Protecting what you've built.

You pay a fixed premium for a set period, typically 10, 20, or 30 years. If you pass away during that term, your beneficiaries receive the death benefit, generally income-tax-free. It's usually the most coverage you can buy per dollar.

Often a fit if: you want to cover a specific stretch of life: the mortgage years, the kids-at-home years, the paying-off-debt years.

Worth knowing: when the term ends, so does the coverage, unless the policy is renewed or converted. Renewing later costs more because you're older.

Whole life provides permanent coverage that doesn't expire as long as premiums are paid. It also accumulates guaranteed cash value over time, which you may be able to borrow against or withdraw during your lifetime.

Often a fit if: you want lifelong certainty, a level premium that never rises, and a policy that quietly builds value alongside the protection.

Worth knowing: premiums are meaningfully higher than term for the same death benefit, and cash value builds slowly in the early years. Loans and withdrawals reduce the death benefit.

A flexible permanent policy that ties cash value growth to the performance of a market index, without putting your money directly in the market. Most designs include a floor that limits losses in a down year and a cap that limits gains in a strong one.

Often a fit if: you want permanent coverage, growth potential, and the ability to adjust premiums as your income changes.

Worth knowing: returns are not guaranteed. Caps, participation rates, and internal policy charges all affect results, and an underfunded policy can lapse. Illustrations are projections, not promises.

Small whole life policies designed to cover death-related costs: funeral expenses, outstanding medical bills, and other end-of-life obligations. Underwriting is usually simplified, and many policies require no medical exam.

Often a fit if: you're older, have health history that complicates other products, or simply want to make sure nobody is paying out of pocket for your funeral.

Worth knowing: face amounts are modest by design, and some policies have a graded benefit period in the first couple of years. Read the benefit schedule carefully.

LTC coverage helps pay for extended care services that health insurance and Medicare typically do not, including in-home care, assisted living, and nursing facility care. It's one of the largest uncovered risks in most retirement plans.

Often a fit if: you'd rather not have a long care event drain retirement savings, or ask an adult child to become a full-time caregiver.

Worth knowing: benefits begin only when specific triggers are met, and daily limits, elimination periods, and inflation options vary a lot between policies.

Your ability to earn an income is your most valuable financial asset. Disability insurance replaces a portion of that income if an illness or injury keeps you from working. Households underestimate this risk more than almost any other.

Often a fit if: your household runs on your paycheck, you're self-employed, or your employer coverage would replace far less than you think.

Worth knowing: the definition of "disability," the elimination period before benefits start, and the benefit period all differ between policies, and they matter enormously at claim time.

Group benefits allow businesses of all sizes to offer competitive employee packages, including group life, disability, dental, and vision. Often the most cost-effective way to raise total compensation without raising salaries.

Often a fit if: you're an owner trying to attract and keep good people, or you've outgrown the "we don't offer benefits yet" stage.

Worth knowing: group coverage generally ends when employment does, and amounts are often lower than what an individual policy would provide. Many people need both.

A contract with an insurance company that provides a guaranteed interest rate over a set period, with the option to convert the accumulated value into a stream of income later on. Growth is generally tax-deferred until you withdraw.

Often a fit if: you want a predictable, low-volatility place for a portion of savings, or a future paycheck you can't outlive.

Worth knowing: surrender charges usually apply to early withdrawals, and guarantees are backed by the claims-paying ability of the issuing insurer, not by a government agency.