Term life insurance is a policy that pays out a stated death benefit if the insured dies during a specified term. Term life premiums are determined based on age and health, and may require a medical examination. Depending on the insurance company, it may be possible to turn term life into whole life insurance. Typically, you can purchase term life policies that last 10, 15, or 20 years. Aside from the guaranteed death benefit, these policies do not feature any savings components as is found in whole life insurance products.