# Texas Life Insurance: Coverage, Cost and Family Decisions > Texas life insurance explained: why families buy it, term vs. permanent, how much coverage to consider, what drives cost, and your rights under Texas law. Source: https://www.robinsonlegacypartners.com/blog/life-insurance/texas-life-insurance-guide-coverage-cost-and-family-decisions/ [Home](https://www.robinsonlegacypartners.com/) / [Blog](https://www.robinsonlegacypartners.com/blog/) / [Life Insurance](https://www.robinsonlegacypartners.com/blog/life-insurance/) / Guide [Life Insurance · Texas guide](https://www.robinsonlegacypartners.com/life-insurance) # The Texas Life Insurance Guide. Coverage, cost and the family decisions that matter. You know your family should have life insurance, but you’re guessing at the cost and how much coverage you need. Here’s how Texas life insurance works, so you can decide with real numbers. Free Texas quote · 30 seconds Start with your ZIP. Please enter a valid 5-digit ZIP code. Prefer to talk it through? [(817) 262-5300](tel:+18172625300) Almost done Where should we send it? We'll usually reach out within one business day. Auto Home Home + Auto bundle Condo Renters Landlord / rental Flood Life Motorcycle RV / motorhome Business By clicking **Get My Free Quote**, I give Robinson Legacy Partners LLC, an Allstate agency, and its licensed agents my prior express written consent, by electronic signature, to contact me with calls and text messages — including marketing calls and texts made using automated technology or an artificial or prerecorded voice — and by email, at the number and email I provided, about my insurance quote and related insurance products and services, even if my number is on a Do Not Call list. My information is never sold or shared with other agencies for their own marketing. Consent is not a condition of purchase; I can call (817) 262-5300 instead. Message frequency varies. Message and data rates may apply. Reply STOP to opt out, HELP for help. I agree to the [Privacy Policy](https://www.robinsonlegacypartners.com/privacy) and [Terms of Use](https://www.robinsonlegacypartners.com/terms), including the [arbitration clause](https://www.robinsonlegacypartners.com/terms#arbitration) and [E-SIGN consent](https://www.robinsonlegacypartners.com/terms#esign). Please complete every field with a valid phone and email. ✓ You're all set A licensed agent on our Arlington team will usually reach out within one business day about your life quote. Rather talk now? [Call (817) 262-5300](tel:+18172625300) Mon–Fri 8:30 AM – 5:00 PM · Help in 7 languages ★★★★★ **4.8** from 100+ Google reviews · Licensed Texas agency · Help in 7 languages By the **Robinson Legacy Partners Team**· Reviewed by [**Clarence Robinson II**](https://www.robinsonlegacypartners.com/about-clarence-robinson), Allstate Agent· Updated September 29, 2026· 15 min read· Arlington, TX The Short Version ## Texas life insurance, in 60 seconds * **Texas life insurance coverage and cost come down to a few family decisions that matter: who depends on you, and for how long.** The need comes from income, mortgage, kids and debts. The price comes from age, health, tobacco and the amount and length of coverage. * **Term covers a set number of years; permanent is built to last for life.** TDI says permanent premiums are higher because of the savings feature and longer coverage. * **Size it with addition, not a round number.** Add debts, needed income, the mortgage and education, then subtract what you already have. * **Work coverage is a start, not a plan.** TDI says it usually pays one or two times salary and typically ends when you leave the job. * **Insurers won’t pay a minor.** The NAIC warns against naming a young child directly, so plan beneficiaries with an estate attorney. * **Do this:** get a free life insurance review with our team before you buy, and again after marriage, a new baby or a new home. Maybe you just closed on a house and the first mortgage statement made it real. Maybe a baby is on the way, or you’re a single parent and it hit you that nobody else would cover the rent and the daycare bill if something happened to you. Most people know they should have life insurance. What stops them is two guesses: what it costs, and how much they need. This guide replaces those guesses with a way to think it through: why families buy coverage, term vs. permanent, how to size it, what drives the price, why work coverage often falls short, beneficiaries for young kids, and the protections Texas gives you. Our team is in Arlington, so examples lean North Texas, but the rules apply statewide. Free life insurance review Not sure how much coverage your family needs? Send your ZIP