Term Insurance
Term life insurance is very simple and it is also much more affordable.
Term Life Insurance has one simple function. Protect your family from an unexpected death. Change cannot happen without inconvenience, not even from worse to better. There cannot be much of a bigger inconvenience than a death in the family.
Whether you pay off the mortgage, keep the kids clothed and fed while growing up or just simply use as income till a better future arrives. What you have here is a financial safety mechanism over the term of the policy. It is a financial safety belt for the duration of the term policy.
The Beneficiary will receive the agreed upon payout upon the death of the insured. Usually for somewhere between 10 -30 years. You make the same payment every month, and if you die within that term, your beneficiaries will be able to file a claim to receive the agreed upon payout.
At the end of the term, the coverage ends, but so will your payments. Hopefully your family will never need the death benefit. While it appears you got nothing back for your premiums the fact of the matter is the term policy performed its function of protecting your family from an unexpected loss.