Guide
How much life insurance do you need?
An estimating tool and the thought process behind it: income years, debts, education and your current protection.
Add what your income would have provided and subtract existing coverage. Not mathematically precise, nor does it need to be: policies come in round numbers, and the target is sufficient to maintain stability during years that matter most.
Coverage estimate
Estimate = income × years + debts + education − existing coverage, rounded to the nearest $5,000. Use this as your starting point, not as advice.
Why those inputs
Years of income. Most planning uses ten to twenty years; the fit depends on how long your dependents would be at financial risk. In Santa Rosa, families with young children often go longer because child-raising costs—childcare, housing, education—cluster in the same years.
Debts. Mortgage debt is largest for most households. Coverage sufficient to retire it gives survivors the option to stay in their home without being forced by finances.
Education. Build in a per-child reserve in current dollars. Including this now is simpler than buying additional coverage later.
Existing protection. Money saved for emergencies, and employer coverage through your job. Employer plans often stop when you leave, so many households count only part of it toward their baseline.
Once you know the amount, the quoting tool displays that amount for 10 through 30 years, with prices from every carrier. A modest increase in coverage often costs very little at younger ages.