Questions people actually ask.

It stays with your family — that's the whole point. Without coverage, equity is usually the first thing to go: borrowed against, refinanced, or handed over in a sale just to keep up. With the loan cleared, every dollar you put in over the years is still theirs.

No, and this is the most common mix-up. Private mortgage insurance protects your lender if you stop paying — it does nothing for your family. Mortgage protection is coverage you own, and the benefit goes to the people you name, not to the bank.

If you pass away during the term, the company pays the benefit in cash directly to the person you named. Your lender is not involved and the money is not restricted — your family can clear the loan with it, or handle whatever else needs handling first.

No. It is paid to your beneficiary in cash. Most families clear the loan with it, but that decision belongs entirely to them.

Yes. Different companies rule out different things, and a no from one tells you almost nothing about the next. This is exactly the situation where having someone shop it for you is worth the most.

Often not. Many companies decide based on a few health questions. If one does want an exam, your agent will tell you before anything is sent off.

It depends on your age, health, coverage amount and how many years you want it for. Because nobody owns us, we compare several companies and show you the range rather than one company's answer. Start with the smallest amount you are comfortable with — you can always add later.

Most policies fall between $10,000 and $25,000. The right number depends on the service you have in mind and whether you want anything left over for outstanding bills.

Very often, yes. Approval here is based on your answers to a short set of health questions rather than a full medical review, and different companies rule out different things. Some options accept everyone within certain ages. Tell your agent what you were turned down for and they will tell you straight what they think they can do.

No. It is whole life insurance. As long as premiums are paid, the policy stays in force for life.

Some final expense products pay a graded or reduced benefit if death occurs in the first two years, particularly guaranteed-acceptance ones. Your agent will tell you clearly whether the product you are considering has one.

Your named beneficiary, in cash. They can pay the funeral home directly or use it for whatever else needs handling.

Term suits most families with a defined window of responsibility and a budget. Whole life suits estate planning, lifelong dependents, or anyone who wants coverage that will not end regardless of future health. Your agent will show you both and tell you which your situation actually calls for.

A common starting point is ten to twelve times household income, adjusted for debt, the mortgage and years until the youngest child is independent. Start with the smallest amount you are comfortable with — you can always add later.

Often yes. Companies price the same condition very differently. We find the one that treats your history best.

Sometimes. Whole life policies can build cash value you may be able to borrow against, and some policies let you access part of the benefit early if you are diagnosed with a qualifying illness and meet the policy's conditions. Both depend on the specific policy — ask your agent to show you what yours allows.

Open enrollment runs at a set time each year. Outside it, a qualifying life event — losing coverage, marriage, a birth, a move — opens a special enrollment period.

Not for major medical coverage. Insurance companies cannot turn you down or charge you more because of your health history.

Yes. Formularies differ sharply between plans, and a regular prescription frequently changes which plan wins on total annual cost.

Yes. They are usually separate from medical, and we can quote them alongside your plan.

About three months before your 65th birthday. Your initial enrollment period spans the three months before your birth month, that month, and the three after.

No. Plan premiums are set by the company and are identical whether you enroll through an agent or on your own.

It depends on your employer coverage and the size of the employer. Getting this wrong can carry a lifetime penalty, so it is worth a short conversation before you decide.

No. We show you what you are eligible for and what each option costs. Which one you take is your call, and “keep what you have” is a legitimate outcome.

A contract with an insurance company: you place a sum with them, and they commit to paying income back to you, either starting now or at a future date. Terms vary widely from company to company, which is why comparing them matters.

It depends on the product. Fixed and fixed indexed annuities are designed to protect principal from market loss. Variable annuities are not. We will be explicit about which is which, and about any surrender charges before you sign anything.

It is a life insurance policy that can build cash value over time, which some people use as one piece of a retirement plan alongside everything else. It is not a savings account and it is not an investment, the returns are subject to caps and costs, and it is not right for everyone. Your agent will show you the actual illustration and the fees before you decide anything.

Yes. Reviewing old employer plans is one of the most common reasons people call, and there is no cost to have it looked at.

Less than most people assume. Start with the smallest amount you're comfortable with — the point is to begin, not to move everything at once.