A well-planned life insurance policy should be able to cover the immediate cash needs of loved ones in the event of death. But it should also replace the income lost so that the family can maintain their current standard of living.

A permanent life insurance policy can help accomplish this. Permanent life insurance is a form of life insurance such as whole life or endowment, where the policy is for the life of the insured.

The payout is assured at the end of the policy (assuming the policy is kept current) and the policy accrues cash value. Permanent insurance also pays off in the event of death, but it operates differently.

You pay a premium that much larger than the premium for term -- often five to 10 times the size -- but a portion of that premium goes into a savings component known as the policy's "cash value”.

That's why permanent insurance is sometimes referred to as "cash value" insurance. Over time, however, the cash value can grow, depending on the dividends or interest the insurer pays policyholders. Permanent life insurance policies are often compared with term life insurance.

The insurance is purchased for a specified period (typically a year, 5 years, 10 years or 20 years) where a death benefit is only paid to the beneficiary if the insured dies during the specified period. In contrast, permanent life insurance goes beyond the boundaries of the term; payment is still given even if the insured dies after the term.

There's one other crucial difference between permanent and term policies. As their name implies, permanent policies are permanent. As long as the premiums are paid and the policy is kept in force, the policy endures for the whole lifetime. Permanent life insurance originally was offered as a fixed premium fixed return product known as whole life insurance.

This offered consumers guaranteed cash value accumulation and a consistent premium. As consumers became savvier, they wanted more flexibility which was offered in the form of universal life insurance.

A permanent life insurance quote can help consumers choose the right program. As it is important to have the best fitting plan for the consumer and his loved ones, it demands greater priority in the selection process. A Permanent Life Insurance Quote comparison proves quite useful in choosing, especially choosing from different companies.

To have a greater opportunity in getting the best program, it is best to have someone equipped in this in contact. A Permanent Life Insurance agent can be very helpful, not just in transacting the policy but also to explain better the terms and coverage of different policies. His involvement will be significant in the outcome, especially in choosing the proper policy.