1. Know what you need:

The classic and best reason for an individual to buy life insurance is for protection against dying too soon. The person buying life insurance should be primarily concerned with seeing that his or her survivors do not face a financial handicap. There may be other reasons that apply: Life insurance is also purchased to pay estate taxes. Business relationships often require life insurance or can benefit from it, for example. Annuities offer a secure way for consumers to make sure they don't outlive their money. Beware of anyone who tries to sell you life insurance as an "investment." Life insurance should be purchased for the protection it will give you.

Term life insurance: Most consumer advocates feel that term insurance is the best life insurance buy. Term is different from "whole life" or "ordinary life" in that you build up no equity, or cash value. In term, you pay each year for the cost of insurance, which typically increases annually as your chances of being alive the next year decline. Most term policies are renewable on an annual basis, and some have level premiums or a decreasing death benefit for a stated period - one, five or ten years, or even to a specified age.

Whole life insurance: Whole, or "ordinary," life insurance is usually sold with a level premium. In the early years of the policy, the annual premium will be higher than comparable term insurance. (But because its premiums are level, whole life's annual premiums may eventually be less than term.) Whole life policies build up a cash value that consumers can withdraw or borrow against. There are many variations of whole life. Premiums may be payable for a specified number of years on a limited-payment basis. Consumers also may have the option of a single premium paying all of the premiums at once with a single lump sum.

2. Know the company you are buying from:

You can check the financial stability of any life insurance company through several reputable national rating companies. Some ratings are available at public libraries.

3. Shop around for rates:

Life insurance is a competitive marketplace, and much of the competition focuses on price. Don't hesitate to seek premium quotes from several different companies.

4. Shop for your own needs:

If term insurance fits, that's what you should shop for. If you want to lower your premium at all costs, you may want to consider using a direct writer a company that cuts costs by operating without agents. Consider your own convenience, however: Do you want personal contact with an agent? Or if you buy an annuity, how fast can you get to your money in case of an emergency? If you are buying whole life, how fast does your money accumulate? What will the cash value be in one year? Three years? Ten years?

5. Update your coverage as your circumstances change:

Don't be misled by someone who tells you you should buy additional policies for children as they are born. Children rarely have an income and seldom require life insurance. But your situation may change dramatically from year to year. Review your net worth every few years and reconsider the prospects your survivors may face if you die.

6. Don't let yourself get fast-talked into changes:

Some life insurance policyholders in recent years have fallen victim to a practice called "twisting" or "churning." Churning occurs when your coverage is changed only to benefit the seller even though you may suffer a loss in the process. Churning often happens when people with cash-value policies are persuaded to convert their coverage to another policy, often one with a promise of better benefits. The problem is that the cash value of the original policy is raided in order to pay for the new policy. Luckless consumers may not realize until years later that the "higher" benefit policy is actually worth only a fraction of the value of the original policy.

7. Never buy a policy you don't understand:

If you are given illustrations or booklets, save that material with your policy. If your agent or company cannot explain the policy terms to your satisfaction, shop elsewhere. Make sure you understand the guarantees in your policy (not just the agent's promises of returns) and the surrender penalties if you choose to drop the policy at any time. These costs are often hidden in a life insurance or annuity policy.