What Is The Difference Between Whole Life And Variable Life Insurance? 
That is a terrific question ! They both are whole life policies , and they both have a death benefit , and that 's pretty much where the similarities end . A whole life policy will have a set death benefit , and a set premium payment , that is always the same . This is a policy that you can purchase , set up on autopay , and basically let run on autopilot . A variable policy is n't quite so simple . In this type of policy you are given responsibility for where the premiums are invested , so the risk moves from the insurer to you . The premiums can be stable , if you are good at investing , and the costs of the insurance are covered . If you 're not , your premiums can vary quite a bit , and your length of coverage can be shortened considerably , or even ended . This is definitely not an autopilot policy . I hope that shows you what you needed to see . Thank you for asking ! 