Protect today. Guarantee tomorrow.
Tailored life‑insurance solutions for lasting family security.
Your Family’s Safety Net Starts Here
Life moves fast—and so can life‑changing events. Whether you’re a new parent, a business owner, or simply want to provide for loved ones, the right life insurance policy turns uncertainty into confidence.
The Southern Agency partners with A‑rated carriers nationwide to deliver competitive rates, flexible coverage, and expert guidance you can trust. One quick illustration shows you real numbers from multiple insurers—often in five minutes or less.
Why Choose The Southern Agency?
- Independent & Nationwide – We shop dozens of top carriers so you don’t have to.
- Personal Service, Big‑Agency Resources – Work with a dedicated advisor backed by industry‑leading underwriting support.
- Straight Talk, No Gimmicks – From “buy term and invest the difference” to feature‑rich whole life, we explain every option in plain English.
- Fast, Secure, Digital – E‑signatures and online health questionnaires speed up approval while protecting your data.
The Southern Agency's Life Insurance Overview
Compare Leading Life Insurance Companies
There are a lot of insurance companies that offer life insurance, and we represent or have access to most of these carriers, including top names, such as:
- Allianz Life of North America
- American General Life Insurance (AIG)
- Auto-Owners Life Insurance Company
- Cincinnati Life Insurance Company
- ERIE Life Insurance Company
- Foresters Financial
- Government Personnel Mutual
- Lincoln Financial Group
- National Life Group
Popular Riders & Custom Features
- Accelerated Benefit – Access a portion of the death benefit if diagnosed with a terminal illness.
- Accidental Death Benefit – Extra payout if death results from a covered accident.
- Child Term – Low‑cost term coverage for children until they reach adulthood.
- Critical Illness – Lump‑sum payment upon diagnosis of a covered serious illness.
- Disability Income – Monthly income if you become disabled and can’t work.
- Guaranteed Insurability – Buy more coverage later—no medical exam.
- Long‑Term Care – Use part of the death benefit for qualifying long‑term care expenses.
- Waiver of Premium – Premiums waived during qualifying disability.
- Return of Premium – Get back premiums if you outlive a term policy.
Benefits At A Glance
- Coverage for a specific term or your entire lifetime
- Many AM Best A++ carriers for rock‑solid financial strength
- Policies that build cash value with zero market risk
- Family, mortgage, key‑person, and buy‑sell protection
- Possible multi‑policy and healthy‑lifestyle discounts
- Flexible monthly, quarterly, or annual payments
Underwriting 101: What Impacts Your Rate?
- Age
- Health history
- Height/weight
- Blood pressure
- Cholesterol
- Nicotine/vaping
- Recreation risk
- Driving record
- Medications
- Family medical history
- Substance use
- Residency & travel
Possible requirements also include: online application, phone interview, paramed exam, blood work, urinalysis, EKG, attending‑physician statements, MIB report.
Discover the Right Policy:
Term, Universal, Indexed Universal & Whole Life Explained
TERM LIFE INSURANCE
Term life insurance is the simplest and most affordable way to secure a large death‑benefit payout for a defined period—10, 15, 20, 25, 30 years, or even to age 65. Because premiums pay only for pure protection (there is no cash‑value account), you get the lowest cost per dollar of coverage—ideal for young families, new homeowners, and anyone who needs to replace income during high‑expense years.
Key Advantages
- Fixed, level premiums for the entire term
- High coverage amounts available with quick, digital underwriting
- Convertible to permanent life insurance—no medical exam—before the term ends
- Optional Return‑of‑Premium feature refunds 100 % of paid premiums if you outlive the policy
- Riders available for accelerated death benefit, disability waiver, and children’s term coverage
Best‑Fit Uses: Mortgage protection, income replacement while raising children, business loan collateral, or affordable key‑person coverage.
INDEXED UNIVERSAL LIFE (IUL) INSURANCE
Indexed Universal Life blends lifelong protection with tax‑advantaged cash‑value growth that’s linked to a popular market index such as the S&P 500—without exposing your policy to direct stock‑market losses. You choose how aggressively or conservatively to allocate cash; annual caps limit upside, but a built‑in “floor” (often 0 %) shields you from a negative market year.
Key Advantages
- Flexible premiums—you can pay more when cash flow is strong or scale back in lean years
- Cash value grows tax‑deferred and can be accessed through loans or withdrawals for college costs, real‑estate down payments, or supplemental retirement income
- Downside protection: you never lose accumulated value due to a market decline
- Adjustable death‑benefit options (level or increasing) to match evolving estate‑planning goals
- Broad menu of index strategies, including cap‑ and participation‑rate choices, for tailored growth potential
Best‑Fit Uses: Long‑term wealth accumulation, tax‑diversified retirement planning, executive bonus plans, or funding a buy‑sell agreement with future cash‑value access.
UNIVERSAL LIFE (Guaranteed‑Interest UL)
Traditional Universal Life provides permanent coverage with a declared, guaranteed interest rate rather than market‑linked returns. You control how much premium you pay—above a minimum—while the insurer credits your cash‑value account at a steady rate, creating predictable, tax‑deferred growth.
