What are the Pros and Cons of Whole Life Insurance?

What are the pros and cons of whole life insurance?

Some noteworthy pros and cons of whole life insurance include:

Pro: Lifelong coverage

Whole life insurance can provide lifelong coverage, no matter how old you are when you pass away. Unlike with a term life insurance policy, there is no termination date.²

Pro: Fixed premiums

Once you receive a premium amount based on factors like your age and health status, you won’t have to worry about it changing. Your premiums will stay the same, making it easy to budget for them.

Pro: Cash value growth

A whole life insurance policy offers a cash value growth component. As your cash value increases, you can withdraw funds or borrow against them to help cover expenses or meet financial goals.³

Pro: Dividends

Depending on the company you choose, whole life insurance may be eligible for dividends, which you can redeem for cash.³ Dividends depend on the company’s financial performance, interest rates, and investment returns.

Con: Complexity

Compared to other types of life insurance, whole life insurance can be complex and more difficult to understand. You may need to review your policy multiple times or speak to a company representative to ensure you know how it works.

Con: Higher premiums

Due to the lifelong coverage and cash value component, whole life insurance comes with higher premiums.² It may be a challenge to cover them if you’re young or don’t have a lot of extra cash at your disposal.

How whole life insurance compares to other permanent life insurance policies

Now that you know how whole life insurance works and the pros and cons, here’s a brief look at the differences between this type of policy and other permanent policies you might come across:

• Universal life insurance: Universal life insurance lets you change your premiums and death benefit if you need to. With whole life insurance, however, your premiums and death benefit stay the same.
• Variable life insurance: With variable life insurance, you can enjoy access to many investment options and choose the ones that meet your investment risk tolerance and goals.² Whole life insurance doesn’t offer this type of flexibility.
• Final expense insurance: Final expense life insurance may help your beneficiaries with end-of-life expenses, like burial costs and medical bills. It usually provides less coverage than a traditional whole life policy.

How to get a whole life insurance policy

If you’re interested in whole life insurance from Aflac, follow these steps:

1. Fill out a short online form.
2. Wait for an Aflac representative to call you and discuss your options.

You can also start the process via phone and call Aflac directly at 1-855-782-5850.

Should I get whole life insurance?

In these situations, a whole life insurance policy may make sense:

You want lifelong coverage

Since whole life insurance is permanent, it may be a good option if you want protection that lasts a lifetime. A whole life policy can help give you long-term financial security.

You don’t want to dip into savings

Thanks to the cash value component, whole life insurance premiums can grow into a tax-deferred account. This can help give you the chance to pass down more to your beneficiaries. For example, you can tap into it while you’re still alive to help pay for your children’s college education.

Get a whole life insurance policy

Whole life insurance offers many pros and cons that you should consider when deciding whether this policy is right for you. If you want lifelong coverage, Aflac offers whole life insurance with cost-effective premiums that won’t change over time. This type of policy also comes with a cash value account that may grow tax-free and lasts your entire life. Chat with an agent to discuss your options and get a quote today.