and we’ll walk through the math with you: income, mortgage, kids and what you already have. No spam, no obligation. What do you need? Auto Home Home + Auto bundle Condo Renters Landlord / rental Flood Life Motorcycle RV / motorhome Business Please add a valid 5-digit ZIP and pick what you need. Prefer to talk it through? [(817) 262-5300](tel:+18172625300) · Mon–Fri 8:30 AM – 5:00 PM 4.8★ · 100+ Google reviews · Licensed Texas agency · Help in 7 languages Almost done Where should we send it? We'll usually reach out within one business day. By clicking **Get My Free Quote**, I give Robinson Legacy Partners LLC, an Allstate agency, and its licensed agents my prior express written consent, by electronic signature, to contact me with calls and text messages — including marketing calls and texts made using automated technology or an artificial or prerecorded voice — and by email, at the number and email I provided, about my insurance quote and related insurance products and services, even if my number is on a Do Not Call list. My information is never sold or shared with other agencies for their own marketing. Consent is not a condition of purchase; I can call (817) 262-5300 instead. Message frequency varies. Message and data rates may apply. Reply STOP to opt out, HELP for help. I agree to the [Privacy Policy](https://www.robinsonlegacypartners.com/privacy) and [Terms of Use](https://www.robinsonlegacypartners.com/terms), including the [arbitration clause](https://www.robinsonlegacypartners.com/terms#arbitration) and [E-SIGN consent](https://www.robinsonlegacypartners.com/terms#esign). Please complete every field with a valid phone and email. ✓ You're all set A licensed agent on our Arlington team will usually reach out within one business day about your life quote. Rather talk now? [Call (817) 262-5300](tel:+18172625300) Mon–Fri 8:30 AM – 5:00 PM · Help in 7 languages ## Why do Texas families buy life insurance? **The short answer:** Families buy life insurance so a death doesn’t also become a financial crisis: the benefit can replace lost income and help pay the mortgage, childcare, debts and final expenses, according to TDI and the NAIC. The [Texas Department of Insurance](https://www.tdi.texas.gov/consumer/life-insurance.html) says life insurance “provides money to your family after you die to help them pay for burial costs, living expenses, bills, and education.” The [NAIC’s Life Insurance Buyer’s Guide](https://content.naic.org/sites/default/files/publication-lig-lp-consumer-life.pdf) adds loss of income, debt repayments and child care costs. The policy isn’t for you. It’s for the people who would keep the household running without you. When we sit down with a family, the first question isn’t about policy types. It’s **whose paycheck, or whose unpaid work, would be missed first, and for how long?** The answer usually points to one of these households: * **New homeowners with a mortgage.** Your homeowners policy protects the house from fire and hail; it doesn’t make the payment if a paycheck disappears. (For the property side, see our [Texas home insurance guide](https://www.robinsonlegacypartners.com/blog/home-insurance/texas-home-insurance-guide-coverage-costs-and-buying-decisions/).) * **Young families.** Small kids mean the longest stretch of income to replace, plus childcare and college goals. * **Single parents.** There’s no second income. If you rent, your renters policy protects your belongings (see our [guide to renters coverage in Texas](https://www.robinsonlegacypartners.com/blog/renters-insurance/texas-renters-insurance-guide-coverage-cost-and-quote-questions/)); life insurance protects the paycheck that pays the rent. * **Stay-at-home parents.** No paycheck doesn’t mean no financial value. The family might suddenly pay for childcare, school pickups and household help. * **Couples with shared bills.** A car loan and a budget built on two incomes may have to run on one. * **Almost everyone.** Final expenses land on someone. A policy can keep that bill off your kids or parents. In North Texas, we often meet families when several of these stack up at once: a first house in south Arlington, Mansfield or Grand Prairie, a toddler, a new job across the Metroplex. That’s when the need is largest. ## What’s the difference between term and permanent life insurance? **The short answer:** Term life covers a set number of years and pays only if you die during that term; permanent life (whole or universal) is designed to last your lifetime and builds cash value, so it costs more. TDI’s [life insurance guide](https://www.tdi.texas.gov/pubs/consumer/cb018.html) explains the main types. The differences come down to how long coverage