Is a 20-year term life insurance policy right for you?
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There are many different kinds of life insurance policies, but 20-year term life is one of the most popular choices. It's easy to buy, and since there's a lot of competition between insurance companies, it tends to be affordable too. But the fact that it's popular doesn't necessarily mean it's the best choice for your needs. Before buying, you should think about your current financial responsibilities and future plans. Twenty years might seem like a long time, but it may not be long enough. Choosing the right term length is important to match your policy to your longest financial obligation, such as a mortgage or raising children through a critical period. A 20-year term life insurance policy provides coverage for a set period, which may or may not align with your financial goals. What happens after that? This article will delve into 20-year term policies as you consider whether or not this type of policy is a good fit for you.
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20-year term life: Key features and benefits
Level premiums | Income tax-free benefit | No cash value | Temporary coverage |
|---|---|---|---|
Payments in "level" policies remain the same for the 20-year coverage period. | If the policyholder dies during the term, the death benefit is paid to your beneficiaries in a lump sum with no income taxes owed. | Unlike whole life insurance, there's no cash value beyond the death benefit. | When the term expires, so does your protection. You have to get a new policy – with higher premiums – to continue coverage. |
One of the best things about a 20-year term policy is that it tends to be very cost-effective. If you tried our calculator, the quote you got might well have been lower than expected. The Life Insurance Marketing and Research Association (LIMRA) found that most people believe the price of term life insurance is three times higher than the actual cost.1 But as our calculator shows, a 30-year old non-smoking female can get $1,000,000 of coverage for just $48 a month.
What happens after 20-years are up?
Term life policies — by definition — only last for a limited amount of time and are just designed to give your beneficiaries a valuable lump-sum payment if you die during that period. Unlike permanent forms of life insurance, term policies don't build cash, have a cash value component.1 So when coverage expires, your life insurance protection is gone — and even though you've been paying premiums for 20 years, there's no residual value. If you want to continue to have coverage, you'll have to apply for new life insurance. The only problem is, the cost will be much higher, as factors such as age and health increase the cost of term life insurance: when it comes time to renew, you'll be 20 years older, with 20 years less life expectancy.
You may be able to convert your policy to permanent coverage
Many life insurance companies offer "convertible" term policies. Convertibility lets you change your coverage to permanent whole life without getting a new medical exam — which would likely increase your cost. Guardian lets you convert a life insurance contract at any point in the first five years — and offers an optional Extended Conversion Rider which enables you to do so for the duration of the insurance term.2
Why convert? If you're not a diligent saver, you may be attracted to the wealth-building aspect of whole life insurance. Converting to a permanent policy can provide lifelong coverage and a guaranteed death benefit, ensuring your beneficiaries are protected no matter what. If you’ve had a serious health problem — for example, a heart attack — it may be difficult to get other coverage. Or maybe you just want permanent life-long insurance protection and the cash value accumulation that comes with this policy. 20-year coverage might seem like the best choice now, but things change.
When can 20-year term life insurance be a fit? And when might it not be a fit?
Consider for: You have a young family | May not fit for: You have a special needs child |
|---|---|
If you have young children and only want coverage that lasts until they are adults, this can be a choice to consider. A 20-year term length can be ideal for covering financial needs during a critical period, such as paying off a mortgage or raising children. If your family is still growing and you're not sure 20 years is enough, consider 30-year term coverage. | Life insurance is often used to help pay for the care of a special needs child after the parents pass away. If the term ends before that happens, there's nothing left for the child. That's why many special-needs parents have permanent whole life or universal life policies. |
Consider for: You want the most coverage per dollar | May not fit for: You want wealth-building cash value |
Term is sometimes called "pure life insurance" because there's no cash value — it's designed purely to give your beneficiaries a payout if you die during the term. Since no premium dollars are invested in your policy’s cash value, you can get a bigger benefit per premium dollar. | If you want life insurance that builds tax-efficient value that you can use while you're still alive, you should look into permanent whole life or universal life.3 |
Consider for: You're within 20 years of retirement age | May not fit for: You want an asset to help fund retirement |
If you just want life insurance to replace earnings during your working years and don't think your family will need a payout after you stop earning income, this can be an option to consider. | Since term life doesn't have cash value, you can't borrow against any built-up value or withdraw from your policy for money to supplement your retirement. Consider permanent whole life or universal life coverage instead. |
Consider for: You want to supplement permanent coverage | May not fit for: You really want life-long coverage |
Many people who own permanent life insurance also get term coverage, for example, to boost the benefit payment while children are growing up and financial obligations are at their greatest. Reviewing your life insurance options and available term lengths can help you choose the right life policy for your longest financial obligation. | If you don't feel you can put an "end date" on your life insurance needs, then you should probably look into permanent whole life or universal life insurance before getting term coverage. |
Other kinds of life insurance you may want to consider:
30-year term life
If you think you may need more than a 20-year policy length, consider 30-year term coverage. It works the same way as a 20-year policy but lasts ten years longer. The monthly premiums will be somewhat higher, but in the long run, it will typically cost less than reapplying for 10-year term coverage after your 20-year policy ends. Why? Because even though your premiums will be lower for the first 20-year term, the insurance contract you get two decades later may cost significantly more. So locking in lower premiums can be beneficial, especially if your medical history changes over time. One of the most basic rules of life insurance is that price goes up as you get older. Also, a lot can happen in 20 years. For example, your doctor could find that you have high blood pressure. Even if well-controlled, that kind of diagnosis will raise the cost; in some cases, your health status or medical history could make a new policy unaffordable.
