Permanent life insurance

What is permanent life insurance?

Permanent life insurance provides a death benefit payment (proceeds to your beneficiaries) that is generally free of federal income tax and—depending on the product—may accumulate [cash value] (also known as policy value) you can access if you need it.1

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Key benefits

Protect your beneficiaries with a guaranteed benefit if you die unexpectedly.

Preserve and potentially increase your wealth transfer to beneficiaries.

[Policy value] can grow tax-deferred over time.2

Living benefit riders that can help you today - not just when you're gone.

How does permanent life insurance work?

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You pay

You make regular premium payments into your policy. 

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Policy value may increase

Your policy may accumulate cash value over time and is available to access if you need it.

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You benefit

Our living benefit riders can help you today - not just when you're gone.

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They benefit

Your beneficiaries receive a death benefit generally free of federal income tax when you die.

What do you want your insurance to do?

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Accumulate policy value

  • To preserve your family’s lifestyle when you’re gone.
  • To pay off debts and final expenses.
  • To fund a tax-efficient transfer of your business to a partner or family member.
  • To access policy value for college, a business or a retirement income shortfall.
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Leave money to your beneficiaries

  • To provide funds to help cover estate taxes or even final medical bills.
  • To leave a legacy to loved ones or a charity, free of federal income taxes (and potentially free of estate taxes3).
  • To fund a tax-efficient transfer of your business to a partner or family member.
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Prepare you for the unexpected

  • To have access to a portion of the death benefit—to use however you choose—if the insured is diagnosed with a chronic or terminal illness.
  • To have access to cancer care benefits and services— including a multi-cancer early detection test, health care advocacy services, nutrition guidance, and a cash benefit— with a qualifying cancer diagnosis. Available exclusively on certain Symetra indexed universal life insurance policies (IULs) for insureds who qualify.

 

Products to consider

  Accumulator Ascent IUL Protector IUL SwiftProtector Accumulator VUL
Product detail pages Accumulator IUL Protector IUL SwiftProtector Accumulator VUL
Product type Indexed universal life Indexed universal life Indexed universal life Variable universal life
Key feature Designed to maximize cash value growth and income potential, plus strong death benefit protection. Provides cost-effective, guaranteed death benefit protection with cash value growth potential.4 Provides cost-effective, guaranteed death benefit protection with cash value growth potential through an online purchase process. Coverage is available in as little as 25 minutes if you qualify.4, 5 Designed to build cash value through the performance of professionally managed, market-driven subaccounts combined with death benefit protection.
Issue ages 20-85 20-85 20-60 20-85
Policy size Minimum $100,000 Minimum $100,000 $100,000 - $3 million Minimum $100,000
Application process Traditional Traditional Online Traditional
Policy value growth potential Choose from several index strategies and an optional fixed account that lock in any interest earned and protect against market losses. Choose from several index strategies and an optional fixed account that lock in any interest earned and protect against market losses. Choose from several index strategies and an optional fixed account that lock in any interest earned and protect against market losses. Choose from a variety of professionally managed subaccounts and an optional fixed account. Growth potential is limited only by the market performance of the selected subaccounts.
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Added benefits

Each permanent life insurance product includes coverage with selected riders. See glossary for the definition of a rider.

Overloan Lapse Protection

You can take out loans and withdrawals without policy lapsing. Automatically included with these products:

  • Accumulator Ascent IUL
  • Protector IUL
  • SwiftProtector
  • Accumulator VUL
Accelerated Death Benefit for Terminal Illness

Get access to a portion of the policy's death benefit if you're diagnosed with a qualifying serious illness. Automatically included with these products:

  • Accumulator Ascent IUL
  • Protector IUL
  • SwiftProtector
  • Accumulator VUL
Accelerated Death Benefit for Chronic Illness

Get access to a portion of the policy's death benefit if you're diagnosed with a qualifying chronic illness. Automatically included with these products:

  • Accumulator Ascent IUL
  • Protector IUL
  • SwiftProtector
  • Accumulator VUL
Accelerated Death Benefit for Chronic Care Advantage

Offers the option to choose what percentage of the death benefit (50% or 100%) you could access to use however you choose if you're diagnosed with a qualifying illness. Optional with these products:

  • Accumulator Ascent IUL
  • Protector IUL
  • SwiftProtector
Cancer Care Compass

Provides access to a multi-cancer early detection test and can help provide the monetary, nutritional, and health care support to live a longer and healthier life. Optional with these products:

  • Accumulator Ascent IUL
  • Protector IUL

Next steps

Ask your insurance professional if life insurance is right for you.