lasts, how premiums behave and whether there’s a savings feature. According to TDI, “premiums for permanent life insurance are higher than for term life” because of “the savings feature” and the longer coverage. Sources: TDI [life insurance guide](https://www.tdi.texas.gov/pubs/consumer/cb018.html) (updated 12/12/2025); NAIC Life Insurance Buyer’s Guide; [Insurance Information Institute](https://www.iii.org/article/life-insurance-basics). General concepts; your policy controls. | Feature | Term life | Whole life | Universal life | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | How long it lasts | A set period; III says usually one to 30 years. | Your whole life, unless you cash it in or stop paying. | To a maturity date, usually age 95 or 100, while it has at least $1 of cash value. | | Premiums | Level for the term; higher if you renew. | Higher than term; designed to stay level. | Flexible within the policy’s rules. | | Cash value | Usually noneMost term policies don’t build it. | YesPart of each premium goes into it. | YesA yearly report shows it and how long the policy might last. | | Later options | May be renewable, or convertible to permanent without a medical exam, usually only until about age 65. | Coverage continues; cashing it in ends it. | Continues only while cash value keeps it in force. | Many young households find their need has a shape: largest while the mortgage is big and the kids are small, shrinking as both do. Term coverage lines up with that shape, which is why so many parents start there. Permanent coverage is built for needs that don’t end on a schedule, like final expenses or a family member who will always depend on you. The NAIC frames it the same way: term provides lower-cost coverage for a specific period, while cash value insurance may be more cost effective for lifetime coverage. Before you buy permanent coverage**Cash value policies need attention.** TDI notes a universal life policy stays in effect only while it has cash value left, so paying less than it needs can shorten how long it lasts. Cash value, loans and withdrawals work differently from policy to policy. Ask us to walk through any policy before you sign. Robinson Legacy Partners is an Allstate agency. We’ll explain both side by side and tell you plainly which life insurance options we can offer. **Reviewed by Clarence Robinson II.** Clarence is an Allstate agent and the owner of Robinson Legacy Partners in south Arlington. He's an entrepreneur with more than 20 years in business who became an Allstate agent in 2024, and his team helps Texas families in seven languages. "Insurance works best when it's understood." ## How much life insurance does a Texas family need? **The short answer:** Add up what the money would need to do, meaning pay debts, replace income for as long as your family needs it, handle the mortgage and fund education, then subtract savings and coverage you already have. TDI says to “consider your debts, the amount of income your family must replace, and whether they’ll have bills or other expenses.” The NAIC says the amount “depends on the financial needs that will continue after your death.” That’s a calculation, not a guess. A common planning shorthand is **DIME**: Debt, Income, Mortgage, Education. It isn’t a law or an official formula, just a checklist so you don’t miss a category: * **Debt.** Car loans, credit cards and other bills your family would still owe, plus final expenses. * **Income.** Yearly take-home pay times the years your family would need it. Many parents count until the youngest finishes high school. * **Mortgage.** The balance, so your family could pay off the house or keep making payments. * **Education.** What you’d want set aside for college or trade school. A goal you choose. * **Then subtract** savings your family could realistically use and coverage you already own. You’ll also hear salary-multiple rules of thumb. The [Insurance Information Institute](https://www.iii.org/article/how-much-life-insurance-do-i-need) points out that a simple multiple rests on assumptions about inflation and investment returns. Treat any multiple as a starting point, and the addition above as the real answer. Illustrative example · not a quote A North Texas couple has kids ages 3 and 6. One parent earns **$65,000** a year; the other stays home. They owe **$280,000** on the house and **$22,000** on a car loan and cards: * Debt: **$22,000** + **$12,000** estimated final expenses = **$34,000** * Income: **$65,000 × 10 years** (their choice) = **$650,000** * Mortgage: **$280,000** · Education: **$20,000 × 2 kids** = **$40,000** * Total: **$1,004,000**, minus **$30,000** savings and **$65,000** of work coverage = about **$909,000** If the work coverage ended with a job change, the gap would be **$974,000**. The stay-at-home parent needs a separate number: **$15,000 a year** of estimated childcare and help for **5 years** is **$75,000** before debts or final expenses. Hypothetical figures to show the method, not advice and not a price. A number like that surprises people. It doesn’t mean you must buy it all at once. It means you know what you’re protecting and can decide how much to cover with a clear head. ## What does life insurance cost in Texas, and what drives the price? **The short answer:** Your price depends mainly on your age, health, tobacco use, risky hobbies, the coverage amount and how long it lasts; we found no TDI, NAIC or III average Texas life premium to cite, so we won’t guess. For home and auto, TDI and the NAIC publish statewide average premiums. For life insurance, as of September 2026 we couldn’t find a statewide average from TDI, the NAIC or the Insurance Information Institute, and we won’t borrow one from an ad. A life premium is built around one person, so an average across every age and health profile wouldn’t say much about yours. TDI is clear on the drivers: “The cost depends on your age, health, and risk factors,” and a company “can charge you more if you have health conditions, smoke, or have risky hobbies like skydiving or rock climbing.” Age ### When you buy TDI says cost depends on your age, and the NAIC notes renewing a term policy later costs more. Health ### Medical history Health conditions can raise the price or affect whether a policy is offered, per TDI. Tobacco ### Smoking TDI lists smoking among the things a company can charge more for. Hobbies ### Risk you take on Hobbies like skydiving or rock climbing can raise your premium, according to TDI. Amount ### Size of the benefit More coverage costs more, which is why sizing it with real math matters. Type & length ### Term or permanent Permanent coverage costs more than term, per TDI. The price is set through **underwriting**, which TDI says “often includes passing a medical exam and answering questions about your health, job, and habits.” Per the NAIC, you may be asked to see a doctor, answer health questions or have a medical professional visit your home or office. III also notes that paying once a year may cost less than installments with some policies. Why we don’t print a price hereAny “average” premium online mixes different ages, health profiles, amounts and policy types. The only number that means something is one built on your age, your health and the coverage you choose. Getting it takes a short, free conversation. 30-second request Want a real number instead of a guess? Two fields to start. A licensed agent on our Arlington team will talk through the coverage amount and term that fit your family, and what it would cost. What do you need? Auto Home Home + Auto bundle Condo Renters Landlord / rental Flood Life Motorcycle RV / motorhome Business Please add a valid 5-digit ZIP and pick what you need. Prefer to talk it through? [(817) 262-5300](tel:+18172625300) · Mon–Fri 8:30 AM – 5:00 PM 4.8★ · 100+ Google reviews · Licensed Texas agency · Help in 7 languages Almost done Where should we send it? We'll usually reach out within one business day. By clicking **Get My Free Quote**, I give Robinson Legacy Partners LLC, an Allstate agency, and its licensed agents my prior express written consent, by electronic signature, to contact me with calls and text messages — including marketing calls and texts made using automated technology or an artificial or prerecorded voice — and by email, at the number and email I provided, about my insurance quote and related insurance products and services, even if my number is on a Do Not Call list. My information is never sold or shared with other agencies for their own marketing. Consent is not a condition of purchase; I can call (817) 262-5300 instead. Message frequency varies. Message and data rates may apply. Reply STOP to opt out, HELP for help. I agree to the [Privacy Policy](https://www.robinsonlegacypartners.com/privacy) and [Terms of Use](https://www.robinsonlegacypartners.com/terms), including the [arbitration clause](https://www.robinsonlegacypartners.com/terms#arbitration) and [E-SIGN consent](https://www.robinsonlegacypartners.com/terms#esign). Please complete every field with a valid phone and email. ✓ You're all set A licensed agent on our Arlington team will usually reach out within one business day about your life quote. Rather talk now? [Call (817) 262-5300](tel:+18172625300) Mon–Fri 8:30 AM – 5:00 PM · Help in 7 languages ## Is life insurance through work enough for your family? **The short answer:** Usually