Guide
How much life insurance do you need?
A calculator and a guide: years of income to cover, debts you carry, schooling costs, and resources you already have.
Add up your income value for the years you chose, plus debts, plus education funds, minus any existing coverage. You won't get it perfect—you don't need to. Coverage comes in chunks, and your goal is a total that keeps your household functioning through the tight years.
Coverage estimate
Estimate = (income × years of need) + total debts + education costs − what you've already got, rounded to $5,000. Rough math, not expert advice.
Why those inputs
Income years. Ten to twenty years is the typical range; your choice depends on when dependents will be self-sufficient. Families with young children in Daly City frequently lean toward the longer timeframe because rent, childcare, and tuition bills overlap during those years.
Debts. Your mortgage is usually the largest obligation. Coverage big enough to clear it gives your family the freedom to stay or move based on their choice, not financial desperation.
Education. Estimate per-child based on today's tuition. It's easier to add it now than buy a second policy in a decade.
What you have. Include available savings and work benefits. Remember that employer coverage ends when you leave the job, so many people only count part of it.
With a number in mind, our tool shows what each carrier charges for 10, 15, 20, 25, and 30 years. Plenty of applicants pick slightly higher than the estimate—the extra monthly cost is small at younger ages.