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Before investing, carefully consider the investment objectives, risks, charges, and expenses. The policy’s value allocated to the subaccounts will fluctuate. Variable life insurance involves fees and charges such as administrative charges, expense charges, cost of insurance charges, variable policy value charges, premium charges, surrender charges, underlying fund expenses, and, if applicable, transfer processing fees or withdrawal processing fees, which are explained in the prospectus. This and other information are contained in the policy prospectus and the underlying portfolio prospectuses. For online copies of the prospectuses visit www.symetra.com. Please read them carefully.

Past performance is no guarantee of future returns. The investment return and principal value of an investment will fluctuate, and units, when redeemed, may be worth more or less than their original cost.

Securities are offered through Symetra Securities, Inc. (SSI). Member, FINRA.

Life insurance is issued by Symetra Life Insurance Company, 777 108th Ave NE, Suite 1200, Bellevue, WA 98004. Policies and riders may not be available in all U.S. states or any U.S. territory, and terms and conditions may vary by the state in which they are available. SSI and Symetra Life Insurance Company are affiliates and are located at 777 108th Avenue NE, Suite 1200, Bellevue. WA 98004 5135. Each company is responsible for its own financial obligations.

Life insurance is issued by Symetra Life Insurance Company(SLIC). Life insurance policies, riders and endorsements are not available in all U.S. states or any U.S. territory. Terms and conditions may vary by state in which they are available.

SSI and SLIC are affiliates and are located at 777 108th Avenue NE, Suite 1200, Bellevue, WA 98004-5135. Each company is responsible for its own financial obligations.

Symetra SwiftProtector, Accumulator Ascent IUL and Protector IUL are a flexible-premium adjustable life insurance policy with index-linked interest options. In most states, the policy form number for Symetra SwiftProtector is ICC23_LC1, for Symetra Accumulator Ascent IUL is ICC17_LC1, and for Symetra Protector IUL is ICC18_LC2. Symetra Accumulator VUL is a flexible-premium adjustable variable life insurance policy. Where available, it is usually issued under policy form number ICC21_LC1.

Policy riders and endorsements are not available in all U.S. states or any U.S. territory, and terms and conditions may vary by state in which they are available. Where available, they are usually issued under the following rider and endorsement form numbers: Accelerated Death Benefit for Chronic Illness Rider form number ICC16_LE6, Accelerated Death Benefit for Terminal Illness Rider form number ICC16_ LE5, Accelerated Death Benefit for Chronic Care Advantage Rider form number ICC23_LE1, Cancer Insurance Rider form number L-10351; Value-Added Services Rider form number L-10358; Overloan Lapse Protection Rider form number ICC17_LE5 or ICC21_LE3.

Life insurance policies contain exclusions, limitations, reductions of benefits and terms for keeping them in-force. Please refer to the policy for more details.

Guarantees and benefits are subject to the claims-paying ability of Symetra Life Insurance Company.

A rider is a provision of the policy that may have additional costs, limitations, potential benefits and features that should never be confused with the base policy itself. Before evaluating the benefits of a rider, carefully examine the policy to which it is attached.

Certain benefits or riders may have tax implications. Clients should consult with their legal or tax professional prior to purchasing.

Cancer Care Compass is a rider package comprised of the Cancer Insurance and Value Added Services riders.

The Cancer Insurance Rider is offered at application for an additional cost. The rider is only available for insureds issue ages 20-80, and if elected, additional underwriting will be required. It's possible that the insured is approved for the base policy but declined for the rider based on the rider underwriting results. The rider is not available on policies with ratings worse than Table 4, with annual flat extras exceeding $5 per $1,000, or with both flat extras and table rates. The maximum cash benefit amount is selected at application and cannot be increased once the rider is issued. If the Cancer Insurance Rider is declined, the Value Added Services Rider is not available.

Cancer Care Compass includes the Value Added Services Rider for an additional cost. The value-added services are provided by third-party providers that are independent of Symetra Life Insurance Company. Registering to use or using these services is optional.