Key Advantages
- Premium flexibility: pay extra to build cash value faster or keep payments low while maintaining coverage
- Guaranteed minimum interest rate protects against market volatility
- Choice of level death benefit (face amount only) or increasing benefit (face amount + cash value)
- Policy loans at competitive rates and partial withdrawals available for liquidity needs
- Potentially lower cost than Whole Life while still offering lifetime protection and cash growth
Best‑Fit Uses: Lifelong coverage with payment flexibility, supplemental savings for future goals, or legacy planning without equity‑market exposure.
WHOLE LIFE INSURANCE
Whole Life is the gold standard for guaranteed lifetime protection and disciplined, tax‑advantaged savings. Premiums remain level forever, and every payment builds cash value at a rate stated in the contract. Many mutual insurers also pay annual dividends that can boost growth, reduce premiums, or be taken in cash.
Key Advantages
- Fixed premiums that never increase with age or health changes
- Guaranteed death benefit for heirs, businesses, or charitable bequests
- Cash value grows at a contractually guaranteed rate, available through policy loans with no credit check
- Potential dividends provide extra, non‑guaranteed growth or premium relief
- Valuable estate‑planning tool—funds trusts, pays estate taxes, or equalizes inheritances
Best‑Fit Uses: Estate‑tax liquidity, wealth transfer, lifetime income‑replacement needs, funding special‑needs trusts, or creating an irrevocable charitable legacy.
How To Choose The Right Policy
1
Clarify Your Goal – Income replacement? Estate planning? Business succession?
2
Set Your Budget – Determine a comfortable premium range.
3
Review Health & Lifestyle Factors – Age, medical history, and habits shape underwriting offers.
4
Compare Quotes & Projections – Your Southern Agency advisor provides side‑by‑side illustrations showing premiums, cash‑value growth, and guaranteed values.
5
Customize With Riders – Add living‑benefit riders, long‑term‑care coverage, or return‑of‑premium options to fit your situation.
Ready to see real numbers? Contact The Southern Agency for a personalized life‑insurance illustration and expert guidance on building a plan that protects your family and supports your long‑term financial goals.
Get Started in 3 Simple Steps
1
Request Your Illustration
Takes only a couple of minutes.
2
Choose the Best‑Fit Policy
Your advisor compares quotes and riders side‑by‑side.
3
Relax—Your Family Is Protected
Receive policy documents and annual statements (plus cash‑value updates if applicable).
Let’s Find the Right Life Insurance for You
Your family’s future is too important to leave to chance. Click below to receive a side‑by‑side illustration from the nation’s strongest life insurance companies—fast, unbiased, and free.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
What is life insurance?
Life insurance is a contract that pays a tax‑advantaged death benefit to your beneficiaries in exchange for regular premiums—providing financial security when it’s needed most.
How much coverage do I need?
A common rule is 10–15 × your annual income, but debts, education goals, and lifestyle all matter. Our advisors run personalized needs analyses at no cost.
Are premiums locked in?
Yes for term and most whole‑life policies. Universal life premiums can be flexible within policy limits.
Will my policy’s cash value grow tax‑deferred?
Yes. Cash value accumulates tax‑deferred and can often be accessed tax‑advantaged through policy loans or withdrawals (consult your tax advisor).
Can I adjust or convert my policy later?
Many term policies are convertible to permanent coverage. Universal and indexed universal policies allow future premium and death‑benefit adjustments.
What types of life insurance are available?
The four most common are term life, whole life, universal life, and indexed universal life—each offering different combinations of cost, duration, flexibility, and cash‑value potential.
What affects my life‑insurance rate?
Age, health, height/weight, family medical history, lifestyle habits (such as smoking or high‑risk hobbies), occupation, and the amount and type of coverage all play major roles.
Are death benefits taxable?
In most cases, life‑insurance death benefits are income‑tax‑free to beneficiaries. Estate‑tax exposure or certain ownership structures can create exceptions; consult a tax professional.
Do I need a medical exam?
Traditional underwriting often includes a brief paramedical exam. Some carriers offer “no‑exam” or accelerated‑underwriting policies for qualifying applicants.
Can I own more than one policy?
Yes. Many people layer multiple policies (e.g., a term policy for mortgage protection plus a smaller whole‑life policy for final expenses).
How quickly are claims paid?
Most carriers pay approved claims within 7–14 business days after receiving a completed claim form and death certificate.
What happens if I stop paying premiums?
If you miss payments, a grace period (typically 30–31 days) applies. After that, term policies lapse; permanent policies may use cash value to keep coverage in force or may lapse if value is insufficient.
Can I change my beneficiaries?
Absolutely. You can update beneficiaries at any time unless you’ve designated an irrevocable beneficiary, which requires their consent for changes.
Does life insurance cover accidental death only?
Standard life policies pay for death from most causes, including illness. Accidental‑only coverage is a separate, more limited product.
Is it possible to borrow against my policy?
Whole life, universal life, and indexed universal life policies accumulate cash value you can borrow against—usually at competitive interest rates—with no credit check.
