If you need life insurance, now may be the time to buy it.

Life insurance premiums have dropped over 15% over the last few years, according to the Insurance Information Institute. In fact, premiums are less than half of what they were just a decade ago.

There are two basic types of life insurance policies that have lowered their premiums: terms and permanent.

Term insurance is basic coverage. You pay a premium and get life insurance for a specific period, typically from 1 to 20 years. Upon the renewal of a term insurance policy, you'll generally pay a higher premium because you're older. Term insurance is good when there is a known amount of coverage needed for a specific time period.

Permanent insurance, on the other hand, provides both insurance coverage and a savings account, known as the "cash value." Cash value policies include whole life, universal life, variable whole life, and variable universal life. Cash value insurance is permanent protection. You lock into a premium when you purchase the contract. Universal policies let you make flexible premium payments. Permanent insurance is used to cover a life long coverage need or estate planning.

Why are life insurance rates dropping? People are living longer. The longer you live, the lower your insurance premiums. Life insurance rates are dropping because death rates for the 25 to 44 age group - the primary purchasers of life insurance - have decreased significantly over the past 10 years. In 1996, the death rate per 100,000 for the 25-to-44 year-old age group was 177.8. By 2004, it had dropped to 161.8, based on National Vital Statistics Reports preliminary data. That represents nearly a 10 percent drop in the death rate in less than a decade for the prime insurance-buying ages.

The drop in insurance rates can represent a substantial savings. A typical annual premium for a 40-year-old male nonsmoker buying a $500,000, 20-year level term life insurance policy in 2007 would run $615 if he qualifies as a "standard" risk and $340 if he meets the more stringent requirements of a "preferred" risk. Rates for women, younger people and for larger amounts of insurance would be lower.

Premium rates for traditional whole life, universal life, and variable universal life insurance also are lower. As an example, today, someone age 35 would pay about $8 per $1,000 of coverage for permanent protection. Ten years ago it was more like $12 per $1,000 of coverage.

With rates lower than they ever have been, young parents might reassess the amount of life insurance they carry, and consider purchasing more. For example, to provide an income of $30,000 annually to a surviving parent to raise a couple's children for 20 years requires approximately $400,000. Higher education goals would need additional funds. According to LIMRA International, Hartford, Conn., in 2004, the average 25 year-old to 34 year-old adult with life insurance had only $145,000; the average 35 to 44 year-old adult had only $323,000 of life insurance.

What should you do if you're sitting on a higher rate term insurance or cash value policy? First, have a financial planner or experienced life insurance agent conduct an insurance needs analysis to determine how much coverage you need. Second, determine the cost of the required coverage and whether it makes sense to convert an existing policy or, if additional coverage is needed, whether it makes sense to add a new policy or convert.

Most life insurance companies charge lower rates for larger amounts of insurance. So buying one larger policy rather than keeping a smaller one and starting a second policy should further lower your premium. Rates often drop at the $250,000, $500,000, and $1 million levels. Do note on the application that you plan to replace an existing policy. And, don't drop the existing policy until the new one is in place.

The drawbacks: If your age, occupation or health has changed, you may not be able to get lower premiums from another insurer.

There are more factors to consider when switching a whole life, universal or universal variable insurance policy. In addition to premium costs, consider:

- Although you can do a 1035 tax-free exchange to move the cash value from your old policy to a new policy, you'll pay commissions and other insurance costs on the new policy. This can mean more than 50 percent of your premium in the first year and other commissions on the cash value that is moved to the new company.
- If the total of all prior premiums is less than the cash value in the policy you are replacing, you will owe income taxes on the difference. A 1035 tax-free exchange should be considered in this situation.
- Usually, if a cash value policy has been in force for 7 to 10 years, with a quality carrier and you are not changing the type of underlying investment from a fixed portfolio to a variable portfolio, it is unwise to make a change.
- Life insurance policies are incontestable after they have been in force for two years regardless of any errors or misstatements on the initial application. Replacing an existing policy with a new policy will start the incontestability period over again.
- Any policy loans on your old policy will have to be repaid immediately.

Finally, always check the financial strength of the insurance company you are considering. The strongest companies are rated A++ and A+ by A.M. Best and AAA by Standard & Poor's.

Purchasing life insurance is an important decision. Find a qualified financial planner and insurance agent who can educate you, determine your current and future coverage needs and design a coverage plan that fits your budget. A review of your coverage with a qualified insurance agent is in order every year or if you have a change of life situation.