Guide
How much life insurance do you need?
A simple estimator and the thinking that supports it: how many years of income to replace, what debts to cover, education costs, and what you already have in place.
A straightforward approach: total the years of income your family would lose, add major expenses (mortgage, education, debt), and subtract savings and existing coverage. The math doesn't need to be exact—term policies come in round figures anyway, and what matters is a number that would carry your household through the critical years.
Coverage estimate
A rough starting point: (annual income × years) + major debts + education costs − savings and existing coverage, rounded to $5,000. This is a planning tool, not professional advice.
Why those inputs
Income years. Ten to twenty years is the typical planning window most professionals recommend; the specific length depends on when your dependents would become self-supporting. Many San Bernardino households with young children opt for the longer horizon because major costs for housing, childcare, and education tend to cluster together during that period.
Debts and obligations. For most households, a mortgage is the biggest liability. Life insurance large enough to pay it off in full gives survivors the freedom to make their own choice about staying, rather than being forced to sell by financial pressure.
Education planning. A ballpark amount for each child in current-year dollars. It's easier to build this into a single policy upfront than to buy additional coverage later.
Coverage already in place. Accessible savings and workplace life insurance. Since workplace benefits typically end when employment does, many households count only a portion of that existing group coverage.
Once you've settled on a figure, use the quote tool to see monthly costs from multiple carriers for 10-, 15-, 20-, 25-, or 30-year terms. Many people choose slightly more coverage than their initial estimate suggests, since the added monthly cost is modest when you're younger.