What is direct term life insurance?

Perhaps the easiest way to understand direct term life insurance is to use its other name — DTC, or direct-to-consumer. As that phrase suggests, we’re talking about a term life insurance policy that you purchase directly from a life insurance company or agency  — usually online — without going through an insurance agent or another kind of intermediary.

Before we go further, here’s a quick explanation of term life insurance, direct or not: “Term” is a kind of life insurance which gives you a certain amount of coverage for a fixed period of time, typically 10, 15, 20 or 30 years. It’s an easy-to-understand, affordable type of life insurance that provides financial stability and helps you protect your loved ones during the years they need it most. (For a detailed breakdown of how term life insurance works, click here.)

The fact that term life insurance is so simple is one reason why applying for it directly makes sense for many. While there are types of life insurance that might be more difficult to navigate without professional help (such as whole or permanent life insurance), term isn’t typically one of them.

Applying for term life insurance directly online from an agency or insurer is simple, convenient and affordable. The following are some other advantages:

Speed — if you want it

For many people, the biggest appeal of direct term life insurance is that you can usually check it off your to-do list rather quickly. Simply answer a few questions and generate a personalized quote online from an agency like Haven Life, which offers term life insurance issued by MassMutual and its subsidiary, C.M. Life. If you like what you see, you can apply online and, if approved, start life insurance coverage that day.

Direct term life insurance also allows you to apply for life insurance coverage on your own time. If you want to get quotes for different levels of coverage, then talk the options over with your partner, or just sleep on it for a while, you can. No one will call and hassle you; there’s no pressure to buy a life insurance policy. You can go at your own pace, and do it when it’s convenient. Is Sunday night the best time for you? Well, the internet never sleeps. Direct life insurance allows you to do that whenever you feel fitting.

Minimal guesswork

Often with a direct term life insurance digital buying experience, the insurer or agency is taking your application information and reviewing it in real-time to provide a personalized-to-you rate. Now, there could be some changes to your life insurance rate once a medical exam is taken (if you need one), but overall, the rate from a digital purchasing experience is fairly accurate (if you’re being honest  during your life insurance quote and application process).

You’re not on your own, unless you want to be

If you know exactly what coverage amount you want — a 20-year, $500,000 life insurance policy, for example — then you can apply for it in minutes. If, on the other hand, you’re not certain what level of coverage would best suit your needs, Haven Life has an online life insurance calculator that can help you determine the right amount and length of coverage, based on your circumstances (including, but not limited to your salary, your dependents, and what you want to your policy to cover.) This can also help you determine if you’re comfortable with, perhaps, the life insurance premium without the hassle of talking to a sales individual.

No obligations or awkwardness

With direct term life insurance, while the algorithms are pretty sophisticated, they don’t have feelings. So you can get as many quotes as you want for your chosen coverage amount before making a choice. This helps you find the best life insurance policy, premium, and coverage amount at your own pace. While there are humans behind Haven Life who hope you choose the Haven Term policy, ultimately, they just want you to have some kind of life policy coverage that provides financial stability to your loved ones. There are no obligations, only choices.

And choice, ultimately, is what direct term life insurance is about. You can choose the best life insurance coverage you want, when it’s convenient for you, and you can go directly to the source to get it. Think of “direct” as a way for you to get term life insurance on your own terms.