Life Insurance Workbook: Size, Compare, and Select the Right Policy

Many people buy life insurance based on a rule of thumb — ten times income, or whatever the agent recommended. Those shortcuts often result in either underinsurance or an expensive policy with features that provide no real benefit. This course replaces the guesswork with structured calculations you can run on your own household numbers. By the end of this course you will be able to calculate your family's specific coverage need using multiple methods, build a comparison template for evaluating policy quotes, understand what to look for in an illustration, and make a documented, reasoned decision about policy type, face amount, and term length. What you will learn: - Three coverage calculation methods — income replacement, DIME (debt, income, mortgage, education), and financial needs analysis — with worked examples - A side-by-side comparison worksheet for evaluating term quotes from multiple carriers - How to read a whole life illustration and identify the guaranteed versus projected values - A checklist for reviewing policy language before signing — key clauses to verify - How to evaluate and price common riders using a cost-versus-benefit framework - A beneficiary planning worksheet that accounts for primary, contingent, and per-stirpes designations - How to review an in-force policy to determine whether it still meets your needs - A template for documenting your policy details in a household insurance register Every module in this course leads with a short reading followed by a fillable worksheet exercise. The exercises build on each other: by the end you will have completed a full coverage analysis and comparison framework for your household. Hypothetical example data is provided for each exercise so you can follow along even before you have actual quotes in hand. Suitable for adults who prefer a structured, numbers-based approach to financial decisions. New to life insurance or re-evaluating existing coverage — both are welcome. No prior knowledge is required. This course is educational and does not constitute licensed insurance advice; always verify your coverage decisions with a qualified insurance professional.