June 23, 2026

10 Commonly Misunderstood Insurance Terms Explained

9 minutes

Episode 389 – Sometimes people get confused by all the jargon used in the financial services industry. It’s difficult to understand what you’re buying—or what you already have—if you don’t understand the language being used. Here is a quick listing of ten terms, commonly used in the life insurance industry, that you might not fully understand.

More SML Planning Minute Podcast Episodes

Transcript of Podcast Episode 389

Hello, this is Bill Rainaldi, with another edition of Security Mutual’s SML Planning Minute. In today’s episode: we explain 10 commonly misunderstood life insurance terms.

Sometimes people get confused by all the jargon used in the financial services industry, and life insurance is no exception. It can be difficult to understand what you’re buying—or what you already have—if you don’t understand the language being used. Here is a quick listing of 10 terms, commonly used in the life insurance industry, that are helpful to have a basic understanding of:

Underwriting. Before making any sort of offer to you, a life insurance company may need to evaluate your health. For example, life insurance companies generally check to see whether you are a tobacco user or not. A nonsmoker generally has a longer life expectancy than a smoker and thus will often qualify for a better rate and reduce the cost. On the other hand, smoker or not, if you’re in particularly poor health, the company may not be able to offer you coverage at all.

Beneficiary. Life insurance policies will usually list a beneficiary. That is the person—or entity—who receives the life insurance policy’s death benefit if the insured dies. Note that any beneficiary designation under a life insurance policy is separate from beneficiary designations in your will. You could leave your entire estate to your children via your will, but if someone else is the beneficiary of your life insurance policy, that person receives the proceeds. The owner of the policy has the right to change the beneficiary (or beneficiaries) as their needs or desires change and it is recommended to review all of your beneficiaries annually or during any change to your planning strategy.

Term Life Insurance. Term life insurance is the simplest form of life insurance. You will pay a premium that covers a specific term of years. 10, 20 or 30 years are common terms for one of these policies. If you die during the designated term, your beneficiary will receive the death benefit. It is generally used when you have a temporary need for insurance, such as paying off a mortgage or funding your child’s college education if you’re no longer there.

Permanent Life Insurance. Unlike a term policy, permanent life insurance is designed to provide lifetime coverage. With most policies, as long as you pay your premiums, the policy stays in force for life, and the death benefit is guaranteed by the insurance company. It also usually provides a cash value. An example of permanent insurance is whole life insurance.

Cash Value. With many permanent life insurance policies such as a whole life insurance policy, part of your premium pays the cost of the death benefit, and part of it goes into an account inside the policy and grows on a tax-deferred basis. As a policyowner, you have the right to access these funds if you wish via loans or withdrawals. The funds could potentially be used for major expenditures or cash emergencies if needed.

Dividends. It’s not just your stock portfolio that can pay dividends; your life insurance policy might do so as well. Life insurance dividends are usually associated with mutual life insurance companies such as Security Mutual Life. Dividends are distributed to policyholders from the insurer’s surplus earnings. They are not guaranteed.

Grace Period. This is essentially an automatic safety net that exists on every life insurance policy. If you miss a premium payment, you generally have an extra 30 days past the due date before the policy lapses to pay your premium. And, if you die during the grace period, the full death benefit is payable, although there may be a deduction for any missed premium.[1]

Paid-Up Additions. Paid-up additions are like miniature life insurance policies within a whole life insurance policy. Each paid-up addition adds a little bit of extra paid-up death benefit and guaranteed cash value to your policy without ongoing premium. Paid-up additions are often created through a whole life policy rider, although if you have a dividend-paying policy, you might be able to choose to take your dividends as paid-up additions. Since paid-up additions are fully paid up portions of death benefit, they can be surrendered for needed cash by the policyowner, or to pay the policy’s premiums, if needed. Doing so will reduce the guaranteed cash value and death benefit.

Accelerated Death Benefit. This allows you to receive a portion of the death benefit while you are still living and is often made available as a rider assigned to specific circumstances such as chronic, critical or terminal illness. It is designed to help provide access to cash for medical bills, nursing care, or other costs associated with the qualifying event. If the advance payout from the life insurance policy is due to terminal illness, it is usually exempt from income taxes.[2],[3] In many circumstances, an accelerated death benefit rider is a simple add-on to a life insurance policy with no separate charge.

