The decision to buy life insurance online can be a contentious one, and often leaves the layman scratching his head as to which is the best option. This is an important decision, since it can mess you financially for a long time. It behooves us to step back and learn a little about all the options available. Many people go with term because of the lower monthly payment. However, you’re limiting yourself to death benefits only, i.e. your survivors only get a check when you die. Basically, if you live too long then, you loose after a fashion. You will have paid in for years, but you will never see that money again. Think of it like renting vs. buying a home. As you age, your premiums will also go up. By contrast, a whole life policy will definitely run you more on the front end of the investment. However, those payments will remain the same over time, and if you live, you still get money out of deal, often more than you put in. You do that by either cash the policy in or borrow against it. ”Guidelines, man. Give me guidelines!” Well then, here you go. Think about the length of the policy you want. If less than 20 years, generally term is your best bet. 20 years or longer, go with whole life. Decide what the policy is for. For instance, if you have a child heading off to college within the next five years, and that’s what you want money for, you’re a term shopper. On the other hand, if you’re looking to pay off your estate 30 years down the road, go with whole life. You need to decided what you want to budget each month. Term will always be less expensive up front, generally when you’re not making as much at work and you have young mouths to feed. Yet, although you’re going to have to shell out more for the whole life policy in the first years, over time you get a better return on your investment usually. When looking through the online comparisons you need to consider more than just the price of the coverage. The financial stability of the insurance company is probably more important than any other factor. This is even true if you are just planning on buying term insurance, because you never know when your health will deteriorate and limit your options. So make sure you choose a solid company and have the ability to convert your term insurance to permanent in case of a crisis. With all that said, the only way to safely navigate through the maze of products out there is to speak with an insurance professional who can give you a little guidance. Do some reading, educate yourself, and armed with that, you can have confidence in whatever decision you make for you and your family.