When Is A Whole Life Insurance Policy Paid Up? 
A whole life insurance referenced as being paid up means that the policy is self-sustaining because of the size of the cash value relative to the face amount and the interest and dividends earned can keep the policy going forever without the need for any more premium payments to keep it going . The policy uses the cash value to pay the premiums for the policy . If you borrow from the cash value for a `` paid up '' policy , you can affect its ability to keep the policy going without paying more premiums . In short , you can make a `` paid up '' policy no longer paid up - you may have to start paying premiums again . Some policies are specifically designed to stop premium payments after a certain number of years -LRB- e.g. a 10 pay , 20 pay , pay to age 65 -RRB- . You 're paying more in premium per year , but the overall sum total that you pay over a given time -LRB- e.g. compared to paying a lower premium for 35 years -RRB- can offer savings in the long run . I hope the information is helpful - please feel free to contact me if you have any questions . Thanks very much . 