What Does Life Insurance Face Amount Mean? 
The face amount is the amount of life insurance you buy . The death benefit is the amount that goes to the beneficiary in the event of the insured person 's death . Those are usually the same amount . However , if the policy is graded during the first years of the policy , or if the death benefit grows beyond the original amount of coverage purchased , or if a loan was taken out and not repaid , the face amount and death benefit could differ . 