not by itself: TDI says a basic group policy through your job usually pays one or two times your annual salary, and the coverage typically ends when you leave that job. Group life through an employer is a real benefit, and you should usually take it. But set it next to the DIME math: if your family’s need is several times your income, one or two times salary leaves a gap. The NAIC agrees: “the death benefit usually is less than you need. And if you leave the employer, you may not be able to take this coverage with you.” Sources: TDI [life insurance guide](https://www.tdi.texas.gov/pubs/consumer/cb018.html); NAIC Life Insurance Buyer’s Guide. Check your plan documents. | Question | Group life through work | A policy you own | | --- | --- | --- | | Typical amount | Often limitedUsually one or two times salary. | You chooseSized to your needs, subject to underwriting. | | If you change jobs | Often endsTypically ends when you leave. | Stays with youContinues while you keep it in force. | | Health questions | Usually fewerGroup underwriting isn’t as strict. | Usually requiredOften health questions and an exam. | That last row is why work coverage still matters, especially with a health condition. The trouble is timing. In a job market as busy as Dallas–Fort Worth, people change employers, get laid off or go out on their own. Before a job change, ask HR what, if anything, you can keep, and line up your own coverage first. Our rule of thumb: **treat work coverage as a bonus layer and build the family plan on coverage you own.** ## How should you name life insurance beneficiaries, especially with young kids? **The short answer:** Name a primary and a contingent beneficiary, update them after marriage, divorce or a new baby, and don’t name a minor child directly, because insurers won’t pay a minor, according to the NAIC. Your **beneficiary** is who the company pays after your death, and TDI notes you can name more than one. The ** primary** beneficiary is paid first; a ** contingent** beneficiary is paid if the primary dies before you, as the NAIC’s Journal of Insurance Regulation describes it. If you name no one, the [Insurance Information Institute](https://www.iii.org/article/what-is-a-beneficiary) says the benefit goes to your estate, and probate could delay it. Young children are where good intentions go wrong. The NAIC’s buyer’s guide is direct: “Experts advise you not to name a minor child as a beneficiary. Insurance companies won’t pay a minor.” It suggests considering your estate or a trust instead. Other arrangements, such as a custodian or guardian for the money, depend on Texas law and your family, so that’s a question for an estate planning attorney. It matters most for single parents deciding who would manage the money for their kids. When we review a family’s policy, we check the beneficiary form as carefully as the coverage amount. An old form can pay an ex-spouse or leave out a child born later. III recommends a review after a birth or adoption, marriage or divorce. Our [household coverage review guide](https://www.robinsonlegacypartners.com/blog/claims-and-policy-reviews/texas-insurance-policy-review-guide-how-do-you-check-for-coverage-gaps/) covers the life events that should trigger a look at all your coverage. What about taxes?According to the [IRS](https://www.irs.gov/faqs/interest-dividends-other-types-of-income/life-insurance-disability-insurance-proceeds) (page reviewed September 2026), life insurance proceeds a beneficiary receives because of the insured’s death **generally** aren’t included in gross income, but interest paid on them is taxable. There are exceptions and we don’t give tax advice, so ask a tax professional. ## What consumer protections do Texas life insurance buyers have? **The short answer:** Texas life policies have a free-look period of at least 10 to 20 days, a grace period of at least one month for late premiums, and a two-year contestable period, according to TDI and Texas rules. Sources: TDI [life insurance guide](https://www.tdi.texas.gov/pubs/consumer/cb018.html) (updated 12/12/2025); Texas [Insurance Code ch. 1101](https://statutes.capitol.texas.gov/Docs/IN/htm/IN.1101.htm) (§§ 1101.005, 1101.006); 28 Texas Administrative Code §§ 3.102 and 3.104. Your policy’s wording controls. | Protection | What it means for you | | --- | --- | | Free-look period | At least 10–20 daysPer TDI, you may cancel for any reason during this window and get a full refund. | | Grace period | At least one monthTexas law requires at least one month for every premium after the first; TDI says most policies allow 31 days. If you die during it, TDI says the benefit is paid minus the premium owed. | | Contestable