Once you have determined what you need, it is wise to do research and crunch numbers to find the best deal, from among those companies you deem sufficiently sound and reliable. None of this is rocket science. It is simply a matter of spending some time educating yourself and going through a number of steps. There are plenty of resources on the Internet to help. Viewed strictly as an investment, a whole life policy from a quality company can compare favorably with other conservative vehicles, particularly due to the tax- deferred growth of the policy cash value.
Term insurance has no cash value, so it is generally cheaper, at least at a younger age.
Number crunching to evaluate a traditional whole life policy can only be done with information obtained from the insurance company. It is not enough, however, to find an insurance agent you personally trust. Be suspicious if that is what appears in the illustration. These are potentially much higher returning investments than an insurance company would make on its own. The life insurance buyer simply needs to be aware of the complete picture.