ExpertGlossary

With a level term life insurance policy, your annual premium remains the same for the term, which may be as long as 10 or 20 years.

The death benefit also remains the same. If the policy is guaranteed renewable, you can extend coverage for an additional term without having to qualify again, though the annual premium will increase because you're older.

Although the cost of insurance in the first few years will probably be higher for a level term than an increasing term policy, the total cost of a level term with the same benefit is usually less. As with all term policies, you don't build up a cash reserve and your coverage ends at the end of the term or at any time you stop making payments.