The Galleri® multi-cancer early detection screening test is administered by GRAIL, LLC, and is available one time to insured's ages 50-89 under the rider after the benefit waiting period. The test is available through an independent telemedicine healthcare provider. The test results are provided to the insured. Access to the rider's nutrition or health advocacy services are available after the benefit waiting period and will remain available to the policyowner and their eligible family members through the insured's age 90 or at no additional cost for two years following the payment of the rider maximum cash benefit amount.

Products and services offered under the Value Added Services Rider are not insurance and are subject to change. For more information, please contact Symetra at www.symetra.com or by telephone at 1-800-796-3872. There are additional requirements associated with participation in the value-added services. Terms and conditions may vary and may not be available in all U.S. states or any U.S. territory. If any service is discontinued or if we elect to cease to offer a service, we may substitute a reasonably comparable service. If no reasonably comparable service is available, we may discontinue the specific service and cease charging for that service.

The Overloan Lapse Protection Rider (OLPR) will prevent the policy from lapsing when, on any monthly anniversary, the outstanding indebtedness on the policy exceeds the policy’s specified amount and is approaching the policy value. Exercise of this rider will result in a “paid- up” status. In order to be eligible to exercise this rider, the insured must be at least 75 years old, the policy must have been in-force for at least 15 years, the Death Benefit Option must be Option A Level, the policy must be in corridor, and the outstanding loan balance must be the smaller of 93% of the policy value after monthly deductions or (100% minus the OLPR charge percentage) of the policy value after monthly deductions.

After deduction of the one-time rider charge, all policy value will be transferred to the fixed account. No additional policy transactions or policy changes will be allowed and no further monthly deductions will be taken. The total net death benefit will now equal the larger of the total specified amount less any indebtedness, the policy value multiplied by the appropriate attained age Guideline Premium Test corridor factor less any indebtedness, and $5,000.

The Overloan Lapse Protection Rider is available on guideline premium test policies only. Neither the IRS nor the courts have ruled on the tax consequences of exercising the Overloan Lapse Protection Rider. It is possible that the IRS or a court could assert that the policy has been effectively terminated and the outstanding loan balance should be treated as a distribution, all or a portion of which could be taxable when the rider is exercised. The Overloan Lapse Protection Rider also may not be appropriate for your client’s particular circumstances. Your client should consult with a tax professional regarding the risks associated with exercising this rider, and for further details.

The Accelerated Death Benefit for Chronic Illness and Accelerated Death Benefit for Terminal Illness Riders are only available for insureds issue ages 20-60 and are not available on rated policies. For the Accelerated Death Benefit for Chronic Illness Rider, the amount of death benefit that’s accelerated, plus any accrued interest, will be secured by a lien against the base policy death benefit. Upon the death of the insured, the death benefit will be reduced by the amount of the lien, and the remaining death benefit will be paid. Exercising the Accelerated Death Benefit for Chronic Illness Rider will prohibit the policyowner from exercising the Accelerated Death Benefit for Terminal Illness Rider, and exercising the Accelerated Death Benefit for Terminal Illness Rider will prohibit the policyowner from exercising the Accelerated Death Benefit for Chronic Illness Rider. If the optional Accelerated Death Benefit for Chronic Care Advantage Rider is selected, the Accelerated Death Benefit for Chronic Illness Rider is not available.

The Accelerated Death Benefit for Chronic Care Advantage Rider is offered at time of application for an additional cost. The acceleration and payout percentages cannot change once the rider is issued. This rider is only available for insureds issue ages 20-80, and if elected, additional underwriting will be required, and if the insured qualifies, the rider rate class will be the same as on the base policy. It's possible that the insured is approved for the base policy but declined for this rider based on the rider underwriting results. This rider is not available on policies with ratings worse than Table 4, with annual flat extras exceeding $5 per $1,000, or with both flat extras and table rates. Exercising this rider will prohibit the policyowner from exercising the Accelerated Death Benefit for Terminal Illness Rider. If the optional Accelerated Death Benefit for Chronic Care Advantage Rider is selected, the Accelerated Death Benefit for Chronic Illness Rider is not available.

Receipt of an accelerated death benefit may be taxable, especially if the insured does not have a prescribed plan of care. Clients should consult their personal tax or legal professional before applying for this benefit. The insured may also lose their right to receive certain public funds such as Medicare, Medicaid, Social Security, Supplemental Security Income (SSI), and possibly others. The accelerated death benefit is intended to qualify under section 101(g) (26 U.S.C. 101(g)) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 as amended. The death benefit, policy value and loan values will be reduced if an accelerated death benefit is paid. For policies with a lapse protection benefit, the lapse protection value will also be reduced.

