What is the difference between a term plan and a life plan?

Asked by: Demetris Orn  |  Last update: June 28, 2025
Score: 4.6/5 (9 votes)

There are two types of life insurance: term and permanent. Term insurance covers you only for a specified time period — 10, 20 or 30 years, for example. Permanent insurance is as it sounds — coverage that remains in place until you die.

What is the difference between life and term plan?

A whole life insurance plan (whole life plan) covers you for, as the name suggests, your entire lifetime. On the other hand, a term life insurance plan (term life plan) covers you for a specific period of time. For example, the term of coverage may start from 6 years, or up to the age of 100.

Which one is better, term or life insurance?

If you are looking for a pure life insurance plan, then a basic term insurance plan is a good option as it offers a sum assured at an affordable premium. However, if you are looking for a more comprehensive cover and/or wealth generation along with protection, then you can look at the range of life insurance plans.

What are the disadvantages of a term plan?

Is there any disadvantage of buying term insurance? There are a few disadvantages of buying term insurance including lack of investment component, higher premiums with rising age, and absence of surrender value.

Is it better to get whole life or term?

If you are wanting death benefit (which is what you seem to be looking for), term is the way to go. If you want to have more of a financial/savings asset, whole life is what you want.

Difference Between Term Insurance & Life Insurance | Term Plan Vs Life Insurance | The Best Option

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Can you cash out a term life insurance policy?

While you can't cash out term life insurance, you can sell your policy. Additionally, you may have other options if you want to change your coverage, such as lowering your premium payments or converting to a permanent policy.

What happens to term life insurance at the end of the term?

If you outlive your term (let's hope this is the case), then typically one of two things happens: The policy will simply end, and you'll no longer owe payments or be covered, or. The insurer might allow you to keep your coverage by converting all or a portion of the policy into permanent life insurance.

What are the bad things about term life insurance?

Term Life insurance Cons: If you outlive the term length, your coverage will end and you won't receive any benefits. You will not be covered your entire lifetime and your policy will not accumulate cash value like an investment account does.

What is not covered in term plan?

Death due to Pre-existing Health Concerns:

Even death occurring due to terminal illnesses is not covered under a term plan. These can include diseases such as fourth-stage cancer, particular kinds of diabetes, etc.

Which life insurance is better, term or permanent?

Choosing between term and permanent life insurance depends on several factors: How long you need coverage: If you need lifelong coverage, a permanent policy may work better for you. However, a term policy may be best if you only need coverage for a specific timeframe.

Do I get my money back after term life insurance expires?

Can you get your money back after your term life policy expires? Once your policy ends, you can't get back the premiums you paid unless you have a return of premium rider. This optional add-on lets you receive a refund of premiums if you outlive your policy term.

What age is term life insurance good for?

Most term life insurance policies end after 10 to 30 years. However, some types of term policies allow you to renew your coverage each year for a set length of time or up until a certain age, like 80 or 90. Premiums typically increase with age, and these policies don't usually build cash value.

What are the benefits of a term plan?

Here are the top 10 benefits of Term Insurance Plan:
  • Life Cover - Protects your family financially.
  • Regular Investment - Affordable premiums.
  • Financial Protection - Secures your family's future.
  • Sum Assured - Can choose a sum assured to secure your family.
  • Debt Repayment - Covers outstanding loans or debts.

What does Dave Ramsey recommend for life insurance?

Core Ramsey Teaching: You only need life insurance while you have people depending on your income. Buy a 10–20-year term policy worth 10–12 times your annual income. Since life insurance is only for the short-term, you should only buy term life insurance. (Hence the name.)

What happens if you outlive your term life insurance?

No, with a standard term life insurance policy, you won't be receive anything back if you outlive your life insurance. So, what happens at the end of your term life insurance? Your life insurance will simply expire and you can either take out a new policy or look into other types of financial protection.

What kind of death is covered by term life insurance?

Life insurance covers death due to natural causes, illness, and accidents. However, the insurance company can deny paying out your death benefit in certain circumstances, such as if you lie on your application, engage in risky behaviors, or fail to pay your premiums.

Which of the following is a disadvantage of term insurance?

Cons: Drawbacks of Term Life Insurance Policies

Once the term ends, the policy expires, and coverage stops. If you outlive the policy term, your beneficiaries do not receive any death benefit, potentially leaving you without coverage when you may still need it.

What is the age limit for term insurance?

There are both minimum and maximum age requirements that potential policyholders must meet. The minimum age limit for term life insurance is 18 years. On the other hand, the upper age limit for obtaining a term insurance plan is set at 65 years. However, the term insurance age limit is not one-size-fits-all.

Do you lose money with term life insurance?

Another reason companies are able keep term life premiums lower is that premiums are almost never refunded. This is normally the case even if you cancel your policy. So in most cases you shouldn't expect any money back after your term expires.

Can you cash out term life insurance?

Term life is designed to cover you for a specified period (say 10, 15 or 20 years) and then end. Because the number of years it covers are limited, it generally costs less than whole life policies. But term life policies typically don't build cash value. So, you can't cash out term life insurance.

What will disqualify you from term life insurance?

Due to the added risk health problems create for insurers, some pre-existing conditions can raise your premium or even disqualify you entirely from certain types of life insurance. A few common examples of pre-existing conditions include high blood pressure, diabetes, cancer, and asthma.

When should you stop getting term life insurance?

Life insurance is no longer needed for many people once they reach their 60s or 70s. At this point they have retired, their kids have grown up, and they've paid off their mortgage and other debts.

Which is better, term or whole life insurance?

Term life is more affordable but lasts only for a set period of time. On the other hand, whole life insurance tends to have higher premiums but never expires. Knowing the differences between term and whole life insurance will help you choose a policy that works best for you and your lifestyle.

Do you get any money back from term life insurance?

Under a basic term insurance plan, you do not get money-back at the end of the life insurance term. On the other hand, under a money-back term insurance plan, you get assured returns at the end of the policy term.