period | Two yearsIf the insured dies in the first two years, the company may review the application and, per TDI, can deny payment for wrong or undisclosed information. Under Insurance Code § 1101.006, a policy becomes incontestable no later than two years from its date, with limited exceptions such as nonpayment. | | Licensed agent and company | Check firstTDI warns that if an unlicensed company fails, your beneficiary might not get paid. Verify agents with [TDI’s agent lookup](https://www.tdi.texas.gov/agent/agent-lookup.html). | The contestable period catches families off guard, so we tell every applicant the same thing: **answer every application question completely and honestly**, including health, tobacco and hobbies. A lower price built on a missing answer can cost your family the whole benefit. ### Thinking about replacing a policy you already own? Sometimes a new policy makes sense; often it doesn’t. TDI lists what you could give up: new policies usually take longer to build cash value and pay dividends, surrender fees may reduce your old policy’s cash value, and **the two-year contestable period begins again**. TDI also notes it’s illegal for an agent to replace a policy just to earn a new commission. The NAIC’s rule: don’t cancel your current policy until you get the new one. If you ask us about replacing coverage, we’ll start by showing you what you’d give up. Questions or a complaint about a life insurer or agent? TDI’s Consumer Help Line is **800-252-3439**. ## How do you find a lost life insurance policy in Texas? **The short answer:** Use the NAIC’s free Life Insurance Policy Locator, which asks participating insurers to search their records for policies on someone who has died; if there’s a match and you’re the beneficiary, the company contacts you directly. Families lose track of policies more often than you’d think: an old policy, a parent who never mentioned it, paperwork lost in a move. The [NAIC Life Insurance Policy Locator](https://content.naic.org/article/naic-life-insurance-policy-locator-tool-helps-match-consumers-more-16-billion-lost-and-unclaimed) sends one secure request to participating life insurance and annuity companies. It’s free, and the NAIC says searches may take 90 business days or more. You won’t hear back if there’s no match. $16.99B in lost and unclaimed life insurance and annuity benefits matched through the locator as of July 31, 2026, across more than 780,000 matches since November 2016, according to the [NAIC](https://content.naic.org/article/naic-life-insurance-policy-locator-tool-helps-match-consumers-more-16-billion-lost-and-unclaimed) (September 3, 2026). Prevention is simpler. III’s buying steps end with this one: tell your beneficiaries about the policy, including the company, where it’s kept and what to do with the benefit. Keep a copy with your will and other important papers. ## How do you choose life insurance coverage, step by step? **The short answer:** Figure out who depends on you, add up the need, match the policy type to how long the need lasts, check your work coverage, set up beneficiaries carefully, then review after big life events. Here’s the order we work through with families, whether it’s a first policy or a second look at an old one: 1. **List who depends on your income** Kids, a spouse or partner, a parent you help support: anyone who would feel the loss of your paycheck or your work at home. 2. **Add up the need, then subtract what you have** Use DIME: debts and final expenses, needed income and for how long, the mortgage, education goals. Subtract usable savings and existing coverage. 3. **Match the policy type to how long the need lasts** A need that fades as kids grow often points to term; a lifelong need may point to permanent. Ask how renewal and conversion work. 4. **Don’t lean on work coverage alone** Check your group life amount, and remember it typically ends when you leave the job. 5. **Answer the application completely** Full, accurate answers about health, tobacco, job and hobbies protect the benefit during the two-year contestable period. 