Life insurance questions, answered by licensed agents.

Life insurance is a contract with an insurance company: you pay a premium, and if you pass away while the policy is in force, the company pays a death benefit to the people you name as beneficiaries. That money can replace your income, pay off a mortgage, cover childcare and college, or pay for a funeral.

Anyone whose death would leave someone else with a financial burden: parents of young children, homeowners with a mortgage, spouses who share income, business owners, people with co-signed debt, and anyone who wants to cover their own funeral costs. Single people with no dependents and no debts may not need much coverage.

The four main types are term life (coverage for a set number of years at the lowest cost), whole life (permanent coverage with cash value), no-exam life (term or whole life approved without a medical exam), and final expense (a small whole life policy for funeral and end-of-life costs).

Usually not. Group life through work is often one or two times your salary, which is well short of the 10 to 15 times income many families need. It also typically ends if you leave or lose the job. Many people keep their employer coverage and add an individual term policy they own.

Price is driven by age, health, tobacco use, coverage amount, policy type and term length. A healthy non-smoking 35-year-old can typically get $500,000 of 20-year term for about $25–$40 a month. Whole life costs several times more for the same death benefit because it lasts for life and builds cash value.

Each carrier has its own underwriting rules and pricing. One company may treat your blood pressure, weight or a past diagnosis as standard while another charges more for it. That's why comparing several carriers matters more than almost any other factor.

No. Life insurance premiums are filed with the state and are the same whether you buy through us or directly from the carrier. Our commission is paid by the insurance company, and our advice and quotes are free.

Yes. Tobacco and nicotine users, including vaping, typically pay two to three times more than non-users. Some carriers treat occasional cigar use or nicotine replacement products more favorably, so it is worth being matched to the right company.

Not with level term or whole life. A level term premium is locked for the full term, and a whole life premium is locked for life. Premiums for some group and annually renewable policies, and for VGLI, do increase with age.

A common rule of thumb is 10 to 15 times your annual income. A better answer adds up your mortgage and other debts, years of income your family would need, childcare and college costs, and final expenses, then subtracts savings and existing coverage.

For most working families with dependents and a mortgage, term life is the better fit because it delivers the most protection for the lowest price during the years it matters most. Whole life makes sense for lifelong needs such as estate planning, a dependent with special needs, business planning, or guaranteed final expense coverage.

Match the term to your longest obligation. If your youngest child will be independent in 18 years and your mortgage has 25 years left, a 25- or 30-year term covers both. Many people choose a 20- or 30-year term and lock in today's rate.

Yes. Replacing childcare, transportation, cooking and household management can cost tens of thousands of dollars a year. Many carriers will insure a stay-at-home spouse for an amount similar to the working spouse's coverage.

Riders are optional add-ons that customize a policy. Common riders include accelerated death benefit (access part of the benefit if terminally ill), waiver of premium (premiums stop if you become disabled), child term coverage, and return of premium.

Final expense, sometimes called burial insurance, is a small whole life policy, usually $2,000 to $80,000, sized to pay for a funeral, burial or cremation, and final bills. It is available to ages 45 to 85, requires no medical exam, and the premium never increases.

Not always. Many carriers offer no-exam term life, typically up to about $500,000 for healthy applicants under 60, and final expense policies never require one. For larger amounts or if you're in excellent health, a free in-home exam can produce a lower rate.

Carriers review your application answers, prescription history, the Medical Information Bureau (MIB) database, your driving record, and sometimes an exam with blood and urine samples. They use this to assign a rate class, such as preferred plus, preferred, standard, or table rated.

Yes, in most cases. Applicants with well-controlled type 2 diabetes (a steady A1C, no major complications) are regularly approved, often at standard rates. Type 1 and insulin-dependent diabetes are also insurable with the right carrier.

Often, yes, especially once you are a year or more past the event, following your treatment plan and have stable test results. Pricing improves the further you are from the event.

Yes. Applicants with sleep apnea who use a CPAP consistently are frequently approved at preferred or standard rates. Bring your compliance report if you have one.

Rarely. Every carrier has its own height and weight table, and the same applicant can be preferred at one company and standard at another. Matching to the right carrier can change the premium by 30% or more.

The application takes about 15 to 30 minutes. No-exam policies can be approved in 24 to 72 hours, final expense often the same day, and fully underwritten policies with an exam usually take two to four weeks.

Your date of birth, height and weight, medications and doctors' information, Social Security number, driver's license number, beneficiary names and birth dates, and a bank account or card for the first premium.

Coverage begins once the policy is approved, delivered and the first premium is paid. Some carriers offer temporary coverage while the application is being reviewed.

Yes. Arizona and most states give you a free-look period, commonly 10 to 30 days after delivery, to cancel for a full refund. After that you can stop paying and the policy will lapse, though permanent policies may have surrender charges.

Generally no. A death benefit paid to a named beneficiary is usually free of federal income tax. Very large estates can owe estate tax, and some ownership arrangements change the picture, so check with a tax professional.

You can, but a minor can't receive the money directly. A court may appoint a guardian to manage it. Most families name a trust, or a custodian under the Uniform Transfers to Minors Act, to manage the funds for the child.

Your beneficiary contacts the insurance company with the policy number and a certified death certificate and completes a claim form. Most straightforward claims pay within 30 to 60 days. We help our clients' families through the process.

Most policies have a grace period, typically 30 or 31 days, during which coverage stays in force. If the premium isn't paid by the end of it, the policy can lapse. Many carriers allow reinstatement within a set period, sometimes with new health questions.

Arizona is a community property state. If premiums are paid with marital funds, a spouse may have a claim to part of the proceeds even if someone else is named. Spousal consent forms help avoid disputes.

Sometimes at first, rarely for long. VGLI premiums increase every five years and by your mid-50s can far exceed the cost of private term for the same benefit. VGLI requires no health questions if you apply within 240 days of separation, which helps veterans with serious conditions.

Often yes. Some carriers underwrite service-connected conditions fairly, and VA programs such as VALife cover veterans with service-connected disabilities. We compare private options with VA coverage.

Yes. Most carriers don't consider truck driving a hazardous occupation. The bigger factors are BMI, blood pressure and sleep apnea, and carriers vary widely on all three, so matching to the right company matters.

No. No-exam policies let OTR drivers apply by phone and get approved without a paramedical visit. If an exam would lower your rate, examiners can often meet you on a home day.

An independent agency is licensed and appointed with multiple insurance companies, so we can compare their policies and recommend what fits you. A captive agent can only sell one company's products.

Our office is at 1201 S Alma School Road, Unit 12-200, Mesa, AZ 85210. We are open Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM, Arizona time (MST), with weekend appointments available. Call 480-576-7911. Most clients meet with us by phone or video.

We're licensed in Arizona, Texas, Nevada, Colorado, Florida, Georgia.

Yes. We serve Spanish-speaking families, and our Spanish-language pages cover coverage for families, veterans and truck drivers.

There isn't one. The kit is mailed at no cost, the optional 15-minute review is free, and no purchase is ever required. It helps families get their documents in order, and if life insurance becomes a fit later, we'll quote multiple carriers honestly.

No. We never sell or share your information with lead aggregators. It's used to answer your request, prepare quotes, and, only with your permission, submit an application to a carrier.