Permanent life insurance
Permanent life insurance lasts your entire life, as long as premiums are paid. These policies include a wealth-building component — the policy's cash value — which helps make coverage last indefinitely while providing other financial benefits. A portion of your premium dollars are invested, and your cash value grows tax-deferred over time. Within a few years, it can grow into a useful sum that can be borrowed against in a tax-efficient way, used to pay premiums, or even surrendered for cash to help fund your retirement. In any case, families may be entitled to the entire death benefit payment from the first day the insurance contract is in effect.
The two main permanent policy types are whole life insurance and universal life insurance. Whole life insurance is the simpler of the two — the premium remains the same for life, the policy provides the same death benefit for the life of the policy, and the cash value component builds at a guaranteed rate. Universal life insurance can be less expensive, but the premiums, benefit, and cash value growth rate can vary.5 In any case, both kinds of policies are more complex than a term policy. Key differences between the three policies are summarized below – but if you think you want permanent life insurance, you should speak with a financial professional who can better explain and tailor your policy to your needs.
Term life, whole life, and universal life compared
Policy Type | Coverage Duration | Cash Value | Flexibility |
|---|---|---|---|
Term Life | 10, 20, or 30 years (term lengths) | None | Fixed term, can be renewed or converted |
Whole Life (Permanent Life Policy) | Lifelong | Yes | Level premiums, cash value accumulation |
Universal Life | Lifelong | Yes | Flexible premiums and death benefit |
How to buy life insurance
Through your workplace
Getting life insurance at work can be a good idea. It's easy to qualify for, and you get cost-effective group rate pricing. However, workplace plans typically provide temporary coverage through term life insurance coverage, and often offer "yearly renewable" term coverage, which means the rate can go up at each renewal. This type of coverage may not be sufficient for all your financial needs, as the coverage amount may be limited. You might want or need more financial protection for your loved ones than what is offered by your employer’s term life insurance coverage. Fortunately, other options are available for your life insurance needs.
Online
It's easy to shop for term coverage online, and you can easily buy term life insurance with just a few clicks. If you're sure you want a 20-year term policy, and you know how much coverage you need, this may be an option. Many companies, including Guardian, make it simple to get term life insurance quotes, compare costs, and apply for coverage — all online.
Working with a financial professional
If you're unsure about the length of coverage you need or what type of policy is best for you — term or permanent — consider working with a financial professional who can help you compare your life insurance options. These individuals can provide information about the options and riders that fit your immediate needs and long-term goals. If you have a financial professional you trust, ask them how much life insurance and what type of policy you should have. Otherwise, Guardian can connect you with a financial professional who will listen to your needs, tell you about the best ways to meet those needs within your budget, then help you decide.
Frequently asked questions about life insurance
When your policy's term expires, so does your life insurance benefit. A 20-year term life insurance policy provides temporary coverage for a set period or specific period — after this time, the coverage ends. You either have to do without or get another policy. While many term policies can technically be extended via a guaranteed renewability clause (see below), this is not financially viable for most policyholders.
Technically speaking, you can usually choose to renew your term policy on a year-to-year basis until you are 95 years old. That's because most term life policies have a guaranteed renewability feature that lets you extend your coverage — and current death benefit — without going through a new underwriting process and getting another medical exam. During the initial level premium period, your premiums remain fixed, but after this period ends, premiums may increase significantly if you choose to renew the policy. This type of extension is rarely used — and when it is, it is usually done by otherwise uninsurable people (for example, because they have been diagnosed with a terminal illness).
A 20-year term life policy is a type of life insurance with a term length of 20 years. If the policyholder dies during this period, the death benefit paid is what the beneficiaries receive from the insurance company, providing financial support for expenses like mortgages or education. After the 20-year term length ends, there is no more coverage, and no death benefit paid.
In 2024, the average monthly term life insurance cost for $500,000 of 20-year term life insurance policies for a non-smoking male in good health is $29.32 at age 30; at age 40, it's $42.94; at age 50, $102.50. Women tend to live longer and enjoy lower insurance rates, so the cost is $22.98 at 30, $35.27 at age 40, and $78.29 at 50. Tobacco use, and other factors, such as your overall health, lifestyle, and the specific features of different term life insurance policies will cause rates to rise or vary for each of these coverage amounts.6