You ve had life-insurance coverage all those years and that s exactly what you needed. It s usually canceled before anyone collects. Hardly anyone collects on fire insurance, either. But you get that money only if you cancel the policy or borrow against it.
Money grows faster in retirement plans.
Cash value is like buying. True, and sometimes it s smarter to rent. It costs more when you re older. Also, you might develop a dread disease and not qualify for coverage in the future. Insurance premiums rise so slowly that waiting doesn t matter much.