What happens if I fail to make the required premium payments?
If you miss a premium payment, you typically have a 30- or 31- day grace period during which you can pay the premium with no interest charged. After that, the company can - with your authorization - draw from a permanent policy's cash value to keep that policy in force. In some flexible premium policies, premiums may be reduced or skipped as long as sufficient cash values remain in the policy. However, this will result in lower cash values.

What happens if I become disabled and can't pay the premiums on my policy?
Provisions or "riders" that provide additional benefits can be added to a policy. One such rider is a "waiver of premium for disability." With this rider, if you become totally disabled for a specified period of time, you do not have to pay premiums for the duration of the disability.

Are other riders available?
Another rider, called an "accidental death benefit," provides for an additional benefit in case of death as a result of an accident.

A relatively new rider offered by some companies provides "accelerated benefits," also known as "living benefits." This rider allows you, under certain circumstances, to receive the proceeds of your life insurance policy before you die. Such circumstances include terminal or catastrophic illness, the need for long-term care of confinement to a nursing home. Ask your agent for information about these and other policy riders.