We all know that comparison shopping is the key to conscientious consumerism. All the smart shoppers learn, and hone, the skill of comparison shopping early in life. We comparison shop at department stores, grocery stores, and even thrift stores! Yet, it’s important to know that comparison shopping should apply to all products – not just cleaning supplies or pet food. When a product is as long-lasting and important as universal life insurance, comparison shopping is a given.

Before you can comparison shop for universal life insurance rates, be aware of what it is you are actually shopping for. It’s difficult to compare what you aren’t familiar with, isn’t it?

Universal life insurance, similar to whole life insurance, is a permanent life insurance policy; however, universal life is more flexible than whole life.

When comparing universal life rates, look for the following features and talk with your life insurance agent about the flexibility of these features, as well as how useful they will be to you and your family, given your specific needs, wants, and life situation.

• The ability to increase your death benefits
• The interest rate your savings component – cash value account – will earn
• The ability to alter your policy premium payments

Some universal life insurance policies allow you to increase your death benefits as long as you pass a medical exam. Plus, once you have purchased your universal life insurance policy and have started accumulating money in your cash value account, you may be able to alter your policy premium payments. This means you can use the money in your cash value account to pay for some of your premiums, which is a great help in times of financial stress. Note that this option should be used sparingly – once the money in your cash value account has been exhausted, you risk losing your universal life insurance coverage if you aren’t aware that the premiums aren’t being paid.