And finally…

Chronic Illness Rider. A chronic illness rider is a type of accelerated death benefit rider that gives you access to part of your death benefit while you are still alive. To take advantage of a chronic illness rider, you need to be certified by a doctor as someone who is ill and not expected to recover. In many cases you will be eligible if you are unable to perform at least two of the six “Activities of Daily Living,” or ADLs, without assistance. These include things like bathing, getting dressed, eating, etc.[4]

All these terms can be very confusing. Some may be applicable to you; some may not. The good news is that, if you’re contemplating a new life insurance policy, you don’t need to go it alone. Your Security Mutual Life insurance agent can help. Your Security Mutual Life insurance agent can augment or help assemble your planning team. They’ll coordinate with your attorney and tax professional to review your situation and to determine the insurance plan that will best suit your needs and objectives.

[1] Ethos Life. “Understanding the Life Insurance Grace Period.” Ethos.com. https://www.ethos.com/life-insurance/life-insurance-grace-period/ (accessed June 4, 2026).

[2] Kagan, Julia. “Understanding Accelerated Benefits in Life Insurance Policies.” Investopedia.com https://www.investopedia.com/terms/a/accelerated-benefits.asp (accessed June 4, 2026).

[3] Stimpson, Jeff. “Form 1099-LTC Explained: Long-Term Care and Death Benefits.” https://www.investopedia.com/1099-ltc-form-what-to-know-about-the-1099-ltc-form-4781748 (accessed June 4, 2026).

[4] Progressive Insurance. ”What is a life insurance critical or chronic illness rider?” Progressive.com. https://www.progressive.com/answers/critical-chronic-illness-rider/ (accessed June 4, 2026).

More SML Planning Minute Podcast Episodes

This podcast is brought to you by Security Mutual Life Insurance Company of New York, The Company That Cares®. The content provided is intended for educational and informational purposes only. Information is provided in good faith. However, the Company makes no representation or warranty of any kind regarding the accuracy, reliability, or completeness of the information.

The information presented is designed to provide general information regarding the subject matter covered. It is not to serve as legal, tax or other financial advice related to individual situations, because each individual’s legal, tax and financial situation is different. Specific advice needs to be tailored to your situation. Therefore, please consult with your own attorney, tax professional and/or other advisors regarding your specific situation.

To help reach your goals, you need a skilled professional by your side. Contact your local Security Mutual life insurance advisor today. As part of the planning process, he or she will coordinate with your other advisors as needed to help you achieve your financial goals and objectives. For more information, visit us at SMLNY.com/SMLPodcast. If you’ve enjoyed this podcast, tell your friends about it. And be sure to give us a five-star review. And check us out on LinkedIn, YouTube and Twitter. Thanks for listening, and we’ll talk to you next time.

Tax laws are complex and subject to change. The information presented is based on current interpretation of the laws. Neither Security Mutual nor its agents are permitted to provide tax or legal advice.

The applicability of any strategy discussed is dependent upon the particular facts and circumstances. Results may vary, and products and services discussed may not be appropriate for all situations. Each person’s needs, objectives and financial circumstances are different, and must be reviewed and analyzed independently. We encourage individuals to seek personalized advice from a qualified Security Mutual life insurance advisor regarding their personal needs, objectives, and financial circumstances. Insurance products are issued by Security Mutual Life Insurance Company of New York, Binghamton, New York. Product availability and features may vary by state.

SubscribeApple PodcastsSpotifyAndroidPandoraby EmailTuneInDeezerRSSMore Subscribe Options

...more

View all episodes

By Security Mutual Life Advanced Markets Team

4.8

1919 ratings

June 23, 2026

10 Commonly Misunderstood Insurance Terms Explained

9 minutes

10 Commonly Misunderstood Insurance Terms Explained

More SML Planning Minute Podcast Episodes

Transcript of Podcast Episode 389

Hello, this is Bill Rainaldi, with another edition of Security Mutual’s SML Planning Minute. In today’s episode: we explain 10 commonly misunderstood life insurance terms.

And finally…

[1] Ethos Life. “Understanding the Life Insurance Grace Period.” Ethos.com. https://www.ethos.com/life-insurance/life-insurance-grace-period/ (accessed June 4, 2026).

[2] Kagan, Julia. “Understanding Accelerated Benefits in Life Insurance Policies.” Investopedia.com https://www.investopedia.com/terms/a/accelerated-benefits.asp (accessed June 4, 2026).

[3] Stimpson, Jeff. “Form 1099-LTC Explained: Long-Term Care and Death Benefits.” https://www.investopedia.com/1099-ltc-form-what-to-know-about-the-1099-ltc-form-4781748 (accessed June 4, 2026).

More SML Planning Minute Podcast Episodes

SubscribeApple PodcastsSpotifyAndroidPandoraby EmailTuneInDeezerRSSMore Subscribe Options

...more