
Purchasing paid-up additions will increase the cash value and death benefit.

The most common living benefits let you access your own death benefit money for long-term chronic illness or terminal illness (called an accelerated death benefit). Living benefits allow you to access money in your own death benefit while you’re still living, under specific circumstances. Whole life insurance policies generally offer living benefits. What are whole life insurance living benefits? So will a policy loan if it’s not paid back. Withdrawals will reduce the death benefit your beneficiaries will receive. You can choose to tap into your cash value by making a withdrawal, taking a life insurance policy loan or surrendering the policy. Because of slow growth, it can take a long time before the cash value surpasses what you’ve paid in premiums. The cash value account grows tax-deferred, based on a guaranteed rate of return that is typically low compared to other types of permanent life insurance.


The remainder of the premium goes to paying internal policy expenses. What is whole life insurance cash value?Įach time you make a premium payment for a whole life insurance policy, part of that premium is put into a cash value account. Before buying a whole life insurance policy, understand its cash value, living benefits, death benefits and dividends. A whole life insurance policy remains in force for the rest of your life as long as you pay the premiums.
