Indexed whole life insurance: What it is & how it works

Indexed whole life insurance offers lifetime coverage and a cash value account that earns interest based on an investment index chosen by your provider.

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Amanda ShihEditor & Licensed Life Insurance ExpertAmanda Shih is a licensed life, disability, and health insurance expert and a former editor at Policygenius, where she covered life insurance and disability insurance. Her expertise has appeared in Slate, Lifehacker, Little Spoon, and J.D. Power.

Reviewed by

Maria FilindrasMaria FilindrasFinancial AdvisorMaria Filindras is a financial advisor, a licensed Life & Health insurance agent in California, and a member of the Financial Review Council at Policygenius.

Updated|2 min read

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Whole life insurance provides lifelong life insurance protection to your family and a cash value component you can access while you’re alive. Indexed whole life insurance gains cash value based on an investment index chosen by your insurance company. 

Indexed whole life is best for those who want a policy with tax-deferred investment growth and investments with a lower potential for volatility. It lacks the higher investment risk of other permanent life insurance plans but could still have greater returns than traditional whole life. Here’s how to decide whether indexed whole life is right for you.

Key takeaways

  • Indexed whole life offers permanent insurance protection and a cash value feature that grows based on index fund performance.

  • Your insurance provider sets your interest rate based on an index they choose.

  • The premiums and death benefit stay level, unlike in indexed universal life insurance.

  • Indexed whole life is an option for investment-focused shoppers who can afford the high premiums and have medium risk tolerance.

What is indexed whole life insurance?

Indexed whole life insurance has the same features of a traditional whole life insurance policy, but differs in the way the cash value earns interest. Your policy will provide:

  • A death benefit for your beneficiaries

  • Level premiums 

  • Lifelong life insurance protection

  • Tax-advantaged cash value account

Like whole life insurance, your insurance provider controls the interest rate of your indexed whole life insurance. However, in indexed whole life, your provider changes your interest rate based on the performance of a specific investment index (like the S&P 500).  

Indexed whole life also differs from indexed universal life insurance, which has index-based cash value growth and also lets you use the cash value to adjust your death benefit and pay premiums.

→ Learn more about the different types of whole life insurance

Is indexed whole life insurance a good investment?

Indexed whole life insurance isn’t the best investment for most people. You may earn more interest than you would with a traditional whole life plan, but the rate of return on your cash value will still be lower than the return on a traditional investment account. 

Your cash value will come with a guaranteed minimum rate of return set by your provider, but most providers also set a maximum rate of return for your earnings. Cash value accounts also come with fees that traditional accounts don’t.

Cash value investments are complex and require more management than most tax-advantaged investments. Consult a financial advisor if you’re interested in using life insurance to invest.

How much does indexed whole life insurance cost?

Indexed whole life insurance rates vary based on several factors, including:

  • Your age when you buy your policy

  • Death benefit amount

  • Gender

  • Health and medical history

  • Lifestyle risks like smoking

  • Payment timeline for your policy

Here are sample monthly premiums for a $500,000 whole life insurance policy paid over 99 years (one of the most common payment timelines):

Age

Sex

$250,000

$500,000

$1,000,000

25

Female

$175.00

$346.00

$660.00

Male

$199.00

$393.00

$765.00

35

Female

$243.00

$481.00

$947.00

Male

$288.00

$571.00

$1,121.00

45

Female

$360.00

$716.00

$1,417.00

Male

$435.00

$866.00

$1,690.00

55

Female

$589.00

$1,173.00

$2,332.00

Male

$692.00

$1,380.00

$2,173.00

Collapse table

Methodology: Monthly rates are calculated for non-smokers in a Preferred health classification, obtaining a whole life insurance policy payable within 99 years from MassMutual. Individual rates will vary as specific circumstances will affect each customer's rate. Rate illustration valid as of 01/01/2024.

Because of the high premiums, whole life insurance isn’t right for most people. Term life insurance is significantly more affordable. For example, a healthy 35-year-old male could pay $29.97 per month for a $500,000, 20-year term policy — the same amount of coverage than the sample whole life policy above at a fraction of the cost.

→ Learn more about the average cost of life insurance

Ready to shop for life insurance?

If you want to use life insurance as an investment vehicle but are wary of policies with higher investment risk, an indexed whole life insurance policy may be worth considering. However, most people will get the most value from buying a term life policy and investing separately. Work with an independent insurance agent or financial advisor to get the best coverage for your family.

Author

Amanda Shih is a licensed life, disability, and health insurance expert and a former editor at Policygenius, where she covered life insurance and disability insurance. Her expertise has appeared in Slate, Lifehacker, Little Spoon, and J.D. Power.

Expert reviewer

Maria Filindras is a financial advisor, a licensed Life & Health insurance agent in California, and a member of the Financial Review Council at Policygenius.

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