Withdrawals or loans may not be allowed in certain situations. Amounts withdrawn will decrease the policy death benefit and may be subject to a withdrawal processing fee. Loans may have a permanent effect on the policy, even if repaid.

Accumulator Ascent IUL, Protector IUL and SwiftProtector have fixed and indexed accounts. Interest credited to the indexed accounts is affected by the value of outside indexes. Values based on the performance of any index are not guaranteed. The policy does not directly participate in any outside investment or index.

Allocations to the fixed account or index strategies are subject to the minimum allocation amounts and are based on the allocation instructions provided at time of application. Allocation instructions may be subsequently changed in writing by the policyowner. When allocations occur, an index segment for each respective index strategy is created. Each index segment has its own index crediting method, index value, index cap, index spread, index floor, index participation rate, index segment term, and index start and maturity date. The index caps, floors and participation rates after the initial index segment term may be higher or lower than the initial rates but will never be less than the guaranteed minimums shown in the policy. The index spreads after the initial index segment term may be higher or lower than the initial spreads but will never be higher than the guaranteed maximum shown in the policy.

An index segment represents the portion of the index account that credits interest based on a change in the indexes applicable to that index segment. Index credits are calculated and credited (if applicable) on the respective index segment’s maturity date. Amounts withdrawn from the index account before the index segment’s maturity date will not receive an index credit, if applicable, for that term.

Any growth within the index strategies your client’s select is linked to the performance of the specified market index over the measurement period (1- or 2-year point-to-point). The market index design, rules, composition, and strategy may act as a limit to the specified market index performance. Volatility indexes are designed to manage downside risk but may also limit upside potential. For more information on a specific market index, refer to their index description.

Symetra applies index caps, participation rates, spreads and/or bonus rates (as applicable) to the performance of the specified market index before any applicable index credit is credited to the index segment. Your client’s index credit will not be less than zero percent. An index crediting strategy that does not have a cap may be referred to as with “no cap” in our marketing materials. In situations where Symetra does not impose a cap, there may still be an upper limit based on the design of the volatility-control index.

Symetra reserves the right to add, modify or remove any index strategy or crediting method. If any index is discontinued or if the calculation of any index is changed substantially, Symetra reserves the right to substitute a comparable index.

An index may not include the payment or reinvestment of dividends in the calculation of its performance.

It is not possible to invest in an index.

Variable policy value, monthly administrative and monthly expense charges are subject to change without notice.

This is not a complete description of the Symetra Accumulator Ascent IUL, Protector IUL, SwiftProtector, or Accumulator VUL policies and riders. For a more complete description, please ask your insurance professional or registered representative.

Accumulator VUL can only be sold by registered representatives.

Important note: If you’re a resident of Arizona, please click here for exclusions and limitations for the Cancer Insurance Rider.

1 In most instances, life insurance proceeds are not subject to federal income taxes.

2 Tax-deferred growth is subject to taxation when withdrawn. For Symetra Accumulator VUL, units may be worth more or less upon withdrawal than when purchased. Please refer to your policy and prospectus.

3 If the policy is properly structured in a trust outside of the estate. Trust should be drafted by an attorney familiar with such matters. Failure to properly structure could result in adverse treatment of trust proceeds. Symetra Life Insurance Company does not provide tax or legal advice.

4 The Lapse Protection Benefit prevents the policy from entering the Grace Period when the policy is in a Lapse Protection Benefit Period. Coverage will remain in effect as long as the Lapse Protection Value is greater than or equal to zero and the surrender value of your policy is greater than the sum of all outstanding policy loans and loan interest. Loans, withdrawals, late or delayed premium payments may affect the duration of the Lapse Protection Benefit.

5 Depending upon the answers during the application process, a client may travel down one of three underwriting paths—instant coverage, accelerated underwriting or full underwriting. The typical coverage turnaround time is about 25 minutes for instant coverage, 24-72 hours for accelerated underwriting and 30 days for full underwriting. Premium payment is required for coverage to be in effect.

Cancer Care CompassSM and SwiftProtectorSM are service marks of Symetra Life Insurance Company.

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