Indexed Universal Life
Permanent coverage that grows with the market — and won't lose to it.
IUL is a type of permanent life insurance where your cash value is credited based on the performance of a market index (like the S&P 500) — but with a floor that protects you from losses when the index drops.
What an IUL actually does
An IUL is built on three moving parts: a death benefit (the life insurance), a cash-value account that grows over time, and a crediting strategy that ties the cash-value growth to a market index without putting your money in the market directly.
The trade-off: in years the index does well, your gains are typically capped. In years the index drops, your floor (often 0%) protects the cash value. Over a multi-decade horizon, that asymmetric structure can compound meaningfully.
Who it's typically for
- · Buyers in their 30s–50s with stable income and a long time horizon.
- · Households that have already maxed out tax-advantaged retirement accounts.
- · Business owners looking for tax-efficient cash accumulation alongside protection.
- · Anyone who wants permanent life insurance but isn't comfortable with the slower growth of whole life.
Want to see an illustration for your numbers?
IUL is illustration-driven — meaning you don't really know what it does until you see one run on your specific age, health class, and funding amount. We'll run a few side-by-side from different carriers and walk you through what each one is doing.