Cavaliere & Co. Insurance Cavaliere & Co. Insurance 
Term Life Insurance Broker · Pennsylvania The same 20-year policy can cost very different amounts depending on where you apply. Comparing carriers is my job.
Get Term Life CoverageArmandino “Dino” Cavaliere · Independent broker · PA License #1071477
Term life insurance covers you for a set number of years — usually 10, 15, 20 or 30 — and pays a death benefit, generally income-tax-free, to your beneficiaries if you die during that time. It’s the lowest-cost way to buy a large amount of coverage because it has no cash value and ends when the term does. Rates vary widely between insurance companies for the same person, which is why comparing carriers matters.
Term is the simplest life insurance there is, and the easiest to overpay for. Every company prices your age, health and habits differently. I’m an independent broker — I own my agency and I’m appointed with the carriers I choose — so I compare them for you, apply where you’re most likely to get the best rate class, and stay your point of contact for as long as you own the policy.
You choose three things, and you pay a level premium monthly or yearly.
The death benefit your family would receive — sized to your debts, your income and the people who depend on it.
The term, usually 10 to 30 years — matched to the years someone depends on your paycheck.
Your beneficiaries, who receive the benefit generally income-tax-free if you die during the term.
If you outlive the term, coverage ends — and that isn’t money wasted, any more than car insurance is wasted in a year without an accident. You had protection when your family depended on it. Term has no cash value; you can’t borrow against it or cash it out. That’s exactly why it costs so much less than permanent insurance.
The right length matches the years someone depends on your income. Tap a term to see how it lines up with a typical family at 35.
Covers the mortgage, the kids and your working years.
Example: age 35, a new 30-year mortgage, youngest child age 2, retiring at 65.
A common approach is matching the term to your mortgage or to the year your youngest finishes school. Some people “ladder” two policies — a 30-year and a 20-year — so coverage steps down as obligations shrink.
The most common. Your premium and death benefit stay the same for the whole term. When people say “term life,” this is usually what they mean.
Banks often sell decreasing term — coverage that shrinks with your loan and pays the lender. I recommend level term sized to your mortgage instead: the full benefit stays in place and goes to your family, to use however they need.
Convert to permanent coverage without a new medical exam — at the health rating you had when you bought it. The option has a deadline, often well before the term ends. I’ll show you exactly when yours expires.
Outlive the term and you get your premiums back. It costs noticeably more, and the refund is your own money returned without growth. I’ll show you both side by side.
Many carriers approve qualifying applicants without an exam, using prescription history and other records with your permission. Faster — often, but not always, the same price.
A simple starting point — add up:
Then subtract savings and coverage you already have. Coverage through work usually ends if you leave the job, so don’t count on it alone. I’ll walk through it with you in a few minutes — no obligation.
Term is available into your 60s and 70s, but the math changes with age. Premiums rise steeply, term lengths get shorter, and many carriers stop offering longer terms at older ages.
You’re in your 50s or early 60s and something ends at a known time.
What you want is coverage for final expenses, or to leave something behind.
You usually have three choices. The time to plan is years before the term ends — not the month it expires.
If no one depends on your income anymore, you may not need it. The policy simply stops.
Many policies can renew year by year — but at much higher rates based on your age at the time.
If your policy has a conversion option and you’re within the deadline, move to permanent coverage without new underwriting.
Here’s what I’m doing for my own family: a 30-year term for the years my family depends on my income, alongside a smaller whole life policy for permanent coverage, with the plan to convert part of the term to permanent coverage before the conversion deadline. Term carries the big protection while it’s needed; permanent coverage is there for life.
That’s not the right mix for everyone — but it’s the kind of plan I’ll build with you.
— Dino Cavaliere
One conversation, no obligation. I’ll compare the carriers I’m appointed with for your age, health and budget — and tell you plainly which term length and type fit your family.
You choose a coverage amount and a term, usually 10 to 30 years, and pay a premium. If you die during the term, your beneficiaries receive the death benefit, generally income-tax-free. If you outlive the term, coverage ends.
For most families with people depending on their income, yes. It’s the lowest-cost way to buy a large amount of protection during the years it’s needed most.
Add your debts, the years of income your family would need replaced, education costs and final expenses, then subtract savings and existing coverage. A broker can walk through it with you in a few minutes.
No. Term life has no cash value, which is why it costs much less than whole life or universal life.
Level term keeps the same premium and death benefit for the entire term. It’s the most common type of term life insurance.
Neither is better for everyone. Term gives the most coverage per dollar for a set period. Whole life lasts for life and builds cash value but costs more. Many people combine them.
Often, yes, if your policy has a conversion option. Conversion usually doesn’t require a new medical exam, but it must be done before the policy’s conversion deadline, which can come well before the term ends.
Coverage stops. Depending on the policy, you may be able to renew at higher annual rates or convert to permanent coverage if you’re still within the conversion window.
No. Term life has no cash value to cash out. Return of premium term refunds premiums if you outlive the term, but it costs more up front.
Often, yes. Many carriers approve qualifying applicants using prescription history and other records with your permission. Whether an exam is needed depends on your age, health and coverage amount.