Life Insurance for Families [2024]
Married individuals have the option to obtain life insurance for their families through either a joint policy or separate policies. Term life insurance policies typically offer cheaper family life insurance plans. You'll need to compare policies from several companies to find the best life insurance for your family.
Ready to compare quick life insurance quotes?
Your life insurance quotes are always free.
Secured with SHA-256 Encryption
Joel Ohman
Certified Financial Planner
Joel Ohman is the CEO of a private equity backed digital media company. He is a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™, author, angel investor, and serial entrepreneur who loves creating new things, whether books or businesses. He has also previously served as the founder and resident CFP® of a national insurance agency, Real Time Health Quotes. He also has an MBA from the University of South Florida. ...
Certified Financial Planner
UPDATED: Aug 19, 2024
It’s all about you. We want to help you make the right life insurance coverage choices.
Advertiser Disclosure: We strive to help you make confident life insurance decisions. Comparison shopping should be easy. We are not affiliated with any one life insurance company and cannot guarantee quotes from any single company.
Our life insurance industry partnerships don’t influence our content. Our opinions are our own. To compare quotes from many different life insurance companies please enter your ZIP code above to use the free quote tool. The more quotes you compare, the more chances to save.
Editorial Guidelines: We are a free online resource for anyone interested in learning more about life insurance. Our goal is to be an objective, third-party resource for everything life insurance-related. We update our site regularly, and all content is reviewed by life insurance experts.
UPDATED: Aug 19, 2024
It’s all about you. We want to help you make the right life insurance coverage choices.
Advertiser Disclosure: We strive to help you make confident life insurance decisions. Comparison shopping should be easy. We are not affiliated with any one life insurance company and cannot guarantee quotes from any single company.
Our life insurance industry partnerships don’t influence our content. Our opinions are our own. To compare quotes from many different life insurance companies please enter your ZIP code above to use the free quote tool. The more quotes you compare, the more chances to save.
On This Page
If you’re shopping for life insurance for families, you may be curious about how to filter through the countless family life insurance plans. The best way to approach family life insurance policies is to determine what you need before shopping for coverage.
The nature of your family, your needs, and those of your dependents will significantly impact the type of life insurance policy you buy. For example, if you want life insurance for the whole family, you may purchase multiple policies with riders for your children to ensure everyone is cared for.
The most affordable option for family life insurance is a term life policy. You may want to purchase an additional rider for each of your children. Still, term life will be cheaper than a family whole life insurance policy. You can find whole or term life insurance quotes online.
What is family life insurance?
Family life insurance applies to anyone who is married or has children. The most affordable and common option for family life insurance is a term life policy. This option works especially well for married individuals who have one or more young children.
Term Life Insurance for Families
A term life insurance policy offers coverage for a specific duration. Different types of term life insurance come with different term lengths, ranging from five to 40 years. Policyholders can choose the length of the term before they purchase their policy.
Some companies also offer the option of rolling a term life policy into a whole life policy, but this depends on the company you choose for life insurance.
One reason a term life insurance policy is extremely helpful for families with young children is that it allows parents to choose a specific amount of time that matches the family’s priorities — financial and otherwise. If you’re 40, for example, you may choose a 25-year term policy that covers the years you will work before retirement.
Whole Life Insurance for Families
Whole life is a type of permanent life insurance policy that lasts from the date you purchase the policy until you pass away, as long as you continue to pay your premiums on time.
Whole life insurance typically costs more than a term life policy because it lasts your entire life. Whole life is also known as cash value life insurance that can be helpful for bills and expenses you may incur as you age. In addition, you can borrow from the policy’s cash value to handle unexpected expenses.
Your life insurance quotes are always free.
Secured with SHA-256 Encryption
What does family life insurance do?
Some of the main reasons families purchase life insurance policies include:
- Paying off a mortgage or other major form of debt
- Paying for funeral expenses
- Paying for school expenses and college tuition
- Creating a type of inheritance for children
As you consider life insurance, a term life policy may work best for you if you’re looking for financial protection for your spouse and children if you pass away.
The best life insurance for your family may include a whole life policy since these policies carry a cash value component, but that’s something you need to determine before you shop online for coverage.
Who needs family life insurance?
If you are married and have children, a family life insurance policy is a good way to protect your spouse and children if you pass away unexpectedly. In addition, a life insurance policy ensures that your spouse and children will not be stuck with a financial burden they cannot handle.
As you shop for life insurance, it’s important to realize there is more than the financial loss associated with the lack of income. Families also need to consider the surviving spouse and the burden and responsibility of raising children.
In the past, many believed the only people who needed life insurance were those who worked outside the home. However, it’s important to consider life insurance for non-working spouses or anyone who is a primary caregiver, as that person’s tasks will likely need to be outsourced to someone else in their absence.
