How much life insurance do you need, and which kind?
Most families are either uninsured, underinsured, or carrying a group policy through work that disappears the day they change jobs. The fix isn't complicated. It starts with a number, what your family would need to stay in the house, pay off debt, cover school and replace your income, and then picks the policy type that fits how long they'd need it.
Start with the number, not the product
A practical starting point is the DIME method: Debt (mortgage, cars, cards), Income replacement (years × annual income), Mortgage payoff, and Education. For a household with a $350,000 mortgage, two kids and one primary earner, that lands well above what most people carry through work. We run it together in the office, in about 15 minutes, and you keep the worksheet either way.
Term life: the most coverage for the least money
Term life covers you for a set period, typically 10, 20 or 30 years, for a level premium. It's built for the years when the stakes are highest: the mortgage, the kids at home, the career. Coverage ends when the term does. For most families under 50, term is the backbone of the plan, and Farmers New World Life prices it competitively for healthy applicants.
Heads up: your work policy probably isn't enough
Group life through an employer is usually 1–2× salary, and it ends when you leave. It's a great supplement, but it shouldn't be the whole plan. A personal policy goes with you, and locking it in while you're young and healthy is the single biggest thing you can do to keep the premium low for life.
Whole life: permanent coverage that builds cash value
Whole life never expires as long as premiums are paid, and it builds guaranteed cash value you can borrow against. Premiums are higher than term, but they never rise. It's used for final expenses, estate planning, leaving a legacy, and business needs like buy-sell agreements. Many families pair a smaller whole life policy with a larger term policy, permanent protection underneath, affordable protection on top.
Universal life: permanent, with flexibility
Universal life is permanent coverage with adjustable premiums and death benefit. It suits people whose income or needs change, business owners, commissioned earners, families expecting to scale coverage up or down. It requires a bit more attention over time, which is exactly what a local agent is for.
Riders that are worth the conversation
An accelerated death benefit lets you access part of the benefit early if diagnosed with a terminal illness. A children's term rider covers your kids inexpensively and guarantees them coverage later. A waiver of premium keeps the policy in force if you become disabled. None of them cost much; all of them matter when they matter.