What is a common characteristic of both Whole Life Insurance and Universal Life Insurance?

Whole Life Insurance and Universal Life Insurance are both types of permanent life insurance that share the characteristic of providing cash value accumulation. This means that a portion of the premiums paid contributes to a cash value component within the policy, which grows over time at a specified interest rate for Whole Life and may vary for Universal Life. This cash value can be accessed by the policyholder through loans or withdrawals, providing a financial resource during their lifetime.

In contrast, term-based insurances, which are primarily designed to provide coverage for a specified term without a cash value component, do not bear relevance when comparing these two permanent insurance types. Similarly, while Whole Life typically has fixed premiums, Universal Life offers more flexibility in premium payments, which is why the assertion of both having fixed premiums is misleading. Lastly, Universal Life does allow for investment options within the policy, but Whole Life does not, focusing instead on guaranteed growth; thus, investment options are not a shared characteristic.