Want Life Insurance? Of Course. Now Try Getting It.

Looking for life insurance during—or because of—the pandemic? Be prepared for companies raising their prices, lowering benefits, and even refusing to sell some products, the Wall Street Journal reports. Penn Mutual Life Insurance, for example, is among companies that hit pause on selling life insurance to people 70 and older who have health issues. "In 33 years, I have never seen more changes come more quickly to the life-insurance products we sell," says the head of an insurance brokerage in Akron, Ohio. "It is unprecedented how fast and widespread—it is across lots of carriers."

It's partly because interest rates have fallen during the pandemic. Insurance companies often park about 70% of their main investment account in long-term bonds, but annual yields on such holdings have declined from 16% in the 1980s to roughly 3% in 2018 to—steady, now—0.679% on Friday. So what should you do? Forbes looks at whether to buy life insurance on your parents ("the sooner you get the coverage, the better") and KOAA examines why you should have separate life insurance during the pandemic—in short, because your work insurance might lapse if you're laid off, and only cover you in case of an accident. (More life insurance stories.)