The average American has only the haziest idea of why insurance on your life is important. Why should it be, anyway? If you’re dead then you don’t need that extra money. There’s nothing to be gained by forking all that hard-earned dough over to some faceless American life insurance company, right?

Wrong. American life insurance isn’t there necessarily to protect you; it’s there to protect your family and loved ones. The purpose of life coverage is to ease the burden of your passing on your family. When you die you become an extremely costly and draining asset to your family. Your funeral has to be paid for; your debts need to be repaid (you didn’t think they just vanished after you passed from this life, did you?); and the gap left - financially - by your departure needs to be filled somehow.

That’s why insurance is so important. It can cover funeral costs, pay mortgages, assist with unemployment coverage, and so forth, all depending on which insurance plan you go for. The unexpected can come at any time, so your best bet is to go for a long term plan that will cover you in case of any accidents or unfortunate mishaps that may befall you, be they at work, at home or even just strolling through the park.

Not willing to fork out the cash to cover your entire existence? That’s okay. There are cheaper plans than life long terms. You can go for smaller term plans that can be paid off monthly or yearly. Known as “cash value” and “term life” policies respectively, both of these plans are employed by thousands of American citizens every year.

More, you can save even more money if you’re an employee or an employer. Group insurance plans are available that cover several people at reduced rates. This is good for people who wouldn’t normally qualify for insurance policies but who desperately need the coverage they afford.

Anything can happen, and you never know when it will. Be a good American and get American life insurance. Don’t leave your family paying the tab for you.