6. **Name primary and contingent beneficiaries** Don’t name a minor directly. Talk to an estate planning attorney, and tell your beneficiaries where the policy is kept. 7. **Use the free look, then review after life events** Read the policy during the free-look period, and review it after marriage, divorce, a new baby, a new home or a job change. ## The bottom line Life insurance is about whether the people who depend on you could keep the house, keep the kids’ routine and pay the bills if your income or your work at home disappeared. The decisions that matter most are **how much coverage you need**, calculated rather than guessed, ** how long you need it**, which points toward term or permanent, and ** who receives it**, set up so the money can reach your kids. Texas gives you a free look, a grace period and clear contestability rules; they work best when you know them before you sign. For help running the numbers, send us your ZIP below or call [(817) 262-5300](tel:+18172625300). We’ll do the math with you, explain the [life insurance](https://www.robinsonlegacypartners.com/life-insurance) options we can offer and quote coverage that fits, with no pressure. We can look at your home and car coverage in the same conversation; our [guide to Texas auto coverage](https://www.robinsonlegacypartners.com/blog/auto-insurance/texas-car-insurance-guide-coverage-costs-and-quote-decisions/) covers the driving side. We help in English, Spanish, Arabic, Hindi, Punjabi, Urdu and Coptic, Monday through Friday, 8:30 to 5. Free Texas quote Get your Texas life insurance quote. Takes 30 seconds. A licensed agent on our Arlington team reviews it personally and usually reaches out within one business day. What do you need? Auto Home Home + Auto bundle Condo Renters Landlord / rental Flood Life Motorcycle RV / motorhome Business Please add a valid 5-digit ZIP and pick what you need. Prefer to talk it through? [(817) 262-5300](tel:+18172625300) · Mon–Fri 8:30 AM – 5:00 PM 4.8★ · 100+ Google reviews · Licensed Texas agency · Help in 7 languages Almost done Where should we send it? We'll usually reach out within one business day. By clicking **Get My Free Quote**, I give Robinson Legacy Partners LLC, an Allstate agency, and its licensed agents my prior express written consent, by electronic signature, to contact me with calls and text messages — including marketing calls and texts made using automated technology or an artificial or prerecorded voice — and by email, at the number and email I provided, about my insurance quote and related insurance products and services, even if my number is on a Do Not Call list. My information is never sold or shared with other agencies for their own marketing. Consent is not a condition of purchase; I can call (817) 262-5300 instead. Message frequency varies. Message and data rates may apply. Reply STOP to opt out, HELP for help. I agree to the [Privacy Policy](https://www.robinsonlegacypartners.com/privacy) and [Terms of Use](https://www.robinsonlegacypartners.com/terms), including the [arbitration clause](https://www.robinsonlegacypartners.com/terms#arbitration) and [E-SIGN consent](https://www.robinsonlegacypartners.com/terms#esign). Please complete every field with a valid phone and email. ✓ You're all set A licensed agent on our Arlington team will usually reach out within one business day about your life quote. Rather talk now? [Call (817) 262-5300](tel:+18172625300) Mon–Fri 8:30 AM – 5:00 PM · Help in 7 languages ## Other questions Texas families ask about life insurance ### Does a stay-at-home parent need life insurance? Often, yes. A stay-at-home parent doesn’t earn a paycheck, but the family would have to pay for the work they do: childcare, school runs and running the household. Estimate that yearly cost and for how many years, and use it as the starting point. More on our [life insurance page](https://www.robinsonlegacypartners.com/life-insurance). ### What happens when a term life policy ends? Coverage stops unless you act. TDI says renewable term policies let you extend coverage without a medical exam, but premiums go up when you renew. Convertible policies can be exchanged for permanent coverage without an exam, usually only until about age 65. Check both features before your term runs out. ### Do DFW families need different life insurance than other Texans? Not because of the ZIP code. Needs come from your household: income, kids, debts and the mortgage. What we see in North Texas is timing: many families buy a first home in places like Mansfield or Grand Prairie while their kids are small, exactly when the need is largest. ### Should I tell my family about my life insurance policy? Yes. A policy only helps if someone knows it exists. The Insurance Information Institute recommends telling your beneficiaries the company’s name, where the policy is kept and what you want done with the benefit. Keep a copy with your will and other important papers. ### How can I check that a life insurance agent is licensed in Texas? Use [TDI’s agent lookup](https://www.tdi.texas.gov/agent/agent-lookup.html) to confirm the agent holds a Texas license. TDI also advises making sure the company is licensed, because if an unlicensed company fails, your beneficiary might not get paid. You can reach TDI’s Consumer Help Line at 800-252-3439 with questions about an agent or company. ## Texas life insurance FAQ How long is the free-look period on a Texas life insurance policy?