Life insurance
Term and permanent life insurance for the people who depend on you.
Life insurance is how you make sure the people you love are taken care of if you are not there to do it yourself. Our team helps you sort term from permanent, compare the major carriers, and land on coverage that fits your family and your budget, in plain English.
Video transcript
Life insurance comes down to one simple question: if something happened to you, would the people who depend on your income be okay?
That's a question many people start asking during major life moments. Maybe you just had a child, bought a home, started a business, or you're the person your family relies on financially.
For many people, term life insurance is a simple and affordable way to create that protection. You choose a coverage amount and a length of time, often 10, 20, or 30 years, and your premium stays the same throughout the term.
If you pass away during that time, your beneficiaries receive the death benefit to help with things like income replacement, mortgage payments, debts, or everyday expenses.
The right amount of coverage depends on your income, financial responsibilities, and how long your loved ones would need support.
Apex Health Advisors helps Arizona, Alabama, and Texas families put life insurance in place to protect the people who depend on them. Our licensed advisors compare term and permanent options across the major carriers, explain the tradeoffs in plain English, and there is no cost for our guidance. The carrier pays us, not you. Term life is affordable protection for a set window like the mortgage years and the years your kids are home. Permanent life lasts your whole life and can build cash value. Most families start with term, and our team will tell you honestly which one fits, or whether a mix of the two makes more sense.
At a glance
- What it covers
- A death benefit for the people who depend on you. Term runs a set number of years; permanent runs for life.
- Who it fits
- Anyone with people who would be affected financially if something happened to them. Most families start with term.
- How the cost works
- Term locks a level premium for the whole term, so it will not climb as you age.
- How we size it
- We start with who depends on your income and what they would actually need, then size it from there.
Term life insurance: simple, affordable protection
Term covers you for a set number of years at a fixed monthly premium, and for most families it is the right place to start.
Term life insurance covers you for a set period, often 10, 20, or 30 years, for a premium that stays level the whole time. It is the most straightforward way to protect your family during the years they depend on you most, while the mortgage is being paid down and the kids are still at home. It usually costs less than people expect.
Many term policies can also convert to permanent coverage later without a new medical exam, so a decision you make today does not lock you out of options down the road.
- Set length: pick the window that matches your obligations, commonly 10, 20, or 30 years.
- Level premium: your rate is locked for the full term, so it will not climb as you age.
- Often convertible: many policies let you switch to permanent coverage later with no new exam.
- Built for the dependent years: the mortgage, the kids, the income your family counts on.
For most families, term is the most coverage for the least money during the years it matters most.
Permanent life insurance: coverage that lasts your whole life
Permanent coverage is built to stay in force for life and can build cash value over time, which suits lifelong needs.
Permanent life insurance, including whole life and universal life, is designed to stay in force for your entire life rather than expiring after a set term. Alongside the death benefit, these policies can build cash value over time. People use permanent coverage for lifelong needs that do not go away, and it is more involved than term, so it is not the right fit for everyone.
- Final expenses: covering funeral and end-of-life costs so the bill does not fall to your family.
- Leaving something behind: making sure your family receives a benefit whenever that day comes.
- A lifelong dependent: providing for a special-needs child or family member after you are gone.
Term or permanent
| What changes | Term life | Permanent life |
|---|---|---|
| How long it lasts | A set period, often 10, 20, or 30 years. | Your entire life, rather than expiring after a set term. |
| What it is built for | The years your family depends on you most, while the mortgage is being paid down and the kids are still at home. | Lifelong needs that do not go away: final expenses, leaving a legacy, or providing for a special-needs child or family member. |
| What else it does | Many policies convert to permanent coverage later without a new medical exam. | Alongside the death benefit, these policies can build cash value over time. |
| Where most people start | Here. For most families this is the most coverage for the least money during the years it matters most. | People with lifelong needs. It is more involved than term, so it is not right for everyone. |
Scroll the table sideways to see every column.
Neither one is universally better. Many families use term for the high-need years and a smaller permanent policy for lifelong needs.
What indexed universal life (IUL) actually is
IUL is a type of permanent coverage whose cash value is tied to a market index through a floor and a cap, not invested directly in the market.
You may hear about indexed universal life, or IUL. It is a form of permanent life insurance, so it carries a death benefit and can build cash value. What makes it different is how that cash value is credited. Instead of being invested directly in the market, the cash value is tied to the performance of a market index within limits the policy sets.
Those limits work in two directions. A floor sets the lowest the credited rate can go, which protects the cash value from a negative index year. A cap sets the highest it can go, which limits how much you receive when the index has a strong year. The exact floor and cap are set by the carrier and the specific policy.
- It is permanent life insurance: a death benefit first, with cash value as a feature.
- Floor: a minimum on the credited rate, so a down index year does not reduce your cash value from index performance.
- Cap: a maximum on the credited rate, which limits the upside in a strong index year.
- Not direct market exposure: the cash value is not invested in the index itself.
How we help you decide
We start with who would be affected financially if something happened to you, then size the coverage and shop the major carriers for you.
It starts with a simple question: who would be affected financially if something happened to you, and what would they need? From there our team helps you size the right amount of coverage, compare the major carriers, and handle the application. Because we are independent, we can shop your situation across companies rather than pushing one company's product.
If permanent coverage fits your broader picture, we make sure it is looked at in that fuller context rather than in isolation. And our help here is free. The carrier pays us, not you.
We are independent, so we shop your situation across the major carriers and recommend the policy that fits you.
Reviewed for accuracy by Brent Barnes, licensed insurance agent (NPN 19248676)
Common questions
Questions people ask about life insurance
How much life insurance do I need?
A common starting point is enough to replace your income for the years your family would need it, plus big debts like a mortgage and future costs like college. We help you land on a number that actually fits your situation rather than a generic rule of thumb.
Is term or permanent life insurance better?
Neither is universally better. They solve different problems. Term is affordable protection for a set window, like while you are raising a family or paying off a home. Permanent lasts for life and can build cash value, which suits lifelong needs. We help you figure out which fits, or whether a mix makes sense.
Can I get life insurance if I have health issues?
Often yes. Carriers price health differently, and because we are independent we can shop your situation across the major carriers to find a favorable option. We will tell you honestly what to expect before you apply.
Does it cost anything to work with you on life insurance?
No. Our guidance is free. When you place coverage, the carrier pays us, not you. You get an independent team comparing the major carriers on your behalf at no added cost.
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