The People Who Depend on You Deserve a Plan.

Term life covers you for a set period — 10, 20, or 30 years. If you die during that term, your beneficiaries receive the payout. Whole life covers you for your entire life and builds cash value over time. It costs more, but it never expires. For most families with dependents and a mortgage, term life is the right starting point. We'll tell you which makes sense after we understand what you're trying to protect.

A common starting point is 10–12 times your annual income, but the real number depends on what income your family would need to replace, how much you owe on your mortgage or other debts, how many years your dependents will rely on that income, and whether you want to cover college costs. A conversation with me will give you a much clearer number than any online calculator — because it accounts for your actual situation.

Less than most people expect, especially if you're younger and healthy. A healthy 35-year-old can typically get a $500,000, 20-year term policy for $25–$40 a month. The two biggest factors are your age and your health at the time you apply. Rates go up as you get older — the best time to lock in a rate is when you're young and healthy.

Not always. Some policies use accelerated underwriting — they review your health history through databases rather than requiring a physical exam. For larger coverage amounts or certain health histories, a medical exam may be required. It's less involved than people expect — usually a blood draw and basic vitals. We'll tell you upfront what the process looks like.

It depends on the condition and how it's managed. Many people with conditions like controlled diabetes or high blood pressure can still get coverage — sometimes at standard rates, sometimes with an adjusted premium. The worst thing to do is assume you can't qualify and never ask. We work with multiple carriers, and underwriting standards vary — some are more favorable for specific health situations than others.

Maybe not yet — but there are situations where it still makes sense: you have a co-signer on student loans or debts, you have aging parents who depend on you financially, or you want to lock in a low rate now while you're healthy. If none of those apply, we'll tell you honestly rather than try to sell you something you don't need.

Yes, in most cases. Many term policies are convertible — you can switch to permanent coverage later without requalifying medically. You can adjust your beneficiaries at any time, and in some situations you can increase coverage as your needs grow. Life changes — new baby, new house, new debts — are exactly when it makes sense to revisit your coverage.

A few things: the contestability period (most policies have a two-year window during which the insurer can investigate a claim if they find misrepresentation on the application — be honest), exclusions for certain causes of death, and agents pushing a specific product before understanding your situation. The best protection is working with someone who's going to tell you what you actually need, not what generates the biggest sale.