+ According to the Texas Department of Insurance, Texas life insurance policies have a free-look period of at least 10 to 20 days. During that window, you may cancel the policy for any reason and get a full refund. Read the policy as soon as it arrives. Check the coverage amount, term length, premium, beneficiaries and riders, and make sure your application answers are correct. If anything looks wrong, contact your agent or the company before the free-look period ends. What happens if you miss a life insurance premium payment in Texas?+ Texas law requires life insurance policies to include a grace period of at least one month for every premium after the first, and TDI says most policies allow 31 days after the due date. Coverage stays in force during the grace period. TDI says you can usually pay with no interest charged, though Texas law lets a policy charge interest, so check yours. If the insured dies during the grace period, TDI says the beneficiary gets the death benefit minus the premium owed. If the grace period ends unpaid, the policy can lapse, so treat it as a safety net, not a payment plan. Can a Texas life insurance company deny a claim after the policy is issued?+ During the first two years, it can. Texas life insurance policies have a two-year contestable period. If the insured dies during that time, the company may review the application, and if it finds wrong or missing information, it can deny payment, according to TDI. After two years, Texas law generally makes the policy incontestable, with limited exceptions such as nonpayment of premium. The best protection is simple: answer every application question about health, tobacco, job and hobbies completely and honestly. Can you name a minor child as a life insurance beneficiary in Texas?+ You can write a child’s name on the form, but the NAIC’s Life Insurance Buyer’s Guide says experts advise against naming a minor child as a beneficiary, because insurance companies won’t pay a minor. The guide suggests considering your estate or a trust instead. Other options, such as a custodian or guardian to manage the money, depend on Texas law and your family’s situation, so talk with an estate planning attorney before you set up beneficiaries for young children. Do you need a medical exam to buy life insurance in Texas?+ Often, but not always. TDI explains that companies use underwriting to decide whether to sell you a policy, and it often includes a medical exam and questions about your health, job and habits. The NAIC notes that, depending on the policy, you may see a doctor, answer health questions or have a medical professional visit you. Group life insurance through an employer usually has less strict underwriting. Your age, health and the amount you apply for affect what the company asks. About this guide Written by the Robinson Legacy Partners team · Reviewed by Clarence Robinson II We're a local Allstate agency at 700 Highlander Blvd in south Arlington, serving Arlington, the DFW Metroplex and Texas in English, Spanish, Arabic, Hindi, Punjabi, Urdu and Coptic, with more languages coming as our team grows. Facts in this guide come from the public sources linked above, including the [Texas Department of Insurance](https://www.tdi.texas.gov/), and we review them at least quarterly. You can confirm any Texas agent's license with [TDI's agent lookup](https://www.tdi.texas.gov/agent/agent-lookup.html). [Meet Clarence](https://www.robinsonlegacypartners.com/about-clarence-robinson). Clarence Robinson II is an exclusive agent of Allstate Insurance Company and its affiliates. Coverage is subject to policy terms, conditions, qualifications and availability. Discounts and savings vary and are not available in all situations. This guide is general information, not a policy or legal advice; your policy documents control. Last reviewed by the Robinson Legacy Partners team on September 29, 2026. ## Let’s run your family’s numbers together. Free, and about 15 minutes. Tell us who depends on you and what you owe on the house. We’ll work out the coverage amount and term that fit your family and explain your options, in the language you’re most comfortable with. [Get My Free Quote](https://www.robinsonlegacypartners.com/quote) [or call **(817) 262-5300**](tel:+18172625300) --- **Robinson Legacy Partners** · 700 Highlander Blvd, Suite 405, Arlington, TX 76015 · (817) 262-5300 · Mon–Fri 8:30 AM–5:00 PM Central Request a quote: https://www.robinsonlegacypartners.com/quote-request (plain HTML form) or https://www.robinsonlegacypartners.com/quote (guided).