How much coverage does your family actually need?
Two minutes, six sliders, an honest number. We use the DIME method (Debt, Income, Mortgage, Education) and subtract what you already have.
Your household
Gross income your family would need to replace.
Until the kids are independent or your spouse could comfortably adjust. 10 to 15 is typical.
Car loans, cards, student loans, plus roughly $15K of final expenses.
We assume an illustrative $75K per child. Adjust your final number with your agent.
What you already have
Include employer group coverage, but remember it usually ends with the job.
Your estimated need
Nearest common policy size: $1,000,000
Educational estimate only, not a recommendation or an offer of coverage. Coverage is subject to underwriting, and availability varies by state and carrier.
How this calculator works
The DIME method adds four buckets: Debt (non-mortgage debts plus final expenses), Income (annual income times the years your family would need it), Mortgage (your payoff balance) and Education (future schooling per child). We then subtract liquid savings and any in-force life insurance, because insurance should fill the gap, not duplicate what you have.
The result deliberately errs on the thorough side. An agent will refine it with details a slider cannot capture: a spouse's income, Social Security survivor benefits, special-needs planning or a business. Read the full walkthrough in our guide to calculating coverage.