Read more: Life Insurance for Siblings
How much does family life insurance cost?
Your family life insurance quotes will vary for several reasons. First, the type of insurance you’re shopping for will impact your monthly premiums. For example, family life insurance rates for a term life policy will be much cheaper than those for whole life insurance.
How much life insurance costs varies based on different factors. That’s why it’s important to shop online and compare life insurance quotes for families so you don’t end up paying too much for coverage. Comparing quotes will also help you find your area’s best family life insurance company.
Your life insurance quotes are always free.
Secured with SHA-256 Encryption
How do I buy life insurance for families?
As you shop for a family life insurance policy, there are a few things you can do to ensure you end up with the life insurance policy that best fits your needs and those of your beneficiaries.
Consider Your Family’s Financial Plan
Understanding your family’s financial plan will help you find the right insurance policy and death benefit for your family. In addition, a financial planner may help you with your financial goals.
Overestimate Your Needs
It’s easy to assume you don’t need much life insurance, but you may be surprised at how much life insurance you really need. You can calculate the amount of coverage by considering the family’s financial obligations if you were to pass away.
Don’t forget to factor in things like loss of income, significant debts, and the cost of childcare, private school, and college tuition. Doing this will give you a good idea of how much money your family may need if you’re gone.
Compare Quotes from Multiple Companies
Once you know the type of life insurance you’re searching for, compare quotes to get the lowest life insurance rates. Compare quotes from several companies to determine which offers the coverage you’re looking for at a price you can afford.
Case Studies: Exploring Life Insurance Options for Families
Case Study 1: The Johnson Family
The Johnsons, a married couple with two young children, were concerned about their family’s financial future in case of an unexpected tragedy. They decided to explore their options for life insurance coverage. After comparing policies from several companies, they found a term life insurance policy with riders for their children to be the best fit for their needs.
Case Study 2: The Roberts Family
Mr. and Mrs. Roberts wanted to ensure that their family’s financial obligations would be taken care of if either of them were to pass away. They were interested in a permanent life insurance policy and opted for a whole life insurance plan.
This type of policy provided them with coverage for their entire lives and offered a cash value component that could be utilized for future expenses.
Case Study 3: The Davis Family
The Davis family consisted of a single parent who worked full-time and was the primary caregiver for their child. Recognizing the need to protect their child’s future, they decided to purchase a family life insurance policy.
This policy would provide financial support to their child and ensure they were not burdened with unmanageable expenses in case of the parent’s unexpected passing.
Read more: Life Insurance for Parents
Life Insurance for Families: The Bottom Line
If you’re married and have children, you may need a life insurance policy to protect your loved ones from any financial obligations they may have if you pass away.
Determine whether you want a term or permanent life insurance policy, and then decide on the amount of coverage your loved ones will need. Once you know what you’re looking for, you can compare life insurance quotes from several companies to determine which offers the most affordable life insurance for families.
Your life insurance quotes are always free.
Secured with SHA-256 Encryption
Frequently Asked Questions
What is family life insurance?
Family life insurance applies to anyone who is married or has children. The most affordable and common option for family life insurance is a term life policy. This option works especially well for married individuals who have one or more young children.
What does family life insurance do?
Some of the main reasons families purchase life insurance policies include:
- Providing financial protection for your spouse and children if you pass away.
- Ensuring your spouse and children are not burdened with financial obligations they cannot handle.
Who needs family life insurance?
If you are married and have children, a family life insurance policy is a good way to protect your spouse and children if you pass away unexpectedly. It’s also important to consider life insurance for anyone who is a primary caregiver, as their tasks will likely need to be outsourced to someone else in their absence.
How much does family life insurance cost?
The cost of family life insurance can vary based on several factors, such as the type of insurance you’re shopping for. Generally, term life insurance rates will be cheaper than whole life insurance rates. It’s important to compare quotes from multiple companies to find the most affordable coverage.
How do I buy life insurance for families?
To buy life insurance for families, follow these steps:
- Consider your family’s financial plan and goals.
- Estimate your needs by considering the family’s financial obligations if you were to pass away.
- Compare quotes from multiple companies to find the best coverage at an affordable price.
Your life insurance quotes are always free.
Secured with SHA-256 Encryption
Joel Ohman
Certified Financial Planner
Joel Ohman is the CEO of a private equity backed digital media company. He is a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™, author, angel investor, and serial entrepreneur who loves creating new things, whether books or businesses. He has also previously served as the founder and resident CFP® of a national insurance agency, Real Time Health Quotes. He also has an MBA from the University of South Florida. ...
Certified Financial Planner
Editorial Guidelines: We are a free online resource for anyone interested in learning more about life insurance. Our goal is to be an objective, third-party resource for everything life insurance-related. We update our site regularly, and all content is reviewed by life insurance experts.