TL;DR — Term vs Permanent Life Insurance Term costs 5-15x less — $25/month vs $200-450/month for same death benefit [^42^][^43^] Permanent builds cash value at 2-4% annually — beats inflation barely, S&P 500 returns 10%+ historically 97% of term policies expire worthless — but that’s actually good (you’re alive) Permanent life insurance is bad for

Life insurance for parents costs $25–$160/month depending on age. See all policy types, how to buy, and the 2-year trap most families miss.