Life Happens and LIMRA. This is industry research.
Source: Life Happens and LIMRA, 2026 Insurance Barometer (industry research)
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Who needs it and doesn't have it
29% 2026
In the same 2026 study, 29% of adults said they don't have life insurance but need it, and another 9% said they have it but need more. The study counts that as 99 million adults. This is industry research.
Source: Life Happens and LIMRA, 2026 Insurance Barometer (industry research)
A heads-up when the rules change
A short email when something changes that affects what you'd buy or ask. Never a sales pitch, and your address never goes to an agent or insurer.
The list isn't hooked up yet, so this won't send.